The Scarred Pride (Full Story)

by PDonFANFICTON

This story is not by me. It was made by "The Reference Man" Credits go to him for the story. I combined all the chapters of the story into one! This took a while to do. But, it was worth it!

Prologue

It was a nice warm and sunny day in the Pride Lands. The sky was as clear as water, the clouds were nice and fluffy and a gentle wind blew across the savannas. Simba, the Pride Lands' king was on the very top of Pride Rock. From up here he could see just about everything that was happening in the Pride Lands; Simba was currently looking to see if there was any disturbances going on and there were none. However, Simba wasn't able to see any disturbances that might be hidden from his sight, so he was waiting for the morning report.

The Pride Lands' majordomo, a hornbill named Zazu landed in front of Simba and bowed.

"Good morning your majesty." Zazu said.

"Good morning old friend." Simba said returning the bow. "What do you have to report?" Simba asked.

"Nothing but peace and quiet." Zazu reported.

Simba smiled at what Zazu had to report. It had been about a month and a half since the unification between the Pride Landers and former Outlanders. Ever since than the morning report had always been the same 'peace and quiet.'

"Peace and quiet is how it should be." Simba said.

"Indeed, so your majesty." Zazu replied.

Simba thought back to his daughter Kiara and his son-in-law Kovu. If it wasn't for them, the Pride Lands might still be at war; no one can thank those two enough.

"Is there anything you require of me your majesty?" Zazu asked.

"Yes, have you seen Kovu and Kiara?" Simba asked.

"No, your majesty. I haven't seen them." Zazu said.

"Thank you anyway Zazu that will be all." Simba said.

"If any disturbances turn up I'll report to you right away your majesty. Zazu said before flying off.

Simba looked over the lands to see if he could spot Kiara and Kovu anywhere, but he couldn't find them. Simba decided to ask some of the pride members if they knew where Kiara and Kovu were. Simba walked down Pride Rock and looked over his pride. Pride Landers and former Outlanders where basking in the sun together. Simba was still surprised at how well the former Outlandes settled in at Pride Rock.

Simba had expected his pride to act a little aggressive towards their former enemy and the Outlanders to act the same way towards his pride. But, his welcomed the Outlanders into the pride with open arms and the Outlanders thanked them. Now everyone was acting as if the war had never even happened. The sight of the peace between the two prides made Simba think of Kiara again. Simba had been overprotective of her because he didn't want her to get hurt.

But after seeing what she had accomplished made Simba realize that he wouldn't be around forever to protect her. Simba realized there would be times when Kiara had to take care of herself and if he kept being overprotective of her, she wouldn't be ready when and if those times came. Having a daughter like Kiara made Simba a very proud lion.

"Hay, how are you doing Simba?" a voice said.

Simba looked to the side and saw whom the voice belonged to. The voice belonged to a lion that looked exactly like him, but with a darker brown pelt, a dark brown mane, tan underbelly and blue eyes, but what was most unique about this lion's appearance was the baby blue birds perched in his mane and on his ears.

"You looking after another clutch of blue birds again Tojo?" Simba asked.

"Well it's my favorite hobby." Tojo said, which caused the two friends to laugh.

During Scar's reign when male cubs became old enough that they could take care of themselves, they were either forced to leave or were mauled to death and eaten by the hyenas. Tojo refused to leave and was driven out. Tojo along with Chumvi, Nala's brother Mheetu and a few other males lived in an oasis, similar to the one Simba was living in with Timon and Pumbaa at the time. When Simba returned and claimed the throne back he eagerly welcomed his friends and soon to be brother-in-law back, but the other males set out to form their own prides. Simba told them all to visit any time they wanted and that they would always have a place in The Pride Lands.

Simba was glad that Tojo had decided to stay in the Pride Lands, he couldn't imagine the Pride Lands without Tojo.

"Oh, I remember when we used to take care of that first clutch of baby blue birds." Simba said.

"Yeah, your dad kept calling you 'Mommy Bird' for weeks." Tojo said.

"And I kept calling him 'Grandpa Bird'." Simba laughed.

"I know just about every bird in the Pride Lands, Simba. If you and Zazu ever need any more eyes and ears I'm your lion." Tojo said.

"I'll keep that in mind. Speaking of eyes and ears, have you seen Kovu and Kiara or heard about where they are?" Simba asked.

"Yeah, I overheard them talking about going to check out how the Outlands were doing." Tojo said.

After the unification between the prides, the Outlands were magically getting water and vegetation again. The Outlands were starting to look like the Pride Lands, but it was still a ways away from becoming fully lush again. Simba had decreed that when the Outlands had become fully lush and livable again that it would no longer be forbidden territory.

"Kovu's idea I guess. When he first saw the Outlands starting to become like the Pride Lands, he looked as happy as the day the two prides joined together." Simba said.

"The Outlands gaining life again must be your father and the past kings' doing?" Tojo guessed.

"You're right." Simba agreed.

"Oh, and I also heard Kiara and Kovu saying that they wanted to talk to you about something." Tojo added in.

"What about?" Simba asked.

"I don't know. Before I could hear what exactly they were talking about Tama told me to stop eavesdropping. I tell you Simba, she's feisty, controlling, little scary, and never let's me talk to any of the other lionesses because of her always be suspicious of me, even though she's the only lioness for me. But that's why I love her." Tojo laughed.

"Yeah, and even though I'm king, I still don't think she likes me?" Simba guessed.

"She still respects you as king, does she?" Tojo asked.

"Yeah. Well I guess I'd better go see what Kovu and Kiara wanted to talk to me about." Simba said as he walked down Pride Rock's steps.

Kiara and Kovu were on an outcrop of rocks overlooking the now lush Outlands. As always when they came to look, Kovu had a look of amazement on his face.

"I still can't believe how lush it's become since I was last there." Kovu said.

"Neither can I." Kiara said.

The two nuzzled each other and continued to look at the lush Outlands.

"Should we go in and take a closer look?" Kiara asked.

"But Simba said to wait for a few months until any animals could go in." Kovu said.

"Come on, just for one minute." Kiara said.

"Alright you win, but just one minute. No more, and if we get in trouble for going in, you're taking the most of the blame." Kovu said.

"Agreed." Kiara agreed.

The two began to enter before Kovu caught a familiar scent.

"Kiara stop, your father is here." Kovu said.

"What, how did he know we were here?" Kiara asked.

"I don't know." Kovu said.

Kiara peeked over the rocks and saw Simba walking towards them. Kiara thought that her father might be on patrol; she also thought that this was a perfect time to talk to her father. Earlier today Kiara and Kovu talked about wanting to talk to Simba about something important, but first Kiara decided to have some fun first before talking to him. Kiara walked to Kovu and whispered something in his ear.

"Kiara are you sure that's a good idea?" Kovu asked.

"It's just a little fun Kovu, come on." Kiara said.

"Alright, but just this once." Kovu said.

"Alright, now let's do this." Kiara said.

Kiara and Kovu went in separate directions. They both hid amongst the rocks and waited. Simba walked onto the outcrop of rocks and looked around for Kiara and Kovu, but couldn't find them.

"Hmm. I thought those two would be here, this is their favorite spot." Simba said.

Seeing their chance, Kiara looked to where Kovu was and gave him the signal. 3… 2… 1! Kiara and Kovu pounced at Simba, hoping to take him by surprise, but Simba took a step back, stood on his back legs and grabbed both Kiara and Kovu's heads in his front paws.

"No!" Kiara shrieked seeing her plan fail.

"Thought you could take me by surprise, didn't you?" Simba asked.

"Kiara did but I didn't really." Kovu said.

"Well I'm king for a reason." Simba said.

"I can see and feel that." Kovu said.

Simba let go of their heads and they sat in front of him.

"I heard you two wanted to talk to me?" Simba said.

"How do you know that?" Kovu asked.

"A little birdy told me." Simba said.

After hearing, that Kiara looked up to the sky and shouted "ZAZU!"

"No not Zazu, Tojo and his birds overheard you." Simba said.

"Of course, he did. That lion has eyes and ears everywhere." Kovu said.

"Well he knows just about every bird in the Pride Lands." Simba said.

This caused all three lions to laugh.

"Well let's get back to the subject at paw. What did the two of you want to talk to me about?" Simba asked.

Kiara gestured for Simba to come closer. Simba came closer and Kiara whispered in his ear.

"Dad how would you like grandchildren?" Kiara asked, getting straight to the point.

After Kiara said that Simba flinched and a chill ran down his spine all the way to the tip of his tail.

"Grandchildren?" Simba asked, stepping back a step.

"Yes. Me and Kovu have talked about it for the past few days and we decided we want to have cubs." Kiara said.

"Yeah. We already asked Nala. She said yes but to ask you before we have any." Kovu said.

Simba didn't say anything at first, he just stood there still shocked. Kiara waved a paw in front of her father's face.

"Dad?" Kiara asked.

"That must have really been a shock for him." Kovu said.

Kovu placed a paw on Simba's shoulder and shook him slightly, but it did nothing. Kiara gave her father a lick on the muzzle but he still stood there frozen. Kiara groaned at the thought of what she was about to do.

"Sorry dad." Kiara said before slapping Simba across his muzzle; it wasn't a hard hit, but it was enough to make him snap out of his trance.

"What was that for?" Simba asked, rubbing the spot where Kiara slapped him.

"Sorry, it was the only way we could get you out of your little trance." Kiara apologized.

"Oh, don't worry, it's alright. What did you ask again?" Simba asked.

"Me and Kovu want cubs and mom said yes." Kiara said.

Kiara was old enough to have cubs, but Simba wasn't sure at first. Kiara and Kovu had just basically got married and they were already thinking of having cubs.

"Isn't it a bit early in the marriage to be thanking about that?" Simba asked.

"Daddy!" Kiara slightly shouted.

"She'll never stop until you say yes." Kovu warned.

Simba agreed with Kovu, Kiara would never stop until he said yes and Nala would probably force him to sleep in the watering hole 'till he got sick if he refused.

"I'm not going to hear the end of it from you and your mother if I refuse, am I?" Simba asked.

"I think the answer is yes." Kovu answered for Kiara.

"Then I say yes." Simba said.

Kiara squealed with joy, grabbed both Kovu and Simba and dragged them both to the ground with her.

"Wow. Well when can expect grandchildren?" Simba asked.

"Me and Kovu are going to work on it tonight." Kiara said.

"Tonight!?" Kovu shouted, shocked.

Later that night after the lionesses brought back the end of the day hunt and they ate, Kiara and Kovu retired to Scar's old cave; which was the most private place at Pride Rock. Kiara wrapped her paws around Kovu and made themselves fall to the ground.

"Well Kovu are you ready?" Kiara asked.

"Do I have a choice?" Kovu nervously asked.

"No." Kiara simply said.

Kiara gave Kovu a quick kiss.

"Are you ready for children Kovu?" Kiara asked.

"I thought you said I had no choice." Kovu said.

"Oh right." Kiara said, which caused the both of them to laugh.

With that they both began the process of having children.

Chapter 1: A Special Pair

It had been a few months since that night and Kiara and Kovu's cub or cubs were getting close to being born. It was the green season and the long rains were coming down. Since she was only a few weeks away, Kiara had to stay at Pride Rock for her safety and the safety of her unborn children. Kiara didn't mind much if it kept her children safe. Kiara was currently talking with Vitani, who was telling her about herself and Kovu when they were cubs.

Vitani told her about the time when she woke Kovu up in the middle of the night and they played by the river for the whole night and until afternoon. Zira had caught them and punished them but it was so worth it. Vitani also said that one day she made Kovu a crown made out of twigs and mud. Vitani had told Kovu once that she would do whatever he told her to do. Kovu had told Vitani to walk a hundred steps forward on just her back paws; it was hard for Vitani but she had done it.

"You really seem to respect him." Kiara said.

"Well I'm his sister, why wouldn't I?" Vitani questioned.

The two sisters-in-laws laughed. Kiara looked at her bloated belly and smiled. Kiara thought back to the first few weeks of her pregnancy. Kovu had followed Kiara everywhere she went, his side constantly brushing against hers. Kovu had asked literally every ten seconds if Kiara was doing okay.

Kiara for once in her life had no problem with someone being overprotective of her. She thought that the way Kovu was acting was kind of cute. Kovu couldn't take his eyes off her which one day caused him to fall into a mud pit. He got a mud bath and a mouth full of mud. Kiara had never laughed so hard in her life and Kovu had never been so embarrassed in his life.

"Promise me you won't tell anyone about this?" Kovu had asked.

"I promise I won't." Kiara had promised.

Kovu never fell into a mud pit after that, but still followed Kiara everywhere she went. When Kiara had to stay in the den, Kovu had stayed as well, but Vitani had convinced Kovu to go and train with Simba on how to be king.

"You don't want to get lazy and fat, do you?" Vitani had asked Kovu.

That caused Kovu to continue his training with Simba.

"I always win against him." Vitani had stated.

It had been a few days after Kiara and Vitani talked with each other, it was late at night and Kiara and Kovu were watching the stars.

"Kiara look at that one," Kovu said pointing to a constellation, "It's shaped like a flower."

"I see." Kiara said.

Kiara continued to look at the constellations and saw a familiar one.

"Hay, Kovu look at that one. You know the 'two lions killing each other over a scrap of meat?" Kiara inquired.

"Our constellation." Kovu said.

"Ours?" Kiara questioned.

"Yeah, and look at those smaller ones." Kovu added.

Kiara looked and saw a constellation with three smaller looking lions around it that appeared to be cubs. Two of the cubs were male by the small manes they had and one was a female.

"Do you know what those constellations are Kiara?" Kovu questioned.

"I thank your about to tell me." Kiara said.

"The bigger constellation is you and me and the smaller ones are our children." Kovu said.

"The smaller constellations are two males and one female. So were going to have two sons and one daughter." Kiara observed.

Kovu leaned his head down and nuzzled Kiara's belly.

"Have you thought of any names?" Kovu questioned.

"No, have you?" Kiara asked.

"No." Kovu simply replied.

"Well we'll thank of something after they're born." Kiara said.

Kovu and Kiara returned to looking at the stars. Simba soon came out of the den and laid down next to Kiara and Kovu. Simba took a moment to stroke Kiara's belly.

"Enjoying yourselves?" Simba asked.

"Daddy look at those constellations." Kiara said.

Simba looked and saw the constellations with the two older lions and the cubs.

"Take a guess what those constellations are?" Kiara said.

"You, Kovu and your future cubs?" Simba guessed.

"Yes." Kovu said.

"So, two sons and one daughter, eh?" Simba asked.

"Yes." Kiara said.

Kiara, Simba and Kovu continued to watch the stars before Kovu sighed.

"What's wrong?" Simba asked.

"I was just thanking of my mother and about the cubs." Kovu admitted.

Kiara placed a paw on his. Zira may have been abusive towards Kovu and his siblings and never showed them any love, but she was still their mother, and that was enough to make them miss her.

"Even though this is not the way she would have wanted it, I'm sure she would have been proud." Kiara reassured.

"She's right." Simba added placing a paw on Kovu's shoulder.

"Yeah, you two are right." Kovu said.

The three lions turned back to look at the stars. They spent about half an hour pointing out constellations before a look of slight pain spread across Kiara's face.

"Kiara are you alright?" Simba asked.

"Yeah, it's nothing." Kiara said.

Kiara tried to look back at the stars, before the pain became greater and greater, causing her to scream.

"KIARA!" both Simba and Kovu yelled.

"Kovu, Dad it's time! Help me into the den!" Kiara said, taking deep breathes to try and calm the pain.

Some lionesses who woke up to the commotion came out and helped Simba and Kovu get Kiara back inside the den.

"Okay everyone out. Mother, Sarabi stay with me." Nala said after Kiara was back inside the den.

The rest of the pride waited outside the den for any news. Simba and Kovu continued to look at the stars, hoping it would distract them from the screams. Kion came up to his father and brother-in-law.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Kion asked.

Simba and Kovu looked towards Kion. If this happened a few months ago when Simba was still overprotective of Kiara, he would be constantly pacing back and forth and trying to enter the cave when space was the best thing Kiara needed.

"Of course, she will, you know her." Simba said.

"So, do you two. Kiara may look cute on the outside, but she's all muscles and toughness on the inside." Kion said.

Simba and Kovu laughed at Kion's little joke. After a while longer, the screaming stopped and Sarabi walked out of the den. Simba walked up to her as soon as she did.

"How was it?" Simba asked.

"Three cubs. Two male, one female and the two boys are a special pair." Sarabi said.

"Why do you say that?" Kovu asked.

Sarabi smiled at her grandson-in-law.

"Come in and see for yourself." Sarabi insisted.

Everyone walked into the den and saw Kiara cradling three cubs in her paws. The Female had Auburn/brown fur like Kovu but with a lighter shade thanks to Kiara's peach tone colored fur, she had two different colored eyes, one reddish-brown and one emerald green, a 'freckled' muzzle like Vitani had, cream colored underbelly, pink Outlander nose and a peach-ish colored stripe down the center of her head like her grandmother Zira had.

"She looks beautiful." Simba said as he stroked his granddaughter's head.

"You have an idea on what to name her?" Kovu asked.

"I thought of naming her Talia." Kiara said.

"It sounds wonderful." Kovu said. "What about the others?" Kovu asked.

"These two are very special cubs Simba." Nala said.

Simba leaned in to get a better look. One of the males had yellow-gold fur, a red mane tuft, ruby red eyes, beige colored underbelly and Pride Lander nose. Simba looked at the cub in awe, it looked just like a younger version of his father.

"This one looks exactly like my father." Simba said.

"And that is why we're naming him Mufasa II." Kiara said.

"Hay, we never agreed to name him that." Kovu said.

Kovu liked the idea of naming his son after his grandfather-in-law, but he couldn't help but point out that he and Kiara hadn't discussed it.

"We're naming him Mufasa II, Kovu deal with it." Kiara hissed.

"Wow, easy I wasn't saying I didn't like the name, I was just saying that we hadn't discussed it." Kovu said.

"That's how a newly made mother reacts when you don't agree with a name she's already picked out for one of her newborn cubs." Sarabi laughed.

"What about the third one?" Vitani asked.

"This cub is the first born." Sarafina said.

Kiara showed everyone her first born son and the Pride Lands' future king. This cub had brownish-orange fur, black mane tuft, emerald green eyes, tan underbelly, black Outlander nose, black tufts of fur on the elbows of his front legs and had a goatee beard growing on his chin. Everyone looked at this cub with shock and awe. This cub looked like…

"He looks exactly like Scar." Simba said with more shock than awe.

"Really?" Kiara questioned.

Kiara knew what her grandfather Mufasa looked like from Simba telling her, but no one ever gave her a description of what her great uncle Scar looked like. Sarabi and Sarafina looked down and smiled at the minutes old cub.

"He's going to look exactly like Scar when he grows up." Sarafina said.

"Well a less scrawny and more well-behaved Scar, if he's raised right." Sarabi added while tickling the newborn cub.

"And his eyes are emerald green, not neon green like Scar's. So he got one appearance trait from you two." Nala observed while looking at Kovu.

"Yeah, he does have Kovu's eyes." Vitani stated.

Kiara and Kovu stared at their first born for a long time before asking what they should name him. They exchanged a few names, but none seemed to fit him.

"I give up, I don't know what to name him." Kiara finally said.

"I have an idea on what you can name him." Sarabi piped in.

"What is it Sarabi?" Nala asked.

"Scar's real name was Taka. So, like you just did with little Mufasa here, you should name him Taka II." Sarabi said.

"Yes, and try to raise them to have the relationship that Scar and Mufasa should have had." Sarafina added.

Kiara and Kovu looked down at their first born and after a while they agreed that it was the perfect name for him.

"Yes, his name will be Taka II and he'll be raised to be better than Scar was and to be the greatest king that the Pride Lands have ever had and will have." Kiara declared.

The entire pride gave a roar of approval.

"I have a feeling the Pride Lands are going to have a bright future ahead of them." Simba said.

"Yeah, they will." Nala said.

Chapter 2: Brothers Forever

In the months that followed, Kiara and Kovu's children were growing into fine young cubs. Talia loved to sing and like Tojo always seemed to be surrounded by birds. Talia also adopted Vitani's tomboy and rough personality along with her mother's kindness. Mufasa II was a wise and brave young cub like his great grandfather was. Taka II became the perfect little prince that the whole pride had hoped he would become.

Taka was kind beyond explanation, brave, he had an adventurous, playful and cheerful way that rivaled his mother's. Kovu called Taka a male version of Kiara. Taka also got some traits from his Great Great Uncle Scar, he was intelligent and lazy at times, but if he was needed for help by someone he was more than willing to help that person. Taka was also more muscular than Scar was at this age, according to Sarabi and Sarafina.

"He's the perfect little prince." Sarabi had told Simba one day.

"Well I did say that I could see the Pride Lands having a bright future." Simba stated.

Sarabi looked at Taka with a sad smile.

"Oh, your uncle, Simba. In a way, I deeply miss him like I do your father." Sarabi said.

Simba understood what his mother meant. She didn't miss the lion that killed her mate, tricked her into thinking her son was dead, drove the kingdom she loved and ruled into the ground, and let bad hyenas into. She missed the lion that was her friend before his negative feelings of jealousy turned him into what he was, she missed Taka, not Scar. Even though he never got to genuinely experience that, Simba missed the relationship he had with his uncle as a cub before the stampede, even if it was false and wished it was real. Simba placed his foreleg around his mothers shoulder.

"I understand, and I do to." Simba admitted.

"The relationship Taka II and Mufasa II have, I wish your father and uncle had that relationship." Sarabi said.

"I do to." Simba said.

Taka and Mufasa had been told the story of their great great grandfather and uncle, they hated how the story ended with Scar killing Mufasa, and manipulating their grandfather into making him think it was actually his fault he died. They were just glad that their grandfather returned and turned everything back to normal. Some short time after they were told the story, the two brothers met with each other in Scar's old cave, both sitting across from each other in front of a small controlled fire.

"It's time Mufasa." Taka II said.

Both the brothers unsheathed their index claw and raised the other paw, exposing their paw pads.

"As long as were princes of the Pride Lands we're to respect each other's positions." Taka II said.

"We're not to repeat what happened during Grandfather Mufasa's reign." Mufasa II said.

"I'm to respect your position and you're to respect my position." Taka II said.

"There will be no jealousy, and no trying to kill you for the throne." Mufasa II said.

"And we're to respect each other as brothers first and royals second." Taka II said.

With that said the two brothers slashed a quick line across their paw pad and shook each other's paw over the small controlled fire.

"Taka II and Mufasa II, brothers forever." both brothers said in unison.

Unknown to the brothers, they were being watched. The entire pride, close friends to the pride and family members from the stars had watched the whole scene. Timon and Pumbaa were on the verge of tears at the scene.

"Now if that isn't the brotherly love that Simba's father and uncle should have had, I don't know what is." Timon sobbed.

"A new shining generation as I think Simba would put it." Pumbaa guessed.

"Yeah, that sounds right." Timon guessed before happily sobbing uncontrollably along with Pumbaa.

Kiara looked to Kovu and her parents.

"You were right dad." Kiara said.

"I'd say they do have that relationship that my father and uncle should have had." Simba observed.

"This must be the kings wanting to re-create Mufasa and Scar's story." Nala added in.

"A much, much better story." Kovu stated.

Simba looked to the stars and saw his father looking down to them.

"I have a feeling this was more you're individual doing than the other kings of the past's doing." Simba said to his father in the heavens.

A gentle wind blew through the air.

"Your completely predictable." Simba replied.

From this day forward Taka II and Mufasa II each had a small scar on their main paw pad.

Chapter 3: Day of Unity

About eight months had gone by after the birth of Kiara and Kovu's cubs. Today was the one-year anniversary of the unification between the Pride Landers and Outlanders. Taka II, his brother and sister, Mufasa II and Talia got up just before sunrise, walked to the edge of Pride Rock and looked over the land.

"It's pretty during the sunrise." Talia said.

"Yeah, it is." Taka said.

"And you're going to rule all this one day." Mufasa said.

The cubs watched the sunrise for a few minutes before Simba walked out of the den towards them. Simba sat down next to his grandchildren and watched the rest of the sunrise with them.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Simba asked.

"We were just talking about that." Mufasa said.

"I thought so." Simba said. "Do you three know what day it is?" Simba asked.

"It's Unification Day." Talia said.

"Party time!" Taka said.

"Everyone else isn't up yet, so I want to show you three something first." Simba said.

"Show us what?" Taka asked.

"I've taught you three about the circle of life, already and I told you that everything the light touches is our kingdom, but I've never taken you three to the top of Pride Rock." Simba said.

"You're taking us to the top of Pride Rock!?" Talia said with excitement.

"Yes, now come on you three." Simba said, as he walked up to the top of Pride Rock.

The three cubs had never been up to the top of Pride Rock before, but now they were. The three cubs followed their grandfather to the top of Pride Rock, and when they got to the top, a lot of 'wow's' followed.

"The light touches a lot." Talia said.

"It doesn't touch a lot, it touches a whole lot." Mufasa said.

"I thought the same when my father brought me up here, and one day Taka, your father will rule all of this. Then you will, then your son or daughter will rule after you, then their son or daughter will, and so on." Simba said.

Taka looked over the Pride Lands, he knew that the lands were very vast, but from the tiptop of Pride Rock, it looked a million times bigger.

"Didn't you feel any pressure when great Grandpa Mufasa, showed you this?" Taka asked.

"No actually. I was as excited as can be and very impatient. Remember the stories I told you about my cubhood in the Pride Lands?" Simba asked.

"Yeah, you sounded very boastful, arrogant, and cocky." Talia said.

"Those are the necessary evils of growing up. They cause you to make mistakes and you learn from your mistakes." Simba said.

"Well we haven't made any mistakes like you did from time to time when you were growing up." Talia said.

"Yet." Simba whispered.

"Hay, we heard that." Taka said.

"At least we won't send Zazu on a wild goose chase for a bird kingdom that doesn't even exist." Talia said.

"Hay, in my own defense, my father started the fibbing and that was being funny." Simba playfully defended.

"But still, you got Zazu into the situation." Talia said.

"And when you tried to make Grandma Nala laugh by splashing her with mud, tickling her nose with a feather while she was napping, and leading her into a trap hole when she chased you for it" Mufasa said.

"Hay, I apologized for those." Simba defended himself.

"Of course, you did." Taka joked.

All four of them laughed, now stopping the teasing. The group of four looked over the Pride Lands for a few more minutes before deciding to walk back down. The lioness we're about to go out for the morning hunt. Tojo, Mheetu and Chumvi were joining the lionesses in the hunt. Male lions usually didn't help hunt with the lionesses because of their lower stamina and their large manes, but tonight they were going to hold a feast in honor of the unification and they needed all the help they could get.

Mheetu saw his brother-in-law and great nephews and niece, he walked over to them. At first sight Mheetu was completely white, but he was just so blonde that he looked white and he had water blue eyes.

"Hi Uncle Mheetu." the three cubs said.

"Good morning you four." Mheetu said, giving them a small bow of the head.

"About to go out on the hunt?" Simba asked.

"Yes, any requests?" Mheetu asked.

"ZEBRA!" Taka shouted, while stand on his back legs.

"I'll make sure it's nice and fat." Mheetu said.

"You have any requests Simba?" Mheetu asked.

Simba looked over at a particular lioness of the pride, Kula. Kula was a friend of Nala, and Chumvi's mate. Kula was a food freak. Someone once even asked if she was a hyena in lionesses' clothing because of how often and messy she ate. Last year when the pride had a feast celebrating the unification and Kiara and Kovu's marriage, Kula had eaten so much that everyone thought she was literally going to explode, some even hid behind rocks for cover.

"Make sure you load up on a lot of meat for Kula." Simba whispered to Mheetu.

"Will do." Mheetu whispered back as he walked back to the hunting party.

"And remember Malka and his pride will also be joining us." Simba said

"You got it." Mheetu said.

Malka was an old friend of Simba, that he met during his cubhood. Malka was the prince, now king, of the pride just across the mountains. The last time Simba saw Malka was some time after Kiara and Kovu had gotten married. About three weeks ago, a lioness from Malka's pride had come to inform Simba that Malka's pride needed help with a group and rouge lions that kept bothering them. Malka kept fighting them off, but he was starting to get exhausted from always having to fight them off with his old age.

Malka's pride was also a small pride, and Malka's son wasn't a very good fighter. So, Simba sent Kion and the rest of the Lion Guard to help Malka out, and to invite his pride to the Unification Day celebration.

"Grandpa, can we go play with our friends?" Taka asked.

"Ask your mother and father first." Simba said.

With that, the three cubs went into the den to talk to their mother and father. The three cubs found their parents behind a rock that easily hid them. Their parent's appearances had changed so much over the past eight months. Kovu's mane had fully grown in, he'd grown more buff, rivaling his grandfather-in-law Mufasa and his scar had faded to where you'd have to look close and squint to see it. Kiara looked pretty much the same, except she had a stronger build now that she was older and she had grown even more beautiful.

When Kiara stepped out of the den, the sun shone off her coat which gave off a blinding light. Last month the shine from the sun on her coat had temporarily blinded Zazu, when he came to give Simba the morning report. Zazu had flown hard into the face of Pride Rock, fell and had broke a wing for a few weeks. Unable to fly around and scout the Pride lands, Zazu's nephew Zaza, filled in for temporary majordomo.

"I didn't know Banana Beak, had a nephew." Nala had said, using her and Simba's old nickname for Zazu.

The cubs continued up to their parents, who were about to kiss, but stopped when they saw their children coming.

"Good morning you three." Kiara said walking up to her cubs.

"Good morning mom and dad." the three cubs all said.

"There anything you three need?" Kovu asked.

"Daddy can we go play with our friends?" Talia asked.

"Yes, but just be home before the feast tonight. It's Unification Day, remember." Kiara said.

"Don't worry, we'll be by the watering hole for most of the day." Taka said.

"Okay, but remember it's the dry season, so no swimming and drink only what you need." Kovu said with a fair but firm sternness in his voice.

"Don't worry we will." Mufasa said before he and his brother and sister walked out of the den.

Kiara and Kovu watched as their cubs walked out of the den to their friends. Kovu gently took Kiara's chin in his paw, turned her face to face him and tilted her head up so her eyes met with his.

"Alone at last." Kovu said.

Taka, Mufasa and Talia walked down to the base of Pride Rock, where their friends Bluu, Grey, and Griffin always waited for them. Bluu had golden fur, cream-colored underbelly, pink Pride Lander nose, and like her name said, she had blue eyes. Bluu was also betrothed to Taka, so she was going to be the future queen. It was obvious why Grey's name was Grey, he was fully grey, even his eyes were grey. Grey was Kula and Chumvi's son.

Griffin had reddish colored fur, a tuft of fur on her head like Vitani had, pink Pride Lander nose, and had red colored eyes she was Tojo and Tama's daughter, and Bluu's sister. Grey was originally betrothed to Talia, but Grey and Griffin had recently started showed an interest in each other so Kovu and Kiara decided to call of the betrothal. There were many other young lions that Talia could be betrothed to. Bluu walked up to Taka and tickled his nose with her tail tuft, which caused him to sneeze.

"Come on Bluu, you know I don't like that." Taka said while rubbing his nose.

"Well your brother and sister seem to like it." Bluu said, gesturing to Mufasa and Talia, who were struggling not to laugh.

"Well is everyone ready to go to the watering hole?" Grey asked from atop a small rock.

"Daddy says no swimming and to only drink what we need." Talia said.

"Hay, what are you looking at me for?" Grey asked. "I know it's the dry season, you know." Grey continued.

"This isn't the best or worst dry season that the Pride Lands have had, but it's still the same every time. Only drink what you need." Mufasa said.

"Okay, okay I get it, now come on, let's go. Wema and Tunu are waiting for us" Grey said.

"Alright than, follow the leader." Bluu said, pushing Taka in front of them.

"Hay, we never voted who should be leader of the group!" Grey said.

"Well Taka is the future king, so that makes him automatic leader." Mufasa said.

"Lead on Taka and put a proud look on." Bluu said.

"Alright." Taka said.

Taka stood tall and his head held high.

"To the watering hole and in single file!" Taka said in a fair commanding voice.

Taka's friends and siblings gave a 'whoop, whoop.'

"March!" Taka finally said.

With that the group of six began their journey to the watering hole. When they got to there, there were three hyenas, two pups, nearing their teen years and one young adult.

"Madoa, Wema, Tunu!" Talia shouted as she, her siblings and friends ran up to the three hyenas.

A couple days after the prides became unified and Kiara and Kovu were married, Kion and the rest of the Lion Guard came back from a mission outside the Pride Lands. Kion was pleased to know that the Pride Landers and Outlanders were finally unified. Kion seeing the prides unified inspired him to introduce his father to Jasiri and her clan. Kion had always wanted to introduce his father to Jasiri, but he never had the courage or confidence to do so. Simba was angry and disappointed in Kion at first for being friends with hyenas when he told him, but Kiara and Nala talked Simba into giving Jasiri and her clan a chance.

Simba reluctantly let Jasiri and her clan into the Pride Lands. Simba didn't trust them because of his previous history with hyenas, but he eventually saw the type of hyenas they were and fully welcomed them into the Pride lands. Jasiri even became a Lion Guard member, Kion saying that she had the spirit to be one. Tunu and Wema even lost their fear of lions.

"Alright, I thought you guys would never arrive." Wema said, running up to her friends as well.

"Alright all of you, let's have some fun." Madoa said.

"Yeah, lets." Tunu said.

Tunu and Wema turned to their friends.

"What should we do?" Wema asked.

"Tag your it." Taka said, jabbing Wema in the shoulder.

"Oh, you're going to get it Taka!" Wema shouted as she started chasing her friends around the watering hole, while Madoa watched all of them.

Mheetu, Tojo, Chumvi, and four other lioness all followed Nala, slowly and silently. Nala suddenly stopped and Mheetu slowly crept next to her.

"What is it?" Mheetu silently asked.

"Zebra herd up ahead." Nala said.

Mheetu peered through the grass and saw a herd of four zebras. Mheetu spotted a nice fat one that Taka would love.

"That one over there, we go for that one. It's nice and fat, Taka will love it." Mheetu said.

"Oh, you promised him his favorite, didn't you?" Nala asked.

"I just had to ask him." Mheetu said with a small laugh in his voice.

Nala would of laughed if they weren't currently hunting.

"It's all yours." Nala said.

Mheetu began to move upwind so the zebra wouldn't catch his scent. The zebra was a bit too far into the herd, so Mheetu waited for it to get closer. About five minutes later, the zebra that Mheetu had his eyes on finally came close enough to him. Mheetu took his chance and jumped at it. The zebra herd panicked and began to bolt away.

Mheetu almost got on the zebra he had his eyes on but it moved out of Mheetu's reach in just the nick of time.

"No!" Mheetu shouted.

But before the zebra could get away, Nala and Tojo jumped in front of it. The zebra reared up and neighed in fright. Mheetu saw his chance and jumped onto the zebra, clamping his jaws on it's neck and squeezing the life out of it.

"Run out of my reach now." Mheetu said as he cleaned the blood off his muzzle.

Mheetu looked to his sister and Tojo.

"Thanks you two." Mheetu said.

"You looked pretty determined to get that zebra for Taka and we just couldn't let it get away." Tojo said.

"I'll take this zebra back to Pride Rock and try to join you all again later." Mheetu said.

"Let me help you, this zebra seems pretty heavy." Nala said.

"I'd appreciate the help." Mheetu said.

Nala turned towards a lioness with yellowish orange fur.

"Njano, fill in for me while me and my brother take this back to Pride Rock." Nala said.

"Yes, your grace." Njano said.

Tojo, Chumvi and the rest of the hunting party followed Njano, while Nala and Mheetu began dragging the zebra back to Pride Rock.

"Let's just hurry Meetu, we can't let Vitani win." Nala said.

Mheetu wasn't surprised when he heard his sister mentioning not to let Vitani win. During the war between the Pride Landers and former Outlanders, Nala and Vitani had a small rivalry. Nala and Vitani still had their rivalry towards each other, though it's roaring flames were now embers. Every time the lionesses went on their daily hunts Vitani had always challenged Nala to see who hunted better, Pride Landers or Outlanders and who ever brought back the most kills won. They each had their ups and downs in winning, but both were determined to win in the hunt for the first unification feast and the bragging rights that came along with the win.

Nala and Mheetu soon got their kill to a small cave that was underneath Pride Rock, where the pride stored it's leftover meat from their kills. Nala and Mheetu looked and saw two piles, one Nala's hunting party and one Vitani's hunting party. Nala's hunting party had caught one other zebra, one wildebeest, and one antelope. Vitani's hunting party had caught three zebras, and one water buffalo. In the past, the pride would have considered this as overhunting, but the pride was larger now, and Malka's pride was coming for the Unification Day feast.

And their was Kula's larger-than-her-own-body-stomach.

"Looks like our team has the fattest zebra." Mheetu said, relived that Vitani hadn't caught a fatter zebra.

"Our teams are neck and neck. One or two more kills and we should have more than enough for the whole pride, and Malka's." Nala said.

"Then I guess that my team just needs one more kill." Nala and her brother heard Vitani's voice shout out.

Nala and Mheetu looked to see Vitani along with two former Outlanders named Spotty and Dotty, dragging a zebra carcass. Mheetu looked and saw the zebra was fatter than his.

"No!" Mheetu shouted in shock.

"What's wrong with you Mheetu?" Vitani asked.

"Mheetu promised Taka a fat zebra and it looks like you beat him." Nala said, answering Vitani's question.

"Sorry about that Mheetu, but still like I said, my group needs one more kill." Vitani said.

"Actually, it's a tie." everyone heard Tojo's voice say.

Everyone looked to see Tojo and Chumvi leading Nala's hunting party, who were dragging an antelope into the small den. Vitani than looked to Nala with her oh so infamous mocking smirk.

"Only one hunting party can win and it's a tie so what do we do?" Vitani asked.

"We each have a fat zebra, we present them to my grandson and whichever hunting party's he likes better wins the hunt and the bragging rights." Nala explained.

"Be prepared to get destroyed." Vitani mockingly said.

"I was just about to say the same thing." Nala said.

"Spotty, Dotty go get the hunting party and stop their hunt and tell them our fate of winning is in Prince Taka's paws." Vitani said.

"We'll be back and hopefully with another kill to make sure we already win the hunt." Dotty said before she and Spotty set out to get the rest of the hunting party.

Vitani looked to Nala with her mocking smirk still on her face.

"You'd better hope that Prince Taka, feels pity for you and lies that he likes yours better to spare your feelings." Vitani said.

"Same thing." Nala said, keeping a proud look on her face.

Simba was at Pride Rock, looking down at all the lionesses, who were at the spot where the lionesses usually went to bask in the sun. Both Pride Landers and former Outlanders where laying together and talking to each other and he was happy to see it.

"A whole year of unification." Simba whispered.

Simba's mother came up to him.

"Your father would be so proud of you." Sarabi said.

"I've made a lot of mistakes though. If it weren't for Kiara, none of this would have come to be. She's wiser than I am" Simba said.

"But you've learned from all those mistakes, and you've learned from her." Sarabi said

"I guess even when your king, you still have much to learn?" Simba guessed.

"Your father said the exact same thing when he first became king. Even with all his training and watching his father, he still took him a few months to get use to the ways of being king.." Sarabi said.

"Well it's not easy being king, but I don't think Kiara will have a problem when she's queen. Everybody knows her and loves and respects her greatly, and once again, she's wise." Simba said.

"Knowing all that, I could die a happy lioness right now." Sarabi said.

"Well you'd better not die yet, we're to celebrate the first year of unification tonight and we have to thank Kiara and Kovu for it again and you've got to see your great grandchildren have children." Simba said.

"I hope to live up to that moment." Sarabi said.

"So, do I." Simba said before he and his mother nuzzled each other.

Later that night the whole pride gathered inside the small cave where the hunting parties had stored their kills. Taka ran up to his uncle Mheetu right away after he saw him.

"Uncle Mheetu, where's the zebra you promised me?" Taka asked.

"Your Aunt Vitani, caught one bigger than the one I caught you." Mheetu said truthfully.

"Speak of hunting, who won the hunting party for the first unification feast." Sarafina chimed in.

"Vitani and me are tied." Nala said.

"And our fate is in Prince Taka's paws." Vitani said.

"What?" Taka asked.

Two lionesses, one Pride Lander and one former Outlander where dragging one dead zebra each. Nala and Vitani stood behind the zebra that their parties caught. Simba got up and walked back and forth in front of his wife and daughter-in-law.

"Wait, where's Kion and Malka's pride?" Kiara asked.

"We're right here." Kion's voice came in.

Everyone looked to see Kion, Malka, one other full grown lion, five lionesses, two teenage lions, three teenage lionesses, and two cubs in the mouth of the cave.

"Are we late?" Malka asked.

"No, you're just in time." Chumvi said

"And the winner of the first Unification Day feast is about to be named." Tojo said.

"Well than let's get this show on the road, and it's good to see you again Simba." Malka said.

"And it's good to see you to Malka, and you as well Kion." Simba said.

"I'll tell you all about those three rouges tomorrow." Kion said.

Simba walked in circles around Taka, Nala, Vitani and the kills.

"Alright everyone, before we begin the first unification feast, we have a matter of business to attend to. As you all know, our queen and princess Vitani have a little friendly rivalry and both have a tie in kills. So, to see who wins the hunt for the Unification Day feast, we shall have my grandson, Prince Taka II taste both zebras, which all of you probably know is his favorite; and whichever hunting party's he likes best will win the hunt for the first Unification Day feast and get bragging rights." Simba announced.

Taka walked forward towards his aunt and grandmother, who both smiled at him. Their smiles sent a small shiver down his spine, and who could blame him. It was up to Taka's sense of taste who won the hunt and he knew that his aunt and grandmother had a very competitive rivalry. Taka looked around the pride and towards his mother, father and siblings. His mother gave Taka and encouraging smile, which warmed up the shiver and his spine and his brother, showed him his paw with the small scar on his paw pad as their way a promising to never repeat what happened in the past between Mufasa and Scar.

Taka finally went for it, he tasted the zebra that both his Grandmother and Aunt caught and focused carefully on the taste of the meat. After about a minute of focusing on the taste of both zebras, Taka suddenly gave a small shout and dug his face into the zebra that his Aunt Vitani and her hunting party had caught.

"Yes!" Vitani shouted.

"No!" Nala and Mheetu shouted in unison.

"Sorry, but just know that Aunt Vitani only barley won." Taka said after hearing his grandmother and uncle.

"So, does that mean we can eat now?" Kula asked.

"Food on the brain." Chumvi whispered to Sarafina.

"Oh, come on already, can we just eat now!?" Kula impatiently shouted. "People shouldn't make me hungry, you wouldn't like me when I'm hungry. Aargh!" Kula went on, almost pulling the fur out of her head with her paws.

"Alright everyone now that the winner of the first Unification Day feast has been declared let's begin." Simba quickly said, that look in Kula's eye scaring him slightly.

With that Simba's pride and Malka's pride went to eating.

Chapter 4: The Secret Prince

After the first Unification Day feast, everyone decided that it was time to settle in for the night. Simba offered Malka's pride for the night before going back to their lands, which they excepted. Kula ate so much that she'd gotten very bloated and she couldn't move, so she needed help getting to the den. Kiara, Nala, Vitani and two other lionesses helped carry Kula into the den.

"Kula you'd better believe that you're going to pay for this." Vitani said, not happy to be carrying Kula.

"Oh, I'm paying for it." Kula moaned, clutching her stomach.

"You never learn, do you?" Kiara asked.

"No, she doesn't." Chumvi said.

After Kula was laid down everyone else went to their usual sleeping spots. Simba and Nala went to a small circular platform where the royal family always slept, Kiara, Kovu and their children slept in front of the platform, while the rest of the pride laid elsewhere in the den. Kula still moaned from her stomachache.

"Why did you eat so much?" Vitani, who was close to where Kovu and Kiara were sleeping, silently hissed.

"Oh, just leave her alone Vitani. Remember when we first ate with the pride, you ate two zebras and moaned for two nights straight." Kovu said.

"That's only because we never had anything good, only field rats, mice, lizards and sometimes some lost young animal, which everyone got only a mouth full of, while mother gave most to you and herself." Vitani said.

"Are you really going there?" Kovu asked, not too happy with what Vitani just said.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to say that. Let's just try to get some sleep." Vitani said.

Just as Vitani closed her eyes, she felt something on her neck and ears. Vitani looked through the corner of her eye and saw Taka covering her ears.

"That better Aunt Vitani?" Taka asked.

"No, it's not helping, now get off me!" Vitani said.

"I was just trying to help." Taka said.

"Well your help isn't helping, now get off!" Vitani said.

Taka got of Vitani and walked back to his mother with a hurt expression on his face. Kovu got up and walked towards his sister.

"What's your problem?" Kovu asked.

"Nothing." Vitani said.

"Yeah right. Vitani you were happy earlier, and now you seem angry. Is it Kula's moaning?" Kovu asked.

"No." Vitani said.

"Than what is it?" Kovu asked.

"None of your business it what it is." Vitani hissed.

Kovu wanted to roar in anger, but didn't not wanting to wake the pride.

"Fine, we'll talk about this tomorrow." Kovu said as he laid back down.

Simba was seeing the whole scene but didn't get involved. After a few minutes when Simba was sure everyone was asleep, he got up and walked to the top of Pride Rock. Simba sat down and looked at the sky.

"It's just not the day that the two prides became one. It's also his birthday isn't it? Which is also the day… Zira killed him." Simba asked the stars.

"It is." a voice said.

Simba looked and saw Nala walking up to him. Simba saw that she had a look of misery on her face.

"Kopa." Simba whispered.

"It's been such a long time since we talked about him that I thought you had forgotten about him." Nala said.

"I could never forget him." Simba said.

Nala walked up to Simba and buried her face into his mane.

"You can't help but think of the irony." Simba said. "One of the happiest days of our lives is also one of our saddest."

"Yeah." Nala simply said.

"You also saw what was going on between Taka, Kovu and Vitani didn't you?" Simba asked.

"Yeah, and I don't blame her for how she acted. This is also a happy and sad day for her. She loved Kopa just as much as we did" Nala said.

"I know." Simba said.

Soon after Simba took back the Pride Lands from his uncle, he and Nala soon had a son named Kopa. During that time Simba knew about Zira's relation to Scar and that she was none too happy with what he did to Scar, but Zira hadn't done anything to provoke Simba and his pride, so he let her stay in the Pride lands. Kopa soon met Zira's daughter Vitani and began to play with her. Simba didn't want his son to be anywhere near Zira, but he didn't see any threat from her children, so he let Kopa play with Vitani. Kopa and Vitani had eventually gotten close feelings for each other and so Simba and Nala decided to betroth them both, but not even a day later Zira had set Kopa up, killed him and threw him into a river with high rapids.

After that happened Simba banished Zira and her followers to the Outlands. Simba and Nala, who thought of Vitani as daughter gave her the option to live in the Pride Lands with them, along with her older brother Nuka and few months younger brother Kovu if they wanted. Nuka had just growled and went with his mother, Zira had held Kovu close and roared and Vitani was to heartbroken to make a decision, so another lioness grabbed her by her scruff and took her with everyone else.

"I'm just glad it's all over now." Simba sighed with relief.

"Simba, I think it's time we told them." Nala said.

"What?" Simba cried out in shock even though he expected Nala to say something like that.

"Simba, I know we agreed to never speak to Kiara and Kion about Kopa, but their adults now, they have the right to know." Nala said.

"No! We agreed to never speak of Kopa again, never to tell Kiara or Kion." Simba firmly said.

"Simba they're four now, and if they find out about him somehow and that we never told them about him, I fear to think how they might react and think of us and the rest of the pride. We have to tell them." Nala said.

"Never." Simba said.

"You haven't learned a thing, have you?" Nala asked.

"What do you mean by that?" Simba asked.

"Simba, I know that you never feared much for Kion's safety because of his powers as leader of The Lion Guard, but you still try so fiercely protect Kiara in a way, but you've got to understand that you won't always be around to protect her." Nala said.

"Well I'm still here, so I've still got time to protect her and Kion" Simba said.

Simba began to walk off, but Nala jumped in front of him.

"Simba, listen I love our children very much and so do you right?" Nala asked.

"Of course, I do. Without you, them, my friends and the whole pride I'm a nobody." Simba said.

"If you really love your children, you'll tell them about Kopa." Nala said.

"I'm sorry Nala, but I can't tell them about Kopa." Simba said.

Nala said nothing and just sighed sadly.

"I'm sorry, please don't be angry." Simba nearly begged.

"I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed and full of pity." Nala said.

"I seem to disappoint everyone." Simba said.

"That's not true." Nala said to Simba as she nuzzled him.

Unknowing to Simba and Nala, they were being spied on. Taka had seen his grandfather walk out of the cave after the incident with Vitani, and his grandmother soon after, ao he had decided to follow.

"Kopa?" Taka wondered.

Taka wondered who Kopa was, he was obviously someone very important to his grandparents. Taka was about to step out and ask them who Kopa was, but decided against it. Taka quickly made his way back down to the cave. Taka decided that he would keep this to himself for now and ask about Kopa another time, one day. Back in the cave Vitani kept squirming and turning over in her sleep.

She was having the nightmare again, the nightmare she had been having for years. The nightmare of her, her mother Zira, and… Kopa.

Vitani's Nightmare:

Vitani opened her eyes, but she could tell that she wasn't really awake, because the edges of her vision were blurry. Vitani shifted around and looked over herself and saw herself as a cub, about a year old. Vitani tried to get up, but something was holding her down. Vitani looked and saw another cub with his head and front paws laying on her side. The cub looked just like a younger version of Simba, but he had a tuft of brown mane instead of red like Simba's mane.

"Kopa?" Vitani whispered.

The cub woke up and looked at her with red eyes like Simba's.

"Yes Vitani?" Kopa asked.

Vitani was about to say something but the sky that was sunny just a second ago suddenly turned grey. It started to rain heavily, lighting streaked across the sky, the thunder roared angrily, and strong, violent winds started to blow.

"Hay, it was sunny just a few seconds ago, how did the weather suddenly turn into a tempest storm?" Kopa asked.

"Maybe we should head back to Pride Rock." Vitani said, going along with the memory this dream was making her relive.

"Your right, come on Vitani." Kopa said as he started walking towards Pride Rock.

Kopa and Vitani walked around for what felt like hours. They were soaked to the bone and covered in mud. The wind blew so strongly that Vitani and Kopa were almost blown off their feet.

"Maybe we shouldn't have ditched Zazu by setting him up on that blind date with that gorilla." Kopa said.

"I think we're lost." Vitani said.

"What was I thinking by having us go so close near the border?" Kopa asked himself.

"Who cares where we went, all that matters is that we find shelter." Vitani said.

Kopa and Vitani continued to walk on, they still had no idea where they were. Suddenly a lightning strike nearly hit Vitani and Kopa. When they jumped out of the way Kopa slipped in the mud and went rolling down a slope and into the rapid water of the river.

"KOPA!" Vitani yelled in fright at seeing Kopa in trouble.

Kopa tried to swim to the shore but the waters were to strong and wild and he just continued to be swept off.

"VITANI, HELP!" Kopa yelled.

Vitnai looked around in fright, not knowing what to do. Vitani ran along the slope of the river bank, hoping to see a way to save Kopa. After a few minutes a running, Vitani saw some logs hanging over the river.

"Hold on Kopa, I'm coming!" Vitani reassured Kopa, as she ran to the logs.

Vitani ran onto the logs and lowered herself to try and catch Kopa's paw with hers, but she was just out of reach. Vitani looked and saw that Kopa was being swept closer her way.

"What am I going to do now?" Vitani thought.

Just as all hope seemed loss Vitani saw a branch that she could hang from and Kopa could grab onto her and climb her to get out of the river. Vitani jumped on to the branch and hung by her front paws.

"Kopa grab on." Vitani shouted to Kopa.

Kopa saw what Vitani's plan was. Kopa swam as best as he could to the side, to where he was in front of Vitani. Kopa grabbed onto Vitani and he was no longer being swept off.

"Now start climbing." Vitani said.

Kopa started climbing and got onto the log.

"Thank you Vitani." Kopa thanked Vitani.

"Let's not speak of this to your father or mother." Vitani said as she started to climb back onto the logs.

As Vitani climbed onto the log the branch she was on suddenly snapped. Vitani began to fall into the river, but Kopa grabbed her before she fell in. Kopa pulled Vitani onto the log and they quickly got off the logs.

"Come on we've got to get out of here before something else tries to kill us." Kopa said.

"Yeah, this river incident was way too close." Vitani said.

Vitani and Kopa continued to walk on. The two cubs tried to keep the hope that they would find Pride Rock, but their efforts and hopes were fruitless.

"Kopa we've been walking for hours and I don't see Pride Rock anywhere." Vitani said.

Kopa knew Vitani was right. Kopa knew that he and Vitani probably wouldn't survive much longer out in this weather. They were wet, chilled to the bone, shivering like an animal without any fur in the snow, and they could barely move they were so cold.

"We need a vantage point." Kopa said.

Kopa looked around and saw a tall tree.

"Oh no, no, no, no, no way." Vitani said, knowing what Kopa was thinking.

"Vitani we've got to." Kopa said.

"Kopa, lightning could strike the tree and set it on fire. It's too dangerous." Vitani said.

"You have a better idea, because if so now is the time to share it." Kopa said.

Vitani was about to say something, but she had no idea, so she kept her mouth shut. Kopa seeing that he won the argument went to the tree and started climbing. When Kopa got to the top he looked for Pride Rock. Kopa saw that Pride Rock was to the north.

"Do you see Pride Rock!?" Vitani shouted up to Kopa.

"We go north!" Kopa shouted back down.

Kopa was about to climb down, but lightning struck the tree.

Kopa quickly jumped from the tree before the lightning hit. Kopa tried to roll as he landed, but landed wrong and broke his back-right leg. Kopa screamed in pain as his leg broke. Vitani ran over to Kopa after he fell.

"Kopa are you okay?" Vitani asked."

"Yeah, but my leg is broken. Come on let's get to Pride Rock then after this storm let's up we'll have my parents take me to have Rafiki look at my leg." Kopa said.

Vitani helped Kopa onto her back and she began to go north towards Pride Rock.

"You're heavier than you look Kopa." Vitani said.

"Vitani please no jokes, let's just get to Pride Rock." Kopa said.

Vitani continued to walk on, but suddenly stopped. Vitani caught the scent of someone. Vitani sniffed at the air to try to figure out who it was.

"What is it Vitani?" Kopa asked.

Vitani followed the scent for a few minutes and eventually came across the bearer of the scent she caught. Vitani saw a full-grown lioness standing at the edge of the raging river.

"Mother!" Vitani shouted as she recognized the lioness.

Vitani ran over to her mother. Vitani knew that Zira had no love for Simba or the lionesses that followed him, but she thought that she would at least help Simba's son and herself get back to Pride Rock quicker; oh, how she was wrong.

"Oh, mother I'm so glad to see you." Vitani said as she reached her mother.

Zira turned to Vitani was an uncharacteristic calm look on her face.

"Vitani it's a tempest storm out here, you've been in it for almost three hours. Where were you." Zira asked in an uncharacteristic tone.

"I'm sorry, I was with Kopa here. We were deep in the lands, near the border. We fell asleep and woke up just as this storm started." Vitani said.

"You were with Prince Kopa?" Zira asked calmly.

"Yes, he broke his back right leg after he jumped from a tree as it was about to get struck by lightning after he climbed it to get a view of the land." Vitani said.

Zira looked at Kopa on her daughter's back.

"Prince Kopa, please stand up for me?" Zira asked.

"Okay." Kopa said as he stood on his good three legs.

Zira rubbed her paw over Kopa's mane tuft.

"I'm so glad you're here Prince Kopa." Zira said.

"Oh, okay thanks." Kopa said.

"I'm so glad that you're out here." Zira said.

"Yeah, out here in this stupid weather." Kopa said.

Zira took Kopa's chin in her paw, keeping Kopa's eyes fixed on hers.

"Yes, Prince Kopa, out here. Out in this weather, out here where no one can hear you scream." Zira said coldly.

What Zira just said sent a chill down Kopa's spine.

"Wait what!?" Kopa asked, shocked.

"Ladies." Zira calmly said as she cleared her throat.

After Zira said that fourteen lionesses and one lion surrounded Zira and the cubs. Vitani looked and saw that it was the lionesses who followed her mother and her brother Nuka. Vitani wondered what was going on before she remembered what her mother had said just a few seconds ago 'where no one can hear you scream.' Vitani gasped as she realized what that meant and looked towards her mother and saw bloodlust in her blood-red eyes, then looked to Kopa.

"Kopa run!" Vitani shouted to Kopa.

Kopa didn't hesitate and began to run, but he didn't get very far for two reasons: one, his broken leg, and two, Zira jumped on Kopa with her front paws, using her full weight.

"Kopa!" Vitani shouted.

Zira grabbed Kopa's head in one paw and smashed his face repeatedly on the ground. Zira than grabbed Kopa by his scruff and started to wildly shake her head. Zira than grabbed Kopa by his tail and slammed him into the ground multiple times. Kopa screamed in both terror and pain. Zira sighed happily at the sound of Kopa's screams and sobs.

"Music to my ears." Zira said happily.

Vitani couldn't take it anymore and ran up to her mother. Vitani clamped her teeth onto her mother's right ear.

"What the!?" Zira exclaimed as her daughter attacked her. "Vitani you brat, let go!"

"Then drop him!" Vitani demanded, keeping her teeth clamped on her mother's ear.

Zira dropped Kopa and went to attack her daughter. Zira tried to swipe at her daughter with her claws extended but Vitani jumped away, also ripping out a chunk of her mother's ear.

"VITANI!" Zira yelled in anger and pain.

Vitani lowered herself into an attacking position.

"Somebody deal with her as I take care of the prince." Zira demanded.

Vitani went to attack her mother again but two lionesses named Hasira and Kisasi, who were the meanest lionesses she had ever met grabbed her.

"Let me go!" Vitani demanded the lionesses.

"Shut it you brat!" Kisasi snapped.

Vitani was about to shout for help, hoping someone would hear, but Hasira cupped her paw over Vitani's mouth, preventing her from calling for help. Nuka walked up to his sister and whispered to her coldly.

"Sit back and enjoy." Nuka said.

Vitani looked and saw her mother walking over to Kopa. Zira lowered down and hissed in Kopa's ear.

"Prince Kopa, your father stole Scar from me. He took someone dear to me away and now I'll return the favor by sending you to a beautiful sleep." Zira said wickedly.

"NO!" Vitani screamed through Bardi's paw.

Zira began to slash, bite, crush, slam, and throw Kopa around. Zira than looked and smiled wickedly at her claws.

"Now Prince Kopa, sleep." Zira said as she slashed her claws over Kopa's face.

End of Vitani's Nightmare:

Vitani woke up screaming and sweating back inside the den. Vitani looked around and was glad that she hadn't woken anybody up.

"The nightmare again." Vitani whispered.

Vitani had been having this same nightmare for years. It was of the night her mother and killed Prince Kopa, Simba's first cub, who was to be future king one day. Vitani looked around the cave at the former Outlanders. During the years in the Outlands, Vitani and her brother Kovu, barley had any friends, except the twin sisters, Spotty and Dotty, who were in their early-adolescent years when she was born, and the cousins Ash and Smoke, who were middle age for lionessess, and they were always nice to her. Over the years, many other lionesses had died from starvation and dehydration in the Outlands, including Hasira and Kisasi.

Some lionesses even left because they couldn't deal with Zira's harsh rule anymore. Vitani was glad the war was over and that no one had died in the last battle, she just wished that Kopa had been here to see it happen. Vitani got up and walked outside the den, onto the tip of Pride Rock. Vitani looked up at the stars. When they were cubs, Kopa had told Vitani about the stars being every single past king of the Pride Lands.

Vitani had never really believed it, but now of days she was having second thoughts on it.

"I wonder which star is Kopa's?" Vitani wondered.

Chapter 5: Siri and Dalia

Many miles away from the Pride Lands an antelope stood proud in a field of long grass. The antelope nibbled happily at the healthy green grasses, unaware of the danger it was in. A browned maned lion was forty feet away from the antelope and still stalking forward.

"Do just like Dalia, taught me," the lion whispered to himself in a deep but gentle voice. "low to the ground, eyes on both where you step and on the prey, stalk upwind so the prey doesn't smell you, and make the kill quick and clean." the lion listed to himself.

The lion was now close to the antelope, but still hidden. The antelope was still unaware of the lion, but still on guard in case of danger. The lion patiently watched for a sign of the antelope to drop its guard. After about five minutes the antelope had its back turned and the lion took his chance. The lion jumped at the antelope with his powerful legs.

The antelope screeched in fright after the lion landed on it. The lion grabbed the antelope's neck and quickly snapped it, ending the antelope's fright and any possible pain. The lion stepped off his kill and sighed.

"Quick and clean, just like Dalia always says to do." the lion whispered to himself.

The lion grabbed his kill and dragged it towards his home. The lion soon got to the cave that he called home and as he did, he heard soft snoring inside the cave.

"Of course, she fell asleep while I was gone." the lion couldn't help but say.

The lion dragged his kill into the cave and found the source of the snoring, it was an overweight, elderly hyena. Usually lions would be angry to find a hyena in their den, but this was no ordinary hyena, this hyena was Dalia. She had the usual grey fur, light grey underbelly, darker grey spots, with a single one on her right shoulder being heart shaped, black ears, claves and feet like most hyenas had. Her ears were round, not pointed like most hyenas were, she had a large red nose, her hyena's mane was all fuzzy and frizzy, and formed into hair on her head with three separate locks of hair hanging over her face and eyes like bangs, her eyes were like beautiful blue stars, and where the smile of a hyena would scare you and make you shudder, her smile was filled with warmth and a motherly instinct. The lion put a paw on Dalia and shook her gently.

"Dalia, I'm back, wake up." the lion quietly whispered.

Dalia woke up and shook her head free of tiredness.

"Siri, you're back already." Dalia said with a warm, kind elderly voice.

"I brought dinner." the lion whose name was name was Siri said.

"Did you do like I've always taught you?" Dalia asked.

"Quick and clean." Siri said.

Dalia smiled at Siri and stood up to nuzzle his face.

"I've taught you well." Dalia said.

"Thanks." Siri simply said.

Siri and Dalia laid down and began to eat at the antelope carcass. Dalia had raised Siri for four years, ever since he was a small cub. One day Dalia was trying to find something to scavenge at, or to hunt. Dalia had come across a lone zebra, she followed it for a few minutes and was about to give it the jump, but something out of the corner of Dalia's eye had caught her attention. She had seen something yellow and red floating in the river.

Dalia went into the river and swam towards what she saw floating, it was a cub, a lion cub. Dalia grabbed the cub by his scruff and swam him back to dry land. After they were back on dry land Dalia had taken a closer look at the lion cub. He had a stocky build, yellow fur with a lighter underbelly, pink nose, and a small brown mane starting to grow in, but what was really to look at was the cuts, gashes and few bite marks over the cub's body. The cuts, gashes and bite marks were over the cubs face, head, neck, back, sides, chest, belly, legs, and feet, and its back-right leg was bent in an awkward angle.

Dalia wondered how the cub could still be alive with the state it was in. Dalia gave the cub and sniff and quick poke, the cub didn't smell dead, and it stirred slightly after she poked the half-dead cub. Dalia had taken the cub to her small underground cave and went out to get plants and herbs that she knew could help with saving the cub's cuts from infection, and leaves to bind them. Dalia had done all she could, but thanks to the four deep cuts over the cub's left eye made it eye milky white and completely blind and the cub's back-right leg would never fully heal and would only be able to limp with it. Dalia had patiently waited for the cub to wake up.

After a week, Dalia was about to give up hope on the cub ever waking up again. Dalia had checked for any signs of life on the cub, but felt none. Dalia had taken the cub a fair distance from her small cave and dug a hole. Dalia had placed the cub's body in the hole she dug, but just as she was about to fill the hole back up the cub woke up gasping and breathing heavily. The cub had climbed out of the hole and took a look at his surroundings.

Dalia walked up to the cub and asked him if he was okay. When the cub saw that a hyena was talking to him, he screamed and ran only to trip because of his broken leg. Dalia ran up to the cub after he tripped and assured him that no harm was going to come to him and led him to her cave. Dalia had tried to get the cub to talk to her, but he refused to even speak and just sat in a dark corner of the cave with a horrified look on his face. Dalia hadn't been surprised on how the cub was interacting with her.

Dalia thought that this cub assumed that she was going to eat him soon and use his bone to pick her teeth with and to chew on, but she had no intention of doing any such thing. Dalia's mother and father, who weren't as nice as her killed a lion cub when she was young and had forced her eat it. Dalia had told her parents that lion cub tasted awful and that she'd rather eat fresh elephant dung. For over a week, Dalia went out and hunted for both her and the cub. Dalia had to admit, she thought that when she came back she would find the cub gone, but he was always there when she came back from the hunt.

Dalia had hopped the cub would talk to her, but he wouldn't. Dalia had thought back to the lion cub's wounds, and thought this phase of not talking was all just trauma, so she decided to wait it out. On the third week after Dalia found the cub, the cub finally spoke to her. Dalia immediately asked where the cub had come from, but he said that he didn't remember. Dalia asked how he got his wounds and ended up in the river, but again he said he didn't know.

Dalia asked the cub if he could remember anything. The cub had tried, but it just made his head hurt. Soon after they talked the cub started to leave, but Dalia stopped him. Dalia offered the cub to stay with her. Dalia's cave underground cave may have been small, but there was enough room for the cub.

The cub had been slightly against it at first, probably because he was still scarred of the fact that Dalia was a hyena, but he did agree. Dalia than asked the cub what his name was. The cub tried to think, but he couldn't remember, and only succeeded in giving himself a headache. Dalia had than decided that since the cub was a big mystery to himself and her, she would call him Siri, which meant mystery. The cub hated the name at first, because he thought it sounded girly, but he soon grew into it.

Dalia had always looked back on that day with happiness. Siri had always been an easy cub to handle, and she always protected him from any animals that would want to harm a young lion cub, and he returned the favor as he got older and she more elderly. Siri had become the son that Dalia never had. Even though it made Dalia happy to thank of that day, it also filled her with sadness. The cuts and gashes Siri had over his body had become permanent scars, his left eye with the four deep scratches permanently milky white with blindness and his back-right leg had never fully healed, so he walked with a limp.

The other thing that brought Dalia sadness about that day was that out there somewhere in the world was Siri's real parents, not know that he was alive. Dalia had a couple times over the years talked about the both of them setting out to find where Siri came from, but Siri was always against the idea, saying that he liked everything the way it was. Dalia was a little disappointed that Siri didn't want to even try to find out who he truly was, but she respected his wishes. After the two finished eating they turned in for the night. Siri settled down in the warmest part of the small cave and Dalia crawled under his leg and paws.

The lion and hyena looked at the stars outside from inside the cave.

"This is always my favorite part of the day. Just looking at the stars before we go to sleep." Siri said.

"Yes, it's just perfect." Dalia agreed, a happy smile on her face.

After that the both of them said their good nights and fell asleep.

Chapter 6: Making Plans

Taka walked out of the cave and took in a breath of fresh air. Taka liked the feel of the gentle breeze blowing through what little mane he had. Taka walked to the tip of Pride Rock and laid down, letting his front paws hang over the ledge.

"Feels nice." Taka said to himself.

"Taka." a voice said from behind Taka.

Taka looked behind him and saw his aunt coming towards him.

"Aunt Vitani?" Taka questioned.

"I'm sorry about last night. I know it was a special day, but it was also a bad one." Vitani said.

"Because of Grandmother Zira?" Taka asked.

"No, it was… something else." Vitani said.

"What was it?" Taka asked even though he knew what 'it' was.

"Old ghosts, I'll tell you about it someday" Vitani said.

"Okay." Taka said.

Vitani took her nephew in her paw, nuzzled him, and licked his cheek before walking off. Taka turned back to the sunrise and watched it for a few more minutes. Taka turned around when he heard everyone else come out of the cave. Taka saw his grandfather walk up to Pride Rock's top, his grandmother and a few other lionesses leaving for the morning hunt, his father walking down Pride Rock's steps to do his daily patrol of the border, and his mother with his siblings. Taka ran up to his mother and siblings.

"Morning everybody." Taka said to them.

Kiara made herself eye-level with her son.

"I saw Vitani come and talk to you earlier." Kiara said.

"Yeah, she apologized for last night." Taka said.

"I wonder what got at her. Must be about her mother. Yesterday was not just Unification Day, it was the day she died. Zira may have been cruel and did many terrible things, but she still was Vitani's mother." Kiara said.

"Yeah." Taka simply said in a quiet voice.

Taka than remembered about last night, and his grandparents talking about someone named Kopa. Taka was about to tell his mother about it, but decided to keep his mouth shut. Taka, his mother, and siblings walked down Pride Rock's step, and met Bluu, Grey, and Griffin at the bottom. When they saw them Bluu, Grey, and Griffin walked up to their friends.

"Hey, what's happening everybody?" Grey asked in his usual happy tone.

"The whole gang is together, so it's good." Mufasa said.

"Not everyone, Wema and Tunu are probably waiting for us at the watering hole." Bluu said.

"Your right they are. Mom can we go to the watering hole?" Taka asked.

"Just be back by the time the morning hunt gets back." Kiara said.

"Sounds good, come on everyone." Talia said.

Everyone lined up single file.

"Follow the future king and queen." Bluu said as she and Taka led the line.

Tojo came up to Kiara as she watched the cub walk towards the watering hole.

"I still can't believe Taka and Bluu are completely fine with marrying each other when they get older. You should have seen Simba when he found out that he was going to marry Nala. He ranted to me that it was so unfair that he couldn't choose who he was going to marry." Tojo said.

"He was really that upset about it?" Kiara asked the older lion.

"Well he had no choice in the matter, and he was kept in the dark until Zazu blabbed about it suddenly one day. What did you expect?" Tojo asked.

"Good point." Kiara agreed.

"At least Simba warmed up to the idea when he met her again as an adult. It brought you into the picture." Tojo said.

"Thank you for that Tojo, well I'm going to go find my dad and ask him if he wants any help with his kingly duties today." Kiara said as she walked off to find Simba.

"And Simba still kept his promise about getting rid of the betrothal tradition. That son of yours is only betrothed to my daughter because they both agreed to a betrothal. Young love plus love at first sight I tell ya'." Tojo continued on

Simba walked around the savanna with Zazu flying above him. Zazu usually had nothing to report now-a-days, but today he had reports.

"This dry season's drought is starting to take its effect sire. The cheetahs and leopards are starting to claw at each other, but none of the other animals in Pride lands are fighting over watering areas, yet." Zazu had reported.

"Let's go sort this out than." Simba said melancholy, but Zazu didn't notice.

The lion and hornbill arrived at the territory that the leopards and cheetahs where fighting over, and sure enough a fight was close to starting.

"I told you, BACK OFF!" the cheetah leader shouted to the leopards.

"Now that's something we can agree on, wanting each other to make like a banana and split." the leopard leader said.

"I'll split your skin open!" the cheetah leader said, getting ready to pounce.

Simba seeing the fight about to start quickly jumped in and gave a commanding roar.

"King Simba!?" the leopard and cheetah leaders said, lowering down in submission and fear at the higher cat between them.

"Fighting each other isn't going to solve anything and the both of you know it." Simba said.

"But they started it." the leopard leader said, pointing at the cheetahs.

"I don't care who started it, I only care that you two end it. There's plenty of other areas to drink from. I know times are hard with the dry season, but we can wait until the wet season comes, right?" Simba asked.

"Yes, we can." the cheetah leader said.

"Now you two and your fellow cheetahs and leopards will share this river without any more fights, and I want this to be the last time I have to deal with you two fighting in this dry season and future dry seasons." Simba demanded.

"Yes, your majesty." the leopard leader said.

Seeing that he got the job done, Simba walked back to Zazu.

"Any other problems in the Pride Lands today?" Simba asked.

"None sire." Zazu said.

"Good." Simba sighed melancholy.

Simba began to walk back to Pride Rock. As Simba and Zazu came close to the main watering whole they heard voices.

"Come on Taka, your almost there." a voice said.

Simba and Zazu looked and saw Taka covered in leaves climbing a tree with the beehive in it.

"Why is Prince Taka, climbing that tree?" Zazu asked.

"I see why, its Bahai." Simba said.

Bahai was an African Bear that usually had Taka help him with his honey cravings. Simba and Zazu watched as Taka continued to climb the tree.

"You're almost their Taka, you got it." Bahai said.

The leaves wrapped around Taka's body protected him from the bee stings as he clawed at the beehive. Bahai was gruff on the outside, but on the inside, he was as sweet as…

"HONEY!" Bahai yelled as the beehive fell.

"There's your honey for your honey craving Bahai." Taka said as he climbed down from the tree.

Bahai didn't give Taka a 'thank you', he was too focused on the honey inside the beehive.

"What, no thank you?" Taka asked.

"And they call us hyenas food obsessed." Tunu said.

Simba and Zazu watched the small group with amusement.

"Remember the day when you had fun like that with your friends sire?" Zazu asked.

"Yeah, like that one time when you had me and Nala find you some bitter berries and you got sick after eating some." Simba said.

Zazu's face dropped at the mention of the not too fond memory.

"Thank you sire, I had almost forgotten about that." Zazu said.

"No problem." Simba said. "Should we go say hi to them?" Simba asked.

"Why not." Zazu said.

Simba and Zazu began to make their way towards the children.

"How are my favorite grandchildren and their friends?" Simba asked as he reached his grandchildren and they're friends.

Taka deeply breathed through his nose as he saw his grandfather walking towards them. This Kopa that his grandfather and grandmother were talking about last night was somebody who he was not supposed to know about. Knowing about this Kopa when he wasn't supposed to made Simba more intimidating to Taka than he already was.

"We're doing fine grandpa." Talia said.

"Bahai having Taka getting him honey again?" Zazu asked.

"Oh, you noticed." Taka said.

"There something you need help with grandpa?" Mufasa asked.

"No, I just thought that I'd come see if you and your friends were doing okay. I'll leave all of you to it." Simba said.

"See you later grandpa." Talia said.

Later that night the pride was talking with each other as they waited for the end of the day hunt. Taka was with his parents and siblings.

"Really what is it with Bahai and the honey?" Kiara asked, laughing at her son's story.

"He makes you get it and doesn't say thank you, he doesn't even act concerned with your safety, he just worries about the honey." Kovu stated.

"Isn't it obvious? That one time that Taka fell out of the tree while getting his honey, Bahai was more focused on saving the beehive from falling that saving Taka from falling." Mufasa said.

"Well it was a good thing Vitani was there to save you when you fell." Kiara pointed out.

"I can just tell that Bahai would eat himself if he was made of honey." Taka said.

Everyone pictured Bahai being made of honey and eating himself, they all laughed at the image.

"I don't think the outcome would be a good one." Kovu said.

"You thank?" Talia asked.

"I wonder if Bahai has ever gotten his own honey. Maybe I should act sick one day and you can spy on him from me Talia." Taka said.

"Sounds like a great idea." Talia said.

"A good king and prince doesn't pretend to be sick or ask his sister to spy on their friends." Sarabi shouted from a few feet away.

"Darn it!" Taka shouted.

"Your grandmother has the ears of a hawk for her old age." Kovu whispered to Kiara.

"I heard that." Sarabi said.

Everyone laughed at Kovu getting caught by his grandmother-in-law for calling her old. Sarabi walked over and gave Kovu a quick bonk on his head. It wasn't hard, but it was hard enough to hurt, and teach Kovu a lesson.

"How's that for old?" she asked.

"Ouch!" was Kovu's only reply.

Vitani came up to the family of five.

"I thought you were tougher than that Kovu." Vitani said.

"Try saying that when a… a lioness who has been around for a long time hits you on the head." Kovu said.

Vitani took a quick glance at Taka.

"We can make your son tougher than you." Vitani said.

"How?" Kiara asked.

"By doing the worst thing imaginable to a cub." Vitani said.

"And what's that?" Talia asked.

Vitani quickly grabbed Taka, cradled him in one of her front legs, and tickled his belly with a paw.

"NO, AUNT VITANI PLEASE DON'T!" Taka begged as he laughed.

"Should we save him?" Kovu asked Kiara.

"No, let Vitani, have her fun with him." Kiara said.

Vitani stopped and nuzzled her nephew. Kiara smiled at the scene of her son and sister-in-law. Vitani always looked and acted tough, stern and no nonsense, but under all that she one of the sweetest, kindest lionesses that someone could ever meet. She was compassionate, had a lot of spirit, and she had a lot of confidence. Kiara wondered how a lioness like Vitani had no mate.

There were a few single lions in the pride, and some have even tried to get in to a relationship with Vitani, but she always pushed them away.

"How come Vitani has no mate yet?" Kiara asked Kovu, in a whisper.

"She had a relationship once, when she was still a cub." Kovu whispered back.

"Really, with who?" Kiara asked.

"I don't really know. I didn't hear much about it, you know because with my mother's plans, and always keeping me away from others other than Vitani, and my brother." Kovu said.

"Oh." was Kiara's only replay.

"I don't even think I remember his name. It was something like Koba, Koda, or Kopa, I think?" Kovu said, trying to remember the name of the cub Vitani was once in love with.

"How about you try asking her?" Kiara asked.

"It's best not to ask her." Kovu said.

"Why?" Kiara asked.

"She becomes angry when you ask her about it. Let's just leave her alone, she's in a happy mood, and I'd like to keep her that way." Kovu said.

Kiara really wanted to ask Vitani about the lion she was in love with, but like Kovu, she wanted Vitani to be in a good mood so she kept her mouth shut.

"The hunting party is back!" Kula shouted from the tip of Pride Rock.

"Of course, Kula looks out for the hunting party." a lioness said.

The pride walked down the step-like stones of Pride Rock, to the hunting party. The party was dragging two zebras, and one antelope. Smoke tore off a zebra leg and gave it to Taka. Taka thanked her and laid down with his brother and sister to share it with. As the pride began to eat at the carcasses, they noticed one member of the pride wasn't with them.

"Where's Simba?" Tojo asked.

Everyone looked up to the top of Pride Rock, knowing that Simba would be up there. Everyone knew that Simba knew that the hunting party was back, and they knew that he didn't come down to join them because he was depressed. Anyone who knew Simba well enough could tell he had a case of depression, and who could blame him. Simba lost his father when he was a just a cub, about a year old, and he lost his first son to a lioness who had a personal vendetta against him, but what hurt most was the fact that it was all caused by the actions of the uncle who was supposed to love him, but wanted him dead instead.

"Oh, come on, not again." Kiara complained.

"What is it Kiara?" Kovu asked.

"My dad has done this before. Sometimes when the hunting party gets back he goes up there and doesn't eat." Kiara said.

"Why?" kovu asked.

"Mom says he has a case of depression, and I can only guess why." Kiara said, thanking of her grandfather.

"Looks like your mother is up to something." Kovu said.

Kiara looked and saw Nala climbing up the stone-like steps of Pride Rock.

"I hope my dad's okay." Kiara said.

Nala got to the top of Pride Rock and saw Simba looking at the stars. Nala walked up to Simba and sat next to him. Simba looked to Nala with no emotion on his face.

"Simba." Nala simply said.

Simba sighed and looked to Nala.

"Nala, I've been thinking." Simba said.

"Thinking about what?" Nala asked.

"I've been thinking that your right, I should tell Kiara and Kion about Kopa." Simba said.

Nala smiled at her mate and nuzzled him.

"I'm proud of your decision Simba." Nala said.

"But I want to do something first." Simba said.

"What?" Nala asked.

"I want to take Kiara and Kion to the jungle oasis where I lived with Timon and Pumbaa, spend a few days there and then tell them." Simba said.

"A little family vacation?" Nala asked.

"Yes. You, me, Kiara, Kion, Kovu, Vitani, Mheetu, my mother, your mother, Taka, Mufasa, and Talia." Simba listed.

"Wow! I never realized how big our family was until you listed it just now." Nala laughed.

"And when we get to the oasis, there is going to be plenty of fun to go around for the twelve of us." Simba said.

Nala was truly proud of Simba deciding to tell Kiara and Kion about their brother after all these years. She just hoped things would work out well when the truth was let out.

Chapters 7: Some Early Revelations

It was a quiet night in the Pride Lands, not even the nocturnal animals made a noise. At Pride Rock, the pride was sleeping, without making any sound. The king, queen, princess, prince, and their cubs slept on the small suspended platform in the center of the den. Talia laid on her father's back, using his mane as a pillow. Mufasa slept between his parents, and Taka laid in his mother's arms, awake.

Taka had tried to get sleep, but he couldn't because he kept thinking of this Kopa that his grandparents had been going on about. His life had turned too upside down since.

"Come on, go to sleep." Taka kept telling himself.

Taka tossed and turned, tried counting leaping antelopes, hummed a song to himself, and many other things he could think of, but none worked. His young curiosity finally got the best of him.

"Okay that's it, I've got to find out who this Kopa is, and I know of only one place to find out. Rafiki's tree." Taka said as he got up.

Taka got out of his mother's arms, being careful not to wake her, and walked towards the cave entrance. Taka moved around the sleeping lionesses, lions, and cubs, being careful not to step on any tails or paws. Though he was being careful Bluu's tail suddenly got in the way of his back-right paw.

"OW!" Bluu shouted as she awoke.

Taka gasped, and looked back at his friend. Taka was thankful that her scream hadn't woke anybody up.

"Hay, Sir Steps-a-lot watch where you step!" Bluu snapped as she rubbed her tail.

"Sorry." Taka said.

"What are you doing up so late anyway?" Bluu asked.

"Couldn't sleep, gonna get some fresh air." Taka said.

"Well when you come back in, if you're going to step on anybody's tail step on Grey's. He still needs to pay for accidently pushing me into that dirty water earlier today." Bluu said.

"Okay." Taka said as he walked outside.

Taka walked towards the edge of Pride Rock, and looked around to see if there was anything out of the ordinary before he began his journey to Rafiki's tree. Taka saw nothing out of the ordinary, walked down Pride Rock's stone step, and ran as fast as he could to Rafiki's tree.

About an half-an-hour later:

Taka finally arrived at Rafiki's tree. He stopped and panted to catch his breath from the long run.

"Maybe I should have stopped at the small puddle to get a drink a few minutes back." Taka said between pants.

Taka looked up at the tall tree; it sure was a long climb. Taka unsheathed his claws and looked back at the tree. Lions weren't built for climbing like other big and smaller cats, but Taka still was a good climber. He had climbed trees without the help of his parents, friends, or siblings, and fetching Bahai his daily honey was good practice.

"Alright I can do this." Taka said before he started climbing.

As Taka climbed he lost his footing once or twice, but quickly regained it and kept on climbing.

"Finally made it." Taka said as he got to the top. "Now where's that family line?" Taka said as he started looking for his family line.

Once when Taka was four months old, he embarrassingly tripped over his own tail and fell a few feet off Pride Rock's steps, and almost broke his front legs. Taka had said that I didn't hurt that bad, but he was brought to Rafiki's tree and had his legs looked at. Taka had seen a painting of his family line while Rafiki worked on his legs. Taka looked around the tree, and eventually found his family line.

"Aw, here it is." Taka said.

"Well, well what a pleasant surprise: a night time visit from Prince Taka II." a voice said from behind Taka.

Taka gave a small scream and jumped in surprise. Taka looked behind him and saw Rafiki looking down at him from the upper branches.

"You sure do know how to make an entrance." Taka said, his heart still beating fast from the small surprise scare.

"It is one of Rafiki's many talents." Rafiki said with a small bow.

Rafiki looked and saw that Taka was looking at his family line.

"Here for a little knowledge about your family aren't you?" Rafiki asked as he jumped down towards Taka.

"Well I guess you can say that." Taka said.

"Good" Rafiki said.

Rafiki walked over to the paintings of lions and lionesses, and pointed to one with orange fur, and small black mane tuft.

"Now tell me, Prince Taka, who is this?" Rafiki asked.

"I would believe that's me?" Taka guessed.

"Correct, and these two next to you are your brother and sister." Rafiki said.

"And those two lions above me, and my siblings are my mother, and father. The three next to them are Aunt Vitani, my late Uncle Nuka and my other Uncle Kion." Taka said.

"Well done Taka." Rafiki said

Rafiki pointed to the paintings above Simba and Nala.

"Here are your great grandparents." Rafiki said.

"And above them are King Ahadi and Queen Uru, King Mohatu and Queen Juli, and above them are…" Taka tried to say, but he couldn't.

"Kings Kwanza, Moto, and Nyota, along with Queens Winda, Jua and Vumbi ." Rafiki said.

"Oh, now I remember." Taka said.

"Now what is the name of the pride?" Rafiki asked.

"The Pride Rock Pride." Taka said.

"Yes, but that wasn't always the name of the pride." Rafiki said.

"It wasn't?" Taka asked.

"It was once called the Red Mane Pride, because the kings had manes of some shade of red." Rafiki said.

"But, King Ahadi's was black." Taka said.

"Yes, but the other kings all had red manes, plus Ahadi was only Mohatu's son-in-law. Also, this pride didn't originally rule over Pride Rock." Rafiki stated.

"Then how did the pride come to Pride Rock?" Taka asked.

"Because of King Kwanza's parents. King Shwa and Queen Chukiwa, who were also known as the loveless rulers. You know of the betrothal tradition, right?" Rafiki asked.

"Yes, me and Bluu are betrothed, and I do like to say that the future looks bright for us." Taka said.

"Yes, well Shwa and Chukiwa were betrothed, and like most kings and queens they didn't like the fact that they had to marry each other, but unlike the past kings and queens they never eventually fell in love. This caused the pride to fall, and long story short, The Red Mane Pride, became the Pride Rock Pride." Rafiki said.

"That's all interesting Rafiki, but that's not exactly what I'm here about." Taka said.

"Yes of course. What is it that you need my boy?" Rafiki asked.

"Well my grandparents and Aunt Vitani have been acting weird lately, and my grandfather is in one of his depression states." Taka said.

"I see. Well don't worry young prince, your grandfather will be out of his depression state sooner or later." Rafiki said.

"Well what I'm here for is about his states of depression. Do they have something to do with someone named Kopa?" Taka asked.

Rafiki looked surprised after Taka said that name.

"How did you find out about that name?" Rafiki asked.

"Well it happened just the other night. Aunt Vitani seemed angry for some reason, when she was happy earlier. My grandparents went up to the top of Pride Rock. I followed them and listened in on their conversation." Taka said.

Rafiki suddenly bonked Taka on the head with the butt end of his staff.

"OW! What was that for?" Taka asked as he rubbed the spot where he got hit.

"For eavesdropping." Rafiki said.

"Whatever. Well anyway, who's Kopa?" Taka asked.

Rafiki moved away a branch that was next to the painting of Kiara. A cub appeared next to Taka's mother.

"Kopa was Simba's first son, and your uncle. Before your grandmother Zira, killed him." Rafiki said.

"What?" Taka exclaimed.

"Let me explain Taka. You see, your uncle was born a few months after your grandfather returned and defeated Scar." Rafiki explained.

"And grandmother Zira killed him because she wanted to get back at my grandfather for causing Scar's death." Taka guessed.

"Yes, but there was also another reason." Rafiki said.

"What?" Taka asked.

"Your Uncle Kopa was once in love, and betrothed to your Aunt Vitani." Rafiki said.

"What!?" Taka shouted with suprise.

Back at Pride Rock, Vitani was tossing, turning, and mumbling in her sleep. She was being plagued by another nightmare, making her relive her past.

VITANI'S NIGHTMARE:

Vitani was her cub self, she was on her back with her mother standing over her, looking down at her with fury.

"IF YOU EVER SAY THAT SCAR WASN'T YOUR FATHER AGAIN, I'LL TEAR OPEN YOUR BELLY, PULL OUT YOUR GUTS AND FORCE FEED YOU THEM, JUST TO PULL THEM OUT AND FORCE FEED YOU THEM AGAIN, AND AGAIN!" Zira yelled so loud, and full of rage that saliva flew from her mouth, and onto Vitani's terrified face.

Vitani knew what this nightmare was about. One day, while they still lived in the Pride Lands, her mother was walking around, she was mumbling angrily about some lion, and it wasn't Simba.

"If it wasn't for that rapist lion, I would have been able to give Scar a true heir, and I would have been here to save him from that butcher Simba." Vitani had heard Zira mumble.

After Zira said that, Vitani became very interested in who her mother was talking about. Vitani along with her brothers Kovu, and Nuka were always told that Scar was their father, but now from what Zira was saying, it was sounding like a different lion was their father. Vitani knew that only someone with a death wish would talk to Zira when she was in one of her fiery moods. Vitani tried to stop herself, but her young curiosity took over, and she asked who this lion was that she was talking about, and if Scar was really her father. After Vitani said that, Zira had backpawed her full force with her paw, and yelled at her, commanding her to acknowledge Scar as her father, and Vitani agreed.

Vitani told Kovu, and Nuka about this new information sometime after the incident. Kovu had seemed just as interested as Vitani, and Nuka with his big loose-lipped mouth said: "I know." After that Vitani, and Kovu had tried to make Nuka tell them what he knew, but he just brushed it off, and ran away from them.

"Nuka come on get back here, and tell us what you know." Kovu said.

"No! Now go away the both of you. I'm going into the savanna, and I'm going to catch me a nice fat juicy zebra, and I ain't sharing!" Nuka said as he ran off.

Vitani, and Kovu tried to get Nuka to tell them what he knew a couple times, but Nuka always made some excuses to not telling them: going off to catch something, pretending to accidently knock himself out, or he had a sore throat, and that it was best for him not to talk. Vitani, and Kovu eventually gave up trying to get the information out of Nuka, and thought they were never going to find out, but there was one lioness that knew about the lion Zira had been talking about, and would tell Vitani, and Kovu what they wanted to know. Aina, who was the youngest and kindest of the Outlanders, told Vitani, and Kovu, about their real father. She didn't tell Nuka since he already knew who his real father was. Zira did have a thing for Scar, and Scar a thing for her, but they never married or become full on mates.

Zira was already married to a lion named Ubakaji, but not by choice. Ubakaji and Zira were originally wandering rogues who settled into the Pride Lands after Mufasa welcomed them in, but they lived in a different cave somewhere else in the lands. Ubakaji was never a friendly lion, but he never hurt or bothered anyone or overhunted, so Mufasa let him stay. The only thing though was that even though Ubakaji never harmed anyone else, he always harmed Zira because of his abusive ways. Mufasa had one or two reasons to question Ubakaji about if he was abusing Zira or not, but he never did for some unknown reasons.

"Mufasa was too soft on Ubakaji to let him live in the Pride lands." Aina used to say.

Zira never told anyone in the pride about Ubakaji's abusive ways. Zira however being close to Scar told him about it, but since he wasn't king he couldn't do anything about it. Scar had tried many times to lead Ubakaji into the elephant graveyard to feed him to the hyenas, but Ubakaji not liking Scar, never followed him. Aina had said that during the first year of Scar's reign, Zira and Scar got closer. Scar forced any males who lived in the Pride lands to leave, but he never forced Ubakaji out since Ubakaji was too lazy to be a threat to him.

Scar could now have had his hyenas eat Ubakaji now that he was king, but he thought that since Ubakaji now knew that he was king, he would be scared into never harming Zira again. Zira wanted Ubakaji eaten or at least banished, but she never had Scar banish him. She was secretly hoping that he would do something that would make Scar feed him to the hyenas. During Scar's third year as king, Ubakaji forced himself on to Zira, saying that it was long overdue that she gave him what he wanted and months later Nuka was born. Scar chastised Ubakaji for violating Zira by having his hyena give him a small beating, but to everyone's surprise Scar still allowed him to live in the Pride Lands.

During the final year of Scar's reign Ubakaji forced himself onto Zira again and Vitani was born. This time Scar banished Ubakaji and threatened him with death if he ever returned. After that happened Zira presented Nuka and Vitani to Scar and asked if they could be his heirs, but Scar refused. Scar had refused because he saw Nuka as a weak fool and the fact that Vitani was a girl. Some time after that, Zira went on a walk through the Pride Lands, and to her surprise, she was ambushed by Ubakaji.

Ubakaji had said that he had come back for his 'plaything.' Zira and Ubakaji fought, but Ubakaji had always been a stronger lion had easily overpowered Zira, and once again forced himself on her. Scar and his hyenas had come across the two as Ubakaji finished with Zira. Ubakaji had become hyena food after that. After that Scar decided that Zira was to become his full on mate and give him an heir.

The day that Scar and Zira were going to make their heir, Zira had gone to Rafiki and she came back to Pride Rock hopping mad. Zira said that she was barren and could no longer produce any children. This made Scar furious and he told Zira to get her children and leave the Pride Lands. Zira tried to convince Scar to let her and her children stay, but Scar wouldn't listen to any of her pleas and threatened to have the hyenas do what they wanted with her and her children if she didn't leave. Seeing no way to convince Scar to let her and her children stay and under threat of the hyenas, Zira and her children left.

A few weeks after that Zira heard that Scar had tried to force himself onto Nala, the lioness who was betrothed to Simba, before he supposedly died, and hearing this news had made Zira furious. Some months after Kovu was born, Zira tried to return to the Pride Lands. Zira was going to try to convince Scar to let her and her children back into the Pride Lands by presenting Kovu to him as the perfect heir, but when she got there, she found out that Simba was now king, not Scar, and Nala was his queen, and they had a son named Kopa. Zira tried to attack Simba, but he easily defeated her. The story of finding out that Scar wasn't their father, but just as bad, a selfish, rapist lion was quite a shock for Vitani and Kovu, but they accepted it.

They thanked Aina for sharing the information after she told them. Every former Outlander deeply missed Aina. She died exactly one year before Zira set her plan to have Kovu use Kiara to get close to Simba, and kill him in motion. After Aina died a lot changed. Zira's harsh training was supposed to harden Kovu into a killer, but he never hardened until after Aina died.

Many Outlanders shed tears when she died because they all would miss her kind, motherly personality. Zira saw crying as a weakness, so she called all the Outlanders weaklings, and that she was surprised Aina lasted as long as she did in the Outlands. Nuka acted like he didn't care, but everyone knew he was deeply saddened about Aina dying, she was the only lioness that gave him the proper attention he craved for. Aina had sacrificed a lot coming to the Outlands, unlike the other Outlanders she wasn't a supporter of Scar. Aina went with the Outlanders, because she knew of Zira's abusive nature towards her children, and she saw it as her job to be there for them, and some of the other cubs that belonged to the Outlanders.

The Pride Landers knew of Aina's reason for going with the Outlanders, and they all gave her a sad look when she left with the Outlanders. Aina was truly the mother that Vitani and her brothers never truly had. Everything melted away in Vitani's nightmare, and she became her adult self. Vitani than heard a cruel, creepy laugh. Vitani looked and saw a lion staring, and laughing at her.

The lion had dull dark grey fur, lazy looking green-blue eyes, a greasy dark brown mane, and the lion was overweight.

"Oh, you look so much like your mother." the lion said.

Vitani realized who this lion was. She's had this nightmare before, a lion like this that she guessed was her real father. Vitani ran from the lion, but the lion being faster caught her.

"You failed yourself, just as you failed Kopa." the nightmare lion said.

"Get off me!" Vitani yelled.

"No can do, you see, your stupid sister-in-law Kiara got rid of my original plaything, so now I need a new one." the nightmare lion said before laughing.

END OF Vitani's Nightmare:

Vitani jolted up awake from the nightmare.

"Why is this happening to me?" Vitani asked herself.

Vitani got up, and walked outside.

"Maybe sleeping out here will help me have a decent dream." Vitani said.

Vitani began to close her eyes, but before she could fully close them she saw something walk onto Pride Rock.

"Taka?" Vitani exclaimed.

Taka had walked back to Pride Rock, still in shock at the news he just learned from Rafiki. Taka learned that even after his great-great uncle's reign, that Zira still lived in the Pride Lands for a time. Taka found out that he had an uncle named Kopa, that his grandmother Zira killed him to get back at Simba, and that his grandfather Simba had forbid anyone from talking about him, because he didn't want Kiara, and Kion to miss a brother they never knew, but what shocked him the most was that his uncle, and Aunt Vitani were once going to be married. Now Taka knew that if his uncle, and aunt got married that it would have changed everything: his mother, and father would be brother-in-law, and sister-in-law, and they would have had different mates so they wouldn't commit incest, there would probably have been no war, and banishment of the Outlanders, and that if his mother, and father never married he and his siblings would never have been born.

"This sure is a lot to take in." Taka said.

Taka reached the steps of Pride Rock and looked up.

"I sure hope nobody has noticed that I've been gone for a while." Taka said.

Taka walked up the steps of Pride Rock. When he got to the top he saw Vitani frowning down at him.

"Aunt Vitani!?" Taka exclaimed.

Vitani walked over to Taka.

"What are you doing up so late, and away from Pride Rock?" Vitani sternly asked.

"I couldn't sleep, I went on a small walk in front of Pride Rock." Taka half-lied.

Vitani sighed irritably.

"I'm sorry, I just didn't want to wake anyone up." Taka said.

"It's fine just get inside. I'm going to be out here for the rest of the night. If you can't sleep just take your walk on Pride Rock." Vitani said.

"Will do." Taka said as he walked inside the cave.

Taka wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight with the information he had learned about an hour ago.

Chapter 8: There's Nothing Stronger Than Family

"Taka, Taka wake up." Taka heard a voice say.

A paw placed itself on Taka's back and shook him fully awake gently. Taka looked up and saw that his father trying to wake him up.

"What is it?" Taka asked his father.

"It's halfway to midday Taka, your friends are waiting for you." Kovu said.

"Ugh. I didn't really get any good sleep last night." Taka said.

"Do you want me to tell your friends that you'll be seeing them later?" Kovu asked.

"No, it's okay. I'll get more awake as I go along with them." Taka said.

Taka and Kovu walked out of the den to the step-like stones. Kovu rubbed the top of Taka's head with his paw and pushed Taka along.

"You and your friends have fun." Kovu said.

"We will." Taka said as he walked down the steps.

Taka got to the bottom of Pride Rock, and walked over to his friends. Tunu and Wema were also there, having been dropped off by Jasiri minutes ago.

"Finally, we thought you'd never get up." Grey said.

"Where's Fasa?" Taka asked using his brother' nickname, not noticing him anywhere.

"Over there." Tunu said pointing with her paw.

Taka looked and saw Mufasa with his Uncle Kion, and the rest of the Lion Guard. Taka could only guess why Mufasa was with the guard, he was the second child to the future king and queen, so one day he would become the leader of his own Lion Guard. Taka than suddenly thought back to his conversation with Rafiki last night. His Uncle Kion was told that he was the second child of the king and queen, so he was gifted with the Roar of The Elders, but Rafiki said that it was actually the second son or daughter of the king and queen that was gifted with the Roar of The Elders, not the second child. Kion was only told that version on Simba's request so that he and Kiara wouldn't know about Kopa.

"Come on everyone let's go say hi to them." Talia said.

The friends walked over to the Lion Guard, to say hi to them.

"Hay, Uncle Kion!" Taka shouted.

Kion turned and walked over to the cubs, along with the rest of the guard.

"Taka, Talia, Bluu, and everybody else." Kion said.

"Prince Taka, put your paws up." Bunga said.

Taka high-pawed Bunga.

"Booyah!" Taka shouted.

"Taking another day with the guard Fasa?" Talia asked her youngest older brother.

"Well I am going lead my own Lion Guard one day, I need all the training I can get." Mufasa said.

"Do you all want to join us on patrol?" Fuli asked.

"No, we just came to say hi, and if you're trying to look for us later, we'll be by the watering hole Mufasa." Griffin said.

"I promise I'll meet with you guys before the sun sets." Mufasa promised.

"And if you kids run into trouble just give a roar and we'll be on our way." Kion said

Taka gave his uncle a small roar to show that he understood.

"Well come on slow pokes. It will be next generation before we get back to our daily Lion Guard duties." Jasiri laughed.

"All guards and guardesses, let's get to it and defend." Kion said.

"Guardesses isn't even a word, is it?" Tunu asked.

"No idea." Grey said.

Taka, Mufasa and Talia paw-bumped each other before they split in separate directions.

Kovu and Kiara were with each other at Pride Rock. Kovu lazily let his fore legs hang over a ledge of Pride Rock, and Kiara had her head laying on Kovu's back.

"What should we do today?" Kiara asked.

"Too hot to do anything. Oh, I sure hope this dry season is almost over so you and me can go swimming." Kovu said.

"You know, that reminds me. I found something on a walk yesterday." Kiara said.

"What?" Kovu curiously asked.

"I found a cave to the north, there's a small underground lake we can go swimming in it." Kiara said.

Kovu's face lit up.

"Why didn't you mention this sooner, let's go." Kovu said, getting up.

Kovu and Kiara began walking down the step-like stones of Pride Rock. They got to the bottom, and began to walk towards the north. Simba saw them, and walked over to them.

"Kovu, Kiara!" Simba called to them.

"Yes dad?" Kiara asked.

"I'd like to talk with you two." Simba said.

"Did we do something wrong?" Kovu asked.

"No, I just want to talk with you two." Simba said.

"What is it?" Kiara asked.

"You two, me, you're brother, you're mother, you're uncle, you're grandmothers, Vitani, and you're children are going to take a family vacation." Simba said.

"Really, to where?" Kiara excitedly asked.

"To the jungle oasis where I was raised by Timon and Pumbaa when I was a cub." Simba said.

"I've never been there before!" Kiara shouted with excitement.

"But Simba, who's going to rule over the Pride Lands, while the whole royal family is gone?" Kovu asked.

"I've already taken care of it. Tojo is the one lion outside of the royal family that I trust enough to rule over the Pride Lands while we're gone." Simba explained.

"When are, we going to leave?" Kovu asked.

"Later after lunch time, we'll go. I've already told everyone else. Mufasa is with Kion, I told him to tell Mufasa, I just need you to find your other children, and tell them soon." Simba said.

"Well me and Kovu were going somewhere, we'll look for them on the way." Kiara said.

"SIMBA! SIMBA! SIMBA!" a voice called out.

Everyone looked and saw Pumbaa running towards them.

"Pumbaa what's wrong?" Simba asked.

"Timon is in trouble he needs help!" Pumbaa said as he panted.

"He's in danger, what does he need help with, what's wrong?" Simba asked.

"Cubs!" Pumbaa said, quivering with fear.

"I'm very proud of you kids. You've learned hakuna matata well. You know when I said its only rules were that there are no worries and not to think about you're past? Well there's one other rule to it, and the third rule clearly states: THAT THESE VINES ARE NOT MEANT TO BE USED FOR EVIL!" Timon shouted as he tried to squirm out of the vines that kept him tied to a broken branch that was stuck in the ground.

Taka, his sister, and their friends were walking around Timon in a circle. They all shouted made up chants.

"Oh, Simba where are you!" Timon shouted.

Tunu stood up on his back legs, and spread out his front legs.

"The sacrifice is READY!" Tunu shouted.

"No please! I'm allergic to sacrifices!" Timon said.

"Stone him for the gods!" Taka shouted.

Taka, his sister, and their friends all took stones in their paws, and got ready to throw.

ROAR!

The cubs looked to Simba, Kovu, Kiara, and Pumbaa coming towards them.

"What are you cubs doing?" Simba asked.

"We're sacrificing Timon to the gods, and the kings of the past." Grey said.

"Pumbaa came and told me he was in trouble." Simba said.

"Really Uncle P you took this all seriously? We're all just having a little fun. Sorry to say this Uncle T, but your just not sacrifice material." Talia said.

"Well thank goodness. Well now can someone please UNTIE ME!" Timon shouted.

Griffin slashed the vines keeping Timon tied to the stick. Once he was untied, Timon ran towards Simba for protection, and hid behind his foreleg.

"Sorry Uncle T." Talia said.

"Well since we're already here, we need to tell you and Taka something Talia." Kiara said.

"What is it?" Taka asked.

"Were going on a family vacation later today." Kiara said.

"Seriously?" Taka asked with the same excitement his mother had.

"Yes, we are, so come back to Pride Rock later at about lunch time." Kovu said.

"In about how long?" Taka asked.

"In about three hours." Simba guessed.

"We'll be there." Talia said.

The groups went their separate ways until it was time for the royal family to go on their vacation.

"Now about that underground lake you told me about." Kovu said.

Hours later after lunch time the royal family gathered at Pride Rock, preparing to leave. Simba was giving Tojo a few tips on how to be king while he was gone.

"Remember Tojo, get up at the break of dawn, get the morning report from Zazu, and if the herd animals have problems with each other, try to make it to where they'll all be happy." Simba explained.

"Sounds easy enough." Tojo said with confidence in his voice even though he didn't feel very confident inside.

"A quick nuzzle from the princess for good luck." Kiara said before giving Tojo a quick friendly nuzzle on the cheek.

"When can we expect you back." Zazu, who was perched on a nearby tree branch asked.

"It takes about two days to get to the oasis, we'll start coming back in three days at most. So, you can expect us back in a week." Simba said.

"A week as king, I can do that." Tojo said.

"King Tojo, I like the sound of it." Nala said.

"Well we're off. See you and everyone else in a week." Simba said.

"Safe travels." Tojo said.

With that the royal family began their journey to the jungle oasis.

The journey was a long, and hard one. The sun beat down on the royal family as they neared the jungle oasis. They had found small pools of water that they drank from, they came across the occasional lizards that they split as best they could amongst each other. They slept under an outcrop of rocks they came across the first night of the journey. They were now on the second day of the journey, and almost to the jungle oasis.

"Grandpa, how much further?" Mufasa asked.

"We should be nearly there." Simba said.

"That's it everybody, we need to lighten the mood." Talia suddenly said.

"Games anybody?" Kiara asked.

"I got one." Simba said.

"What is it?" Kiara asked.

"It's called 'I'm Going on An Adventure.' How it's played is you say 'I'm going on an adventure and I'm bringing' than you say whatever it is you want to bring, then the next person says the thing the last person said, and adds something to it, if you guess anything wrong than your out. Me and my father use to play it when he allowed me to go on his morning patrols." Simba explained.

"Alright grandpa, you start first." Mufasa said.

"Alright, I'm going on an adventure and I'm bringing something to eat that's not lizard. You're turn Taka." Simba said.

"I'm going on an adventure and I'm bringing non-lizard meat, and large leaves to shade us from the hot sun's rays. Your next mom" Taka said.

"I'm going on an adventure and I'm bringing non-lizard meat, large leaves for shade, and hollowed out coconuts for carrying water since the desert seems to be very void of it." Kiara said.

"Well said." Kovu said.

"Well than it's your turn next Kovu." Kiara said.

"I'm going on an adventure, and I'm bringing non-lizard meat, large leaves for shade, coconuts for carrying water, and I'm also bringing a sharp stick to fight off hyenas with instead of my claws. Your turn Mheetu." Kovu said.

"I'm going on an adventure and I'm bringing non-lizard meat, large leaves for shade, coconuts for water, a sharp stick, and strong vines in case of emergencies." Mheetu said.

"Okay, my turn." Mufasa said. "I'm going on an adventure and I'm bringing non-lizard meat, Large leaves for shade, coconuts for carrying water, and, uh strong vines in case of emergencies?" Mufasa said.

"Wrong, it was a sharp stick to fight off hyenas with." Simba said.

"But strong vines in case of emergencies was in there, how am I out?" Mufasa asked.

"You have to say it in order." Simba explained.

"Hay, there's the oasis!" Taka suddenly shouted.

Everyone looked and saw vibrant green colors starting to appear.

"Well behold than, the jungle oasis where I grew up." Simba said.

"I don't think I've ever seen green that vibrant before." Kovu said as he looked at the jungle oasis far ahead of them.

"How come we never came here before?" Kiara asked.

"You never asked to come." Simba said.

Within a few minutes later the royal lion family stepped into the oasis. Everyone looked around in awe, except Simba and Nala since they already knew the awe of the oasis.

"Even though the Pride Lands were in bad shape at the time and everyone was relying on you to save it, I'm surprised you left this place." Kovu said.

"Well that might have happened if Rafiki hadn't put his two cents in, I still got the bump to prove it." Simba said.

"Yeah, this place just makes you never want to leave." Nala said.

"I don't doubt it." Sarafina said.

Kiara spotted a small pool of water against a small ledge with water pouring off like a small waterfall, and a rocks as stepping stone leading to it.

"Oh, no way." Kiara said as she walked over to the small pool.

Kiara ran over to the small pool and drank from it. As she drank from the small waterfall, water splashed over her face.

"This place is great. We should come here once or twice a year on family vacation from now on." Kiara said.

"Yeah, Kiara is right. We never get to have this kind of family time in the Pride Lands." Mheetu said.

"Yeah, you two are right." Kovu said.

"I would certainly like to come here more often." Taka said.

"I say we can do that. As my father use to say, there's nothing stronger than family." Simba said

Music starts to play in the background, and Simba begins to sing.

"There are many things in this world that mean something to somebody, but there's nothing stronger than family." Simba sang.

"Your strength comes from your family. There are times when you feel scared, and/or alone, but your family is there to give you the strength you need, and that's because there's nothing stronger than family." Nala added in.

Simba walked up to Kovu and pushed him off a small cliff into a small lake of water.

"Hay!" Kovu said as he surfaced.

"There are times when you and your family aren't getting along, but no matter what happens between you, and your family, just remember there is nothing stronger than family." Simba sang.

"When you don't know what to do in a difficult situation, you just ask your family for information." Kiara sang.

"There's nothing stronger than family." The entire family sang.

"A family vacation like this makes the bonds of family stronger than it was before." Nala sang.

"The bonds of family are so strong that there's nothing that can break those bonds." Kion sang.

"And that's because there's nothing stronger than family." Kiara and Kion both sang.

"There was a time when I didn't know what the bonds of family felt like, but now I know what it feels like thanks to you." Kovu sang, looking at Kiara.

"Oh, there's nothing stronger than family." Taka and his siblings sang.

"It's the bonds of family that keep you alive." Sarabi sang.

"There's nothing stronger than family." Sarafina sang.

"There are times when you feel scared and/or alone, just remember that there is nothing stronger than family." Mheetu sang.

"The bonds of family are so strong that not even death can break it." Sarabi said looking at the sky.

"When you think you are alone, know that you are never alone, because family will always be there in spirit when they can't be there physically." Vitani sang.

"And that's because there is nothing stronger then family." Kiara and Kovu sang, coming up to Vitani's side.

"Oh, there's nothing stronger than family. Oh, there's nothing stronger than family. Oh, there's nothing stronger than family." The entire royal family sang.

"There's nothing stronger then family." Vitani whispered happily to herself.

Vitani looked at her family members; brother and her in-law's. She still wished Kopa was here, but was just as glad that she had everyone else.

Chapter 9: Secrets Revealed

Everyone was having a good time in the jungle oasis. They explored, played some fun games, swam in the water, told made up stories at night before they went to sleep, or sometimes just talked with each other. The day after they arrived Kovu came across Simba eating bugs, and Simba dared him to try one. Kovu tried to refuse, but Simba played his ace card.

"Kovu as your father-in-law, and your king, I command you to try one." Simba said.

Seeing that he had no choice in the matter, Kovu silently cursed Simba and tried one, and he said that it's wasn't that bad.

"Timon and Pumbaa would be proud of you." Simba said.

"Yeah, when we go back home I think I'll stay away from them for a few years." Kovu said.

It was near the end of the second day, and Simba was laying in his old hammock made of vines.

"Oh, vine hammock, how I've missed you." Simba said.

"Simba." a voice said.

Simba looked and saw Nala walking towards him.

"Yes Nala?" Simba asked.

"I'm sorry to bring this up, but when are you going to tell Kiara and Kion about Kopa. You said that you were going to tell them, but you haven't yet." Nala said.

"Don't worry Nala, I promised you, I was going to tell them, and I'm going to tomorrow." Simba said.

Nala sighed, thinking about tomorrow.

"I'm worried about tomorrow. They've lived their whole lives thinking that their only siblings were each other. I worry about what they might think of us after." Nala said.

"That's one of the reasons why I never told them." Simba said.

"I really wish Kopa were here today. Kiara and Kion would of loved him." Nala said.

"Kiara and Kion are like him in so many ways." Simba said.

"Yes, yes they are." Nala said.

A laughter suddenly rang out through the jungle.

"What was that?" Nala asked.

Simba got out of his vine hammock, and he and Nala went to find the source of the laughter. They found the source of the laughter near where Simba pulled Nala into the water years ago, when they had their romantic night in the jungle. The laughter was coming from Kiara, who was on her back, and Kovu was on top of her, lightly tickling her belly.

"NO KOVU! STOP PLEASE, YOU'RE KILLING ME!" Kiara yelled as she laughed.

"Well, we we're play fighting to the death, and if I'm killing you than that means I'm winning." Kovu said.

"BUT THIS IS CHEATING!" Kiara said through tears of laughter.

"There's no such thing as cheating in a fight. That's one good thing my mother taught me." Kovu said.

"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" Kiara shouted.

"Oh, I'm so heart broken." Kouv cunningly replied.

Simba and Nala smiled at the cute and hilarious scene of their daughter and son-in-law. Simba's face than suddenly dropped. Nala noticed the look on Simba's face.

"What's wrong Simba?" Nala asked.

"It's just… Kovu. I mean just look at him, how could I have treated him the way I did when I first allowed him into the Pride Lands. Kiara was right, I didn't know what he was truly like when I banished him." Simba said.

"Simba, I'll agree I didn't approve of the way you acted back then, but look at how far we've come since then." Nala said.

"I know, it's just I feel bad about how badly I hurt her when I banished him, and when I banished Zira to the Outlands, I also banished Kovu, Vitani and Nuka. They were only cubs, and that decision caused a chain reaction which caused Nuka to get killed. I'm going to carry all that for the rest of my life." Simba said.

"Well Kovu and Kiara both forgive you, and they love you very much, and we all make decisions we regret. We all learn from our mistakes" Nala said.

"You know Nala, I regret saying that I wouldn't marry you when I was a cub." Simba said.

"Well we were cubs Simba, not even a year old yet." Nala said.

"Well that's true." Simba said before he and Nala nuzzled each other.

Simba turned back to the scene. Kiara's face was soaked with tears of laughter, and her voice was becoming hoarse. Suddenly from out of nowhere, Kion tackled Kovu off Kiara.

"Alright Kiara, let him have it!" Kion said.

Kiara and Kion then started tickling Kovu's belly as pay back.

"PLEASE, PLEASE STOP BOTH OF YOU!" Kovu begged.

"Karma is a bad hyena!" Kion said.

"What goes around comes around." Kiara said.

"Uncle Kion, in coming!" Talia's voice came in.

Talia was on the branch of a tree above Kion, and she jumped on his head. Kion staggered back after Talia jumped on his face.

"Get him dad!" Talia shouted to Kovu.

Kovu pushed Kiara off him, into the water, tackled Kion and started to tickle his belly.

"How the mighty fierce leader of the Lion Guard has fallen." Kovu said.

"Go dad, go!" Talia routed.

"I'M GONNA GET YOU TWO!" Kion shouted through laughter.

Simba and Nala were just barely able to contain their laughter.

"I knew everyone was going to have a good time here." Simba said.

"So, did I; I just didn't know it was going to be through a tickle fight." Nala said.

Vitani watched everyone from some jungle foliage that hid her. Vitani heard everything Simba and Nala said. Vitani thought of Kopa, when she looked at Kovu and Kiara. Vitani had to admit, she was extremely jealous of them.

"Kopa." Vitani whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.

Vitani thought back to when she and Kopa first met.

FLASHBACK:

Vitani was a little older than half a year. It was nearly half a year into Simba's reign as king. The Pride Lands were getting it's vegetation back, but was still a little way from becoming the shining jewel that it was before Scar's reign. Vitani was hunting in the Pride lands. The reason why she was hunting was because her mother Zira believed once you were old enough to hunt a lizard, you hunted for your own food, even if you were a cub.

One day Vitani told her mother that she was hungry, and asked her if she would go hunting for her, but Zira refused.

"Vitani, dear daughter, your old enough to hunt small creatures now. If you're hungry go hunt your own food. It's time you learned that in this family you don't get to eat unless you catch it yourself or were enough help in the hunt." Zira explained to Vitani in a commanding voice.

"Yes mother." Vitani said, knowing better than to argue with her mother.

Vitnai found a fat rabbit, and she was about to pounce.

"Say your prayers." Vitani whispered as she got ready to pounce, but thinks to her big mouth the rabbit heard, and ran away. "NO!" Vitani shouted seeing what was supposed to be her kill run away.

Vitani was just glad her mother wasn't here to see her fail just because Vitani couldn't help but say something to the rabbit before she pounced. When someone messed up in their hunt Zira made sure that, that someone knows they failed. If they failed in a hunt than Zira didn't allow them to eat from the carcass. One time, Nuka had begged Zira to let him go on a hunt with the older lionesses, even though he was still too young to join in a group hunt. After constant begging she allowed Nuka to join, just to get Nuka away from her.

That night the lionesses came back with a skinny zebra, the lionesses told Zira that Nuka had messed up their chances and catching some fat animals on multiple occasions. Furious with Nuka's failure, Zira had forbid him from eating, and to sit in the back of the cave to think of his failure, instead of letting him go out to catch himself something.

"But I'm so hungry!" Nuka had whined.

"You can go a night without food! Complain again and you'll have go the full day tomorrow without eating!" Zira had yelled.

Terrified at the thought of being forbidden to eat tomorrow, Nuka sat in the back of the cave. A few minutes later Nuka saw a bug crawling on the cave floor. Nuka thought it was disgusting, but food was food. Nuka went for the bug and tried to eat it, but Zira caught this and squashed the bug under her paw, and forbid Nuka from eating anything tomorrow. Vitani forgetting that memory moved on to find something else to catch and eat, but stopped when she heard a voice behind her.

"Hay, are you okay?" the voice asked.

Vitani looked behind her to see a lion cub about three months old, accompanied by a meerkat and warthog.

"What's it to you guys?" Vitani asked.

"Whoa, easy their kid." the meerkat said.

Vitani roared at the meerkat, which hid behind the lion cub for protection.

"The name's Vitani, not kid!" Vitani said.

"You got it Vitani sir, I mean mam." the meerkat said.

"You didn't tell us yet, what were you doing?" the lion cub asked.

"Catching breakfast, but I had to open my big fat mouth, and it got away." Vitani said.

"Why were you hunting by yourself, and not having your mother do that for you, or your father?" the warthog asked.

"I have no father, my mother says that if you want to eat something you got to catch it yourself, and stick boy over there looks edible enough." Vitani said looking towards the meerkat.

"Wait, wait, wait I'm not on the menu here, King Simba says so." the meerkat said frantically.

"Yeah, my dad says so." the lion cub said.

"And you are?" Vitani rudely asked the cub.

"I'm Prince Kopa, son of King Simba and Queen Nala of the Pride Lands." the lion cub said.

"Ha! A prince charming." Vitani scoffed in an effort to insult the cub.

"Oh, prince charming. Not even my mom calls me that." Kopa said.

"That wasn't a complement, it was an insult. Now if you three weirdos will excuse me, I've got some breakfast to go and find." Vitani said.

"Wait, why don't you come with me to eat. I'm sure the hunting party will be back soon." Kopa said.

"Look Prince Kopey, my mother, and your father Simba, or whatever his stupid name is don't really like each other, so I don't think he'd enjoy me being there." Vitani said.

"Nonsense! My dad loves everybody, he'd like if I brought a guest. Please, you have to come." Kopa begged.

Vitani growled in irritation, she knew this cub would follow her all day and beg her to come eat with his family if she refused.

"Fine, I'll come, but only to get an easy breakfast, after that I'm leaving!" Vitani said with clear annoyance in her voice.

"Alright come on. Oh, and by the way these two are Timon and Pumbaa, my dad's two bestest friends" Kopa said.

"The one and onlys." Pumbaa said

Vitani followed the group towards Pride Rock.

"Give me the strength not to kill them." Vitani mumbled to no one in particular.

Timon and Pumbaa we're whispering to each other.

"Gee is that girl mean, and rude." Timon said.

"And scary." Pumbaa said.

"I can hear every word you two idiots are saying, I'm only two feet away from you." Vitani said.

The group of four soon got to Pride Rock, Timon and Pumbaa parted ways with Kopa and Vitani. They said something about not wanting to be around lions when they were about to eat meat.

"Bye guys, see you later." Kopa said.

"See you later kiddo." Pumbaa said as he ruffled what little bit of mane Kopa had with his hoof.

"Hay, stop that." Kopa laughed, fixing his mane.

"Be careful around Mean Jean there Kopa." Timon whispered to Kopa.

"What was that!?" Vitani snapped.

"Uh, wonderful weather we're having." Timon said nervously.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Vitani said.

With that Timon and Pumbaa quickly ran off to get away from Vitani and her scariness.

"Finally, I thought those two would never go away." Vitani said.

"Oh, come on leave them alone, let's go and see my dad." Kopa said.

Kopa and Vitani walked up Pride Rock's step-stones, looking for Simba. Simba was at the edge of Pride Rock, humming to himself. Kopa ran up to his father.

"Dad, I'm back!" Kopa happily shouted.

Simba turned around to meet his son. Simba lowered his head down to Kopa's level and gave a small roar. Kopa gave his father a small roar in return.

"I was hoping you'd get back soon." Simba said.

"Is the hunting party going to be back soon?" Kopa asked.

"I just got down from the top of Pride Rock, I saw them take down two zebras, so they should be back soon." Simba said.

Simba than caught sight of Vitani.

"Kopa, who's this?" Simba asked.

"This is Vitani, she was out hunting when she lost her kill. I invited her to come eat with us." Kopa said.

"Why was she hunting by herself, and not having her parents hunt for her? She seems really young." Simba said.

"She said something about if you want to eat something you got to catch it yourself. She can eat with us, right?" Kopa asked.

"Of course, she can. Come on, introduce me to her." Simba said.

Kopa led his father over to Vitani.

"Vitani this is my father, dad this is Vitani." Kopa said.

"Hello Vitani, I'm Simba, the King of the Pride Lands." Simba said.

"Yeah, I know who you are." Vitani rudely said.

Simba's face hardened a little at Vitani's rude tone, but he decided to brush it off.

"Well Vitani, I'm happy to have you with us." Simba said.

"Yeah, listen king boy, I'm only here to get an easy meal, then I'm leaving to wait until lunch time to hunt something." Vitani said as she walked over to a rock, and laid down to wait for the hunting party.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that she's a little rude." Kopa said.

"Well, maybe with a friend like you, she'll grow out of that." Simba said.

Ever since that day Kopa had always invited Vitani to come to Pride Rock, and have breakfast with him and his family. Vitani had always said 'this is the last time I'm doing this,' but that last time was never the last time. Vitani had found Kopa extremely annoying at that time, but the month after she met him, she began to see him as a friend even if she wouldn't admit it. At the one month mark of their first meeting, Kopa asked Vitani if she wanted to be his friend, but she stubbornly refused to admit her own feelings.

"Come on Vitani, you like have no friends. Please let me be your friend." Kopa begged.

"Are you deaf, I told you I don't want any friends." Vitani said.

"At least crack a smile, a real smile, not a mocking smile like you like to give me. At least give a real laugh." Kopa said.

"I don't have to take this, you know." Vitani said as she began to walk away.

Kopa ran up to Vitani, jumped on her, and flipped her on her back.

"YOU LITTLE VERMIN! ARE YOU STUPID OR SOMETHING!?" Vitani angrily snapped.

Kopa than did something that Vitani would never forget.

"You're laughing weather you want to or not." Kopa said.

Vitani was about to shout some pretty nasty words at Kopa, before Kopa started to tickle her belly.

"YOU IDIOT! STOP IT NOW BEFORE YOU PUSH ME SO FAR THAT I'LL KILL YOU!" Vitani shouted as she laughed.

"How will you, you can't even move to attack me." Kopa said.

"I'LL JUST GO FOR YOU WHEN YOU STOP!" Vitani stated.

"Well guess what, we're at an area that the hunting party comes by when they come back to Pride Rock. I can keep this up until they come." Kopa said.

"WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR YOU TO STOP!?" Vitani asked.

"Agree to be my friend, and play with me, and I'll stop." Kopa said.

"NO! NEVER!" Vitani said.

"Well than I'm not going to stop." Kopa said.

"OKAY, OKAY I'LL BE YOUR FRIEND, JUST STOP PLEASE!" Vitani said.

END OF FLASHBACK:

From that day forward Kopa and Vitani had been the best of friends, and they grew very close. When Vitani was told that she and Kopa were going married, she couldn't be happier, but than her mother had to get involved. Zira had to kill Kopa, and get herself, her children, and her lionesses banished. Vitani had snuck back into the Pride Lands multiple times to see Simba, Nala, and the other members of the pride even after the banishment. Each time she came all the lionesses had offered to take her in, including Simba and Nala, all knowing what the Outlands were like, but Vitani always refused, saying she belonged with her family.

Vitnai had even met Kiara, who was born soon after the banishment. Kiara of course was too young to remember meeting Vitani. Vitani's visits stopped after three months when Zira found her sneaking out. Zira had kept a close eye on Vitani, and kept telling her that Simba was the real reason Kopa was dead, because he didn't protect Kopa well enough, and if Simba really cared about Vitani, he would of kept her in the Pride Lands whether she wanted to stay or not. Even though she tried to not let them, those thoughts Zira planted in her head eventually began to sound like truth.

Vitani's name meant 'Demon of war,' and that's what Zira had turned her into. Vitani was thankful to Kiara for showing her that she didn't have to listen to her mother telling her what to be or do. She wondered if things would have been different of Kopa was alive.

"I wonder if Simba and Nala will ever tell Kiara about Kopa?" Vitani said to herself.

The next morning came too quickly in Simba's eyes. This was the day, this was the day he was going to tell Kiara and Kion about their dead brother. Simba got up, stretched the tiredness out of his limbs, and walked over to towards his daughter and son. Kiara was of course laying with Kovu, and their children, and Kion slept on a small boulder overlooking them. Simba looked to Kion, he had always been proud of how responsible and mature he was when he was a cub, and he was a born leader.

"He would have made a good king if given the chance." Simba said.

Simba than looked to Kiara. He looked over her frame, she was a bit smaller for a lioness her age, and wasn't the most muscular of lionesses, but she was still a strong lioness. She was so full of spirit, and energy, and she always had a kind word to say. Simba truly regretted always being overprotective of her, he never liked being overprotective of her, he always wanted to stop being overprotective, but he just didn't want another repeat of Kopa. Simba leaned down and licked Kiara awake.

"Kovu stop, just a few more minutes." Kiara mumbled half-asleep.

"Guess again." Simba said.

Kiara looked up and saw that it was Simba, not Kovu. Kiara got up and nuzzled her father, Simba nuzzled her back, and threw one paw around her.

"Sleep well?" Kiara asked.

"Not much." Simba said.

"Why?" Kiara asked.

"Help me wake your brother first." Simba said.

Simba and Kiara woke up Kion.

"Yes, what is it?" Kion asked.

"Kiara, Kion, I want to tell you two something very important." Simba said.

"What is it?" Kiara asked.

"I want the whole family to be with us when I tell you. Wake them up, and then I'm going to take us somewhere, where I'll tell you two." Simba said.

Obeying their father's wishes, Kiara and Kion went to wake everyone else up.

Simba and Nala led everyone deep into the jungle.

"How much further, and what is that you need to tell mom, and Uncle Kion about grandpa?" Mufasa asked.

"We're almost there." Simba said.

Taka had a feeling that he knew what Simba was going to tell his mom, and uncle.

"He's going to tell them about Kopa." Taka's mind said to him.

Taka found it strange that his grandfather goes into one of his fits of depression, and then he says that they were going to take a family vacation. Mufasa looked to his older brother.

"I wonder what he wants to tell her?" Mufasa said.

"Yeah, I wonder." Taka said.

"Here we are." Simba said.

Everyone looked and saw that they were in a small clearing at the bottom of a slope. To everyone this place was a mystery, but it wasn't to Simba and Nala. This was the spot where they had their first kiss, and it was also where they created Kopa at the same time. Everyone laid down in a circle.

"Dad, what is it you need to tell us?" Kion asked.

"I need to tell you and your sister about someone." Simba said.

"Who?" Kion asked.

"Two things happened in this very spot of the jungle almost six years ago." Simba said.

"What was it?" Kiara asked.

"This is the spot where me and your mother had our first kiss, and this is also where…" Simba broke off from his sentence.

Simba looked to Nala, who gave him an encouraging nod.

"…This is also where your older brother was first created." Simba said.

"What, older brother?" Kiara asked.

"Dad what are you talking about?" Kion asked.

"I said that the both of you have an older brother. His name was Kopa." Simba said.

"Kopa? Does he have a pride somewhere? We've never even seen or heard of him before." Kiara said.

"No, he doesn't have a pride anywhere. He's dead." Simba said.

"What?" Kiara and Kion asked.

"He was killed shortly before you were born Kiara. He was betrothed to Vitani at the time, and when Zira found out about this she ambushed him during a storm, killed him and threw his body into the river. We never found his body." Simba explained.

Kion had a look of disbelief, and Kiara had an angry look on his face. Kiara angrily stood up.

"Why were me and Kion never told about this?" Kiara demanded.

"I didn't want you to miss someone you never knew, and I forbid anyone else from telling you." Simba said.

"I had an older brother, and you, mom, and everybody else never told me, or Kion! How could you?" Kiara asked.

"Now Kiara, listen. I had my reasons." Simba said, trying to calm his daughter down.

"Of course, you had your reasons! You always have your reasons!" Kiara shouted with rage.

Kiara than started to list said reasons, while doing a very poor impression of her father's voice.

"You're the heir to the Pride Lands Kiara, so you always need someone watching over you. Your too fragile Kiara, you can't be left by yourself. You can't be anyone else, but a princess Kiara. You can never hunt anymore because one dangerous thing happened on your first hunt, when dangerous things don't always happen on hunts Kiara. You can't be friends or mates with Kovu, because he's a savage, backstabbing, two-faced, uncivilized Outlander, who's following Scar's pawprints, and he used you to get to me to lead me into an ambush!" Kiara listed.

"Kiara! That's going too far." Simba said sternly.

"I'm not a cub anymore dad, I don't need you, or anyone else to look over me." Kiara said.

"Kiara!" Simba shouted, now getting angry with his daughter even though he knew she had every right to be angry.

"I know you've lied to me a lot, but I always forgave you for them, but this is a lie too far. If I knew I had been being lied to about something like this all my life, I would have excepted Kovu's offer to run away from everything and start our own pride and leave you to whatever happened and what Zira would do to you and I wouldn't care what happened to you!" Kiara shouted.

Kiara didn't mean that of course, but she was just so angry that she didn't know what she was saying.

"You don't mean that." Simba said, completely shocked at what she just said.

"You haven't changed a bit. Your still the same big ego-ed, gullible, arrogant, narrow-minded, self-important cub that you say you were from your stories. You didn't keep Kopa a secret from me and Kion to protect us, you did it to protect yourself, and you know what, I don't even want to be queen, I never wanted to. Give the throne to Kion or to Vitani, she was married to Kopa anyway, so that puts her in a more rightful claim to the throne than us." Kiara said before running off sobbing.

"Kiara!" Kovu shouted after Kiara as she ran off.

Kovu got up and began to run after Kiara, but suddenly stopped. Kovu looked back at Simba. Kovu glared, growled, and roared at him. Kovu quickly walked up to Simba without even thinking and punched him across the face, sending the old king to the ground. Simba looked up at his son-in-law and saw complete anger in his face.

"What kind of father are you?" Kovu asked before running after Kiara.

Simba looked to Kion and saw the same anger, disgust, and disappointment in his eye's like Kovu and Kiara. Kion than ran after Kovu and Kiara.

"I'm sorry!" Simba shouted to his children, and son-in-law.

Taka looked towards his siblings.

"Wow." Mufasa said his disbelief.

"Did that really just happen guys?" Talia asked.

Taka pinched his siblings, and then himself.

"No, we're awake." Taka said.

Taka looked back in the direction where his mom, dad and uncle ran.

"I hope mom, dad and Uncle Kion will be alright." Taka said.

"Does Lion Guard training prepare you for this Fasa"? Talia asked.

"No, it doesn't. Mufasa said.

Kion caught up with Kovu, who was looking around, and calling out Kiara's name.

"Kovu." Kion said.

Kovu looked to Kion with a look of anger, but also of regret in his eyes.

"I shouldn't have acted like that back there. I didn't mean to strike out at Simba, I was just, just so…" Kovu tried to apologize, but Kion interrupted him

"No, it's okay. He deserved it." Kion said.

Kovu and Kion suddenly heard a scream.

"That was Kiara!" Kion exclaimed.

"It came from this way." Kovu said, going deeper into the jungle.

After about a minute of running Kovu and Kion came across Kiara, and she wasn't alone. Four lions and lionesses surround her, along with five hyenas, and they were all covered in many nasty looking scars.

"Come on little kitty, were not going to hurt you… much." a hyena said as he laughed slow and darkly.

"Oh, no you don't!" Kion said as he a Kovu jumped to Kiara's side.

"Oh, two more, and healthy, strong looking lions no less." a gingerbread colored lioness said.

"We were sent out to find more, and it looks like we found some fresh meat for the fighting pits." said a dark grey lion with a black mane, as he walked towards them.

"Fresh meat for the fighting pit?" Kiara exclaimed.

"What do you want, who are you!?" Kovu demanded the black-manned lion.

"All three of you now belong to the Scarred Pride." the black-manned lion said.

Chapter 10: It's A Bloody Jungle Out Here!

Simba sat at the edge of a pond, with Nala, and his mother trying to comfort him. Simba stared at his reflection on the surface of the pond. His fur was dull with age, but still had some shine to it, he still had his red mane, but there were multiple spots starting grey. He wasn't surprised by his appearance, he was ten, about to be eleven in five months.

"Simba, I know your upset, but don't worry Kiara, Kion, and Kovu can't stay mad at you forever." Sarabi said.

"I know, it's just what Kiara and Kovu said." Simba sighed.

"They didn't mean it, they're just angry right now. Just give them some time to cool off." Nala said.

"It just still hurt to hear them say that. Kovu was right, what kind of father am I?" Simba said.

"You're a wonderful father Simba." Sarabi said.

"I'm not, but at least I know that now. I'm going to start to be a better one." Simba said.

"Simba…" Nala began to say, before a scream ran through the jungle.

"That was Kiara!" Sarabi said.

Simba's body tensed, ready for a fight that he saw coming.

"Nala take my mother back to the others, and then you and Mheetu come and find me." Simba said as he ran in the direction of where Kiara's scream came from.

"All three of you now belong to the Scarred Pride." the black-manned lion had said.

Kovu, Kiara, and Kion looked at each other confused. What was this 'Scarred Pride' that the black-manned lion just mentioned.

"Thanks for the offer, but I think we'll pass." Kion forcibly said.

"Oh, dear boy, you don't understand. This isn't an offer, it's a demand. You and your two friends are joining the Scarred Pride weather you want to or not!" a lioness said.

"Yeah, so just come with us and we promise not to hurt you… yet." a hyena said, walking up to them.

Kovu backpawed the hyena, sending it flying a few feet. The hyena got up off the ground and glared at Kovu.

"I wish you hadn't done that!" the hyena growled.

"A trouble maker hmm? Well dung-mane, I'll show you what we do to trouble makers." a lioness growled to Kovu.

"This is your first and last warning. Turn back now and we'll forget this ever happened." Kovu said.

"If they resist too much kill them." the black-manned lion said with authority.

The lions, lioness, and hyenas went in for the attack.

"I warned you." Kovu growled as he got ready for the fight about to break out.

Two hyenas jumped at Kion, who jumped to meet them in midair, but a lioness jumped straight into his side and pinned him. Kovu ran to his brother-in-law's aid. Kovu bit down on the lionesses neck a threw her off of him.

"Thanks for the save." Kion said.

"Don't mentio…" Kovu began to say before two lions pounced on him.

The two lions pinned Kovu to the ground and snarled at him.

"We're upset now." one of the lions said.

"You got guts kid. Too bad we got to rip 'em out of ya'." the other lion said.

"Rip open his belly!" the first lion said.

Both lions turned Kovu on his back, exposing his belly, and went for the kill.

"Let go of him!" a voice said.

Something bit down hard on one of the lion's back legs. The lion looked and saw Kiara biting down on his leg. Kiara pulled hard and sent the lion falling to the ground.

"You little wench!" the lion said before backpawing Kiara off his leg.

This made Kovu angry. He used his back legs to push the first lion off him, then he jumped at the other lion, biting down on his face. The lion roared and tried to swipe his claws at Kovu, but Kovu just jumped back out of the lion's reach. The first lion got ready to jump at Kovu, while the second lion did the same. Kovu jumped back as the two lions jumped, causing them to collide with each other and fall to the ground dazed.

Kiara had recovered from the attack from the lion she saved Kovu from getting killed by. Kiara was now facing a lioness and a hyena, the three of them were circling each other.

"Your move girly." a hyena dared.

Kiara pounced at the hyena, but it dodged the attack, and the lioness jumped in to attack, but Kiara jumped back at scratched the side of the lioness' neck with her claws. The lioness growled in pain and tried to swipe at Kiara with her claws as well, but she just dodged the attack. A lion, lioness, and hyena came into the fight with Kiara and the lioness and hyena.

"Five against one, that's not even a fair fight." Kiara said.

"It is for us." the lion said.

The two hyenas jumped, but Kion jumped at them, and he threw one against a tree, knocking it out.

"It's three against two now." Kion said.

Kion went to fight the lion and a lioness, while Kiara went to fight the other lioness. Kion roared a warning roar at the lion and lioness in front of him, but they only laughed. Kion jumped at the lion, claws extended. The lion and lioness jumped aside, grabbed his back legs as he landed and threw him against a tree. Kion shook his head free of dizziness to see the lion jumping at him.

Kion narrowly jumped out of the way. The lion collided with the tree, and growled at Kion when he got his focus back.

"When I'm done with you, no one will be able to tell the difference from your mane to your blood." the lion said.

The lion charged at Kion, who just jumped to the side then rammed into the lion's side. Kovu was fighting two lionesses. The lionesses had Kovu backed up to a wall.

"They say that when you corner a cat, you get scratched, but this time the cat is going to be the one who gets scratched." a lioness said.

Kovu jumped at the lionesses. He landed on one and began clawing and biting her hide. The second lioness pulled Kovu off. The two lionesses were about to start clawing, but Kovu rolled out of the way and kicked the two lionesses away with his back legs like a horse. Kovu looked and saw the leader of this group of lions and hyenas.

"Cut off the head of the snake and the body with wither." Kovu said to himself in his head.

Kovu got up and ran towards the black-manned lion, but the two lionesses jumped in front of him, blocking him from reaching the black-manned lion.

"You want to talk with Terry, you got to talk with us first." one of the lionesses said.

"Happily." Kovu growled.

"Do you know why we call him Terry? Because he'll TEAR you to shreds!" the other lioness said before laughing.

Kovu stood on his back legs and swiped both his paws at the lionesses. The lionesses jumped to the sides and both tried to ram into Kovu's sides, but he jumped back and brought his paws down onto the lioness's heads, knocking them out. Kovu than looked to the black-manned lion who was named Terry. Kovu jumped onto the rocks and roared a challenging roar at Terry.

"Is than a challenge boy?" Terry asked.

"I give you one more chance. Let us go and we'll forget this ever happened." Kovu said.

Terry laughed like Kovu's demanded was the funniest thing he'd ever heard.

"Or you can submit to me and I won't hurt your two friends." Terry said

"Kovu hel…" Kovu heard Kiara's voice shout, but stop in mid-speech.

Kovu looked and saw a lion on top of Kiara and a hyena had it's paw over her mouth, and another hyena had her neck in his mouth, threating to snap it. Kion wanted to use the Roar of the Elders, but he couldn't without hurting Kiara. Seeing that Kion was distracted two lions jumped on him and a hyena was at his neck.

"Let them go now!" Kovu demanded.

"You're not in a position to make demands boy!" a lion who was on Kion said.

"Get him Terry!" a hyena shouted.

Terry punched Kovu between his back legs. Kovu gave a high-pitched gasp, was thrown down to the ground hard, and the rest of the group pinned him to the ground.

"Hahahaha! Welcome to the Scarred Pride you three." Terry laughed.

A furious roar ripped through the jungle.

"What the!?" Terry exclaimed.

A lion with golden fur and a red, graying mane jumped into the clearing.

"Who the bloody hell are you!?" Terry demanded.

"Simba!" Kovu shouted with relief.

Terry and his group looked surprised.

"As in King Simba of The Pride Lands?" Terry asked.

Simba roared in response to Terry's question.

"If you all want to leave this jungle still drawing breath, you'll release them now!" Simba demanded.

Terry looked around and couldn't help but laugh.

"Why, these your children?" Terry asked.

"I said release them now!" Simba roared.

"Shall I command my friends to snap their necks?" Terry asked.

Two different roars rang out through the jungle. Nala and Mheetu jumped out of the jungle foliage. Mheetu threw the two lions off of Kion, and bit the ear off of the hyena that was on him. Nala got the lion off her daughter with difficulty, but easily threw the two hyenas off. The hyenas, lionesses, and lions ran off behind their leader. Simba stood tall with authority.

"Now release Kovu, and we'll be on our way." Simba said harshly.

Terry looked and the three hyenas and lionesses holding Kovu down and laughed.

"I don't think we will, you see my lionesses enjoy his company too much to give him up." Terry said.

"Indeed, we do. In fact we love his company so much that we think we'll keep him forever." a lioness said.

"Let go of him!" Kiara shouted as she ran towards them, but Simba held his paw out to stop her

"Kiara please let me handle this." Simba ordered.

"Kovu is my mate, not yours!" Kiara shouted back.

"Kiara, I command you…" Simba began to say before Kiara interrupted him.

"There you go again, controlling every single second of my life!" Kiara shouted back.

"I'm just trying to protect you, and Kovu." Simba said.

"I can protect us myself, and I can save Kovu myself!" Kiara said.

"KIARA!" Simba shouted.

"I've had enough of this. Kill dung mane and let's be done with it." Terry said.

"No!" Kiara screamed.

Kiara jumped to Kovu's rescue. She knocked Terry aside and knocked the lionesses and hyenas off Kovu with surprising ease.

"That's it, boys and ladies. Take care of this dumb girl's family, and I'll take care of her." Terry demanded.

The lions, lionesses, and hyenas went to fight Simba, Nala, Mheetu, and Kovu, while Terry took care of Kiara.

"Your mine little princess." Terry said coldly as he stalked towards Kiara.

Kiara backed away in fright. Kiara was an average fighter, this lion looked like he'd been fighting ever since he could crawl. Kiara looked to her parents, mate, and uncle, they were trying to get to her, but they couldn't escape their fights.

"Please leave us alone." Kiara said, trying to negotiate.

"Craven." Terry said as he stalked closer.

Kiara tried to run, but Terry jumped on top of her.

"Hahahaha, your mine now." Terry said.

Kiara tried to get Terry off, but he was just too strong.

"So, dung-mane there is your mate?" Terry asked turning Kiara's head towards Kovu.

"His name is Kovu, not dung-mane." Kiara said.

"Well, whatever his name is he is certainly not going to like what I'm going to do to you." Terry said.

Kiara realized what Terry was talking about. Kiara began to frantically struggle to get free before Terry could begin to have his way with her. Kiara got her left paw free and swiped it at Terry's face. Kiara's claws tore into Terry's face and he got off Kiara, screaming and clutching his right eye. Everyone stopped fighting and looked towards Terry.

The right side of his face was saturated in blood. As Kiara stood up her left paw felt slightly uneven. Kiara looked at her claws and gasped at what she saw. She had Terry's right eyeball attached to her claws. Kiara gaged in disgust and madly waved her left paw in the air in order to get the eyeball off her claw.

"KILL HER! MAKE HER SUFFER!" Terry angrily commanded his lions, lionesses, and hyenas.

The lions, lionesses and hyenas immediately ran at Kiara and jumping on her clawing and biting. Simba and the others went to Kiara's rescue, but some lions and hyenas held them back.

ROAR!

Vitani suddenly jump out from the jungle foliage, and savagely attacked the lions, lionesses and hyenas. Kiara quickly got away, she had some scratches, but thankfully nothing serious.

"Everyone run now!" Vitani said in a commanding and angry voice.

Everyone did as Vitani commanded and they all followed her.

"After them, don't let them escape!" Terry commanded.

A hyena jumped in front of the group.

"Come on the party has just barely begun." the hyena said.

Vitani roared at the hyena, who then gave a high-pitched scream, and ran off.

"Good-bye." the hyena said as he ran off.

With the hyena out of the way the family continued to run off.

"You idiot, you let them get away!" a lion yelled at the hyena.

Vitani got the others to where Sarabi, Sarafina, and the children were.

"What's going on?" Sarabi asked.

"No time to explain, we've got to get out of here." Simba said.

"Your got going anywhere!" a hyena said as it jumped out of the foliage, with the rest of Terry's group behind him.

"Terry's got a bone to pick with you princess." a lion said.

"You savages won't lay one paw on my daughter." Simba said.

Unknown to the others Vitani spotted a log being held up by vines, and if the right vines were cut it would send a few hyenas and lions flying. Vitani was sneaking towards it unnoticed. Vitani got to the log and cut a few vines which sent the log flying and hit the lions, hyenas, and Terry, who had come out of the foliage just in the nick of time to get hit. Seeing their last chance, the royal family made a last-ditch effort to escape. As they ran Vitani occasionally broke from the group to create diversions to slow Terry's group down.

The royal family finally managed to make it out of the jungle and into the desert. Terry's group was exhausted, but tried to continue in their pursuit, anyway, but Terry called them off. Terry's group growled in anger, they had never lost anyone that they intended to make part of the Scarred Pride. Terry was even angrier than all his group combined; he was a recruiter for the Scarred Pride, he would be greatly punished for his failure, and what was worse: he lost an eye to a scared little girl.

"I hope your listening and can hear me princess! We'll meet again, and when we do as the old saying goes it will be an eye for an eye! In fact, I'll take more than just your eye, I'll take your life, and your families lives!" Terry shouted to Kiara as she and her family ran through the desert.

Terry gave a long furious roar before he and his group turned around to go back home to the Scarred Lands.

Chapter 11: Wraith

It was the day before Simba and his family got attacked by the Scarred Pride lions and hyenas. About a day and a half journey from where they were attacked the lion Siri was waking up as the sun was beginning to rise. Siri carefully got up so he wouldn't wake Dalia, and went out to hunt. Siri came back about half an hour later with a zebra in his jaws. Dalia looked at Siri's kill.

"Quick and clean as always." the elderly hyena said, proud of Siri.

"Well you taught me well." Sir said.

After they ate, Siri threw the bones in the back of the cave and laid down.

"What should we do today?" Siri asked, bored.

"I don't know." Dalia said.

Siri got up, walked out of the cave, and looked at towards the border river of the land he and Dalia lived in.

"Let's go exploring." Siri said.

Dalia also took a look towards the border of the lands. When Siri was still a cub, he and Dalia use to explore the lands daily, but exploring was short lived since the land wasn't very big and Dalia wasn't fond of going beyond the border river and hills.

"You mean beyond the river?" Dalia asked.

"Yes, how about a vacation from home for a few days?" Siri suggested.

Dalia wasn't sure, she'd lived in these lands most of her life, and she never left even for a day.

"Siri are you sure? I mean a few days, what if some other unfriendly lions or hyenas come and try to take over our cave?" Dalia asked.

"Then I guess I'll just have to show them who owns these lands." Siri said with confidence.

Dalia wanted to protest against Siri's idea of taking a small vacation, but as always, she agreed to take Siri's idea on a little vacation. Besides, she secretly felt like she could use a little vacation away from home to.

It was the day after Siri and Dalia set out on their little vacation, and they were walking through a dessert. It was hot, and they were getting dehydrated quickly. Dalia had gotten so tired a few times to where Siri had to carry her.

"Maybe we should have gone in a different direction for our vacation." Siri said.

"Let's just tried to find a small oasis, any water we can find." Dalia said.

Siri looked around and thought he saw some green a long distance away. Siri was about to run towards it, but stopped himself and groaned.

"It's a mirage." Siri said.

"Siri look at this." Siri heard Dalia say.

Siri looked and saw Dalia near the dead body of a zebra that had died of thirst. Siri looked back to where he saw the green and saw that it was still there, then he looked back to the dead zebra.

"Maybe a little meat will help." Siri said.

Siri and Dalia ate at the still good parts of the dead zebra. After Siri ate his fill, he looked back to where he saw the green, and it was still there.

"It must be real then. Dalia look." Siri said as he ran towards the green that he was now sure belonged to some oasis.

"Siri wait, I can't run as good as I use to!" Dalia shouted to Siri as she ran to catch up with the young adult lion.

Within minutes Siri and Dalia came to the jungle oasis Siri had spotted. The two looked in awe at the sight. The area that Siri and Dalia lived in had green to it, but this was a heaven of green.

"Look at this place." Dalia said. "Crystal clear water, many vibrant colors of green, and rich brown soil."

Dalia and Siri walked towards a clear pond of water and drank from it.

"This water tastes even better than what's at home. I never knew water could taste so good." Siri said.

"Your right, I'm starting to think that this vacation idea was a good one." Dalia said.

Siri suddenly jumped into the water and resurfaced, floating on his back.

"What are you waiting for Dalia, aren't you going to join me?" Siri asked.

Dalia jumped into the water and paddled towards Siri. Siri grabbed the elderly hyena and set her on his chest, humming as they floated down the stream.

"Have we seen this somewhere before?" Siri dumbly asked.

Dalia laid her head on her paws and smiled down at Siri, he was truly the child she never had.

"I think we found our home away from home." Siri said.

"Yeah, we have." Dalia agreed.

Siri and Dalia had a heavenly like day in the jungle oasis. They had never had a day this fun. They had told each other not to pinch them in case they were dreaming. They had settled down for the night, and it was the best night's sleep the both of them had ever had in their lives. Siri was waking up, and he was exited for his and Dalia's next day in their home away from home.

"Going off to hunt Siri?" Dalia asked.

Siri looked at his adoptive hyena mother.

"Uh huh." Siri dumbly said.

"Mind if I join you?" Dalia asked.

"The more the merrier." Siri said.

Dalia got up and nuzzled Siri's face.

"Then come on, let's find something to eat." Dalia said.

"Lead the way." Siri said.

"This makes no sense, we had no problem finding lunch and dinner yesterday, but we've had no luck in finding anything for breakfast today." Siri said.

"If we don't find anything, we might have to resort to eating grass or fruit." Dalia said.

"Dalia, you know hyenas and lions weren't made to eat fruit or grass." Siri said.

"Would you rather eat tree bark and dirt?" Dalia asked.

"Fruit and grass it is then." Siri said.

"Let's just look around for a bit more, we'll find something eventually." Dalia said.

Siri and Dalia looked around for another half hour, but couldn't find anything. Siri and Dalia sat down for a minute to rest their paws.

"This place may be beautiful, but it's not so big on food." Siri said.

"The only thing here is the grass and fruit I mentioned earlier, and some lizards high in the trees, and bugs." Dalia said.

"Hmm, bugs." Sir said thoughtfully.

Siri got up and walked over to partially rotten log. Siri rolled the log out of the way, revealing dozens, if not hundreds of bugs.

"Nice." Siri said.

"You're not really thinking of eating those, are you?" Dalia asked.

"I could be crazy, but I think I remember eating bugs before, before I met you." Siri said.

"That's the first time you've mentioned your past." Dalia said with wonder.

"Remember was the wrong word, I just know I've eaten bugs before, for some reason." Siri said.

Siri ate one bug, and Dalia grimaced in disgust.

"They're not that bad, come on Dalia try one." Siri said.

Dalia gave in and ate one.

"They're not as good as meat, but they're not bad either." Dalia admitted.

The lion and hyena ate at the bugs in silence for a few minutes before a rustling sound caught their attention. The both of them looked and saw a water buffalo just in sight.

"Oh, now that's what I'm talking about." Dalia said.

"Consider real breakfast served." Siri said.

Siri lowered himself to the ground and began stalking towards the water buffalo. Dalia joined in, in case Siri needed her help. Siri inspected the Water Buffalo, and he saw that it had a limp in one of it's front and back legs, so taking it down would be easy. Siri jumped in for the kill, but as he did another lion jumped onto the buffalo. Siri unable to stop himself rammed his entire body into the other lion.

The buffalo wasting no time ran off for safety as best it could on it's limped legs.

"Who dares?" the other lion growled as he got up.

Siri backed away in fright and Dalia came to his side.

"What's going on here?" a ghostly voice asked.

Siri, Dalia, and the other lion looked to see a lion with cream colored, almost white fur, ghostly blue eyes, and a pale-blonde mane come out of the foliage with three lionesses, and hyenas behind him, and they all had nasty scars on them.

"They made me lose our kill!" the lion that Siri bumped into said.

The creamy colored lion looked at Siri and Dalia, and growled. The lion's ghostly blue eyes sent shivers down their spines.

"Siri, we should leave." Dalia said.

"Yeah, let's go back home." Siri said.

Siri and Dalia turned around and began to leave, but a lioness and two hyenas blocked their path.

"You have entered the realm of the Scarred Pride, you cannot go back." the creamy colored lion said in his low, menacing, ghostly voice.

Siri looked into the pale-blonde lion's ghostly eyes. Those cold, icy eyes frightened Siri, but he shook away his fear.

"Dalia, stay close to me." Siri said to the elderly hyena.

"You both are now part of the Scarred Pride. We can do this either the easy way or the hard way." the creamy colored lion said.

"We don't need to fight, let us go." Siri said.

"Take them." the creamy colored lion said.

The lions and hyenas came at Siri and Dalia. Siri kept himself busy on preventing anyone, mostly the lions away from getting to Dalia, while she fought off against any other hyenas that were able to get to her. The pale-blonde lion looked on, watching the fight with blank satisfaction. The lion that Siri bumped into jumped in front of Siri and gave a challenging roar. Siri looked at the lion and got a better look of him.

The lion had grey fur so dark that it appeared almost black, his mane was the color of embers from a dying fire, dark blue eyes, he was also missing his nose, and part of his lips near his nose, showing some of his teeth.

"Let's see how you like it when someone pounces on you." the grey lion said.

Siri jumped back as the grey lion jumped at Siri. Siri jumped at the grey lion, scratching and biting at his face. The grey lion hit Siri hard under his jaw. Siri's jaw rattled with pain and he staggered off. The grey lion then grabbed onto Siri, and hurled him aside.

Siri shook stars out of his eyes, and looked up to see the grey lion above him. The grey lion raised a paw to strike, but Dalia jumped at the lion, and clamped onto his paw.

"Hay, Granny let go!" the grey lion shouted.

The grey lion brought his paw back, then threw it forward causing Dalia to lose her grip, and fly into a tree.

"Dalia!" Siri shouted.

Siri ran to Dalia, he saw that she was okay, but she was knocked out. Siri looked at the creamy colored lion and growled.

"Why don't you act like a real lion, and fight me yourself." Siri challenged.

"Out of the way." the creamy colored lion calmly said to his companions.

The lionesses and hyenas parted, giving their leader a clear path. The creamy colored lion took twenty steps, sat down on his hunches, and closed his eyes. Siri irrationally went to attack the creamy colored lion. When the Siri was about ten paces away from the creamy colored lion, he opened his eyes, made an elusive move that tripped Siri in the process. The creamy colored lion hit Siri in the back of the head, almost knocking his out.

"I'll show you what happens when one calls Wraith craven." the creamy colored lion, whose name was Wraith lion said.

Wraith slashed at Siri's face, reopening his four-long-since-healed-scars over his eye.

Siri got up and tried to grab Dalia and ran away, but Wraith brought his paw down on Siri's leg with the limp. Siri screamed in pain, and fell to the ground.

"Enough, I'll finish this now." Wraith said.

Wraith raised his paw for the final blow, but Dalia suddenly jumped onto Wraith, and bit down on his neck. Wraith's friends seeing their leader in danger ran over to him, and tore Dalia off him.

"Dalia!" Siri shouted with fear and concern.

"Siri go find help while I take care of them." Dalia said.

"But I can't leave you." Siri said.

"Siri, listen to me and go find help, any help at all!" Dalia said with a commanding voice.

Siri wanted to protest, but he did what Dalia said, and ran off to find help. Siri heard lionesses and hyenas chasing after him. Siri prayed that Dalia would be okay, and that he could find help soon.

Chapter 12: At the Edge of Evil

Tojo walked out of the den of Pride Rock, and up to it's top to wait for Zazu. The hornbill arrived within minutes as Tojo got to the top.

"Today is the day that King Simba, and the rest of the royal family return." Zazu said as he landed.

"Yeah, finally." Tojo said with relief that he wouldn't have to be the substitute king anymore.

"Oh, don't worry Tojo, you've done well as the substitute king." Zazu reassured Tojo.

"I bet you wish you had a substitute Majordomo." Tojo said.

"Well my nephew Zaza is almost ready to become the new Majordomo. I think he'll be ready when Kiara and Kovu become queen and king" Zazu said.

"All that aside, what do you have to report Zazu?" Tojo asked.

"Only that King Simba and the others will be back sometime soon today." Zazu said.

"Thank goodness." Tojo said with relief.

"I'll go check the borders now, and see if King Simba is back yet." Zazu said as he took off.

"If you see Simba, tell him to please hurry." Tojo said.

"Will do." Zazu said.

Zazu flew along all of the Pride Lands' borders, looking out for any dangers, disturbances, and for the Pride Lands' royal families' return. There were no dangers, disturbances, or any sign of Simba and the others. Simba had promised that he and the others would return today, and even though Tojo had been a good substitute king, the brown-gold lion couldn't take another day of it.

"I sure do hope that Simba will be back soon." Zazu said.

As soon as Zazu said that he caught a glimpse of something red in the distance. Zazu flew a little closer to investigate. Zazu saw that it was Simba, and the rest of the royal family of the Pride Lands.

"Ah, Simba is back, I should tell Tojo and the others." Zazu said before he flew back to Pride Rock.

When he got to Pride Rock, Zazu landed and began looking for Tojo.

"There you are Zazu." Zazu heard a voice say.

Zazu looked to see Timon and Pumbaa with a large leaf tied with a vine.

"Hello you two." Zazu greeted to the meerkat and warthog.

"Hay Zazu, did you see Simba while you were flying out there?" Pumbaa asked.

"Yes, I saw him and the rest of the family. They should be back within two or three hours." Zazu said.

"Perfect." Timon said.

Zazu took another glace at the leaf-bag that Timon was holding.

"What's in the leaf bag?" Zazu curiously asked.

"The best bugs in all of the Pride Lands. I thought it would be a nice way to welcome Simba back home, or at least make him feel better about Kiara and Kion being mad at him for not telling them about Kopa, if Kiara and Kion are mad at him." Timon said.

"Oh, I hope they aren't mad at him." Pumbaa said, looking in the direction of where Simba and the others were coming from.

"Oh, if they are mad at him, I'm sure they're over it now. No one stays mad forever Pumbaa." Timon reassured his warthog friend.

"I hope your right." Pumbaa said.

"Of course, I'm right, I'm always right. Have I ever been wrong? Don't answer that." Timon said.

It was nearly midday, and the pride was waiting for the royal family. The lionesses had hunted down two zebras, one antelope, and Timon and Pumbaa were holding their present for Simba. The pride was holding their breaths in anticipation and worry about Kiara and Kion. They knew Simba was going to tell them about Kopa, and they were worried about how they reacted. Of course, they would be angry about never being told about him, but would that forever stain the relationship between father and son and daughter.

They tried to shake those thoughts away, Kiara was a forgiving lioness, and so was Kion, but they couldn't keep the dark thoughts at bay. They were also wondering what Kiara's cubs' reactions to this would be. They all wished that Kopa was still alive today just as much as his parents, grandmothers, and uncle did. Some of the younger lionesses, and lions didn't know about Kopa until a week ago, when their mothers thought since Simba was going to tell Kiara and Kion about Kopa, that it was okay for them to tell their children about Kopa. Some of them understood, but still thought it was unfair that Simba has kept Kopa a secret from Kiara and Kion for all these years.

Some of the others actually lost some of their respect for Simba, especially Kiara's friends Tiifu, Zuri, and Jamey, a young golden and cream colored lioness with amethyst eyes who had joined the pride a few months before Kiara went on her first solo hunt over a year ago. Jamey mated with a rogue lion a few weeks ago, so she was pregnant with a cub. The three lionesses were Kiara's sisters in all but blood, and didn't like to see her upset. The only time that they saw Kiara really upset was when Simba unfairly banished Kovu.

Flashback:

The three lionesses watched as Kovu was being forced out of the Pride Lands, and they were glad. They saw Kovu's plea for forgiveness as an empty, false apology. They three had saw that Kiara had special feelings for Kovu, but felt he was just using her to get to Simba, and lead him into an ambush, and it was and had worked.

"Good riddance, I say!" Zuri said.

Tiifu, Zuri, and Jamey suddenly saw Kiara try to run in and intervene with the banishment.

"Kiara no!" Jamey shouted.

Tiifu and Zuri quickly jumped in front of Kiara, blocking her from going any further.

"Kiara, are you crazy!" Zuri asked.

"Tiffu, Zuri, get out of my way. Kovu wouldn't hurt my dad, and he wouldn't hurt me." Kiara said to her friends.

"He's an Outlander, lies, disseat, and treachery is in his blood." Zuri said.

"I always knew there was something wrong with him." Tiffu said as she glared at Kovu's disappearing figure.

"You and the others don't know him. No one but me tried to get to know him." Kiara said, anger starting to rise.

"We all know enough." Tiifu said.

Kiara broke away from her friends and once again tried to intervene, but Jamey and another lioness jumped in front of her.

"Tiifu and Zuri were right, you are crazy." Jamey said.

Kovu eventually disappeared from sight.

Kiara shoved her friends out of the way, and walked towards Simba, begging him to reconsider his decree. Tiifu, Zuri, and Jamey just watched as Kiara and Simba continued to argue. They hated to see Kiara upset, but they saw things the way Simba saw them. Simba said that Kovu was following the path that Scar did, and he must follow his father's path. Kiara than said something that shocked them, and the rest of the pride.

"You will never be Mufasa!" Kiara said, her voice cracking with sadness and anger.

Everyone gasped in surprise, Kiara was upset, that much was clear, but they never expected that Kiara would say something like that. Simba looked at Kiara, clearly shocked and very, very hurt.

"Man, like wow." Jamey said with disbelief.

Kiara then ran into the den, crying more than enough tears to flood the entire world. Most of the pride looked at Kiara with pity in their eyes. Tiifu, Zuri, and Jamey suddenly found themselves second-guessing their thoughts about Kovu. Maybe Kiara was right, that Kovu was the good-natured lion that he was, but it was too late to do anything now.

"Maybe we should have let her intervene." Jamey said.

END OF FLASHBACK:

After the Outlanders were accepted into the pride Tiifu, Zuri, and Jamey decided to get to know Kovu like Kiara did. The three lionesses had actually grown jealous of Kiara. Everything the three lionesses saw as having fun: swimming, hide-in-seek, tag, etc, Kovu had no clue about and always asked them about it. The three lionesses thought it was kind of cute on how clueless Kovu was back than.

"I hope Kiara, and Kion are okay, and Kiara's children." Jamey said to Tiifu and Zuri.

"Yeah, I hope so to." Tiifu said.

The pride waited for a few more minutes before the royal family got to Pride Rock, and when they did, the pride was shocked at what they saw. Kiara and Kovu's children, Sarabi, Sarafina, and Vitani looked well, but the others were covered in scratches, some healed, and some oozing pus.

"What happened to them?" Kula gasped.

"They look like they were attacked." a former Outlander said.

"But by who, or what?" Tama asked.

"Somebody get Rafiki and Makini so they can look at their wounds." Chumvi said.

Timon and Pumbaa ran up to the royal lion family, looking worried for them.

"Simba, buddy, pal, old friend what happened to you?" Timon asked as he looked over some of Simba's wounds.

"We were attacked back in the oasis by lions and hyenas working together." Simba said.

Later that night Simba was out on Pride Rock's pinnacle, talking with Tojo. Rafiki and Makini had come and looked at Simba, Nala, Mheetu, Kiara, and Kovu's wounds, they said that they were okay and that the wounds shouldn't leave any scars.

"Simba what happened to you all in the oasis?" Tojo asked Simba.

"Well like I said, we were attacked by lions and hyenas." Simba explained again.

"And I thought we were the only lions that worked with hyenas, in a way." Tojo said, looking in the direction of were Jasiri and her small clan slept out in the Pride Lands.

"The interesting thing about them though was that they said they were part of something called the Scarred Pride, and they intended to make us part of it. We were lucky to escape. Their leader threatened Kiara as we ran though the desert, I hope they don't come looking for her." Simba said.

"Yeah." Tojo said before pausing for a bit. "So speaking of Kiara, how did she and Kion take it?" Tojo asked.

"Hm?" Simba chimed.

"I asked how did Kiara and Kion take learning about Kopa?" Tojo asked.

Simba sighed, he knew this was coming.

"They took it worse than I thought. You see this?" Simba asked, pointing towards his eye.

Tojo looked, he saw that the area around Simba's eye was bruised, though it was faded.

"Kovu gave me that." Simba said.

"What!?" Tojo asked, surprised that Kovu would do such a thing to his king, and father-in-law.

"Kiara said a few unpleasant words before running off into the jungle, Kovu threw me to the ground before he and Kion went after her, and you know the rest." Simba said, looking clearly depressed.

"What exactly did Kiara say?" Tojo asked nervously.

Simba told Tojo what Kiara said after he told her about Kopa. Tojo was very shocked at what Kiara had said.

"Has she, and Kion forgiven you?" Tojo asked.

Simba just shook his head.

"Oh, well we should get to the den, it's pretty late." Tojo said, unsure of what else to say.

Simba and Tojo walked towards the den. As the two lions got closer they saw Kiara, Kovu, and their children walking out of the den. Kiara caught a glimpse of her father, and glared at him. Simba looked at Kovu, the young lion's face was softer than Kiara's, but Simba could see that he was still angry with him as well. Simba watched as they walked down Pride Rock's steps, and walked towards Scar's old cave.

Taka, Mufasa and Talia gave Simba a look that said 'sorry grandpa.' Simba almost went after them, but decided not to. As Simba walked towards his usual sleeping spot he met Kion's eyes. As soon as they made eye contact Kion rolled over to avoid eye contact with his father. Simba laid down next to Nala, who gave him a sympathetic look.

"Just give them a little while longer Simba, they can't stay mad at you forever." Nala said.

"There's a first time for everything." Simba said to himself in his head, before drifting off to sleep.

It was the second day since the royal family returned to the Pride Lands. The Lion Guard was in their cave waiting for Kion, but he wasn't showing up.

"Where's Kion, he was supposed to be here a while ago." Fuli said.

"He was supposed to be here yesterday ago." Bunga said.

"He's been injured worse than he is now before and has still come to do his Lion Guard duties." Ono said.

"Should somebody go and get him?" Beshte asked.

"I will." Jasiri said, exiting the cave.

"See you and Kion soon, jasiri." Bunga said.

Jasiri walked up to the den to get Kion, but he wasn't there. Jasiri asked some of the surrounding lionesses if they knew where he was, but they hadn't seen him. Jasiri looked around the Pride Lands for Kion, but she couldn't find him anywhere. Jasiri asked some animals if they had seen him, but everyone said that they hadn't seen him either. Jasiri was wondering where else Kion could have gone.

Jasiri eventually came to idea that Kion wasn't in the Pride Lands, but the Outlands.

"But why would he go there?" Jasiri asked herself. "Well what have I got to lose." Jasiri decided.

Jasiri began walking to the Outlands. The Outlands had gone through a big change through the last year. The Outlands where now as green, and as lush as the Pride Lands were, with some desert areas here and there. The Outlands where big and vast, so that meant that Kion could be anywhere. Jasiri didn't know why, but she decided to look for Kion where they first met years ago.

Jasiri was in luck, Kion was where they first met. Jasiri gazed a Kion for a few moments. The young lion had grown into a strong muscular young adult lion, his bright fluffy red mane shining in the light, his muscles were tight against his skin and fur, making others think that they would rip through his skin. He was quite handsome in Jasiri's eyes, for a lion. Kion's back was facing Jasiri, and it made Jasiri decide to play a prank on him.

Jasiri lowered herself to the ground, and began to stalk towards the lion.

"Now stay still Kion, so I can harshly critique you on your skills of paying attention to your surroundings." Jasiri said to herself as she stalked closer to Kion.

Jasiri was now within jumping distance of Kion. Jasiri pounced, landed on Kion's back, and began to play bite at Kion's neck. Kion screamed in fright, and began to buck like an angry bull. Kion didn't see that it was Jasiri, he thought he was being attacked by Janja or one of his hyenas. Kion grabbed Jasiri, and threw her against the wall of the canyon they were in.

Kion ran up to Jasiri, placed his paw on her with his claws nearly piercing her skin. Kion roared and went in for the kill.

"KION NO, WAIT STOP, IT'S ME!" Jasiri frantically yelled.

Kion noticed it was Jasiri, and instantly stopped.

"Jasiri!?" Kion yelled with surprise.

Jasiri and Kion stayed there for a bit, both letting their adrenaline level lower. Jasiri wanted to tease Kion on his lack of paying attention to his surroundings, but decided against it when she saw the angry look on Kion's face.

"Jasiri what the heck were you thinking, I almost killed you!" Kion screamed with anger.

"Yeah, I know, bad idea. Sorry." Jasiri said.

Kion angrily screamed through his teeth and walked away.

"Kion, me and the rest of the guard have been waiting for you, and you didn't show up yesterday." Jasiri said.

"Will you just leave me alone." Kion said a little too roughly.

Kion walked to the other wall of the canyon, and laid down. Jasiri wondered what was wrong with Kion. He had been angry before, but never anything like this. Jasiri didn't want to press, but she was curious about what Kion was so upset about.

"Kion, you seem upset, what's wrong?" Jasiri asked.

"You mean you haven't heard?" Kion asked.

"Heard what?" Jasiri asked.

"Me and Kiara have an older brother, and he's dead." Kion said.

"What?" Jasiri said is disbelief.

"And my dad intended to keep it a secret from the both of us, until he for some reason decided to tell us." Kion explained.

Jasiri was shocked at the discovery of Kion having an older brother.

"But that doesn't make any sense. Why would Simba keep your brother a secret?" Jasiri asked.

"He didn't want me and Kiara to miss someone we never met." Kion said.

"What was his name?" Jasiri asked.

"His name was Kopa." Kion said.

"What happened to him?" Jasiri asked.

"Zira killed him, and he was betrothed to Vitani at one point." Kion said, his voice starting to crack slightly.

Jasiri saw that Kion really needed a friend right now. Jasiri walked up to Kion, gave him a quick nuzzle, and laid down with him.

"Thanks." Kion said.

"What are friends for?" Jasiri said.

A familiar mocking laugh rang out through the canyon. Kion and Jasiri looked to see Janja and his gang of hyena crooks.

"Well lookie at who it is boys. Little goody two shoes Kion and Jasiri, the so-called hyena." Janja said.

Kion and Jasiri growled in irritation.

"What do you want Janja?" Kion asked.

"Oh, Janja just wanted to say hi to his two old friends." Chungu said.

"Shut up Chungu, I'm the one who does the talking!" Janja snapped.

"Sorry boss." Chungu said.

"Now where was I, oh yeah. I just wanted to say hi to two old friends that I just love to pieces. Hahaha! As in little bite sized snack pieces!" Janja darkly said.

"Oh, we love you to Janja, and you know that sometimes you have to hurt the ones you love." Jasiri laughed.

"Exactly, now let me show you how much I love you two. Get 'em boys." Janja said.

"You got it boss." Cheezi said.

Janja's hyenas went in for the attack. Cheezi and Chungu tried to snap at Kion's front legs, but he used his paw to swipe them away. Nne and Tano were circling Jasiri. Jasiri waved her paw, urging Nne forward. Nne charged at Jasiri, who just jumped to the side, causing him to ran into Tano.

Nne recovered and tried to attack Jasiri again, but she just hit him in his ribs. Nne yelped in pain and backed off. Tano swiped at jasiri's legs, sending her to the ground. Tano went to bite at Jasiri's neck, but she rolled away and used her back paws to kick him in the face. Nne tried to strike Jasiri from behind, but Kion grabbed him and threw him against the wall of the canyon.

A hyena grabbed Kion by his tail, but Kion horse-kicked it. Cheezi jumped onto Jasiri's back, but Jasiri slammed her back and Cheezi against the wall of the canyon. Chungu came up bit into Kion's right back leg.

"How's he taste, Chungu?" Janja asked.

"Like a little slice of hyena heaven." Chungu said.

"Don't get use to the taste." Jasiri said as she dragged Chungu off Kion.

Chungu twisted his body around punched the bottom of Jasiri's jaw. Kion quickly slammed Chungu's head into the ground and swiped him away.

"Thanks, Kion." Jasiri said.

"Don't mention it." Kion said.

Janja suddenly tackled Jasiri. Kion went to attack, but Cheezi, Chungu, Nne, and Tano attacked him. Chungu jumped onto Kion's back, Cheezi attacked Kion's front legs, and Nne and Tano attacked Kion's back legs. Janja had Jasiri held by her neck, and Jasiri kept using her back legs to kick Janja in his gut Janja was being too stubborn to loosen his grip. Kion risked jumping over the four hyenas.

He landed over the safely and rammed his head into Janja's side, making him drop Jasiri. Cheezi, Nne and Tano talked Kion to the ground and began trying to bite at his neck through his mane. Jasiri tried to go to Kion's aid, but Chungu shoulder rammed Jasiri all the way to the other side of the canyon wall. Kion tried to get Cheezi, Nne and Tano off of him to go help Jasiri, but the three hyenas kept dodging his kicks, slashes and punches. Jasiri and Chungu where circling each other.

Janja was sneaking up on the two and made a cheating move to help Chungu in his fight. Janja jumped in the middle of Jasiri and Chungu and threw sand in Jasiri's eyes, temporarily blinding her.

"Get her Chungu!" Janja encouraged.

Chungu wasted no time and once again rammed Jasiri into the wall of the canyon. He then backed up and upper cut Jasiri, causing the back of her head to hit the canyon wall and to black out.

"Jasiri!" Kion yelled.

Janja and Chungu were laughing at their victory.

"We finally beat her. Good job Chungu." Janja said, giving Chungu a high-paw.

Seeing Janja and Chungu take so much pleasure in beating Jasiri made Kion's blood boil.

"That's enough!" Kion shouted.

Kion struck at Cheezi, Nne and Tano, claws extended. The three hyenas quickly jumped away before they could get clawed. The hyenas ran to the other end of the canyon wall and cowered after seeing the dark look in Kion's eyes. Kion turned to Janga and Chungu and raced towards them.

"Now to take you out." Janja said, walking up to meet Kion's challenge.

Kion stopped mid run and pounced on Janja.

"Wow." Janja exclaimed in surprise before trying to run out Kion's pounce range.

Kion was able to land on Janja before he could get out of range. Kion held Janja up by his scruff. Kion brought Janja's face close to his, their noses touching.

"I'm gonna save you for desert." Kion said uncharacteristically sadistic.

"Wha… what do you mean by that?" Janja asked with clear fear in his voice.

Kion threw Janja to the side, his body skidding across the ground. Kion turned to Chungu, who looked completely scared.

"And you're the main course." Kion said sadistically.

Chungu tried to shake away his fear and leap from a couple boulders and landed on Kion's back. Chungu sunk his teeth into Kion spine to try and snap it. Kion wasting no time began to slam his back and Chungu against a canyon wall repeatedly.

"Ow! Please stop! Uncle, uncle, uncle!" Chungu shouted.

Kion walked away from the wall, then he ran back to the wall with Chungu still on his back. Before Kion could run into the wall he jumped and twisted his body to have Chungu hit the wall again. As Chungu hit the wall two things happened. Chungu fell of Kion's back and a crack was heard as he hit the wall. It wasn't the crack of stone.

"Chungu!" Janja shouted as Chungu hit the wall.

"Ow! My back! My ba-a-a-a-ack!" Chungu screamed.

Janja glared towards Kion with fire in his eyes.

"You're going pay for what you did to Chungu, Kion!" Janja said.

Kion looked towards the rest of Janja's hyenas, who had gone over to help Chungu. Kion used a dark Roar of the Elders on them. Kion then looked towards Janja. Janja coward in fear by the look in Kion's eyes. Janja had seen Kion angry before, but never like this.

"Now to finish you off." Kion said darkly.

Janja shook away his fear of Kion and charged. Kion branded his claws and used both his paws to slash Janja across the face. Janja screamed and clutched his face. Kion then body slammed Janja. Janja savagely bit at Kion, who avoided the bites. Kion jumped off Janja and grabbed his tail in his mouth. Kion then began to twirl around with Janja's tail still in his mouth.

"No, no don't spin me." Janja said as he was spun around.

Kion let go of Janja's tail, who collided with the canyon wall. Janja slowly recovered from his impact. Kion ran towards Janja once he was on his feet. Janja now completely terrified began to run away with Kion, who was in hot pursuit.

"I give! I give!" Janja said as he retreated from Kion.

Kion jumped onto Janja, racking his claws along Janja's body. Kion grabbed Janga by the neck and threw him to the ground. Janja skidded a few feet before he came to a stop. Kion slowly walked over to Janja, who was too injured and weak to attempt another escape.

"Please, come on man, I said I give up." Janja said, begging for mercy.

"Oh, well that's funny, because I give up to. In fact, I'm done being your good old friendly leader of the Lion Guard." Kion darkly said.

Kion raised his claws, ready to strike.

"No, no please, please don't, DON'T!" Janja begged as he closed his eyes and covered his face in fear.

Kion was about to strike before Janja's face turned into his father's face. Kion then saw himself and his father walking amongst a field of flowers. Kion also saw his father teaching him to pounce. Kion saw himself back in the oasis. He saw his father with a vine in his mouth and running towards him.

Simba grabbed Kion as he jumped, dragging them both into the water. Once they resurfaced Kion splashed water at Simba, who did the same to him. When Kion got the water out of his eyes he saw that Simba's face had turned into a lion who's fur was more yellow than gold, had a brown mane, and his face looked like his grandfather Mufasa's face..

"Kopa?" Kion thought.

The lion that Kion guessed was Kopa's face turned back into Janja's cowering face. Kion realized what he had almost done and stopped. Kion quickly grabbed jasiri's unconscious body and quickly ran out of the canyon. When Janja got the courage to look up, he saw that Kion and Jasiri were nowhere to be seen. Janja wasted no time in getting up and running off to find his clan.

Kion with Jasiri still on his back was running through the Pride Lands. The sky was grey, and it was clear that a lightning storm was about to happen. Kion was still in shock of what happened with Janja. The lion that he was back there wasn't him.

"What happened back there? I almost did something that I would have regretted for the rest of my life." Kion said to himself.

Jasiri groaned while on Kion's back. Kion looked at her with concern.

"Just needs to have her bump looked at and a few hours of rest and she'll be back to her giggly old, happy self in no time." Kion sighed.

Kion came to a small puddle of water and looked into it. Kion saw a stocky yellow-golden lion cub with red eyes and a brown mane tuft.

"That looks like a younger version of the lion I saw when I hallucinated." Kion said to himself.

The lion cub in the puddle disappeared and Kion saw himself. A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, and as it did Kion saw an orange furred lion with green eyes, a black mane and a scar over his eye in the puddle. The black manned lion disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. Kion jumped back in fright at the sight of the lion. Kion looked back into the puddle and saw just himself.

Kion looked up to the grey sky and watched as lightning streaked across it. Kion took one last look in the puddle and once again saw just himself.

"Some nightmare is starting to begin." Kion said before he continued to run in the direction of Pride Rock.

Chapter 13: Forgiveness

It was the day after the lightning storm and Kovu was walking around the Pride Lands' central savanna, he was looking for Simba. Kovu wanted to apologize to him for punching him back in the oasis. Kovu had been meaning to apologize to Simba for a while now, but he just didn't know how to face him when he did. Kovu wasn't afraid to admit that Simba scared the living heck out of him. Simba was his king, his father-in-law, his once enemy, his once banisher, and the list goes on and on.

Even when Kovu was talking with Simba in a normal conversation, just looking into the old king's eyes made Kovu want to run in fright of him. Kovu's original intention for today wasn't even to talk to Simba, he was scared into apologizing to Simba. Last night he had a nightmare of where he went through with his mother's plan of using Kiara to get close to Simba and killing him. The dream had felt so real to him. The blood on his teeth and claws and the blood pouring out of the cuts Simba had given him in the battle.

What scared the most was the look on Kiara's face, the anger and betrayal that she felt. The nightmare had ended with Kovu's nightmare version of himself attacking him and killing him the same way it did Simba. The nightmare had scared Kovu awake, and he felt like he actually had Simba's blood on his claws. Kovu had gone to the watering hole to try and wash that feeling off, but it didn't work. Kovu even swam under the water for a few minutes to try to get the blood feeling off his claws, but it didn't work either.

Kovu even tried to get rid of the feeling by covering his paws in the mud of the watering hole's shore, but it just made the feeling worse. Kovu hadn't gotten any more sleep that night, and he still had the blood feeling on his paws. Kovu decided that apologizing to Simba for punching him would get rid of the feeling. Kovu eventually found Simba, he was near the canyon, looking over it. If Kovu wasn't nervous about talking to Simba before he was definitely nervous now.

Kovu took a breath and walked towards his father-in-law. Kovu stopped a few paces behind Simba and thought about what to say for a moment.

"Simba." Kovu said, shivers running through his entire body.

Simba slowly turned around to face Kovu.

"Yes?" Simba simply asked.

"I've come to apologize." Kovu said.

"Apologize for what?" Simba asked.

"I'm sorry for striking you in the face back at the oasis. I went too far, I was just so angry, and…" Kovu said, but was interrupted by Simba.

"I appreciate it Kovu, but I don't accept your apology." Simba said.

"I understand." Kovu said.

Kovu turned around and began to walk away.

"Wait, you didn't let me finish Kovu. I don't accept your apology because I was in the wrong, not you. I kept Kopa a secret from Kiara and Kion for years when they had the right to know. What you did to me back in the oasis is the least that I deserve." Simba said.

"Thank you, Simba. I think?" Kovu said.

"No, thank you." Simba said.

Kovu sat with Simba for a few minutes.

"Some of the lionesses have been telling me stories about Kopa. It must have been very painful to lose him." Kovu said.

"Kovu, losing a father, an uncle, a brother, or a mother is painful, but nothing hurts more than losing a son, or daughter. No parent should ever have to bury their child." Simba said before breaking down into tears.

"Well I promise that nothing like that is ever going to happened to Taka, Mufasa or Talia." Kovu said.

It was the fourth day after the royal family came back home. It was King's Day, the day that when males came of age and if they chose, set out to form their own pride. three Pride Lander males named Moja, Mbili, and Tatu had come of age, and they decided to leave the Pride Lands, along with their mates to form their own pride. The three lions stood in front of Simba and the rest of the royal family. Simba smiled proudly at the three lions in front of him, they were young, strong, and would rule over a strong pride.

Kiara was even there with a smile on her face. She was still mad at her father, but she wanted to act presentable since she knew how big of a day that King's Day was. Moja and his mate Eno, a Pride Lander lioness walked up to Simba.

"You two stay safe out there, and your more than welcome to visit any time." Simba said.

"We'll definitely visit." Moja said.

Simba gave the two a friendly embrace. Moja and Eno then walked up to Nala.

"We'll all miss both of you." Nala said.

"We'll miss you all to." Eno said.

"We'll name our first daughter after you Queen Nala." Moja said, causing a laugh from everyone.

Moja and Eno walked up the other members of the royal family. Moja and Eno then walked up to Rafiki and Makini who smeared an oily juice on their foreheads.

"King Moja, and Queen Eno." Rafiki said, as he and Makini gave the young king and queen of a hopefully new born pride a bow.

The same routine went with Mabili, Tatu and their mates, two young former Outlanders named Mkali, and Nzlazi. The pride roared in rejoice of the kings and queens of soon to be newly formed prides.

"Don't be strangers." Sarabi said.

"It will be hard not to be strangers when we've been nowhere outside of the Pride Lands." Tatu said.

With that the six lions and lionesses departed to begin their new lives. The entire pride watched until they were completely out of sight. As everyone went to do their daily routines Simba walked over to Kiara. He knew Kiara was still very angry with him, but Simba just had to talk to her.

"Kiara, please talk to me." Simba near begged.

"No!" Kiara said harshly.

"Kiara, I'm sorry." Simba said.

"Get away from me!" Kiara snapped as she ran off.

"But Kiara!" Simba said, nearly running after Kiara.

Simba laid himself flat on the ground, and put his front paws over his head.

"Hay, Simba." a voice said.

Simba looked to see Timon and Pumbaa standing over him.

"You look like you could use a couple of pals." Pumbaa said.

The sun was starting to go down, and Kiara was walking around the Pride Lands, still angry. Kiara was having a vicious battle with herself. Part of her kept telling her that Simba lied to her, and was selfish for not telling her and Kion about Kopa. The other part of her kept telling her that she was being to harsh on her father, and that she should be accepting her father's apology, and apologize to him for being hard on him. Kiara came across Makini and had decided to ask her for some advice.

"I don't know what to do Makini. My father has lied to me before and I've gotten angry because of it, I always forgave him later, but this is different. I once had an older brother and he decides to keep it a secret form me for all these years until he finally decides to tell me." Kiara vented to her young mandrill friend. "Did you know anything about Kopa?" Kiara suddenly asked.

"I've seen Rafiki's painting of him, but whenever I asked about the painting and who he was, Rafiki always said that it was none of my concern, but I was always able to tell by the look in his eyes that he really did want to tell me about Kopa." Makini explained.

"What do you think I should do about how I feel right now Makini?" Kiara asked.

"I'm not really sure Kiara, but my best guess is for you get some sisterly advice." Makini said.

"What do you mean by that?" Kiara asked.

"Talk to Vitani, I have a feeling that she might be able to help you with this." Makini answered.

"Help me how?" Kiara questioned.

"I don't know, I just have a feeling that she'll be able to help you somehow." Makini said before beginning to walk home

Kiara wished Makini a safe trip home before walking home herself. Kiara suddenly heard crying nearby. This got Kiara's attention, and she went to investigate. Kiara saw Vitani with her face buried in her paws. This surprised Kiara, Vitani was the strongest willed lioness that Kiara knew.

Kiara walked forward, towards her sister-in-law.

"Vitani are you okay?" Kiara asked.

Vitani looked up at Kiara, her eyes where red and puffy.

"I was just thinking of someone." Vitani said.

"Who?" Kiara asked.

"Aina." Vitani half-lied; Vitani was actually thanking about Kopa.

"Who's Aina?" Kiara asked.

"She was a Pride Lander lioness, she came to the Outlands with the other Outlanders, when she didn't really want to." Vitani said.

"Why?" Kiara asked.

"To protect me, and my brothers from our mother's abuse." Vitani answered.

"None of the Outlander lionesses' names are Aina." Kiara said.

"That because she's dead, she died about a year before the prides unified. Kovu didn't became hardened from my mother's training until after she died. Everyone loved her, well except my mother, and two other Outlander lionesses who are also dead." Vitani said.

"Oh." Kiara said.

"Thinking of her also makes me think of Kopa, like I could have done something to stop it. I just wish I could apologize to them for not doing anything to protect them." Vitani sighed. "Listen Kiara, I think you should forgive Simba for keeping Kopa a secret." Vitani said.

"But, he…" Kiara began to say before Vitani interrupted.

"Please Kiara do it. I can see your struggle, you want to let it go, but you can't. My mother was the way she was because she was filled with anger and was unable to let things go and forgive and I don't want to see you like that." Vitani said.

That caught Kiara totally off guard. She felt like Vitani had just punched her right where it hurt most. Kiara looked at a small puddle of water next to her and Vitani. Her reflection changed into Zira for a second, which totally scared her.

"Please do it for Kopa at least. He wouldn't want you to stay mad at Simba forever like this." Vitani said.

Kiara looked to the sky. The sun was still visible in the sky, but stars were beginning to come out. Kiara looked at every single star and wondered which one was Kopa's. Kiara sighed sadly.

"Your right. I should forgive him, and apologize for being too hard on him. I don't know if I'll be completely un-angry for a little while still, but I'll accept his apology and hope he'll take mine." Kiara sighed.

"Good." Vitani said, smiling at her sister-in-law.

"Will you do it with me and Kion tomorrow, and Kovu as well?" Kiara asked.

"Kovu's my brother, and your married to him, that makes Simba our father to, so of course we will." Vitani said.

It was midday the next morning, Kiara was walking through the Pride lands with Kovu, Vitani, and Kion. Kiara and Kion where ready to forgive Simba for keeping Kopa a secret for all these years. They didn't want to be angry anymore, they just wanted this family to be a happy one again. Kion had told them all what happened with him and Janja back in the Outlands, and that made Kiara want to apologize even more.

"We acted like children Kiara. Yes, we were angry, and we had every right to be, but we went too far." Kion said to his sister.

"Me more than you. I shouldn't have said all those things that I said to Dad, back at the oasis." Kiara said.

"Well he apologized to us for keeping it a secret, and now it's our turn. I'm sure we'll all feel better afterwards and we can put all this behind us." Kion said.

"The way we've been acting, that's not us. I don't like feeling this way and it'll feel good to get it off our backs." Kiara said.

"It's okay Kiara, it happens to all of us." Kovu said, nuzzling Kiara.

"I know, but still I had no reason to act like that, even if I was angry." Kiara said.

"I never want what happened with Janja and his clan to happen again. I'm just glad Jasiri was unconscious at the time and that the rest of the Lion Guard weren't there to see me." Kion said.

"Well let's find Simba, so you both can feel better." Vitani said, gently shoving Kiara and Kion with her shoulders.

"Oh, so that's how you want to play it huh?" Kiara said with a gleam of mischief in her eyes.

Kiara ran after Vitani, who was mocking her speed as she avoided Kiara trying to tackle her.

"Those two were meant to be related to each other." Kion said to Kovu.

"I can see that." Kovu said.

Kiara eventually tackled Vitani to the ground and pinned her. Right after Kiara got off Vitani, she tackled Kiara to the ground, and pinned her. Vitani said something about Kiara's merciful personality, and to always watch her back if she spared someone, and to make sure they don't attack her when her back is turned. The four lions and lionesses eventually found Simba. He was laying down near the canyon.

Kiara and Kion took a look back at Pride Rock in the distance.

"Time to not be angry anymore." Kiara said with a sigh.

Kiara and Kion took slows step towards Simba, Kovu and Vitani following close behind them.

"Dad." Kion simply said when they got close to Simba.

Simba turned towards his children and grave the best smile he could to them, he didn't smile at all, or even try to smile.

"Yes?" Simba simply asked.

"Me and Kion have come to accept your apology, and hope you'll accept ours." Kiara said.

"We're really sorry for the way we acted towards you. We were just angry and didn't know how to really process it all." Kion said.

"And I'm especially sorry for what I said back in the oasis, I didn't mean any of what I said." Kiara said.

Simba didn't say anything, he just walked up to Kiara, and Kion, and he threw his paws around them, pulling them into a hug.

"I'm the only one who should be sorry. What you said was hurtful Kiara, but you were right. I did it to protect myself more than you and I am in some ways still the same I was when I was a cub. I'm not angry at either of you, I'm just grateful that you can forgive me. I promise, I'll never keep a secret like this from you two ever again." Simba said.

Kiara and Kion couldn't stop the tears flowing from their eyes and hugged their father back.

"That went quicker than expected." Kovu said.

"It doesn't matter how quick it was, it only matters that it's done." Vitani said.

That same night Simba was with Kiara and Kion, the three of them were looking up at the stars. Simba hadn't done this with Kiara and Kion since both were very young. Watching the stars with his children again made him feel more alive than he'd felt in years.

"We really missed doing this with you dad." Kion said.

"Anyone see any good constellations?" Kiara asked.

"That one looks like a zebra." Kion said.

"And that one looks like a lion with two heads." Simba said.

"What?" Kiara asked in disbelief.

"No, really look." Simba said, pointing to the constellation he was talking about.

Kiara and Kion looked, and saw that Simba was telling the truth. The constellation was a lion with two heads, one roaring, and the other staying silent.

"A lion with two heads." Kion said with amusement.

"All that's missing is a lioness with two heads." Kiara said.

"And some cubs with two heads." Simba joked.

Kiara looked at each of the stars individually.

"What are you looking for Kiara?" Simba asked.

"Vitani told me about a lioness named Aina, who went to the Outlands to protect her and her brothers." Kiara said.

"Aina? Unlike Kopa, I wanted to tell you about her, but I never knew how describe her. She had that sisterly relationship with everyone, motherly relationship to cubs, and so much more." Simba said.

"I wish me and Kiara could have met her." Kion said.

"And I wish I could have known her longer. When I banished the Outlanders, she was a little younger than you were when you went on your first solo hunt Kiara." Simba said.

"Why did you banish Vitani, Kovu, and their brother to the Outlands dad. They were only cubs basically." Kion said.

"I wasn't going to tare children away from their mother, so I offered them to stay in the Pride Lands if they wanted. Vitani was too heartbroken at the time to make a decision, Nuka refused to go anywhere without his mother, and Kovu didn't know what choice to make since he was so young, so Zira chose for him. They didn't even have to stay in the Outlands, they could have traveled somewhere else to live. Simba said.

"I'm just glad everything turned out okay." Kiara said.

"So am I." Simba said.

"Hay, look there's my and Kovu constellation of two lions killing each other just for a scape of meat." Kiara said.

"Did Kovu really name it that?" Simba asked.

"Well he was still learning how to have fun and not be so hardened, aggressive, menacing, and whatever else he was like back then at the time." Kiara said.

"Fair enough." Simba said.

"The Outlanders were all about killing and aggressiveness at the time." Kion said.

The three stayed there for another half hour or so before deciding to turn in for the night. As the three walked back home, they ran into Kovu, who was walking in the direction of where they just where.

"I was coming to see how you three were doing." Kovu said as he joined them in walking back home.

"We were doing better than we ever have been." Simba said.

"Good." Kovu said.

"We even saw your and Kiara's constellation of two lions ripping each other's throats out over a scarp of meat." Kion said.

"Oh really?" Kovu asked before everyone laughed.

The four suddenly heard a roar.

"Was that Uncle Mheetu, Tojo, or Chumvi?" Kiara asked.

"No that came from the border of where the Outlands are. We have to check it out." Kovu said.

"Kion, you and your sister go alert the pride. Me and Kovu will go check it out." Simba said.

"Okay, please stay safe." Kiara said.

"We will." Kovu said.

Kovu nuzzled Kiara before he and Simba rushed towards the border. When Simba and Kovu got there, they saw a lion. He had a stalky build with yellow fur, a brown mane, one of his eyes were red, the other was milky white with blindness, and the lion was even bigger and stronger looking than Simba and Kovu were. The one thing about this lion that set Simba and Kovu on edge was the many scars of the lion's body. This lion must have been through many fights to have this many Scar.

"What's your business here!?" Simba said with authority.

The lion realizing Simba and Kovu's presence looked towards them. Simba and Kovu saw fear in the lion's eyes, not savageness.

"Help." the lion said.

"Help, help with what?" Kovu asked.

"Them." the lion said, looking behind him.

Simba and Kovu looked behind the lion to see many lions and hyenas with many scars behind the lion. Simba and Kovu realized this lion wasn't a threat, yet, but the lions and hyenas behind him were. Simba and Kovu went to the lion's side.

"We'll help you." Simba said.

"Thank you." The lion said with so much gratefulness.

Chapter 14: Siri Meets the Pride Landers

Siri was glad that the two lions he came across had decided that he wasn't a threat and would help him. Siri had been running almost non-stop when these Scarred Pride lions and hyenas attacked him and Dalia. He had gotten half an hour of sleep at some points, but Wraith's lions and hyenas were determined to get him. Siri took a better look at the lions that were helping him. One had golden fur that was dulling from age, but still had some of its radiant shine, he had a red mane that was beginning to grey from age, and red eyes, the same shade of his one good eye.

The other lion had brown/auburn fur, a brown mane with a large tuft that journeyed out then hung over his forehead, green eyes, and a faded scar over left eye. Siri guessed that one of them must be the king of the lands he entered. The red-maned lion stepped forward with authority.

"Why are you chasing this lion?" the red-maned lion asked.

"We're recruiters of the Scarred Pride, and he escaped us as we tried to recruit him." a hyena said.

"The Scarred Pride?" the brown-maned lion exclaimed in surprise.

The brown-maned lion sounded surprised at the mention of 'Scarred Pride.' Siri guessed that these two lions must have encountered the Scarred Pride.

"Yes, he belongs to the Scared Pride, and now you do to." a lion said.

"Not likely." the brown-maned lion said.

"You've all got two choices. Either you come quietly, or we can split ya' in two." a hyena said.

"Come and get some." the brown-maned lion challenged.

"I advise you to get out of my lands... Now!" the red-maned lion said dangerously low.

A lion smiled smugly, and placed his paw over the border lines of the red-maned lion's lands.

"Come and get us big boy." the lion mocked.

The red and brown-manned lions roared and charged at the Scarred Pride members. Siri gave a battle roar to and went to help the brown and red-maned lions.

Back at Pride Rock, Vitani was lying near the ledge with her nephews and niece. The three of them were looking at the stars.

"Which star do you think is Aina's and Kopa's?" Talia asked.

"There are so many stars up there, I can't even begin to think which ones are there's." Vitani said.

Taka looked around and saw a rather big shiny star above them.

"That one." Taka said, pointing at the star.

"Yeah, look how shiny and big it is. It's almost as bright as King Mohatu's." Mufasa said.

"Yeah, that one must be Kopa's and I think that one next to it is Aina's." Taka said.

"Are you sure those are there's?" Vitani asked.

"Positive." Taka said.

Vitani and her nephew and nieces decided to turn in for the night. The four of them walked towards the den, but Vitani turned around when she heard Kiara's voice calling her name. Kiara and Kion came rushing up Pride Rock's stone-like steps.

"Kiara, Kion, what is it?" Vitani asked.

"We have intruders near the border of the Outlands and Pride Lands." Kion said.

"My father told me and Kion to come alert the pride." Kiara said.

Vitani acted quickly, and alerted the pride. Nala, Vitani, Tojo, and six lionesses raced toward the border. Kiara stayed behind to keep her children safe if needed.

"Come on you three, inside with me." Kiara said as she led her children into the den.

"Will Grandma Nala and Aunt Vitani be okay?" Talia asked.

"They're strong lionesses Talia, they'll be fine." Kiara reassured her daughter.

"Besides, this intruder or intruders might not be dangerous, they might just be passing through." Taka said.

"Exactly. You never know until you find out." Mufasa said.

Kiara looked back in the direction of the Outlands. Kiara truly hopped that this intruder or intruders weren't dangerous. Kiara made an exhale that felt like her throat was enchased in ice.

It was difficult fighting these Scarred Pride lions and hyenas. Simba had observed that these lions and hyenas fought better than the lions and hyenas they fought back in the oasis. Simba looked to Kovu. His right foreleg had been pulled out of its socket, it could be popped back into place, but he wouldn't be able to because of their current situation. The half-blind lion was keeping Kovu safe since his current condition couldn't let him fight.

The half-blind lion had only a few scratches on him. Simba had a cut above his eye that blood was leaking into. Simba was hoping that Kiara and Kion had warned the pride by now and that help was on the way. The Scarred Pride lions and hyena had not a mark on them; they were truly no strangers to a fight. The leading lion walked a few steps closer to Simba, with an extremely cocky look on his face.

"This is your last chance redhead, you can come quietly, or would you like more of a beating?" the lion said.

"I'll choose none of the above." Simba said.

"Cocky little kitten." a hyena mocked.

Simba and the lead lion charged at each other. In mid-run the lead lion jumped and landed on Simba, sending him flat to the ground. The lion than began to try and get to his neck through his mane. Getting to a lion's neck was hard thanks to their mane, but is wasn't impossible either.

"Get off him!" the half-blind lion demanded.

The half-blind lion tackled the lion off Simba and began to maul him. The half-blind lion scratched the lion's eyes out, then stuck his paw down the lion's windpipe, ripping his throat open from the inside. Simba and Kovu gasped at gruesome violence of how the half-blind lion killed the other lion. The Scarred Pride lions and hyenas roared and barked in anger with the death of their leader. They charged at the lion and began to viciously attack him.

Simba tried to go to the half-blind lion's rescue, but a lion kept him at bay. The half-blind lion bit and clawed at his attackers. The half-blind was able to slit the throat of one lioness and hyena, but this just made the Scarred Pride members even angrier and attack him more viciously. They backed the half-blind lion into some rocks. A lion grabbed the half-blind lion's head and smashed it repeatedly against a big boulder.

The half-blind lion was knocked out on the fourth time his head was smashed against the rock. The lion would have kept smashing the half-blind lion's head against the rock if Vitani hadn't jumped into the midst and clawed them away from the half-blind lion. Vitani clamped her teeth on the neck of a hyena and snapped its neck. Vitani threw the hyena into the face of a lioness, which distracted her and allowed Vitani to clamp her teeth around her throat. Vitani ripped the lionesses throat out.

A lion tried to attack Vitani, but Vitani brought her paw under the lion's jaw, and tripped him by his back legs. The lion got up and made a run for it. The rest of the pride fought the Scarred Pride to the point where they fled.

"You came just in time Vitani." Simba said as he walked up beside his daughter-in-law.

"Yeah, it appears we did." Vitani said.

"Are you okay Simba?" Nala asked as she came up to them.

"Just a few scratches, nothing serious. Kovu got his fore leg ripped out of its socket, but it should be able to be pushed back into place." Simba said.

Tojo than came up and noticed the half-blind lion.

"Simba, who is this lion?" Tojo asked.

"I don't know, but he was running from those lions and hyenas. They were Scarred Priders." Simba said.

"Scarred Priders!?" Nala exclaimed in shock.

"Yeah, and he saved me from their leader. I don't think he's a threat." Simba said.

"Well let's get him to Pride Rock and have someone get Rafiki and Makini to look at your, Kovu's, and his wounds." Nala said.

Simba and Nala helped Tojo get the half-blind lion on his back, Vitani helped Tojo keep support. Everyone headed towards Pride Rock, while Nala and another lioness went to get Rafiki and Makini.

Kiara was in the mouth of the den waiting for the party to return. It had been over half an hour since her mother and the others left. Her children had fallen asleep and Sarabi was looking after them while they slept. Kiara was near to going to see if everyone was alright, she needed to talk to somebody to settle her mind. Kiara saw her friends near where she was.

Kiara walked over to them.

"Tiifu, Zuri, Jamey, how are you three doing?" Kiara asked.

"Were hoping that your father decides to grow up." Zuri said.

Kiara sighed, she knew her friends were just as angry with her father as she was.

"He apologized, and I finally accepted it." Kiara said.

"You and Kion had an older brother for all these years, and Simba never told you about him." Jamey said.

"I can't wait for you to be queen, and Kovu to be king." Tiifu said.

"You three please don't be angry with my father." Kiara asked.

"We're not angry, we feel sorry for you." Zuri said.

This wasn't the talk Kiara was hoping to have, so she walked away. Kiara walked over to Sarabi, and sat with her.

"I heard all that." Sarabi said.

"Just like with me, its going to take some time for the younger pride members to get over this." Kiara said.

"I do wish Kopa was here." Sarabi said.

"I wonder what life would have been like with him. I wonder if I would have ever met and married Kovu." Kiara said.

"One action causes another. Doing good things can cause bad things to happen, and doing bad things can cause good things to happen." Sarabi said.

"I guess so." Kiara said.

As Kiara said that she saw her father climb onto Pride Rock. Kiara ran to her father and embraced him.

"Dad are you okay?" Kiara asked.

"I'm fine, but I've got some bad news Kiara." Simba said.

A chill went down Kiara's spine.

"Was the rouge dangerous, did he or she attack you, did anyone die?" Kiara asked.

"No, no one died, just a few scratches, Kovu got his foreleg pulled out of its socket, but it should be able to be popped back into place." Simba reassured his daughter.

"Good." Kiara said.

Kiara then saw Tojo carrying a lion on his back, and it wasn't Kovu.

"Who's that?" Kiara asked.

"This is where I give you the bad news. We saw that lion when we got to the border, but it wasn't his roar we heard. He was being chased… by the Scarred Pride." Simba said.

"The Scarred Pride!?" Kiara exclaimed in shock.

"Yes. Rafiki and Makini should be here soon. They're going to look at everybody's wounds, pop Kovu's leg back into place, and you don't have to worry about that lion. I don't think he's a threat, he seemed more worried about us then Kovu and I were of him, but to be safe I'll still keep an eye on him when he wakes up." Simba said.

"Okay." Kiara said as she went back into the den.

Rafiki and Makini soon got to Pride Rock, they checked everyone for any serious wounds. Thankfully everyone had no serious wounds, just some scratches. Rafiki was able to pop Kovu's foreleg back into place, and told him to try not to put too much pressure on it. Kovu made a joke about that his mother would have made him fight even with his foreleg like this. Simba asked Rafiki how the half-blind lion was doing.

"He should be fine. He doesn't have many wounds, he has no concussion from when he got his head slammed into the rock, and these scars he already has, they aren't new. He must have gotten them during his cubhood." Rafiki said.

"But who would do that to a cub?" Simba asked.

"We'll have to ask him when he wakes up. Well me and Makini must be heading back home, good night Simba." Rafiki said.

"Have a safe trip back home you two." Simba said.

"Of course, we will." Makini said.

With that done Simba walked back to the den. Tojo, and Chumvi were in the mouth of the cave. Simba knew what they were thinking, so Simba gave a small nod to them. Tojo and Chumvi walked closer towards the unconscious lion, and laid a few feet away from him. Simba walked to his part of the den, where Nala was waiting for him.

Kiara was asking Kovu about his forearm, but Kovu kept telling her that he was fine, he just had to be careful with it from now on, until it fully healed. Simba took another glance at the unconscious lion outside, tomorrow he would personally talk to this lion, and ask about his story with the Scarred Pride.

The next morning Siri woke up with an extremely painful headache. All he remembered was fleeing from the crazy Scarred Pride lions and hyenas, a brown-maned lion and red-maned lion… Wait! The two lions that had helped Siri. Siri looked around to see that it was near midday, the sun was out and shining, and the sky was blue with not a single cloud in it.

"Your finally awake." a voice said.

Siri looked to see a lion with light gold fur, bright red mane, and light brown eyes looking at him. Siri was spooked at first and jumped to his feet ready to fight if need be.

"No, it's okay, don't worry. No one is gonna hurt you." The bright red-maned lion said.

Siri went with what the lion was saying.

"Where am I? Who are you?" Siri asked.

"You're in the Pride Lands, and I'm Prince Kion." the bright red-maned lion said.

"How did I get here?" Siri asked.

"You were knocked out in a fight with the Scarred Pride, and my father, King Simba, brought you back here. Our shaman took care of your wounds." Kion said.

Siri looked with his one good eye around his body. He saw that he was covered in leaf-bandages.

"Thank you." Siri said.

"You should really be thanking Rafiki, our shaman and his apprentice when you meet them. My father would like to speak to you, he's talking to the whole pride right now. Follow me." Kion said.

Siri followed Kion down some step-like stones, and underneath a jetted-out slab of stone held up by another rock. The pride was under the rock. Siri counted a little over forty members, not including the cubs and teenage lions. Siri saw eleven lions in front of the rest of the pride. The red-maned and brown-maned lions were there of course.

Two lionesses had creamy-tan fur, one had the blue eyes, and the other green. Another lioness had beige/brown fur and orange eyes. There was another lion with white fur, a mane that was so blonde that it appeared white, and water blue colored eyes. Siri saw that there were three cubs sitting with them. One cub had orange fur, a black mane tuft, and emerald green eyes.

The second cub looked like a younger version of himself, except his fur was more golden color than yellow, and his mane tuft was red instead of brown. The last one was female, she had auburn-brown fur like the brown-maned lion, but a lighter shade, one of her eyes were reddish-brown, the other emerald green, and a peach colored stripe traveling the center of her head.

"Whoever the parents are, they must be very proud to have strong looking cubs like those." Siri thought.

Siri's eyes finally fell on the final two lionesses in front of the pride, and Siri could have sworn that he had fallen in love twice. One lioness had light peach colored fur, and beautiful reddish-brown eyes. The last lioness had dark peach colored fur, blue eyes, a freckled muzzle, but the one thing that made this lioness stand out from all the rest was the tuft of fur than nearly went into her eyes. Siri honestly couldn't tell which of the last two lionesses were more beautiful. Kion's voice than piped in.

"You see the golden lion with the red mane?" Kion asked.

"That's King Simba, your dad?" Siri asked?

"Yes, but you could just call him by his name, he's not much for titles, especially my sister there, she hates being called by her title." Kion said pointing towards the light peach colored lioness.

"That's your sister?" Siri asked.

"Yeah, her name is Kiara. She's probably the friendliest lioness you'll meet in the pride." Kion said.

"I can see it in her eyes." Siri said.

"I'd introduce you to the rest, but my dad will see to that. Now come on, you're the guest of honor in this pride meeting." Kion said.

"Well I'd hate to ruin the party." Siri joked.

Siri followed Kion to the pride. Simba noticed Siri and his son coming through the crowd.

"Kion it's good to see you here, and with our guest. Did he ever mention his name?" Simba asked.

"No, he hasn't." Kion said.

Siri walked closer to Simba, and the rest of the royal family of the pride.

"My name is Siri, your majesties, and graces." Siri said with a bow.

"Well Siri it's an honor to have you in the Pride Lands. I'm King Simba, this is my mate, Queen Nala. You've already met my son, Prince Kion. This is my mother Sarabi, my mother-in-law, and Nala's mother, Sarafina. Nala's brother Mheetu, this is my daughter, Princess Kiara, her mate Kovu…" Simba said beginning to introduce everyone.

Siri's face slightly fell when Simba mentioned that the brown-maned lion, Kovu was Kiara's mate. Simba continued to introduce the rest of the family.

"…These are Kiara and Kovu's cubs, Prince Taka II, Prince Mufasa II, and Princess Talia, and last, but not least this is Kovu's sister, Vitani." Simba said finishing the introductions.

Siri was relieved when Simba mentioned that the dark peach lioness Vitani had no mate.

"It's nice to meet all of you, and King Simba, I'd like to thank you and Prince Kovu for helping me last night. I know you didn't have to since I was trespassing into your lands, but I'm very grateful, and can't thank you enough." Siri said.

"Whether someone is a rogue or not, when you step into my lands you are under my protection. Now that you're here Siri, I need to explain some new rules to the pride." Simba said.

Siri nodded in understanding. Simba cleared his throat and began to speak.

"Pride brothers and sisters, as you all know a few days past me and the rest of the royal family were attacked in the jungle oasis by lions and hyenas working together…" Simba spoke.

"Jungle oasis? Me and Dalia were in a jungle oasis." Siri thought.

Siri found it interesting that Simba and Kovu seemed surprised last night to learn that those lions and hyenas were part of the Scarred Pride and learning that they were attacked in a jungle oasis. Siri thought it was such a strange coincidence. Simba continued on with his speech.

"…Well when Siri came into our lands last night he was attacked by the very same lions and hyenas of this Scarred Pride. I have the feeling that this will not be our last encounter with the Scarred Pride, so there are going to be a few changes around here until I feel that the Pride Lands are no longer under threat of the Scarred Pride. No one is allowed to be out after dark, you must come back to Pride Rock by sunset. From now on don't travel alone, have someone come with you. Cubs are to either be accompanied by at least two adults, or not to leave Pride Rock at all." Simba said.

All the cubs groaned after Simba said that.

"Now cubs, I know you don't like it, but it's only because we all want you safe, now allow me to continue with my other new rule. All pregnant lionesses are to stay at Pride Rock at all times. I know it will take some time to adjust to these rules, but their only temporary, so please try to grin and bear it, okay?" Simba asked.

All lions and lionesses bowed their heads in understanding.

"Good, now I have one more thing to say." Simba said turning to Siri.

"Yes, your majesty?" Siri asked.

"Siri, I just want to say that your welcome to stay in the Pride Lands for as long as you need, but I wish to talk with you first." Simba said.

"Yes, your majesty." Siri said a little nervous.

This would be Siri's first time talking to a king as far as he knew.

Siri was walking with Simba by the Pride Lands' watering hole. Siri had gotten a good look of the Pride Lands on the way to the watering hole. Siri could tell that it was the dry season, so this wasn't the Pride Lands at its fullest, but it still looked pretty beautiful.

"How much longer until the dry season is over?" Siri asked curiously.

"About a month and a half. Thankfully it's the short dry season though" Simba said.

"Okay. So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Siri asked.

"I wanted to ask you about that Scarred Pride when you were attacked by them." Simba said.

"They were led by as creamy colored lion with a pale blonde mane, and ghostly blue eyes named Wraith, and that they fight ferociously, and covered in many scars. I barely escaped." Siri said.

"Well Siri, you won't have to worry about them for now. Like I said back at Pride Rock, while you're in the Pride Lands, you're under my protection, and your welcome to stay here for as long as you like." Simba said.

"I'm thankful Simba, but I'm not going to be staying long. In a few days, I'm going to set out and look for that Scarred Pride." Siri said.

"Why would you want to go looking for the Scarred Pride. You just said that you barely escaped them last time. Going after them is suicide." Simba said.

"I know it is, but I have to try. They've got Dalia with them." Siri said.

"Dalia? Is that that you're mate?" Simba asked.

"No, she's not." Siri said.

"Is she your sister, your cousin, your aunt, your mother?" Simba asked.

"No, she's not even a lion. Sheeeee's… a hyena." Siri said.

"A hyena?" Simba asked, a little surprised.

Simba even after all this time was surprised that his son, Kion was friends with a hyena. Simba had long since excepted it of course and had come to see Jasiri and her small clan as close family friends, but Simba was surprised to see another lion who saw a hyena as a friend.

"Dalia must be a very special friend." Simba said.

"You have no idea. She's raised me ever since I was a cub." Siri said.

"Since you were a cub?" Simba said, clearly very surprised.

A lion cub being friends with a hyena was one thing, but Simba never would have imagined that a hyena would raise a cub as a son. In Simba's mind, he would think that a hyena would see a cub as an easy meal, and he had good reason to believe that from experience as a cub.

"Yeah, I know it sounds weird." Siri admitted.

"My son, Kion became friends with a hyena pup named Jasiri as a cub. A lion cub being friends with a hyena pup is more imaginable than a lion cub being raised by an adult hyena." Simba said, trying not to offend Siri.

"Yeah, you see these scars over my body?" Siri asked.

"How can somebody not see them. You and Dalia must have had a very nasty fight with something in the past." Simba said.

"Me and Dalia weren't fighting anything when I got these. I've had these scars for as long as I can remember. Dalia found me half dead in a river one day. She brought me to her cave, treated my wounds, and I woke up days later." Siri explained.

"Our shaman Rafiki, the one who treated your wounds had a theory that you got those scars as a cub." Simba said.

"I don't even remember anything beyond waking up in Dalia's cave that one day." Siri said.

"You have amnesia?" Simba asked.

"That's what Dalia said I have. I was a year old when she found me, so I was defiantly old enough to where I could remember what happened… if I could remember." Siri said.

"That sure is a sad story Siri." Simba said sympathetically.

"Yeah, not knowing my parents, if I had any brothers or sisters, or if I was even a royal. But you Simba, look at you, you're a king and you have a large pride. You must have had it good all your life." Siri said.

"Not all my life. Simba said.

"What do you mean?" Siri asked.

Simba began to tell him his life story. Simba told Siri about his uncle Scar, how he killed his father and tried to do the same to him, living in the jungle oasis with Timon and Pumbaa, coming back and ruling the pride. Siri was really confused when he heard that Timon and Pumbaa were a meerkat and warthog, not lions or something similar.

"Your familiar with the food chain, right?" Siri asked.

"Is Dalia familiar with the food chain?" Simba wittingly said.

"No, I guess not." Siri laughed

Simba than told him some of Kiara's story, that he used to be very overprotective, but that his overprotectiveness of her disappeared when she brought the Outlanders and Pride Landers together.

"Kiara sounds tougher than I thought she was." Siri said.

"She may not look like it at first sight, but she's pretty tough, and stubborn at some points. I could have done better by her at so many points" Simba said.

"What do you mean by that?" Siri asked.

"She had a brother at one point, not Kion, but an older brother. His name was Kopa, and Zira, the lioness from the stories I told you killed him." Simba said.

"So that's why you banished her and her followers, and not just because they followed your uncle." Siri said.

"Yes, and I originally planned to never tell her and Kion about him until over a week ago. She was mad for a while. She forgave me the day you came to the Pride Lands." Simba explained.

"Oh." Siri said.

"Well enough of all this, let's get back to the pride. They'll want to meet our new pride member." Simba said.

"GUEST. I told you Simba, I'm leaving in a few days." Siri said.

"You won't be leaving alone Siri, me and my pride will help you rescue Dalia." Simba said.

"I can't except your help Simba, this Scarred Pride problem is my problem, not yours." Siri said.

"This pride attacked us as well, it's our problem to." Simba said.

"The pride attacked you because I came into your lands. I'll leave in a week to rescue Dalia. I can't put you into a worse position with the Scarred Pride." Siri said.

Simba sighed and turned to Siri.

"I cannot force you to not go alone Siri, but think about this: What if you leave and your wrong?" Simba asked.

That sent a chill down Siri's spine. Maybe Simba's pride could help him. Siri could use the help, but he couldn't put Simba and his pride into more danger.

"I wish you were here Dalia." Siri whispered to himself as he followed Simba back to Pride Rock.

Chapter 15: Siri and the Pride

Siri and Simba got back to the pride in what seemed like sooner than it took them to get to the watering hole earlier. Tojo and Chumvi were sparring, Kion and the rest of the Lion Guard was going out to do their daily guarding, and Nala was just leaving for the end of the day hunt.

"Good luck out their ladies." Simba said.

"You and Siri have any requests?" Nala asked.

"None, you Siri?" Simba said.

"Anything that has meat on it." Siri said sarcastically.

Everyone laughed at Siri's sarcastic remark.

"Anything that has meat on it, you got it." Nala said after she got a hold of herself.

"And make sure its quick and clean. That's what Dalia taught me." Siri said.

"Who's Dalia?" Nala asked.

"I'll tell you later." Simba said as he and Siri continued towards Pride Rock.

Simba bid Siri farewell as he went off to patrol the lands. Siri decided that if he was going to stay in the Pride Lands for a while that he should know some of the land. Siri found Kovu with Kiara and her friends Tiffu, Zuri, and Jamey. Kovu was in front of the four lionesses, who were bathing the cubs. Tiffu had Mufasa in her paws, cleaning his mane tuft free of dirt.

Jamey had Talia in her paws and was playfully poking Talia's nose more than bathing her. Kiara was cradling Taka in her paws with his belly exposed. Taka squirmed in his mother's paws and laughed as her tongue ran along his belly, tickling him.

"PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE. MOM, I'M CLEAN NOW, PLEASE." Taka begged.

Taka was in fact now very clean, and didn't need a bath anymore, but Kiara couldn't stop herself. Kiara smiled down at her clean son and just continued to tickle him. Siri walked forward and got the eight's attention.

"Mind if I join you?" Siri asked a little nervous.

Zuri gave Siri a flirtious look.

"What's in it for us?" Zuri asked.

"Uh…" Siri began to say.

"It's nothing, just sit if you want." Kiara said.

Siri watched Kiara continue to over-bathe Taka.

"You know he's clean now, right?" Siri asked.

"Well until Jamey stops playing with Talia and actually cleans her than I'll stop." Kiara said.

"What's it going to be like when your cub or cubs are born Jamey. Are you going to bathe them or let them be known as the filthy cubs?" Kovu asked.

"Dad, please help, do something to make mom stop." Taka said, catching his breath before Kiara continued with her bathing/tickling of Taka.

"Okay Jamey, that's it hand her over." Kovu said.

Kovu quickly grabbed Talia out of Jamey's paws to bathe her.

"Hay!" Jamey protested.

Kovu playfully poked his daughter on her nose once like Jamey had been before he started bathing her.

"Alright Kiara, Talia is clean, you can stop tickling Taka to death now." Kovu said when he finished bathing Talia.

Kiara let go of her son, who retreated towards Kovu.

"Thanks dad." Taka said as he and Kovu butted heads together.

"Dad, now that we're clean can you and mom take us to the watering hole to play with our friends?" Mufasa asked.

"Good, you five, plus Tiifu can go do that, Jamey stays here according to Simba's rules on pregnant lionesses staying at Pride Rock. Meanwhile, half-blind boy and I will stay here." Zuri said giving Siri another flirtious look.

Siri didn't really like the way this lioness was looking at him, it made him feel uncomfortable.

"Or how about we all go together. I can get to know all of you a bit more." Siri suggested.

"That sounds perfect." Kiara said.

Everybody got up and began to walk towards the watering hole while Jamey began to walk towards the step-like stones of Pride Rock. Siri realized that Zuri wasn't with them.

"Hay, aren't you coming?" Siri asked Zuri.

"No, you all go on, I'll go sharpen my claws to make them look beautiful." Zuri said with a hint of sadness.

"Was it something I said?" Siri asked.

"That was Zuri, and she said something earlier about thinking you were cute." Tiifu said.

"Oh." Siri said.

"I think she just wanted some alone time with you." Kovu said.

"Do you like her Siri?" Tiifu asked.

"Well she is beautiful, but I don't think she's the one for me." Siri said.

"Oh, well that's a pity. She's been trying to find a mate for a while." Kiara said.

"Yeah, either she's not into some of the males of the pride, or they're not into her. Kion gently turned down her offer a few months ago, and she's weary of every other rouge." Tiifu explained.

"I guess I'll have to let her down gently at some point to." Siri exhaled.

"Is there anybody you have your eye on?" Tiifu asked.

"Not to sound creepy or anything, but I think I did just today from this pride." Siri said. "Why did I say that? I only just met this pride not even an hour ago and I'm saying that I think I'm in love with one of their members and want them as a mate maybe?" Siri thought to himself.

"Who?" Kiara asked curiously.

"Oh boy." Siri thought. "Just for being honest when I first saw you Kiara, I fell in love immediately, but stopped when I learned that Kovu was your mate." Siri sai with a bit of a cringe.

"Oh, I'm that beautiful aren't I?" Kiara laughed.

"You're a lady's man Siri." Tiifu said.

"Uh, thank you, I think Mrs… uh?" Siri said.

"Oh, we never introduced each other. Simba introduced you to everyone else earlier, that was Zuri back there, the pregnant lioness that was with us was Jamey, and I'm Tiifu." Tiifu said.

"Well it's nice to meet all of you." Siri said.

"It's nice to meet you to Siri, but we've gone completely off topic. Which one of our lionesses do you have your eye on?" Jamey asked.

"Vitani." Siri said. "Ugh! They're going to think I'm weird." Siri thought to himself.

"I'd hate to be the barer of bad news Siri, but I don't think you can get Vitani to fall in love with you." Kovu said.

"Why?" Siri asked a little disappointed.

"Did Simba tell you about Kopa?" Kovu asked.

"Yeah." Siri said.

"Then you know she was once betrothed to Kopa before my mother killed him and Vitani blamed herself that he died. She promised herself that she would never love someone like that again." Kovu said.

"Maybe I can reawaken that old feeling." Siri said with a confidante look.

"Maybe." Kovu said, trying to sound optimistic for Siri.

When they got to the watering hole Kiara's children introduced Siri to Bluu, Griffin, Grey, Tunu, and Wema, who were with Madoa, Jasiri, and two random lionesses. Siri was pleased to meet them all, especially Tunu, Wema, Jasiri and Madoa since they were hyenas.

"I was worried you wouldn't like Tunu, Wema, Jasir and Madoa since they're hyenas." Taka said.

"Well I was raised by a hyena." Siri said.

"You were raised by a hyena?" Kovu asked with surprise.

"Yeah, her name is Dalia." Siri said.

"Why wasn't she with you when Kovu and my dad saved you?" Kiara asked.

"She was captured by the Scarred Pride, and in a few days, I'm leaving to go and save her." Siri said.

"But from what Kiara has told us, going off to fight the Scarred Pride alone is suicide, you have to let us help you." Tiifu said.

"I already talked about this with Simba. I'm going on my own, I don't want to put you all into a worse situation with the Scarred Pride than you already are. I'm a pretty set in my ways lion." Siri said.

Siri noticed a blue hornbill fly in.

"Good afternoon Pride Landers." The bird said.

"Who's that?" Siri asked.

"That's Zazu, the Pride Lands grump. Always has a grumpy look on his face." Griffin said.

"Hay! I heard that." Zazu said, shaking his wing at Griffin like a fist.

"Hay, Siri would you like to play with us?" Wema asked.

"Sure, let's go." Siri said.

Siri went to play with the children. They all played hide-and-seek, and Taka was it. Taka easily found everyone, except Siri.

"Now where's Siri?" Taka said as he looked around for Siri.

Taka looked around for Siri, using the tracking skills that Vitani had taught him. Taka found Siri hiding behind a giant rock.

"Found you Siri." Taka said.

"Yeah, but you have to catch me first." Siri said.

Siri ran away from Taka. Siri let Taka catch up to him, but Siri quickly tripped Taka before he could tag him. After Taka stopped skidding across the ground he got up and looked at Siri.

"Hay, that's cheating!" Taka said.

"No, it isn't." Siri said.

"Tripping's not fair." Taka said.

"Life's not fair." Siri said.

Siri and Taka had a war of what was fair and what wasn't fair.

"It is fair Princey, so…" Siri said before he blew his tongue out at Taka.

"Oh, so you want to blow your tongue at people, do you? Well…" Taka said before he blew his tongue out at Siri in return.

Zazu scowled at Siri.

"So immature." Zazu said.

Siri noticed what Zazu said, and walked up to him.

"It's not immaturity birdy, it's making the children laugh, and trying to relate to them. Something you seem to know little about." Siri said.

"I, I, I, I so do know how to make children laugh, and I can relate to them." Zazu stuttered.

"You can make children laugh, can you? Okay tell them a joke to where they'll die laughing." Siri challenged.

"Is that a challenge white-eye? I'll make them laugh so hard they'll die laughing a billion times over." Zazu said, puffing out his chest all tough guy style

Zazu flew in front of the children and began to try and make them laugh.

"I just flew in from the Pride Lands, and boy…" Zazu began to say before Griffin interrupted.

"Are you stupid!" Griffin said.

Zazu quickly growled at Griffin.

"Yeah, so why did the chicken cross the savanna?" Zazu asked.

"To lay an egg just like you are now." Siri laughed.

Zazu glared at Siri before he grabbed some twigs, mud, and leaves. Zazu put them together to make a ventriloquist's dummy of himself.

"Hay Zazo, what's a ghosts' favorite lunch meat?" Zazu asked his dummy. "Boo-loney." Zazu said in his ventriloquist's voice.

"YOU STINK!" Griffin yelled in Zazu's face.

Zazu flew in front of the adult lions and lionesses.

"They have no taste. I used all my best stuff." Zazu said.

"Don't give up now Zazu." Kiara said.

"That's all I know. Hmph, this is all childish. I don't need any part of it." Zazu said.

Zazu flew off, not watching where he was going. Zazu flew into a tree branch, fell onto a rock, and slid into the watering hole. The children laughed at the sight.

"Congratulations Zazu, you made the children begin to die laughing." Siri said.

"Ugh, glad to do so." Zazu groaned.

"You're a total riot Siri." Mufasa said.

"Ugh. For a day dream believer and hope coming quee…" Zazu sang dazed before he sank beneath the surface of the water.

Siri was walking around the Pride Land borders, admiring the Pride Lands. This land was a true beauty to Siri, but it didn't beat where he a Dalia lived. Siri came across the border of the Elephant Graveyard. Siri was told that hyenas lived there. Siri knew it was a way to keep animals safe from mean hyenas, but he thought that it was unfair to exile hyenas to such an uninhabitable place and not permit any other hyenas to enter the lands.

Siri had been told about the relationships between the Pride Lander lions and hyenas. The Pride Landers viewed all hyenas as evil when not all of them were.

"They let a few hyenas into the Pride Lands and let them live and hunt here, but they act the same as they always have to all others. I just don't get that." Siri said to himself.

Siri was also told that barley any hyenas lived in the graveyard anymore. Siri than came to the Outlands border. Siri was told that the Outlands use to be as uninhabitable as the Elephant Graveyard, but after Zira's defeat the Outlands began to become as lush as the Pride lands. Siri saw that it was getting late, so the lionesses should be getting back soon. Siri began to head back before he heard a laugh behind him.

Siri looked behind him to see hyenas beginning to surround him.

"Well what do you know, the new Pride Lander." the hyena leader said.

"Who the heck are you guys?" Siri asked.

"Janja at your service." the leader hyena said.

"Well my service is for you to let me go back to my pride mates, it's about dinner time." Siri said.

"Did you say dinner?" a hyena who was sticking his tongue out asked.

"Cheezi, My fur-brain friend. Please let me talk to our new friend." Janja said harshly.

"If I'm on the menu than I don't think so." Siri said.

"You're right, you're on…" Janja began to say before Siri jumped on him. "Ahh! Cheezi help!" Janja screamed.

Janja's hyenas went to help their leader, but Siri easily beat them back. As Siri was distracted by the Janja's hyenas, Janja grabbed onto one of Siri's legs and pulled it out from under him. Janja's hyenas took the chance and pinned Siri down.

"Chow time boys!" Janja said.

"Oh, no you don't." a voice said.

Siri looked and saw Kion and his Lion Guard rushing towards Janja, his clan, and Siri.

"And just when we about to get to our dinner!" Cheezi yelled unhappily.

"Kion! You still got to pay for what you did to Chungu!" Janja said after he spotted Kion.

"Is he okay?" Kion asked.

Kion may have not liked Chungu or any other of Janja's hyena clan, but he still felt bad for what he did to him.

"No, of course Chungu is not okay stupid! You broke his back and now he'll never be able to walk as good as he use to! When I get my paws on you, I'll break more than just your…" Janja snapped before getting interrupted by Siri grabbing him by his scruff and spinning him. "No, not again!" Janja screamed.

"The rides over when you and your hyenas get out of here." Siri said.

"Never! Not till I avenge Chungu." Janja said.

Siri let go of Janja, who went flying into a tree. After Janja hit the tree he saw angel-winged versions of himself flying around his head.

"Oh, who's that good looking hyena? Hahaha." Janja said dazed.

"Janja! Come on guys let's get out of here." Cheezi said.

A hyena grabbed Janja and retreated with the rest of the clan.

"Dinner stealer!" Cheezi shouted towards Kion as he ran away.

"And for the last time, don't ever come back!" Bunga said.

The Lion Guard turned to Siri.

"Thanks Siri, you made quick work of Janja's clan. It usually takes us twice as long and twice the effort to get rid of them." Fuli said, impressed at how quickly Siri got Janja's clan to retreat.

"No, thank you guys. I would still be dog food if you hadn't distracted their leader for me." Siri said.

"That was Janja, he's been a problem for years." Kion said.

"Looks like those bad hyenas won't be having any dinner tonight." Siri joked.

"Yeah, the lionesses must be back at Pride Rock by now. This will be your first dinner with the pride, everyone will love to have you there." Kion said.

"For saving me, you can have my share of the meat tonight." Siri said.

"No, I think I'll pass. Come everyone let's go home for tonight." Kion said.

When the Lion Guard and Siri got to Pride Rock, they went their separate ways. Siri thanked the Lion Guard for saving him again and said that he owed them all one.

"It's till Pride Lands end, Lion Guard defend buddy." Bunga said.

"I see." Siri replied.

Siri and Kion entered the cave, the pride eagerly waiting for them. Simba walked to get them.

"I'm glad you two made it back in time." Simba said.

"Your son is a life saver Simba. I had a run in with some non-friendly hyenas, and he and his Lion Guard saved me from becoming dog chow." Siri said.

"And he kept trying to offer me his share of the kills tonight." Kion said.

"You'll have to tell me the whole story later. Come on you two." Simba said.

The three lions walked into the den. Siri saw the lioness Zuri beckon him over. She had a small zebra carcass in front of her. Siri walked over to her.

"I caught this myself, and I'm not much of a hunter, so I hope you like it." Zuri said.

"Thanks Zuri" Siri said.

"So, what do you think of the pride so far?" Zuri asked.

"I think it's a great pride so far." Siri said.

"Anyone give you the eye yet?" Zuri asked.

"You definitely are so far." Siri said.

"What, no I'm not." Zuri laughed

"That's not what Tiifu said." Siri said.

Zuri jumped slightly after Siri said that. Siri looked from Zuri to Vitani. Zuri obviously liked him, but Siri kind of already had his eyes on Vitnai.

"Ahhhh man, I'm stuck in the love triangle." Siri thought to himself as tears started falling cartoonishly down his face.

Chapter 16: Siri and Vitani Big-Ears

The whole pride woke up early the next morning, ready to start their day. The hunting party was preparing for the morning hunt. Siri was immediately looking for Vitani. Siri walked to the edge of the jetted-out slab of stone of Pride Rock and saw Vitani walked towards the Watering Hole. Zuri walked up to Siri.

"Hi Siri, what are you doing?" Zuri asked.

"Looking for Vitani." Siri said honestly.

"Why?" Zuri asked a little suspicious.

"To have her give me some tips on hunting. I may be a good hunter, but I'm not the sneakiest. I was hoping she could help me with that for when I go back home." Siri said.

Siri in truth had no problem with being sneaky while hunting. Siri was just trying to cover up the truth that he was going to try to hook himself up with Vitani

"Go get her to teach you than. You'll find no better hunting teacher than Vitani" Zuri said, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice.

"Siri is on the job." Siri jokingly said.

"Oh, shut up and go already!" Zuri teased.

Siri walked down Pride Rock to go after Vitani. Siri came across Simba and Kiara, who had offered to go with her father on his morning patrol.

"Hi Siri." Kiara said.

"Hello Simba and Kiara." Siri said.

"So, Siri, what's this about you thinking Kiara is beautiful and falling in love with her at first sight?" Simba asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Well it's pretty self-explanatory, and she's already taken." Siri said a little nervous.

"So where are you off to Siri?" Kiara asked.

"To find Vitani, she is up for grabs, right Simba?" Siri asked. "Ugh, why do I keep telling everybody that I'm basically trying to steal one of their lionesses away. Simba's going to start thinking suspiciously about me."

"Oh, you're asking for my blessing to marry her if you can get her to fall in love with you right?" Simba asked.

"Uhh…" Siri said nervously.

"Well what are you waiting for, get out of here and go find her." Simba said.

"Uh, you're actually letting me, a lion who you don't even know make a move on one of your lionesses?" Siri asked.

"I may have only just met you Siri, but I can tell you're a good-hearted lion, and I've tried to get between someone and the one they're trying to get as a mate." Simba said, looking at Kiara. "Plus, love works in strange ways, sometimes it happens in the most unexpected way, kind of like Kiara and Kovu and you and Vitani."

"Yes, your majesty." Siri said with a small laugh.

"Now go on, move it." Kiara said.

Siri began to walk off, but he stopped.

"Oh, and please don't tell Zuri" Siri said in a whisper.

"Love triangle?" Kiara asked.

Siri nodded.

"Oh, well uh. She'll understand when you choose to tell her how you feel, and here's some tips. Do what Kovu did with me, impress her. Show her you can fight good or prove your hunting skill." Kiara suggested.

"Or go the old-fashioned way and give her the time of her life." Simba said.

"I'll decide when I meet up with her." Siri said.

Simba and Kiara watched Siri walk off towards the watering hole. Kiara leaned towards her father and whispered into his ear.

"Vitani will eat him alive." Kiara whispered.

Siri found Vitani sitting on a rock by the watering hole.

"Hello king's daughter-in-law." Siri whispered.

Siri thought about what Simba and Kiara had said. Kiara had mentioned something about hunting and decided to stalk up to her and pounce on her. Siri lowered himself to the ground and stalked towards Vitani.

"Time to show her my hunting skills." Siri said.

When Siri was close enough he pounced. As Siri's body flew through the air towards Vitani, she quickly stood up and stepped to the side.

"What!?" Siri exclaimed as he flew past Vitani.

"You traveled in the wrong direction of the wind." Vitani said with a smirk.

"Yeah, I just realized that." Siri said.

"So, what are you doing here Siri?" Vitani asked.

"Uh, I'm part of the pride now, so I thought I'd get to know you." Siri said.

"Oh, really? And what would you want to know about?" Vitani asked with a slight mocking sound in her voice.

Siri could hear the slight mocking hint in Vitani's voice, he decided to play along.

"Oh, I would love to know just about anything about you, big-ears." Siri said mockingly.

"Big-ears? My ears are not that big!" Vitani snapped, her ears going flat against her head.

"Are you sure, your ears seem pretty big to me." Siri said with a slight smile on his face.

Vitani growled at Siri.

"Kiara says you like to fight and hunt. How about getting back at me by beating me in a fight… big-ears" Siri challenged.

"Is that a challenge white-eye?" Vitani asked.

Siri got into a fighting position, waiting for Vitani to attack. Vitani charged at Siri, snarling, and Siri charged in turn. When they collided they wrapped their fore legs around each other. They swiped at each other's face without their claws. Siri bit onto Vitani's neck, being careful with his teeth.

Vitani jumped around Siri and drove her back legs into Siri's side. Vitani pounced on Siri, who rolled out of the way and kicked Vitani in her side with his back legs. Siri than quickly ran over to Vitani, and pinned her.

"One, two, three, I win." Siri said.

Vitani was very surprised, she had never been beaten this quickly in a fight; even if the one she was fighting was better than her.

"I'm impressed, no one has ever beaten me in a fight that fast." Vitani admitted.

"Thanks. Sorry for calling you big-ears, but you still do have big ears." Siri joked.

"Sorry for calling you white-eye, but you do have a white eye." Vitani said with a sly smile.

"Oh, so we're still going to mock each other?" Siri asked.

"Well you started it." Vitani said.

"How about we find something else to mock each other about. Like hunting skills, first to catch a zebra and drag it back here wins." Siri said.

"Challenge accepted." Vitani said.

Vitani and Siri went off to hunt down zebra. Vitani came across a zebra and was about to pounce until she heard Siri's roar. Vitani went back to the watering hole and found that Siri had already killed a zebra.

"That was quick." Vitani said, impressed.

"It's all thanks to Dalia, she taught me everything I know." Siri said.

"Who's Dalia?" Vitani asked.

"A hyena, she raised me as a cub. And yes, I was raised by a hyena." Siri said.

"I've been talking to you for only a few minutes, but your already one interesting lion." Vitani said.

"After we eat will you show me around the Pride Lands?" Siri asked.

"Only if you say pretty please and say that my ears aren't big." Vitani said.

"Fine, pretty please, but I'll never say that you don't have big ears." Siri said.

"Then no, I won't show you around the Pride Lands." Vitani said.

"Fine you don't have big ears." Siri said.

"Good, then I'll show you around the lands." Vitani said.

"You have big ears." Siri whispered.

Vitani heard that of course, but she decided not to say anything. Vitani thought Siri was nice, but he was also a little annoying. Thinking that suddenly sent a chill down Vitani's spine, and it also gave her a case of déjà vu.

FLASHBACK:

It had been a week since Vitani first met Kopa, and she was out hunting again. She wasn't hunting for herself, she was hunting for her brother Nuka. Nuka had gone on another hunt with the lionesses of her mother's small pride of lionesses, and he messed up the hunt. Zira forbid him from eating anything that day for messing up another hunt. Vitani laughed at her brother when her mother punished him, this in turn brought Nuka to tears.

Vitani had felt bad about making Nuka cry, so she decided that she'd hunt him a rabbit or something. Vitani soon came across and nice fat rabbit that Nuka would love. Vitani creeped closer and got ready to pounce.

"Hay, Vitani!" a voice said, scaring away the rabbit.

Vitani looked up to see Kopa and that meerkat and warthog he hung around with again.

"Vitani it's been a week since I…" Kopa began to say before Vitani pounded him on the head.

"You idiot, you just made me lose my brother's rabbit!" Vitani snapped.

"Ugh, nice to see you again to." Kopa groaned as he rubbed his head.

"Well it's not nice to see you again." Vitani said.

Vitani began to walk off before Kopa stopped her.

"Oh, come on, don't run away. I haven't seen you in a week and I wanna have some fun with you… big-ears." Kopa playfully said.

"BIG-EARS! That's it, you asked for it!" Vitani snapped.

Vitani pounced onto Kopa, and the two began to wrestle.

"Wow! Prince Kopa VS the she-demon lioness cub Vitani." Timon said.

"Your telling me." Pumbaa said.

Timon sat down, leaned against a log and pulled two leaf-bags full of bugs out of nowhere and handed one to Pumbaa.

"Have a seat pal, front row center to the greatest show on earth. Go for the jugular Kopa!" Timon shouted.

Kopa and Vitani were rolling around, pawing at each other. Kopa had his claws sheathed, but Vitani had her claws out. Vitani tried to bite at Kopa's face, but Kopa kicked Vitani in the gut with his back legs. Vitani quickly recovered and rammed at Kopa, but Kopa jumped to the side and tripped Vitani. Kopa than jumped onto Vitani and pinned her.

"One, two, three, I win!" Kopa shouted.

Timon and Pumbaa shouted in victory for Kopa winning.

"Kopa, Kopa he's our boy, he'll take you to the trash like a broken toy!" Timon and Pumbaa cheered.

Vitani was in utter shock. How could she be beaten by an annoying cub like Kopa. Kopa had mentioned the first time Vitani met him that he's never been trained to fight before. Vitani had been trained to fight ever since she could crawl. So how could someone with no experience in a fight beat her.

She was both shocked and impressed.

"Ha, I beat you big-ears." Kopa said.

"Beginners luck!" Vitani snapped.

"Well like Kopa asked earlier Vitani, what are you doing?" Timon asked.

"Well if you three dummies must know, I made my brother cry, so I'm trying to catch something for him as an apology." Vitani said.

"Can we help?" Kopa asked.

"Hand me stick boy over there and we'll call it even." Vitani said pointing towards Timon.

Timon ran behind Kopa for protection.

"I told you last time, he's not for eating." Kopa said.

"Alright, than how about lard boy there?" Vitani said looking towards Pumbaa, who like Timon, ran behind Kopa for protection.

"How about another rabbit instead. I'll even catch it for you." Kopa said.

Before Vitani could protest, Kopa went off to find to find a rabbit for Vitani to take back to Nuka. Vitani decided for some reason to follow Kopa and watch his hunting prowess. Vitani had to admit that she was surprised when Kopa easily caught a large rabbit.

"You're actually a very good hunter." Vitani admitted.

"Yeah, and I've never hunted before. Unlike you big-ears." Kopa said.

"I outta slug you in the eye for that, but I've got a brother to get to with a rabbit." Vitani said, taking the rabbit in her jaws and walking home.

END OF FLASHBACK:

Siri reminded Vitani so much of Kopa, in fact this lion looked like what Kopa was expected to look like as an adult. Vitani suddenly found herself asking Siri about his life before meeting Dalia. Siri said that all he remembered before meeting Dalia was floating in a river, constantly going in and out of consciousness. He also mentioned that he's had nightmares of a shadowy lioness with glowing red attacking him, causing him to fall into the river and float down it for a long time, and then the dream ended with a hyena surrounded in a golden light pulling him out of the river. Siri said he was a year old when Dalia found him, and that Siri wasn't his real name.

Hearing that story made Vitani's entire body go cold. Everything about the story fitted together. The lioness with red eyes, the scars, the river, his looks, his nickname for her, his age, not having a real name, and the possibility that Kopa could have hit his head hard on a log or rock in the river and now have amnesia and not remember anything about his old life.

"Oh, who am I kidding? This lion isn't Kopa. I saw him die, and if this was Kopa and he did have amnesia, he would have at least recognized me and his parents in a way. Kopa's dead, Siri's story is just a very, very strange coincidence." Vitani told herself.

"Well the Zebra's gone. Now to show me the lands. Got any special place you'd like to show me?" Siri asked.

"I got the perfect palace." Vitani said.

Vitani led Siri to a cave far north in the Pride Lands. The mouth of the cave was shaped like a lion's face and there were also dozens of other stalagmites and stalactites inside the cave.

"What is this place?" Siri asked.

"Scared of the dark?" Vitani mocked.

"Do you want me to call you big-ears again?" Siri asked.

"Let's go in." was all Vitani said.

Siri followed Vitani into the cave, walking around stalagmites and minding his head of stalactites. Shreds of light came through the roof of the cave as they walked, and Siri saw many designs of the rock of the wall. Very soon the path seemed to be going downwards.

"Oh, I see. An underground cave." Siri said.

"Yeah, an underground cave." Vitani answered.

Vitani soon led Siri into an underground chamber in the cave with a lake at least forty-three feet across at its widest, and diamonds sparkled throughout the cave with the sun shining through holes in the roof.

"It's beautiful." Siri said.

"Well I'm glad you think so." Vitani said.

Vitani then pushed Siri into the water, which froze him to whatever was beyond the marrow in his bones.

"Oh, my gosh that's so cold." Siri said as he got out of the water.

"That's for calling me big-ears." Vitani said.

"Alright, I guess I kinda deserved that." Siri said.

Siri shook his mane dry, and Vitani suddenly started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Siri asked.

"Your mane." Vitani said.

Siri looked at his reflection in the water and saw his mane was all poofed up. Siri smoothed out his mane back into its original shape. Siri suddenly caught a glimpse of something in the light. Siri walked over to it and found a heart carved by a claw into the wall reading: V + K.

"Vitani was this carving done by you?" Siri asked.

Vitani walked up and saw what Siri was talking about. Siri was half-right, this carving was done by her, but it was also done by Kopa, and if it wasn't for him Vitani wouldn't have known about this cave. It all filled her with more woeful sorrow than happiness. Vitani made this carving in this cave the day before Zira killed him.

FLASHBACK:

"Come on Vitani, it's just this way." Kopa said.

"Well whatever it is, it better be worth the walk. My feet are killing me." Vitani said.

"Oh, come on Vitani, I thought you were tougher than that. What's some aching feet to like a broken bone or something like that?" Kopa said.

"Whatever?" Vitani sighed.

Kopa and Vitani finally got to the cave. Vitani thought it looked impressive. Vitani especially loved the underground cave's lake. Vitani and Kopa played around for hours in the water, loving every second of it.

"You know, when we're king and queen we should move the entire pride here." Vitani said.

"Or we can make this our personal private get away." Kopa said.

"Okay, I'll accept that." Vitani said.

"Hay, Vitani follow me over here." Kopa said.

Kopa began to claw a hart into the stone wall. Seeing what Kopa was doing, Vitani joined in the carving.

"Kopa and Vitani. Future king and queen of the Pride Lands." Kopa said.

"Sounds like a radiant future." Vitani said.

END OF FLASHBACK:

Vitani looked to Siri.

"Yeah, I carved that, and so did Kopa." Vitani said.

"Oh, your brother told me about him. You were betrothed to him at one point." Siri said.

"Yeah, bad idea to come here. Come on, let's go." Vitani said as she began to walk back to the surface.

Vitani for most of the remainder of the day walked around the lands, miserable. Siri kept her company, even though she said she didn't need it. Siri asked Kovu for an idea on how to make Vitani feel better. Kovu said to go star gazing with Vitani.

Vitani wasn't sure about going star gazing, but she decided to go along with it. Vitani surprisingly enjoyed it.

"You know Siri, I'm actually enjoying myself." Vitani said.

"See, I told you, you would like it." Siri said.

Siri would have to thank Kovu for suggesting star gazing later.

"I'm sorry for going into a state of misery earlier." Vitani said.

"We all have those." Siri said.

"Oh, look at that constellation. It's shaped like a hyena." Vitani said.

Siri looked and saw Vitani was right. Siri found himself thinking of Dalia with the Scarred Pride. Vitani noticed the look on Siri's face.

"What's wrong Siri?" Vitani asked.

"I just got a funny feeling like I'm never gonna see her again." Siri said.

"Who?" Vitani asked.

"Dalia." Siri answered.

"Oh, sorry." Vitani said.

Siri and Vitani stayed there for a few minutes before walking back towards Pride Rock.

"Thank you for taking me star gazing Siri. I can now see why Kiara likes it." Vitani said.

"Well I'm glad you liked it." Siri said.

"I've looked at stars with my nephews and niece, but I've never looked at the stars like this. You know I haven't felt this way in a long time." Vitani said.

Siri would have asked when she last felt this way, but he felt like he would be sorry if he did.

"Well I'm glad I could make you feel that way again, whatever it is." Siri said.

"You have no idea what that feeling is." Vitani said.

Vitani then nuzzled into Siri's mane, which surprised him greatly. Siri thought the thing he and Vitani were having was going on a little too rushed and smoothly, but it felt very natural for both of them. Siri and Vitani then began a romantic midnight walk through the Pride Lands. They danced and spun around in the starlight, scared some nocturnal animals, rolled down hills as they laughed, went to Timon and Pumbaa's home in the Pride Lands and gave them a rude awakening with small roars so that the pride didn't think that they were some threat. They were probably disturbing other animals, but they didn't care.

They even snuck into Janja's place, leaned down close to his ear and roared, causing Janja to wake up and cartoonishly jump out of his fur. The rest of Janja's clan also woke up to the sound of Siri and Vitani's roar.

"Those two lions are stupid for coming here, what the heck are they thinking?" Cheezi asked.

"Who cares, they're going to pay for waking me up. Even a hyena like me needs their beauty sleep. After 'em!" Janja ordered.

Chungu tried to get up to help his clan mates, but fell back down when white hot pain shot through his broken back.

"Man, that lousy Kion." Chungu complained.

As Siri and Vitani were escaping Janja and his hyenas, they tricked them into almost falling into a lava pit before escaping back into the Pride Lands, laughing at Janja and his clan's misfortune. Janja promised Siri and Vitani that he would get them one day as they escaped.

Such a feelin's comin' over me. There is wonder in 'most everything that I see. Not a cloud in the sky, got the sun in my eyes, and I won't be surprised if it's a dream. Everything I want the world to be is now comin' true especially for me and the reason is clear, it's because you are here. You're the nearest thing to heaven that I've seen. I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation, and the only explanation I can find is the love that I've found ever since you've been around. Your love's put me at the top of the world.

Unknown to Siri and Vitani, they were being watched by a certain baboon/mandrill. There was something strange about Siri. The only time Rafiki had seen Vitani this happy and carefree, was when Kopa was still alive, and Siri reminded him so much of Kopa, so very much.

"Hmm, peculiar, very peculiar." Rafiki observed.

Siri and Vitani were walking back towards Pride Rock after their romantic midnight walk.

"Let's do that again some other time." Vitani said.

"You got it… Big-ears." Siri said.

"Shut up." Vitani calmly said.

When Siri and Vitani went into the den they saw Kovu sitting near Kiara and their sons' sleeping forms. They saw that Talia was cradled in one of Kovu's paws and gently being rocked back and forth like a swing set. Kovu was humming to Talia that sounded something like 'daddy's little princess.'

"If you saw what Kovu was like a little over a year ago, you would have never imagined him like that." Vitani said.

"He's a good father, I can see that." Siri said.

"The only other time he's been this happy is the day the pride united and when he married Kiara." Vitani said.

"I'm sure." Siri said.

"He was very worried about being a father at first because of how he was raised." Vitani said.

"Well, he was wrong about being worried, because like I said, he's a good father." Siri said.

"He sure is." Vitani said.

With the day done, Siri and Vitani settled in for the night. Unknowingly Zuri was watching them.

"Why were they out so late? Could they... but no. But, I saw him first, and Vitani isn't in to romantic relationships." Zuri thought.

Chapter 17: Where the Pride Landers and Scarred Landers Play

Kovu woke up early, even earlier than Simba usually did. Ever since he and Simba had saved Siri from the Scarred Pride, he hadn't gotten much sleep. Kovu looked down and saw Kiara sleeping more peacefully then he had for past couple days. Kovu gently stroke her cheek with his paw. Kovu then noticed that Taka, Mufasa, and Talia were nowhere to be seen.

An icy chill went down Kovu's spine. Kovu frantically looked around the den for his children. Kovu was about to wake someone up before he saw his children outside the den.

"What are they doing out there without someone watching them?" Kovu thought.

Kovu walked out of the cave and was surprised to see what the day was like. The sky was grey and cloudy even though it was the dry season and there was a light drizzle of much welcomed rain. Kovu let the rain soak his fur and mane for a minute before continuing to walk over to his cubs. Kovu's children loved the rain, they even said that one day when they all had children that they were going to name them after something that had to do with rain or water. Kovu told Taka that Bluu would have to be alright with it though.

"What are you three doing out here?" Kovu asked as he sat down next to his children.

"It's raining, so were wetting our fur and manes." Mufasa said.

"Yeah, it may be a drizzle, but it sure is welcomed." Kovu said.

Kovu and his children stayed in silence in the rain for a few minutes.

"So, you three got any plans for today?" Kovu asked.

"Mufasa is going to spend some time with Uncle Kion, I'm going to spend time with Grandma Nala and Sarabi, and Taka wants to go on patrol with you." Talia said.

"Okay, but we just have to wait for everyone else to get up before we can do any of that." Kovu said.

The four of them waited in the rain for half an hour until everyone woke up. Everyone rejoiced at the drizzled rain. Simba and Kiara walked up to Kovu and the children and they all nuzzled each other.

"It's patrol time Kovu." Simba said.

"And I'm going to be joining." Kiara said.

"I am to, and I'm going with dad." Taka said.

"Hay, I want to come to." a voice said.

Everyone looked to see Bluu coming towards them.

"Ask your mother." Simba said.

"Already did, she said it was okay. I just gotta stay with either you or Kovu" Bluu said.

"It's true." Tojo, who was still trying to sleep near the den, shouted out.

"Taka, Bluu its dangerous with the Scarred Pride at large right now." Kiara said.

"Mom, we'll be okay as long as we're with dad or grandpa." Taka said.

"Dad, help me out on this." Kiara said.

"Come on grandpa, can we please go with you. What you and dad say goes, promise." Taka said.

"Yeah, I promise to." Bluu said.

Simba looked down at the two cubs. They reminded him so much of Nala and himself when they were cubs, except they didn't give the big, goofy, forced grins.

"You stay close to Kovu, Kiara, and me, and you can come, and if we run into trouble, run and hide." Simba said.

"Okay, we promise." Bluu said.

Simba looked to Kiara, she looked nothing to happy about the cubs coming along during the patrol with the threat of being attacked.

"They'd better come out of this unscratched." Kiara warned her father some-what jokingly.

"You two stay safe out there." Mufasa said to Taka and Bluu.

"You to." Taka said, placing a paw on his brother's shoulder.

"Don't get captured by the Scarred Pride or anything." Bluu added.

"You to." Mufasa said before walking off to find Uncle Kion.

As Simba, Kovu, Kiara and the cubs patrolled the borders they had decided to split up. Simba and Kiara were patrolling the borders into the Outlands and Kovu and the cubs were patrolling near the gorge. They were walking along the edge of the gorge, looking down towards it's floor for hyenas and lions whether they be Scarred Pride or an ordinary threat. They were happy to see that that there was no sign of any threats. They all decided to take a few minutes break.

"Well there's no threats. So far, so good." Kovu sighed.

"No body with any scars, well except you." Bluu said, looking at Kovu's faded scar.

"Hay, take that back." Kovu laughed, getting ready to pounce at his future daughter-in-law.

"Why should I?" Bluu asked, getting ready for a wrestle match.

"Bluu, my dad is three times your size. You'll never beat him." Taka said.

"I'll be the judge of that." Bluu said.

Bluu attacked Kovu, biting at his fight front paw. Kovu just grabbed Bluu with his left paw and pinned her on the ground.

"Told you so." Taka said.

Bluu was able to squirm out from under Kovu's paw and went to try and push him down.

"Wake me when it's over." Kovu said.

Bluu sighed, frustrated and sat in front of Kovu.

"Okay Mr. Heavy Mountain Man, try and knock me down." Bluu challenged.

Kovu bent his head down towards Bluu, took a deep breath and blew air at Bluu. Bluu fell flat on her back, causing Kovu and Taka to laugh.

"Well we checked the gorge from above, now let's check it from below." Kovu said.

The three walked down to the bottom of the gorge, patrolling it.

"I wonder exactly where my great grandfather fell?" Taka wondered out loud.

"Please don't speak of that while were walking in the exact same gorge he died." Bluu said.

"Sorry." Taka said.

The three continued to walk on for a bit, before deciding to turn around.

"Maybe with this rain grandpa will allow us to swim in the watering hole, at least for a few minutes." Taka said.

"Maybe." Kovu agreed.

As the three got to the walkway on the wall that lead out of the gorge they heard the sound of small rocks falling. Kovu turned around, unsheathed his claws, and growled, demanding who was out there to show themselves, but no answer came. Kovu walked towards the sound and looked for the source of the sound.

"Probably just some animal that accidently kicked some rocks of the edge of the ledge." Bluu suggested.

"But what kind of animal?" Taka asked.

Kovu and the cubs walked to the top by way of the rocky slope. When the trio got to the top, they were met with a nasty surprise. Lions and hyenas with many scars jumped into view. One lion struck Kovu across the face, sending rolling down the rocky slope.

"DAD!" Taka shouted as he ran towards Kovu.

Taka and Bluu quickly got to the bottom of the slope. Thankfully Kovu wasn't badly hurt, except for a few cuts where some of the rocks cut him, and some bruises.

"Dad, are you okay?" Taka asked.

"I'm fine." Kovu said.

Bluu looked to see two lions, one lioness, and four hyenas walk down the slope towards her and her friends.

"Kovu, what are we going to do? You can't fight all those lions and hyenas on your own." Bluu said.

"Taka, take Bluu and go find someone to help. I'll keep them from chasing after you." Kovu said.

"Okay dad, just stay safe." Taka said.

"And be quick." Kovu said.

Meanwhile Simba and Kiara were patrolling the borders of the Outlands. They had come across one of Janja's hyenas, but they easily scared it off. Other than that, they saw no threat of the Scarred Pride. Kiara kept worrying about her son being out here, even if he was with Kovu, who was the strongest lion he knew.

"I really hope that Taka, Kovu and Bluu are okay." Kiara said.

"Kovu is a strong lion Kiara. As long as Taka and Bluu are with him, they'll be fine." Simba reassured his daughter.

"I know, I just can't help but worry for them." Kiara said.

"Well now you know how I felt before Kovu came into the picture and the both of you brought the Pride Landers and Outlanders together." Simba said, trying not to laugh.

Zazu suddenly landed in front of Simba and Kiara.

"Good morning Zazu." Simba and Kiara both said.

"Good day sire, and uh… Kiara." Zazu said, remembering that Kiara hated being addressed by her title.

"Thank you." Kiara said, happy that Zazu remembered to address her by her name instead of her title.

"Is there anything wrong Zazu?" Simba asked.

"No, but Rafiki is asking for you." Zazu said.

"What is it he need?" Simba asked.

"I don't know, he just kept saying that something was very peculiar." Zazu said.

"Well I guess we need to take a trip to Rafiki's tree." Simba said.

"Race you there." Kiara challenged.

Simba and Kiara raced in the direction of Rafiki's tree, nearly trampling Zazu.

"Hay! Small guy here!" Zazu snapped, waving his wing like a fist at Kiara and Simba.

Simba and Kiara soon got to Rafiki's tree, with Kiara winning the race there.

"Beat ya!" Kiara said as she won.

"Alright, you can rub it in my face later. Rafiki needs to see us." Simba said.

Simba and Kiara climbed the tree as best they could. They both found Rafiki looking at paintings of Simba's family.

"You asked for us Rafiki?" Simba asked.

"Yes, I did. I just recently sensed something very peculiar." Rafiki said.

"What is it?" Kiara asked.

"Siri." Rafiki said.

"What about him?" Simba asked.

"I saw him with Vitani last night. He made her very happy, the happiest she's been in a long time." Rafiki said.

"What do you mean by that?" Kiara asked.

"He made her happy like Kopa once made her happy. It's very peculiar." Rafiki said.

Rafiki moved away a branch to show Kopa's faded painting.

"I have asked the great kings to give me an answer of who Siri is with his amnesia that you told me about yesterday Simba, but they've told Rafiki nothing." Rafiki said.

"You're saying that Siri reminds you of Kopa?" Kiara asked.

"Yes, very much. I tried to find out if it was him, but I couldn't catch his scent like I caught yours during Scar's reign, Simba." Rafiki said.

"Are you saying that you think that Siri might be Kopa?" Kiara asked, sounding kind of hopeful.

"Rafiki doesn't know. He looks like what Kopa would look like at his age and Kopa's body was never recovered. As Rafiki has said, very peculiar, very." Rafiki said.

"I don't mean to sound rude Rafiki, but thinking Siri is Kopa, that's ridiculous." Simba said.

"You could be right Simba. Like I said, I couldn't catch Kopa scent, Kopa's body could have been picked at by scavengers. Very peculiar and confusing." Rafiki said.

"Maybe we should talk to him about it?" Kiara suggested.

"No Kiara. I don't want to pester Siri with false hopes that he's Kopa." Simba said.

"But, dad, what if there's a possibility that Siri is Kopa? He has amnesia, Siri isn't his real name, and like Rafiki said, Siri looks like what Kopa would look like at this age, those Scar could have come from Zira. Besides, everyone thought you were dead for years, and look where we are today." Kiara explained.

"That was a different situation Kiara. Back than there were no witness who were our allies at the time I disappeared. And Vitani told me about what Kopa looked like after Zira attacked him. He had cuts all over his body and Zira threw him into the raging river during a tempest storm while he was unconscious. If your in a raging river while unconscious, it's very unlikely you'll survive, and if he somehow did survive, he either bleed to death or was picked off by scavengers like Rafiki said. And also just because he looks like Kopa doesn't mean he is. Look me for example, I look almost exactly like my father did when he was alive, but obviously I'm not him." Simba explained.

Kiara thought about how Simba explained it. Rafiki was the wisest animal in the Pride Lands, possibly the world and he couldn't sense Kopa's presence. Also the possibilities that Simba explained how Kopa could have died made since. Just because Siri's story and physical appearance fitted together didn't mean that he was Kopa. Though the chance was very slim sounding, there was a possibility that Siri's story was just a very strange coincidence.

"Yeah, I hate to admit it, but it does make some form since." Kiara said, letting go of her high hopes.

A roar suddenly echoed through the air.

"That was Kovu!" Kiara exclaimed.

Kiara jumped down from the tree and ran in the direction of Kovu's roar. Simba followed closely behind Kiara. Rafiki watched the father and daughter run off, before he looked back to Kopa's faded drawing.

"Did he survive?" Rafiki asked, hoping to somehow get an answer, but got none.

Taka and Bluu ran as fast as their legs could carry them. They were hoping to find someone to help them with the Scarred Pride lions and hyenas. Unknown to them, they were about to run into a trap set for them. Three hyenas were watching them run closer from a bunch of bushes. One of the hyenas, who was a female couldn't help but chuckle evilly as their victims came closer.

"Let's pounce on 'em boys!" the female hyena said.

The three hyenas jumped Taka and Bluu as they passed. The three hyenas wrestled them to the ground.

"Let me go! I know my rights!" Bluu shouted.

"You have the right to shut your mouth!" the female hyena said.

The female hyena clamped Bluu's muzzle with her paw, preventing her from screaming any further. Taka noticed his friend getting attacked and tried to run to her rescue.

"Hay, let her go you dog!" Taka angrily shouted.

"Who you calling dog!?" one of the male hyenas demanded.

The hyena slapped Taka across the face. Taka was sent flying a couple feet and the hyena grabbed him in his paws. Taka was about to scream for help, but the hyena clamped it's paw around Taka's muzzle, and wrapped another arm around him. The hyenas laughed in delight at catching their captives. Taka tried to squirm out of the hyena's grip, but he couldn't.

He and Bluu were as good as dead. The female hyena came into Taka's view.

"No use fighting it kid, we got you now." the female hyena said, giving Taka a creepy sideways smile.

"Yeah, try to escape and crack, crack, carckity, crack, snap, I'll snap your neck, and Shenzi will do the same to your girlfriend there" the hyena holding Taka said.

"Wait a minute… Shenzi!?" Taka thought.

Taka looked at the female more closely, she had bangs hanging over her face.

"Banzai, you know the orders! We're to capture them not kill them. Oh boy, you're so lucky I'm holding onto this lion cub right now, or I'd slap you upside the head!" Shenzi snapped.

"Banzai?" Taka thought.

Taka was able to get a good enough look at the hyena holding him. He had large, heavy, bushy eyebrows.

"Hay, I remember the orders! I was just trying to give them a scare!" Banzai snapped.

Taka heard the third hyena speak in a language of gibberish, laughs, and giggles.

"No Ed! We can't 'just take a mouthful of them'." Shenzi said.

"ED?" Taka thought.

Taka looked to the third and final hyena. He had a big goofy, dumb grin on his face, his eyes seemed unable to focus, his tongue was lolling out of his mouth, and he had two round cuts in his ears. Taka couldn't believe it, these were the hyenas from his grandfather's stories. Everyone had thought they died in the fire that almost entirely consumed the Pride Lands when Scar's reign came to an end, but here they were were alive and whole.

"Alright boys, let's gag 'em and get back." Shenzi said.

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed took some vines, tied them around Taka and Bluu's muzzles and claws, picked the cubs up in their jaws by their mid-sections, and began to walk back to the gorge. When they got to the gorge, two lions had Kovu, who was only half-conscious pinned down. Kovu caught sight of Taka and Bluu being held capture by the hyenas. This fueled him with a fury he hadn't had since the day his mother sent him on his mission to avenge Scar. With surprising strength, he pushed the lion off and ran to his son and future daughter-in-law's rescue.

"Let go of them!" Kovu said before mercilessly beating-up Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed.

Once the hyenas were taken care of he grabbed Taka and Bluu and ran for it.

"Don't let 'em go!" a lioness shouted.

Kovu ran as fast as he could up the gorge, but he was getting nowhere fast with Taka and Bluu on his back. Kovu pushed some big loose rocks down the slope to slow down his pursuers. Once the Scarred Pride was delayed he began to run up the slope again. Kovu almost made it to the top, but was blocked by a single lion, and when Kovu saw the lion blocking his escape, he gasped. This lion had grey-brown/orange fur, blood red eyes, he was nearly bone thin, he had a scraggly black goatee, and what could barely be considered a mane.

Kovu felt like he had just seen a ghost, in fact he had seen a ghost.

"Nuka?" Kovu said, his voice full of fear.

"Did ya miss me?" Nuka asked.

Before Kovu could think or even react, Nuka knocked him down the slope, causing him and the cubs to slip into a world of blackness.

Chaper 18: Nuka What A Guy!

"Kovu, Taka, Bluu where are you!?" Kiara shouted as she and her father searched in and around the gorge for Kovu and the cubs.

Kiara and Simba looked high and low for them, but they couldn't find them. Kiara paced back and forth with worry. Simba tried to calm Kiara down. He told her that they would get the Lion Guard to have Ono and Zazu search for them from the sky, to have Jasiri track them down through scent, and for Vitani to use her tracking skills. Kiara began to calm down, but she was still very worried.

Simba and Kiara went to Pride Rock and got everyone to search for them. Jasiri had tracked Kovu and the cubs scent for a while, but the scent ended when she came to a river about three miles outside the gorge, and Vitani couldn't find any prints along the river, left or right. Ono couldn't spot Kovu or the cubs and their captors anywhere. Kiara began to freak out again, saying that she should have been with Kovu, Taka and Bluu. Mufasa and Talia began to worry for their father, brother and their friend as much as Kiara was.

"Grandpa, is mom, dad, Taka and Bluu going to be okay?" Mufasa had asked Simba.

"Don't worry Fasa, we'll find them soon, I promise. You and your sister go take care of your mother." Simba said.

Simba went to sit on the edge of Pride Rock. He angrily scratched his claws into the stone.

"Simba." Sarabi's voice came.

Simba looked to see his mother walking towards him.

"How could I have been so stupid? I set regulations for no one to travel alone, yet I trusted that Kovu would be fine on his own. Why didn't I follow the new rules I put in?" Simba said.

"I'm worried about them to Simba, but don't start blaming yourself. You need to keep a clear head in order to find them." Sarabi said.

"But how will we find them? We haven't found any trace of them. No scent, no tracks, no clues, no nothing." Simba said.

Simba looked to the setting sun. The sky was blood red, and it made Simba's skin tingle.

"Make way ladies, meerkat and warthog coming through. We got a pal who needs cheering up." Timon's voice came through.

Sarabi turned to Simba and gave him a quick nuzzle before walking off. Timon and Pumbaa walked up to Simba.

"Hay, pal. Why the long face?" Timon asked.

Simba growled.

"Whoa, sorry pal, poor choice of words." Timon said.

"I told you not to say that." Pumbaa said.

"Yeah, I can see that." Timon said.

"What is it you guys?" Simba asked.

"Well we heard about Kovu and the cubs, and we thought you needed some cheering up." Timon said.

"So, we gathered some bugs, there all your favorites." Pumbaa said.

"And it was all my idea." Timon said.

"No, it wasn't." Pumbaa said.

"Well Pumbaa told me the idea right before I could say it." Timon said.

"I appreciate it you guys, but I don't really feel like it right now." Simba said.

"Are you sure, we had to fight off some really nasty birds to gather most of these bugs. One of them almost pecked both my eyes out." Timon said.

"There's those caterpillars that you love so much." Pumbaa said.

"I feel grateful you guys, but I just can't right now. I need to focus on finding Kovu and the cubs right now and to make sure Kiara is alright with the state she's in now." Simba said.

Simba walked off to check on Kiara, leaving both his best friends dumbfounded.

"That's strange, mentioning the caterpillars usually drives him crazy." Pumbaa said.

"Oh, forget what drives Simba crazy Pumbaa, I nearly got my eyes pecked out by a bunch of stupid birds to get bugs for Simba to make him feel better just to have him turn them down like that." Timon said.

"Well he's under a lot a stress right now with Kovu, Taka, and Bluu being captured by those Scarred Pride lions and hyenas right now." Pumbaa said.

"Scarred Pride, Shmarred Pride! What the heck happened to our good ol' Hakuna Matata days with Simba?" Timon said.

"Nala happened." Pumbaa answered.

Vitani was at the gorge, trying to look for any signs of which way the Scarred Pride had escaped. Her nose wasn't as good as a hyena's, but if she could get a scent, at least it would be something. Vitani had been looking for hours but couldn't find anything, it was as if Kovu, the cubs, and their captors had vanished into thin air. Siri had come to find Vitani all alone in the gorge.

"Vitani, what are you doing out here alone? It's dangerous." Siri said.

Vitani was usually very closed off about her feelings, but Siri made her feel like she could open up. In worry for her brother, nephew and his friend, Vitani ran up to Siri and threw one of her forearms around him. Siri was surprised at first, but he soon understood her worry for them, just like his worry about Dalia. Siri wrapped his forearm around Vitani as well.

"Don't worry, they're going to be okay. We'll find them." Siri said.

"I hope so." Vitani said.

"Kion, we've already looked here. There's no trace of those Scarred Pride lions and hyenas." Fuli said.

"We gave up on the search too early. We didn't search good enough, there's got to be some clue here." Kion said, his voice clearly showed that he was tired.

Kion and the Lion Guard had been searching near the river outside of the gorge for most of the night. The sun was going to start rising in less than three hours. Kion was determined in finding Kovu and the cubs more than anything else in his life.

"Jasiri make sure you sniff every inch of the river for a scent." Kion said.

"But I already have Kion, three times." Jasiri said.

"And I'm surprised your nose has still got some sniff in it." Bunga said, rubbing his eyes free of tiredness. "Kion, I don't know how much longer I can stay awake."

"What? We've been up later than this before. Jasiri try to sniff out a scent again, we can't leave until we find a scent, or something." Kion said.

"Kion, we would have found a trace if there was any. I'm sorry, but we should go back home, and try to get some sleep." Beshte said.

"We can't just stop the…" Kion began to say before Fuli interrupted him.

"Kion everyone is tired, so are you, and Beshte is right, there's no trace here. Let's go back home, get some sleep, and when we all have our energy back we'll check in another area." Fuli said.

"Yeah, I feel that if I stay up any longer I might fall asleep while flying." Ono said.

Kion grunted with anger. He didn't want to stop looking, but his friends were right. Jasiri had sniffed for a scent three times, and if there was any trace of the Scarred Pride lions and hyenas they would have found it by now. He was already pushing his friends too hard, and to push them any further would be cruel to them.

"You're right, let's go home." Kion sighed.

Bunga came up to Kion and put a paw on his shoulder.

"You know Kovu, he's a survivor, they'll be okay." Bunga said.

"Bunga is right Kion, have faith." Jasiri said.

"Yeah, I suppose I need to put a little more faith in Kovu." Kion said.

EARLIER THAT DAY:

After Nuka pushed Kovu down the slope, knocking him and the cubs out, the Scarred Pride lions and hyenas grabbed them and carried them off. The largest and strongest of the Scarred Pride lions carried Kovu on his back, Shenzi grabbed Taka by his mid-section, and Banzai grabbed Bluu by her mid-section. The Scarred Pride members than began to walk out of the gorge. They came to a river a few miles outside the gorge. The lions and hyenas walked into the river and walked through it for half the day to throw anyone who was following them off their trail.

After they all got out of the river they continued on their way to their home, the Scarred Lands. The Scarred Lands were deep in the jungle oasis, beyond a swamp, in a black land with little vegetation and trees, and most of the trees and vegetation already there was dead.

Hours later Taka began to regain consciousness. Not noticing that he was being held in Shenzi's jaws, he yawned and stretched out him legs.

"Stop squirming!" Shenzi snapped.

Taka gasped after he heard Shenzi's voice, any tiredness he previously had was gone. Taka looked to see Shenzi's jaws around his mid-section. Taka began tried squirm out of Shenzi's jaws, but he just ended up hurting himself on her sharp teeth.

"Like I said back near the gorge, there's no use fighting it kitty. Your ours now." Shenzi said.

"Let me go!" Taka demanded.

"No can do princey." came Banzai's voice.

Taka looked to see Bluu still asleep in Banzai's jaws.

"You'd better not hurt her!" Taka demanded.

Ed came up into Taka face, laughing and giggling.

"Yeah, Ed's right. You're not in a position to make demands." Banzai said.

"Where's my dad?" Taka asked.

"Oh, you mean my brother?" a voice said.

Taka looked behind him to see the lion who pushed his dad down the slope, with a smug grin on his face. Taka remembered that his dad called this lion 'Nuka.' Kovu had told Taka that he once had a brother named Nuka, and that he died. His dad however seemed shocked once he saw this lion, and this lion had also just called his dad 'brother.'

"Who are you?" Taka asked.

"Nuka, but you can just call me 'Uncle.'" Nuka said, pushing his face into Taka's.

Taka gagged, Nuka smelled of urine, dung, and many other bad smells. Taka wondered when Nuka had last had a bath.

"Aunt Shenzi, let me hold my cute little termite jr. of a nephew." Nuka said.

Nuka's hot, smelly breath stank of rotten meat so much that it caused Taka to gag even more.

"Sure Nuka, here you go kiddo." Shenzi said.

Nuka grabbed Taka around his mid-section and began carrying him.

"Where's my dad?" Taka asked.

"Relax, Little Termite Jr., I'm taking you to him." Nuka said.

"You know, you shouldn't talk with your mouth full." Taka mocked.

"Put a coconut in it!" Nuka mocked back.

Nuka walked towards the other lions and hyenas of the Scarred Pride. Taka noticed that Nuka, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed didn't have any scars on them, but the rest of the lions and hyenas of the group did. Some had more scars than others, some looked like they've had them since cubhood, some looked new gotten from days ago, some were even missing one of their eyes, one or even both ears, toes, and half their tails. Nuka brought Taka to the front of the group where the leader was carrying his father. The leader had creamy, almost white colored fur, pale-blonde mane, ghostly blue eyes, he had the face and mane structure of his great grandfather Mufasa, but the facial features of his great-great uncle Scar, and even though he was part of the Scarred Pride, he had only two scars on him.

This lion had a scar over his left eye and the other on his right shoulder.

"Wraith." Nuka said.

Wraith looked to Nuka with an annoyed look on his face.

"What?" Wraith asked.

"This cub wants to see my brother." Nuka said.

"Why should I care?" Wraith asked.

Nuka shrunk back in fright.

"Because he's his son, and my nephew." Nuka said with a shaky voice.

"Well as you can see, your brother is kind of taking a nap." Wraith said.

"Well uh, then uh, then wake him up." Nuka said.

"You wake him up." Wraith said.

Wraith threw Kovu's body at Nuka, who screamed as got trapped his brother's body and letting go of Taka, who was grabbed by Wraith before he could start running.

"Somebody get him off me." Nuka said as he tried to push Kovu's body off him.

Everyone except Wraith, Shenzi, Banzai, Ed and Taka laughed at Nuka's weakness. Kovu began to stir and wake up. Kovu groaned and clutched his head with one paw.

"What day is it? Oh Kiara, I had the most craziest dream. I dreamt I saw my brother alive." Kovu groaned.

Kovu than caught a glimpse of Nuka. Kovu screamed, which caused Nuka to scream. Kovu got up and tried to run away, but some Scarred Pride lions blocked him.

"Where do you think, you're going?" a lion asked.

A lion punched Kovu under the jaw, sending him to the ground. The Scarred Pride lions and hyenas gathered around Kovu, laughing at him. Kovu looked around at the lions and hyenas, he saw Bluu unconscious in Banzai's jaws, and he saw Taka in Wraith's jaws. Kovu growled angrily at Wraith and got up to attack him. Wraith reacted fast, he punched Kovu in the side of his head, then in the center of the stomach with full force.

Kovu groaned and coughed up some blood from the blow to his stomach.

"Whoa, talk about a stomach ache." Shenzi said, which caused almost everyone to laugh.

Kovu looked back at Wraith at glared.

"Your son here, you love him, don't you?" Wraith asked.

"Of course, I do." Kovu said.

"Then you won't fight back." Wraith said.

Kovu groaned in defeat. He knew that if he tried to fight back, Wraith could and would easily kill Taka, and his friends would then do the same to Bluu. Kovu stood up and looked into Wraith's ghostly blue eyes.

"Let's just get going." Kovu said.

"Smart boy." a lioness said

The pride walked on for a few more hours. Kovu didn't dare risk fight for his, his son's, and Bluu's freedom, but he stayed near Wraith and Taka. Lions and hyenas kept mocking Kovu, encouraging him to fight back, just so they could see Wraith bite Taka in two. Bluu had woken up a while ago and ferociously fought against Banzai to escape. Bluu managed to angle her body enough to bite Banzai on the snout.

Banzai dropped Bluu, and she ran for it. Nuka quickly ran after Bluu, he pounced at her and caught her.

"Gotcha!" Nuka said.

Bluu screamed and bit Nuka's nose. Nuka screamed in pain, and Bluu ran off again, shouting for help. Nuka quickly caught up to Bluu again. Nuka grabbed Bluu roughly by her scruff with his paw and brought her face within inches of his.

"Try to scream, or shout, or bite me again and I'll gag you!" Nuka angrily snapped.

"Baby." Bluu said, sticking her tongue out at Nuka.

"What!? Oh yeah, well uh, big baby!" Nuka said, sticking his tongue out at Bluu.

Bluu and Nuka than began a war of calling each other different baby names and sticking their tongues out at each other.

"Bigger baby!" Bluu said.

"Giant baby!" Nuka said.

"Enormous baby!" Bluu said.

"Humongous baby!" Nuka said.

"Colossal baby!" Bluu said.

"Am not!" Nuka snapped.

"Are to!" Bluu said.

"Am not!" Nuka said.

"Are to!" Bluu said.

"Am not!" Nuka said.

"Are to!" Bluu said.

"Am not!" Nuka said.

"You're both acting like a couple of babies!" a hyena said.

Wraith suddenly stopped. The Scarred Pride members stopped as well, waiting for Wraith's orders.

"We rest here for the night." Wraith ordered.

"What about these three?" Banzai asked.

"You, Shenzi, Ed, and Nuka will guard them, and you'd better not screw up!" Wraith said.

"When was the last time we screwed up, and by we, I mean me." Shenzi said.

Wraith just growled at Shenzi. The Scarred Pride settled down for the night, Nuka, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed were guarding Kovu, and the cubs. Kovu kept looking at Nuka.

"How?" Kovu asked Nuka.

"How what, you little termite?" Nuka asked.

"How did you survive? We all saw you get crushed by those logs." Kovu said.

"Oh, well you see, the funniest thing happened. You see, some logs fell beside me in just the right areas to where they saved me from getting crushed. I got hit on the head pretty hard by something though, and I thought I was dying, and all the coughing I did was from dust that got caught in my throat, but long story short, I got really, really lucky." Nuka explained.

Kovu facepawed himself.

"Typical Nuka, being overdramatic as always." Kovu thought to himself.

"You mean you were perfectly alright when those logs fell on you, but you got hit on he head, dust in your throat, and acted like you were dying? Don't you think you were being overdramatic about it?" Taka asked.

"Hay, do you know what dying by having your guts squeezed out by a bunch of logs falling on you feels like? Of course you don't, because it's impossible for someone to experience that and live!" Nuka angrily stated

"Alright, now back to the subject. So, soon after the Outlanders left, and before the flood, me, Banzai, and Ed found him and got him out of those logs. Isn't that right my little surrogate nephew." Shenzi said, starting to tickle Nuka's sides.

"HA! NO, AUNT SHENZI STOP! UNCLE BANZAI, UNCLE ED, HELP!" Nuka begged.

"Why is Uncle Nuka calling those three uncle and aunt?" Taka asked his dad.

Ed noticing Taka's question tried to answer it, but Taka couldn't understand him.

"What the heck did he say?" Taka asked.

"Ed answered your question. He said that we basically raised Nuka, because your grandmother Zira forced us to." Banzai said.

"Yeah, it started when she was done breast feeding him. Would you like to hear the story?" Shenzi asked.

"Um, no!" Bluu said.

"Well tough beans, I'm telling it anyway!" Shenzi said.

FLASHBACK:

It's was little over a year into Scar's reign as the Pride Lands' new king. The Pride Lands only had half of the vegetation it used to have, the water was murky, making fresh water scarce. The hyenas forced the lionesses to overhunt by threatening their cubs, which caused multiple bloody fights sometimes resulting in death of a hyena or a lioness. Scar was in the main den, gorging himself with a zebra's carcass.

"Now this is living, eh Zazu." Scar said, tossing bones at Zazu in his ribcage cage.

"This is a living nightmare." Zazu said quietly so Scar wouldn't hear him.

Scar of course heard Zazu, but didn't respond, he was too interested in his zebra. Scar wondered why he hadn't eaten Zazu, the hornbill was annoying. On the other paw, it was fun to torture and scare the hornbill from time to time.

"What should I have my dogs have my lionesses catch next?" Scar wondered out loud.

Scar was about to call for Shenzi to tell the lionesses to hunt for him, but before he got up a voice called him.

"SCAR!" Zira's voice shouted.

"Yes, my sweet little kitty?" Scar asked flirtiously as we walked towards the sound of Zira's voice.

Scar saw that Zira was carrying Nuka in her jaws. Scar groaned, he completely hated the young cub. Nuka was only a month old, but it already seemed to be his mission in life to annoy Scar and Zira. Scar so wanted to feed Nuka to the hyenas, but Zira wouldn't allow it.

"This is about Nuka, isn't it?" Scar asked.

"I was giving him his milk and he bit me. That's the sixtieth time in four days." Zira said.

"How am I supposed to help fix that, he's too young to wean. I can't magically make it time for him to be weaned, and we can't just squeeze milk out of you and put it in something to have Nuka drink from it like you would drink water from the watering hole." Scar said.

"Well I'm not giving him his milk anymore… Yeow!" Zira screamed as Nuka bit her, trying to get milk.

Zira grabbed Nuka and tossed him aside.

"Call one of your hyenas, have them breast feed him." Zira demanded.

Scar took a moment to look at Zira with a look of disgust on his face. Zira wanted him to have one of the hyenas breast feed Nuka instead of a lioness. Scar was about to call for one of the lionesses, but he than thought of something. He didn't know what the difference between lion and hyena milk was, but he hoped that there was difference enough to where Nuka wouldn't get what he needed from hyena milk and would die.

"SHENZI!" Scar screamed at the top of his lungs.

Shenzi came running into the main den.

"Yes Scar?" Shenzi asked.

"Take Nuka." Scar said, handing Shenzi, Nuka.

"What do you want me to do with him?" Shenzi asked, taking Nuka in her jaws.

"You are to breast feed him until he's old enough to be weaned." Zira said.

"Say what!?" Shenzi exclaimed.

"Maybe you didn't hear Zira, so let me make it clear. Nuka, breast feed, now!" Scar said.

"Do I look like a mother lion to you?" Shenzi asked Scar and Zira.

"Shenziiiiiiiiii!" Scar snapped.

"Alright, alright." Shenzi said, quickly running out of the den with Nuka.

Shenzi was angrily mumbling to herself as she walked away from the den.

"That Scar has got a lot of nerve." Shenzi mumbled angrily.

Many hyenas looked at Shenzi as she passed them.

"Is Scar and Zira finally done with that kid, can he finally be eaten?" a hyena asked another.

"If so, why does Shenzi get him?" another hyena asked

"Oh, man does Nuka look tasty." another hyena said.

"Yeah, a real delicacy." another hyena said.

"Oh, come on. I haven't had lion cub in years." another hyena said.

"Most of us have never even had lion cub." another hyena said.

Shenzi came to a small cave near Pride Rock. This small cave was where she, Banzai, and Ed lived. As Shenzi entered she saw Ed chewing on a bone, and Banzai was laying on his back, with his paws on his bloated stomach. Banzai grabbed a bone near him and started using it as a toothpick.

"Ed, I'm telling ya, this is a meal dream come true. Next time were going to have rotisserie-style zebra with maybe a bit of jerk seasoning, if we can find some somewhere." Banzai said.

"Jerk seasoning." Ed said in his own language.

Banzai than caught sight of Shenzi.

"Shenzi, you just missed out on the beast tasting zebra that I've probably ever a…" Banzai stopped in midsentence as he saw Nuka. "Shenzi what are you doing with Nuka?" Banzai asked.

"Shut up!" was all that Shenzi said.

"Oh, boy can we eat him?" Ed asked in his own language as he saw Nuka.

Shenzi back-pawed Ed. Ed rubbed his face and looked at Shenzi with a face that read 'what was that for?' Banzai began to once again ask Shenzi why she had Nuka, but suddenly stopped when he saw Nuka suck at Shenzi for milk, and Shenzi allowing him to do so.

"What the heck?" Banzai said in disbelief.

"Shenzi why are you giving Nuka milk?" Ed asked in his own language.

"I said shut up!" Shenzi said, once again slapping Ed.

Ed ran to the other end of the cave, whimpering and with his tail between his legs.

"If you guys must know, Zira is sick of feeding this kid his milk, and so she and Scar forced me to feed him his milk." Shenzi said.

"You don't look like a mother lion to me." Banzai said.

"That's exactly what I told them!" Shenzi said.

END OF FLASHBACK:

"You mean you breast fed him?" Bluu asked.

"Yep." Shenzi answered.

"Mom always use to say that I sucked 'my stupidity' out of Shenzi as well as milk, when ever I did something that she viewed as stupid, dumb, idiotic, or something similar sounding to those words." Nuka explained.

Bluu covered her mouth and gaged. Bluu than broke the fourth wall by looking at the author with a look that said 'What the -bleep- is wrong with you?'

"And then a couple weeks later, poof. We ran into Wraith out somewhere in the desert when we decided to look for better lands, because we were finally sick of being in the graveyard for multiple reasons, and here we are." Nuka said.

"The Scarred Pride life is a horrible life, but least we have our cool cat back." Banzai said, looking at Nuka and laughing at his own pun.

"Nuka what a guy." Shenzi said.

"Sing it!" Ed said in his own language.

Shenzi, Banzai, Ed and Nuka began to sing.

"Nuka what a guy." Shenzi sang.

"How he does things is the way." Banzai sang.

"Me and Uncle Banzai, use to be the birdie boiler kings back in the day when Scar was king." Nuka sang.

"Back in those days you and me use send Mufasa's Little Stooge on a one-way trip to the sky." Banzai said.

"Oh yeah, Nuka what a guy." Ed sang in his own language.

"We hated this guy once, but now we love him like a son." Shenzi sang.

The music comes to a sudden stop. Nuka jumped into Shenzi's paws.

"Oh, can I call you mommy and daddy?" Nuka asked hopefully.

"Don't push it." Shenzi said.

The music starts again.

"Like I was saying…We hated him at first, but now we love the guy like a son." Shenzi sang.

"And because I'm the guy." Nuka sang

"But Uncle Banzai loves ya more. How can this old hyena laugh without ya?" Banzai sang.

"Oh yeah, Nuka what a guy! Nuka, that's me, and I'm such a guy." Nuka sang.

"Nuka what a guy!" Shenzi and Banzai sang.

"When Simba came back he turned our foursome into a threesome again." Banzai continued to sing.

"But now, right here many years later we all became a foursome again." Shenzi sang.

"Now we have our lion pal back." Ed sang in his own language.

"We can't be the laughing hyenas that we are without you Nuka, because your our guy." Shenzi sang.

"Well there's no need to worry about that, because look out world, Nuka is back!" Nuka sang.

"Oh yeah, Nuka what a guy! Nuka he's our guy! Nuka, he's the guy! Nuka, what a guy!" all four of them sang.

"Oh yeah!" Nuka said.

"Boy, they sing terribly." Bluu whispered to Taka and Kovu.

"What a bunch of A-holes." Taka said.

"Taka, language!" Kovu said.

"I only said 'A' dad." Taka said.

"You and I both know what that letter means." Kovu said.

Chapter 19: The Scarred Lands

A few days have passed since Kovu, Taka, and Bluu were abducted by the Scarred Pride. Everyone was still looking for some clue on where the Scarred Pride was going, Simba had even sent small groups of lionesses to search outside the Pride Lands, but they always came back fruitless. No one wanted to give up in the search, but everyone was starting to lose hope in finding their future king, their prince and his future mate. Kiara stayed in the den 24/7 hoping that someone would come to her, telling her that they found her mate, son, and future daughter-in-law. She was so worried that she had barley been sleeping or eating.

Simba had a few times tried to get Kiara to come out of the den, but she refused to do anything. Simba had never seen Kiara like this, and it made him feel worried, and so guilty. Simba was trying to get Kiara to come out of the den, and go on morning patrol with him, Tojo, and Chumvi, but Kiara still refused him.

"No, I got to stay here so everyone knows where to look for me if they find any trace of Kovu and the cubs." Kiara said.

"Alright, come find me later if you want to talk." Simba said before walking over to his friends.

"I guess Kiara now knows how you felt about her every day until she and Kovu united the prides." Chumvi said.

"Shut up Chumvi. Don't say things like that in front of Simba when Kiara is like this." Tojo said.

"Come on, let's move out and patrol the borders." Simba said to his friends.

As the three lions walked down the step-like stones of Pride Rock, they caught sight of Vitani and Siri. Through all that had been happening the past few days, Vitani was finding comfort in Siri's company, and the two had gotten closer. The two greeted Simba, Tojo, and Chumvi as they passed.

"Hay, Simba is Kiara okay?" Siri asked.

"Still in the den." Simba said as he looked at the den.

"Okay, well good luck on your patrol with Tojo and Chumvi." Vitani said.

Simba, Tojo, and Chumvi walked off to patrol. Vitani looked to Siri.

"Let's go talk to her." Vitani said.

"Right behind you." Siri said.

Vitani and Siri walked up the rest of the way up Pride Rock and saw Kiara lying near Pride Rock's ledge. Vitani and Siri walked up to her.

"Kiara." Vitani said.

"Yes?" Kiara asked.

"You doing okay… Ugh, sorry, dumb question." Siri said, scolding himself.

"It's okay." Kiara said.

"I know you want to stay at Pride Rock, but will you please go to the watering hole with us?" Vitani asked, hoping Kiara would say yes.

Kiara looked at Vitani and Siri. She wanted to stay in Pride Rock, but knew she had to clear her head. She knew patrolling with her father wouldn't help her feel better, but maybe a trip to the watering hole would.

"I guess I could use a trip to the watering hole." Kiara sighed.

Kiara got up and followed Vitani and Siri towards the watering hole.

"I'm glad she decided to come with us." Siri whispered to Vitani.

"So am I, 'cause she sure could use someone right now." Vitani said, glancing at Kiara.

When they got to the watering hole, Kiara laid down on a rock. Vitani looked at Kiara, she just looked so depressed. Vitani had been hoping that coming to the watering hole would lighten her sister-in-law's spirit. Vitani then got an idea. Vitani got into the watering hole, plunged under the water, and swam towards Kiara's rock.

When Vitani got to Kiara's rock, she shot out and pulled Kiara into the water. Kiara screamed as she was pulled in. Kiara and Vitani wrestled around for a bit, and just as she hoped, Kiara soon began to laugh.

"Mission accomplished." Siri said to himself.

After a few minutes of wrestling around, Kiara and Vitani pulled themselves out of the water.

"Oh my gosh, that was so much f…" Kiara said before Timon suddenly appeared in front of her face.

"BOO!" Timon shouted.

Kiara screamed and fell back into the water.

"Timon, what the heck!?" Vitani snapped.

"Me and Pumbaa came to cheer Simba's daughter up, so we thought we'd drop by and say, well 'BOO." Timon said.

"Too late, Vitani already beat you two to the punch." Siri said.

"Ahh, dang it!" Timon complained, kicking up lose dirt.

"Well does anyone still got a joke that Kiara will laugh at?" Pumbaa asked.

"Oh, I got one: Who's got two thumbs and taught Simba about Hakuna Matata? This guy!" Timon said.

Everyone just stared at Timon, and it was so quiet that they could hear the crickets chirping.

"That wasn't a joke, this is a joke: I stayed up all night wondering where the sun went. Then it dawned on me." Siri said.

Kiara and everyone else began to laugh at Siri's joke.

"Wait, wait I got more. What did the green grape say to the purple grape? Breathe you idiot! A female hyena is walking through the savannah, another hyena sees her and says 'Hi Ena!' What does a male pirate call a female pirate?" Siri asked.

"What?" Vitani asked

"His mate." Siri said.

Everyone laughed.

"Wait I got some more. 'You're so pointless the triangle said to the circle. I once heard a joke about amnesia, but I forgot how it goes." Siri said.

Siri than gasped after he said his amnesia joke.

"That last one was a bad one." Siri said, thinking about his amnesia.

"Up for a little hunt anybody?" Vitani quickly asked.

"I know just what we can hunt." Siri said, eyeing Timon and Pumbaa.

Siri jokingly clicked his teeth at Timon and Pumbaa, sending them off screaming. Everyone laughed as they ran.

Meanwhile, many miles away, Kovu and the cubs were brought into the Scarred Lands. It was black, full of jagged rocks, smelled smoky, what little vegetation that it had was dead, and any water was murky.

"Welcome home." Nuka said.

"The land itself looks scarred." Taka said.

"That's why it's called the Scarred Lands." Banzai said.

"It's not much, in fact it's nothing at all, but at least its home I guess." Shenzi said.

"Does any prey even come through here?" Kovu asked.

"Occasionally, but we mostly have to go out hunting for days." Shenzi said.

"Survival of the fittest here." Banzai said.

"Follow me Kovu, there's someone I want you and the cubs to meet." Nuka said.

Wraith suddenly came up to the group, glaring at Nuka with his ghostly blue eyes.

"Nuka." Wraith said in his low, whispering, hollow, ghostly voice.

"Yes sir?" Nuka asked.

Wraith looked at Kovu and the cubs.

"Take them to the Scarred King and Queen." Wraith said.

"Yes sir, I was just doing that. Aunt Shenzi, Uncles Banzai, and Ed, come with me." Nuka said.

"The king and queen want only you to bring them you stinking kitten." Wraith growled.

"Okay, okay." Nuka said with fear.

Nuka led Kovu and the cubs deep through the Scarred Lands to a high hill with a cave. Nuka stopped for a quick second, taking a shallow, scared breath. Nuka turned around and faced Kovu and the cubs.

"You three are to go up into that cave and meet the king and queen, and Kovu prepare to probably die of fright." Nuka said.

"Is that a threat?" Kovu growled.

"No, just a heads up, kind of." Nuka said.

Kovu looked up at the cave, the stalactites and stalagmites made the mouth of the cave look like a lion's jaws, just waiting for prey to step inside. Kovu looked to Taka and Bluu. Taka clearly looked frightened, and Bluu tried to hide her fear with a feisty look on her face.

"Dad, what do we do?" Taka asked.

Kovu wanted to fight back to get himself and the cubs out of the Scarred Lands, but that would be suicide.

"Do what they say for now, and stay close to me." Kovu said.

Kovu and the cubs then began their walk up to the cave. Kovu couldn't help but wonder what the king and queen of the Scarred Pride looked like. He guessed that they must have many scars over their bodies. Kovu and the cubs soon stepped into the cave, looking for the Scarred Pride's king and queen, but couldn't find them.

"Hello." Kovu said.

A growling was then heard. Kovu braced himself for a fight, while Taka and Bluu hid behind him for protection. Kovu couldn't see, but he did see in the darkness two blood-red eyes staring at him with hate.

"YOU!" a female voice all too familiar to Kovu said.

"No. That's impossible. It can't be." Kovu said in a frightened voice.

An old lioness with greyish-tan far, a notch in her right ear, and a dark stripe down the center of her head came out of the darkness.

"Kovu, my dear son." the old lioness said.

"Mother." Kovu said with shock.

"Oh, so you do remember me, and who are those two cowering behind you?" Zira asked.

"None of your business!" Kovu snapped.

"Now, now Kovu, that's no way to talk to your mother." Zira said.

"You're not my mother, you're a murderous, evil witch!" Kovu said.

Zira growled, walked up to Kovu, and slapped him to the ground. Zira got a good look at Taka and Bluu.

"Are these yours, and that spoiled child, Kiara's children?" Zira growled.

"I told you their none of your business!" Kovu said.

Zira took a good look at Taka.

"Remarkable." Zira said with wonder as she looked at Taka. "He looks exactly like Scar."

"Get away from them!" Kovu demanded.

"And what a pretty little daughter. I can already see that she's a fighter." Zira said.

"She's not my daughter, she is Taka's future mate, and again, THEY'RE NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" Kovu said, attacking Zira.

Mother and son rolled around for a few second, before Zira pinned Kovu.

"And you Kovu, look at you. After all those years I spent training you to make you strong and muscular, and now you've gotten weak, and soft, and fat." Zira said.

"Hay!" Kovu replied at being called fat.

Kovu was of course still as muscular and buff as the day he rescued Kiara from the fire, and Zira knew it, she just wanted to mock her ONCE favorite child.

"Look at you Kovu, these flabby fore legs, and this ridiculous belly." Zira said.

Kovu growled at his mother.

"Would you three like to meet your new king?" Zira asked.

"Like we have a choice." Kovu said.

Zira led Kovu and the cubs deep into the cave. They eventually came into a large circular chamber with a hole in the ceiling which allowed light to come in. The light shone on the form of a lion laying in the center of the cave. Zira walked up to the lion and bowed.

"My dear king, we have some new additions to the Scarred Pride." Zira said.

The lion slowly got up and turned around to face Kovu and the cubs. Kovu and the cubs gasped at what they saw. This lion's appearance was the definition of scarred. The lion's left side was completely deformed; his left side had very little to no fur, many third degree burns, black charred flesh, places where large chunks of flesh and meat were ripped off, many bite marks, he was missing his left lips, so his teeth were constantly showing there in a permanent snarl, his left ear was gone, his left front and back foot were missing all their toes, his left eye was milky white and the skin around it was charred black, and his pitch black mane covered only the right half of his head, neck, chest and upper back. This lion looked like something out of a nightmare, the thing that shocked them the most was who this lion looked like.

The lion's right side that was untouched by whatever damaged his left side had brownish-orange fur, and one neon green eye.

"Other than his left side, he looks exactly like me." Taka said.

"What? You don't mean that's…" Bluu began to say in fear.

"Yes, my dear, this is Scar. The true king of the Pride Lands, only he's the king of this miserable pride now thanks to that meerkat and warthog loving oaf Simba." Zira said.

"Simba." Scar growled.

"But how did he survive the hyenas?" Bluu asked.

"And why are Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed out of all hyenas working for him again?" Taka asked.

"That does not matter. What matters is that all three of you are now part of the Scarred Pride." Scar said in a weak raspy voice.

"Yeah, and I caught them." Nuka's voice suddenly came in in.

"What are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming in." Taka asked.

"I wanted to wait for a minute before coming in so that I didn't get caught in the crossfire of Kovu and mom's fight. I heard it from all the way outside, and mom, Scar did you hear what I said, I was the one who caught them." Nuka said as he scratched himself.

"An unlikely story, we're sure that you almost caused Wraith to lose them." Scar said.

"No, really. I caught them, I slapped Kovu right across the face, he fell and he and the cubs were knocked out. They would have escaped if not for me." Nuka said.

"Zira get us Wraith. We want to congratulate him for his service to the Scarred Pride." Scar said.

"But no, I'm the one you should be congratulating." Nuka said.

"Silence!" Zira said, throwing Nuka to the ground screaming in fright.

Zira came back in a few minutes with Wraith behind her.

"Wraith." Scar said.

"My king." Wraith said, bowing.

"Zira and we wish to congratulate you for your service to the Scarred Pride, for capturing Prince Kovu of the Pride Lands and his son, and their little friend there." Scar said.

"I live only to serve the Scarred Pride." Wraith said.

"Ugh, congratulations Wraith." Nuka angrily mumbled to himself.

Zira heard and snarled at Nuka, who laughed nervously. Scar called the meeting over, and allowed everyone to go about their business. Wraith escorted Kovu and the cubs out of the cave.

"I don't think we were ever properly introduced. What's your names?" Wraith asked.

"This my son Taka, his friend Bluu, and I'm Kovu." Kovu responded.

"Hmm, Kovu. That means scar. Maybe instead of Kovu, we should call you Scar." Wraith said with slight amusement.

Kovu growled with irritation.

"Welcome to the Scarred Pride… Scar." Wraith said to Kovu in a slight mocking voice.

Meanwhile, Nuka was wallowing in his self-pity. Nuka was angry at Wraith, at Scar, his mother, and Kovu.

"Wraith." Nuka angrily mumbled to himself.

Shenzi came walking up to Nuka, with a piece of meat in her jaws that she tore up to make it look like Kovu with a big, dumb smiley mouth.

"Hello Nuka, I'm Kovu. Eat me, eat me, eat me." Shenzi said doing a very poor impression of Kovu's voice.

Nuka looked to Shenzi.

"I know you're trying to cheer me up Shenzi, but you see, whenever I'm not noticed by the pride for something I did, IT REALLY KILLS MY APPITITE!" Nuka screamed at Shenzi.

It was almost sunset in the Pride Lands. Kion and Jasiri were at the river outside the gorge, searching for some sign of the Scarred Pride. They had been searching around the river all day for a sign, or something. They were about to give up when Jasiri caught a sliver of Kovu's scent.

"Kion, I got something!" Jasiri shouted to the young adult lion.

Kion ran over to a Jasiri and sniffed where Jasiri smelled Kovu's scent.

"That's Kovu's scent alright." Kion said.

Jasiri grabbed some good-sized rocks and set them in a circle around where she found Kovu's scent.

"What are you doing?" Kion asked.

"Well we can't split up, so make a landmark at where we've been." Jasiri said with a laugh.

"Good one, now let's go tell Kiara and my father." Kion said, heading for Pride Rock.

Kiara, Siri, and Vitani were at the watering hole again after they went hunting.

"You're a great hunter Siri." Kiara said.

"Well, males aren't really great hunters, but you, you're a lioness. So that makes you a better hunter than me." Siri said.

"Well, you should have seen me on my first solo hunt, I was beyond terrible." Kiara said.

"Well, who taught you, Vitani?" Siri asked.

"No, Kovu tauh…" Kiara began to say before she remembered Kovu, her first born son, and his best friend and future mate were captured.

Kiara sighed heavily, her happy mood now completely gone.

"So much for keeping her happy." Siri whispered to Vitani.

"Not your fault." Vitani whispered back.

The three lions then noticed Kion and Jasiri running towards Pride Rock.

"What's up with them?" Siri wondered out loud.

"You think they found something important about where the Scarred Pride took Kovu and the cubs?" Vitani asked.

"What are we waiting for? Let's find out." Kiara excitedly said, running after her brother and Jasiri.

Vitani and Siri ran after Kiara. When they all got to Pride Rock, Kion and Jasiri we speaking to Simba and Nala. Kiara ran to Kion and Jasiri.

"What did you two find?" Kiara asked.

"Jasiri caught Kovu's scent near the river outside the gorge." Kion said.

"Are you certain?" Kiara asked hopefully.

"Positive." Jasiri said with confidence.

"Then what are we waiting for, let's go find them and make the Scarred Pride give him and the cubs. Gather the pride." Kiara said.

Kiara turned around and began to run towards the gorge.

"No Kiara." Simba said.

"What!?" Kiara exclaimed.

"I know this might not be easy for any of you to hear, but we are not going to invade the Scarred Pride. We have to trust that Kovu will come back to us, with the cubs." Simba said.

"Are you serious!?" Kiara exclaimed in surprise.

"Kiara, I've just realised how dangerous this Scarred Pride is, and I don't want to risk provoking them anymore than we already have. We can't risk a war between our prides." Simba said.

"But, you offered to help Siri invade the Scarred Pride to get Dalia back." Vitani stated.

"When I offered help, I didn't mean an invasion on another pride. I meant to sneak in and save her." Simba explained.

"What difference does it make than?" Siri asked.

"There was only one to save at the time, but now there's four to save." Simba said.

"But dad, if I was in this situation along with them and Kion to, you would do anything to get all of us back." Kiara said.

"Kiara don't start this." Simba said.

"And what about Dalia?" Siri asked.

"I'm afraid we also gotta hope that she will escape the Scarred Pride to, and that maybe she went back to where you and her lived Siri, and she's waiting for you." Simba said.

"I'd be lying if I said that I believed she escaped. She's not the best of fighters, and she wouldn't be able to outrun them with her age." Siri said.

"Still, I'm afraid my decision is final, we have to hope that they'll all come back to us." Simba said.

"But Jasiri and Kion found a lead" Kiara said.

"Just a sniff and not much else. We don't even know where to start looking." Simba said.

"The jungle oasis where both of our parties got attacked." Siri suggested.

"This Scarred Pride knows well how to cover their tracks, I'm afraid that we won't find a lead there. It would just be a waste of time." Simba said.

"How can you even make this decision?" Kiara asked.

"Kiara, your father is thinking of the pride and trying to protect it. Sometimes you have to put the safety of the whole pride above one lion and even some cubs." Nala gently said.

"So, sacrifice the few to save the many?" Vitani asked.

"I'm afraid so." Nala said sadly.

"But that's not what the Pride Lands stand for. It's cruel." Vitani said.

"Sometimes cruel decisions have to be made." Simba said, seeming angry with himself.

"It is a cruel decision. I can't except that." Kiara growled.

"Kiara." Simba growled back.

"Wow. Would you two stop it. Fighting isn't going to bring anyone back." Siri said, stepping between Simba and Kiara.

"We have to get Kovu and the cubs back." Kiara said.

"Dad, Kiara is right. Weather it starts a war or not, we got to take back what is ours." Kion said.

"You can say that again." Jasiri said with a brave look on her face.

"We're not invading the Scarred Pride's lands, and that's final!" Simba said before walking away from everyone.

Everyone else went their separate ways, except for Siri and Vitani, who stayed together.

"I get why Kiara was mad, but she didn't really have to go that far." Siri said.

"Well I don't really blame her. Her mate and cub were stolen, and her dad basically refuses to go rescue them." Vitani said.

"Don't you want to go save Kovu and the cubs and damn the consequences?" Siri asked.

"Of course, I do, he's my brother, and those are my nephew and future niece-in-law, but I also agree with Simba. I don't want a war either, and if Kovu could survive my mother's harsh training, then he can escape the Scarred Pride with Taka and Bluu, and come back home, and hopefully with Dalia as well." Vitani said.

Vitani walked into the den to turn in for the night, and Siri followed closely behind.

Hours later, sometime after midnight Kiara woke up. Kiara looked next to her where Kovu usually slept. It felt strange to not have him next to her, or Taka. Kiara looked to Mufasa and Talia at her side, even in their sleep they didn't look peaceful. The cubs feared that they might never see their father, brother, and friend again.

Kiara then looked to her father's sleeping form. Kiara hated herself for snapping at him again earther today. She may not have seemed it, but she understood why they couldn't invade the Scarred Pride and demand Kovu, the cubs, and Dalia back. Kiara didn't want a war to start either, she just wanted Kovu, the cubs, and Dalia to be safe and unharmed. Kiara looked outside the cave and at the stars.

She spotted the brightest star in the sky, her Great-Great Grandfather Mohatu, and the second brightest star in the sky, which everyone guessed was her grandfather Mufasa's star. Kiara stared at her grandfather's star for the longest time.

"What would you do in this kind of situation?" Kiara asked the star.

A wind blew at Kiara, and it seemed to whisper to her 'I would do what I think is right.' Kiara thought for a few minutes before getting up. She decided that she would do what she thought was best, even if her father didn't approve. Kiara decided she would travel to the Scarred Pride, find Kovu, the cubs, and Dalia, sneak them out somehow, and bring them back safely. When Kiara got to the cave mouth, she looked towards her father.

"I hope that you'll forgive me for this someday." Kiara whispered.

Kiara walked down Pride Rocks stone-steps, and right as she descended the last step six shadows jumped out at her. A paw covered Kiara's mouth before she could scream.

"Shh, you mustn't wake the rest of the pride." a firm, but gentle female voice said.

Kiara looked and saw Siri, Vitani, Kion, Jasiri, Zuri, and Tiifu standing in front of her. Siri took his paw away from Kiara's mouth and allowed her to speak. Kiara guessed why they were all here.

"Please, all of you, don't try to stop me." Kiara begged.

"We're not trying to stop you Kiara, we're coming with you." Zuri said.

"What!?" Kiara exclaimed a little loudly.

"SHHH!" Vitani hissed.

"Sorry." Kiara apologized in a whisper.

"We want to help you get Kovu, and the cubs back Kiara, and hopefully find Dalia, or figure out what happened to her." Siri said.

"And I can pick up their scent better than a lion can." Jasiri said.

"And I'm the leader of the Lion Guard, I protect animals who live in it, whether they're outside of the Pride Lands or in them." Kion said.

"Than let's get to work." Kiara said, happy to have her friends and family help her.

Jasiri and Kion led the way to the river so they could get to work on finding the Scarred Pride.

Chapter 20: A Friend Within the Pride

Simba got up, feeling just as agitated as yesterday. He looked around for Kiara, he really wanted to talk to her and hopefully make peace with her, but she wasn't in the cave. Simba sighed and went outside to wait for Zazu, he would have him look for her. When Zazu arrived at Pride Rock, he immediately noticed Simba's agitated look.

"Are you okay, your majesty?" Zazu asked.

"Can you look for Kiara for me, Zazu? I'd really like to talk to her." Simba said.

"Yes sire, and for the report: The zebras are starting to worry about some cheetahs coming into their territory, the crocodiles are harassing the animals near the East river, and some hyenas were seen near the Southern border. They weren't bothering anybody, but we should keep ours eyes and ears open for any trouble they might cause." Zazu said.

"Thank you old friend." Simba said.

"Yes sire, and I shall look for Princess Kiara." Zazu said, flying off.

Simba went off to take care of the problems going on in the Pride Lands. The cheetahs wandering into the zebra territory were teenager cheetahs. Simba told the teenager cheetahs to go home, and that next time they're parents would know of the trouble their causing. Simba made the crocodiles stop harassing the animals drinking near the river. Finally, Simba was able to chase the hyenas near the Southern border away since they were starting to wander into the Pride Lands.

"King Simba." Zazu shouted as he flew down to Simba.

"Please tell me you found Kiara?" Simba asked.

"I haven't found her sire. I also haven't seen Siri, Vitani, Kion, Jasiri, Tiifu, or Zuri." Zazu said, sounding very worried.

"What!?" Simba said.

Not waiting for Zazu to say anything else, Simba ran towards Pride Rock. He asked every animal he passed if they had seen Kiara or any of the others missing, but no one knew where they were. When Simba got to Pride Rock, the hunting party had just got back from the morning hunt.

"Perfect timing Sim…" Nala said, but Simba interrupted her.

"Nala, Kiara, Kion, Vitani, Siri, Zuri, Tiifu, and Jasiri are missing. Please tell me they're here." Simba said.

"No, there not." Nala said, now as worried as Simba.

The entire pride gathered together. Everyone was asked if they'd seen Kiara or any of the others, but no one had a clue.

"They must have gone after Kovu and the cubs." a former Outlander said.

"They wouldn't do that, they know it's too dangerous." a Pride Lander lioness said.

"Maybe they were captured?" Chumvi guessed.

"Mufasa, Talia do you know anything about where your mother is?" Simba asked his grandcubs.

"Sorry grandpa, we don't." Talia answered.

"We saw Kiara and the others earlier last night." Timon's voice suddenly said.

Everyone looked to see the meerkat and warthog come and interact in the pride meeting.

"You saw them, when?" Simba asked.

"Earlier last night when me and Timon decided to do some star gazing since we couldn't get to sleep." Pumbaa said.

"Why didn't you guys tell anyone?" Tojo asked.

"We thought they were just getting some air, they were in a big group, so we thought they'd be okay." Pumbaa said.

"And you didn't ask us." Timon said.

"Never mind that, where did they go?" Simba asked.

"Towards the gorge." Pumbaa said.

"Towards the gorge? They must be going to the jungle oasis. That's the best place right now to start tracking the Scarred Pride." Mheetu said.

"Then we haven't got a moment to lose. Nala, Mheetu, I want you two and half of the other lionesses to come with me. Tojo you're in charge of the pride until we come back." Simba said.

"I'm up for round two." Tojo said, a little nervous.

Nala and Mheetu assembled half the pride to come with them. Jamey tried to volunteer, but Nala forbid her since she was pregnant. Timon and Pumbaa came to Simba, volunteering to help.

"You guys it's too dangerous for you." Simba protested.

"Uh uh Simba. If you're going off to fight a pride of bad lions, that means we got to come along to, toooooo… to protect you." Timon said.

"And you would have to trap in a cave full of a thousand year supply of bugs to stop us." Pumbaa said.

"Anyways, you need people of intelligence on this quest, adventure, rescue mission, thing." Timon said.

"Alright, but stay out of trouble if you can." Simba sighed.

"Consider us 'in trouble free.'" Pumbaa said, saluting Simba along with Timon.

Mufasa and Talia came up to their grandfather.

"What should we do grandpa?" Mufasa asked.

"You two will stay here, Jamey will look after you." Simba explained

"Okay." Mufasa said.

Simba placed a paw on his grandson's shoulder.

"Don't worry Mufasa, we'll get your father, mother, brother, uncle and friend home safely." Simba reassured him.

"Alright." Mufasa said, trusting his grandfather.

"You come home safe to." Talia said.

"I intend to." Simba said.

Everyone who was part of the rescue mission gathered up and headed out. They passed Rafiki's tree on the way to the gorge. Simba caught sight of Rafiki, he was gesture Simba to come to him. Simba told the pride to wait for him before running to Rafiki.

"What is it Rafiki?" Simba asked.

"Simba, I would talk to Siri." Rafiki said.

"Didn't you hear? Siri is missing, along with Kiara, Vitani, Kion, Jasiri, Tiifu and Zuri." Simba said.

"They have gone to rescue Kovu and the cubs from the Scarred Pride?" Rafiki guessed.

"We thank so, we going after them and probably get Kovu and the cubs back." Simba said.

"Well when you all come back Simba, bring Siri to me, I need to talk to him." Rafiki said.

"I just hope he'll come. If we find Dalia in the Scarred Pride, he might want to go back to where they lived, and even if we don't find her, he still might not come back." Simba said.

"If he doesn't wish to come back, I'll go searching for him after you all return." Rafiki said.

"Why?" Simba asked.

"It's nothing of real concern to you your majesty." Rafiki assured Simba.

"Very well, good-bye for now old friend." Simba said.

"Good-bye to you to for now old friend, and good luck." Rafiki said.

As soon as Simba got down the tree, he saw the Lion Guard running towards him.

"Here comes the guard!" Bunga shouted in his usual happy tone.

The guard stood tall and proud in front of Simba.

"Reporting for duty, King Simba." Bunga said saluting Simba.

"No, I need you all to stay here." Simba said, guessing that they wanted to come along with him and the pride.

"But, Simba. You could use our help in fighting the Scarred Pride." Fuli said.

"And you will be helping me. I want all of you to stay here and defend the Pride Lands if the Scarred Pride decides to make an attack." Simba explained.

"You got it your majesty." Beshte said.

"Affirmative." Ono agreed.

Simba looked to Bunga and Fuli. Unlike Beshte and Ono, they didn't look satisfied.

"I know you two want to help to, but for now this is the most important thing I can ask you to do. I promise that Kion and Jasiri will be fine." Simba said.

"And Uncle Timon and Pumbaa?" Bunga asked.

"Oh, you know those two, they seem to go through a lot of dangerous situations and always come out unscathed." Simba said.

"Alright, good luck out there Simba." Fuli said, a little satisfied.

"Bring us back some souvenirs!" Bunga shouted to Simba as he walked back to the pride.

Back in the Scarred Lands, Kovu and the cubs were having a miserable time. There were so many pride members that they got only a few scraps to eat and that was because they were lucky enough to get any. Shenzi, Banzai and Ed even got more food than they did, which surprised them that Scar would give them any food, due to the fact that the three of them nearly killed him years ago. The three didn't get the same portion sizes though.

Shenzi got the most, about five or six mouth fulls of meat, Ed got enough for three or four mouth fulls, and Banzai got barley a mouth full of meat. Banzai stared at Ed and Shenzi's meat piles, angry that they got more food than him.

"How come they get more food than I do? Oh, why am I asking myself that? Of course, Scar would allow Shenzi and Ed to have more food than me, he always did like them better." Banzai silently complained.

Banzai looked to Ed's pile next to him. An idea suddenly came to Banzai's mind.

"Hay Ed, look at that cutie over their giving ya' the eye." Banzai said.

"Oh, where?" Ed asked in his own language.

Seeing his chance, Banzai stole Ed's meat and ate it quickly. Ed not seeing the 'cutie that was giving him the eye' turned around and saw that his meat was gone. Ed looked and saw Banzai licking his lips. Ed glared and barked angrily at Banzai.

"Sorry Eddie, finders keepers, lookers weepers. Hahahaha!" Banzai laughed.

Ed pounced at Banzai, and the both of them started wrestling with each other.

"Now, now Banzai, it's not nice to steal." Shenzi said as she stole Banzai's meat.

Trying to get to sleep was also awful because of the large pride. It was crowded, so there was barley any place to sleep. Nuka was for some reason nice enough to allow them into his den. Nuka's den may have had some more room, but it was no better.

"It smells awful in here." Bluu complained.

"You're telling me." Kovu said, holding his nose with both paws.

"Yeah, it smells just like Uncle Nuka: urine and dung, but worse." Taka said.

"I've always wondered why he smells like that so badly." Kovu said.

Kovu, Taka, and Bluu suddenly heard a liquid sound. They looked towards the source of the sound, and saw Nuka on his back and wetting his fur in his sleep.

"Oh, that explains the smell." Kovu said.

Kovu and the cubs could have taken the chance to escape now that everyone was sleeping, and Nuka being a weakling wouldn't be able to stop them. The only problem was that Shenzi, Banzai and Ed slept in the mouth of the cave, and they each took shifts watching them to make sure they wouldn't escape. Wraith also watched from farther back to make Sure Shenzi, Banzai and Ed didn't screw up.

"That guy is so creepy." Bluu whispered to Taka.

"We won't be able to get out of this place with him watching us as we sleep." Taka said, taking a glance at Wraith's ghostly blue eyes.

"We need to find out how all three of us are going to get out of here." Bluu said.

As Taka tried to get some sleep, one thought was in his mind.

"I wonder if that hyena that Siri kept mentioning is here. She's been here longer than us, and if we find her, maybe she could help us escape. We'd have someone on the inside." Taka thought.

Before Taka fell asleep, he vowed that tomorrow he would work on getting his dad, friend and himself out of the Scarred Pride.

"Oi, get up you, lazy cub!" a voice said.

Taka felt a paw kick him in the side. Taka opened his eyes and looked up to see Wraith staring down at him with his ghostly blue eyes. Taka glared at the creamy white lion. Wraith just stared back blankly before rudely waking Bluu and Kovu up.

"What do you want?" Kovu asked.

"It's time." Wraith said.

"Time for what?" Kovu asked.

"For your cubs to go to the Scarred Pride's training area for cubs. They're going to fight the other cubs for supremacy." Wraith said.

"I'm not going to let you force my son and his friend to fight other cubs!" Kovu said, remembering the times his mother forced him to fight.

Speak of the devil, Zira came walking into the cave.

"I'm afraid that's not your choice Kovu." Zira said.

Kovu growled and shouldered past Wraith and towards his mother.

"If you think I'm going to allow my so-" before Kovu could finish his statement, Wraith grabbed Kovu by the shoulder, turned him around and punched him square in the face.

Kovu fell to the ground and placed his front paws on the spot where Wraith hit him. Zira stared down at Kovu with disgust. All those years of training she gave him and he was beaten with a single punch.

"Weak, ungrateful brat." Zira thought.

Zira turned towards Taka and Bluu.

"The both of you come with me." Zira demanded.

Seeing that they didn't have much of a choice, Taka and Bluu followed. Kovu got up off the ground and began to follow his mother and the cubs, but Wraith walked in front of him.

"No, you come with me. You will fight with the other adult lions for supremacy like your cubs will." Wraith said.

Kovu angrily growled, knowing that arguing or fighting wouldn't do him any good. Kovu was a good, strong fighter, but he could tell that Wraith was better even if they hadn't been in a full-on fight yet.

"I'll show you that I can gain high supremacy in this pride." Kovu said.

"Let your claws and teeth speak for you, not your words. And let me advise you, you might want to throw a fight at some point if you don't wish to face me. I kill everyone I fight whether it be in training or not." Wraith said, getting close in Kovu's face.

"I don't back down." Kovu growled.

"Good." Wraith said.

Taka and Bluu followed Zira to an outcropping of rocks that were arranged in a circle. Taka and Bluu looked to see many lion cubs and hyena pups sitting straight up like soldiers in the circle. Many of them also had scars on them. Seeing that the children of the Scarred Pride even had scars unsettled Taka and Bluu greatly.

"Welcome to training." Nuka's voice suddenly came from behind Taka and Bluu, causing them to jump.

"What are you doing here?" Zira asked, irritated.

"To watch my nephew and his friend get their tails kicked." Nuka said.

"Yeah, and so are we." Banzai said as he and Shenzi and Ed came to Nuka's side.

Zira irritably growled and walked in front of the lion cubs and hyena pups. Zira stopped in front of the hyena pup that had the most scars.

"You, you will fight against Taka." Zira said.

Zira than looked to a lion cub who was at least twice Taka and Bluu's age.

"You will face off against Bluu." Zira said.

All the other lion cubs and hyena pups that weren't chosen climbed the rocks to watch the fight. Nuka pushed Taka and Bluu into the fighting circle.

"Good luck." Shenzi mocked.

Taka and Bluu faced the hyena and lion Zira put them up against. The hyena and older lion cub crept towards Taka and Bluu menacingly.

"Fight together?" Bluu asked.

"Let's take 'em down." Taka said.

Taka and Bluu went after the older lion cub first. Taka ran towards the older lion cub and Bluu leapfrogged over Taka and onto the older lion cub's back. The older lion cub tried to shake Bluu off, but she held on tight. Bluu grabbed onto the older lion cub's ear and screamed at the top of her lungs. The older lion cub fell to the ground, clutching his ears in pain.

The hyena pup tried to go and maul Bluu, but Taka scratched his face with his claws. The hyena shouldered Taka in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. Bluu grabbed onto the hyena's tail as he went to attack Taka. The hyena tried to twist his body around to bite at Bluu, but she just kept moving. Taka ran up to the hyena and charged into his side.

The hyena fell to the ground and Bluu tried to shoulder him, but the hyena rolled out of the way. Bluu hit her shoulder on the ground hard and clutched it in pain. The hyena stood over Bluu. Taka came up behind the hyena to attack it, but the older lion cub, who had recovered, stood over Taka. Taka noticed the older lion cub biting out at him and jumped out of the way.

The older lion cub accidentally bit his hyena companion.

"You dummy, I'm on your side!" the hyena said.

"It's wasn't my fault!" the older lion cub said.

The older lion cub and the hyena pup than began attacking each other.

"You idiots, you're supposed to be fighting them, not each other." Nuka said.

Zira roared.

"Alright, everyone divide into teams of twenty-six. Taka and Bluu, you two will be put into the separate teams. Whichever team wins will get extra portions of the meat tonight." Zira announced.

Bluu raised her paw.

"What!?" Zira snapped.

"I'm not fighting against Taka!" Bluu snapped back.

"Neither am I fighting against Bluu." Taka said.

"You can choose not to participate if you want, but it might end of costing your team the fight and then they'll hate you." Nuka said.

"Yeah, and in the Scarred Pride it's not good to have somebody hate you, or in this case, have a bunch of somebodies hate you." Shenzi said.

"Oh, come on babe, this is the Scarred Pride. Everybody hates everybody." Banzai said.

"Oh, right." Shenzi said sarcastically before laughing.

Zira growled in irritation. Zira than got an evil smirk on her face.

"Change of plans everyone. One group of forty-eight and one group of two. Taka, Bluu, you two will be in that team of two." Zira said.

"Oh boy, they're totally going to get their tails handed to them." Nuka said.

"Get the dinner bell out boys." Shenzi said.

Taka and Bluu backed away in fright. Forty-eight against two was totally unfair.

"Oh dad, where are you." Taka whispered.

A hyena however heard Taka and laughed.

"Oh, did you hear that guys? The cub is crying for his daddy." the hyena teased.

The lions and hyenas circled Taka and Bluu.

"Time for mauling everybody." a lion said.

A hyena pounced at Taka and Bluu, but a grey blur tackled the hyena.

"Leave them alone." an elderly voice said.

Taka and Bluu looked to see who tackled the hyena who tried to pounce on them. It was another hyena, an adult, elderly one. She was overweight even for a hyena, she had round ears, a frizzy mane with three locks of hair hanging over her face like bangs, and blue eyes.

"Hay everybody, look it's fatso coming to save the newbie's kids." Banzai said.

The unknown hyena looked to Taka and Bluu.

"Come on, let's get out of here." she said.

Without warning, the hyena grabbed both Taka and Bluu by their scruffs and ran for it.

"Stop her!" Zira commanded.

Banzai and Ed ran after the hyena who was carrying Taka and Bluu. Banzai and Ed each tried to ram her in the side, but she jumped back, making them bump each other hard in the head. Shenzi tried to take matters into her own paws. Shenzi ran after the hyena who was carrying Taka and Bluu. Shenzi tried jumping over Banzai and Ed's bodies, but they stood up, accidently knocking Shenzi to the ground on her back.

"You morons, you let them get away!" Shenzi yelled, pulling a large, thick stick out of nowhere and hitting Banzai and Ed with it.

"Why do you always got to hit us?" Banzai complained, causing Shenzi to hit him with the stick again.

Zira roared at the three hyenas. Shenzi, Banzai and Ed screamed and cowered in fear.

"You three stooges are completely useless!" Zira yelled.

Kovu was walking back to Nuka's cave from training with the Scarred Lands' pride. Kovu's body was sorer than it had ever been. Wraith had warned Kovu not to fight his way up to him or he'd kill him. Kovu of course didn't listen, but he never got the chance to fight Wraith anyway. Kovu had beaten three hyenas, one lioness and two lions before he got beaten.

"These lions and hyenas fight better than the Pride Landers and Outlanders." Kovu said to himself as he limped towards the cave.

When Kovu got to the cave he laid down to wait for Taka and Bluu to get back. Kovu heard the sound of running paws and looked to see what it was coming from. What Kovu saw made his blood run cold. Some fat old hyena had Taka and Bluu in her mouth. Kovu roared and pounced on the hyena.

Kovu raised his claws to strike, but Taka got in his way.

"Dad, wait!" Taka said.

Kovu stopped his swipe before he could hit Taka.

"Taka, what are you doing?" Kovu asked.

"She saved us." Bluu piped in.

"This hyena?" Kovu asked.

"Yeah, Zira was about to have everyone in training gang up on us because we refused to fight each other." Bluu said.

Kovu angrily growled at the mention of his mother putting Taka and Bluu against unfair odds and making them fight each other. When Zira was still training him, she had the two meanest Outlanders Hasira and Kisasi fight against him. When he fought against them he came out being sore for days and in no condition to train, but Zira forced him to train even when he was in that condition. And when Zira first made him and Vitani fight against each other in a no holding back fight they had refused to fight each other. Zira beat Kovu and Vitani into submission when they refused to fight each other and ordered the rest of the Outlanders to do so as well.

Aina of course didn't help beat Kovu and Vitani and instead tried to stop it, but Zira stopped her.

"If Zira knows what good for her, she won't come within ten feet of me." Kovu said, getting off the hyena.

Kovu helped the old hyena to her feet.

"Thank you for helping my son and Bluu." Kovu said.

"Forty-eight on two, Zira could have gotten them both killed." the hyena said.

Now that they weren't in any danger or running, Taka was able to get a good look at the old, obese hyena. Taka had never seen her before, yet she looked so familiar.

"Hay, I know you, you're Dalia!" Taka said.

"Yes, I am, but how do you know my name?" Dalia asked, surprised that a cub she has never met before knew who see was.

"Siri told me." Taka said.

"Siri!? Oh my gosh, is he okay? I've been so worried about him ever since I got captured by the Scarred Pride." Dalia said.

"Don't worry, he's perfectly fine, but he's very worried about you." Taka said.

"Who are the three of you anyway?" Dalia asked.

"I'm Taka, this is my friend Bluu, and this is my dad, Kovu… Zira's… son." Taka said.

"Wish she wasn't." Kovu remarked.

"Kovu? Zira, has told everyone about you. She calls you traitor, ungrateful brat, and many other things that would probably make you want to rip her throat out." Dalia said.

"I don't care." Kovu said.

"I heard that Wraith was the one who brought you all to the Scarred Lands, but how did they abduct you from the Pride Lands?" Dalia asked.

"I was on the morning patrol with Simba. He didn't follow the rules he set in place and I didn't think to remind him about them. I went off patrolling alone with Taka and Bluu and we got captured, and well… here we are." Kovu explained.

"And we need to get out of these lands." Bluu said.

"It's impossible to escape these lands. Lions and hyenas patrol the borders night and day to make sure nobody attempts to escape. Even if you do somehow escape Wraith will just come after you." Dalia said.

"There's got to be some way, any way that we can get out of here." Taka said.

"Well, I have heard rumors of some rebellion." Dalia said.

"A rebellion?" Kovu asked.

"Yes, a small group of lions and hyenas who wait for their opportunity to destroy the Scarred Pride one day and to go back to their old lives, or whatever is left of them." Dalia said.

"Do you know who leads them?" Bluu asked.

"Kind of. He's a lion whose part of one of the recruiting groups." Dalia said.

"What's his name?" Taka asked.

"Some believe that the lion who leads this rebellion is named Ni." Dalia said.

Chapter 21: Ding! Ding! Round Two

"My paws hurt." Zuri complained she and her friends walked through the desert.

"Don't worry Zuri, just another half hour or two, and we'll stop to take a break." Kiara reassured her.

"Why can't it be half an hour or two now? And I'm hungry and dehydrated." Zuri complained.

Vitani clenched her teeth in irritation at Zuri's complaining.

"Give me the strength not to kill her." Vitani silently prayed to the great kings.

The group had been walking for two days towards the oasis where there was any chance of finding the Scarred Pride's lands. They stopped at midday for breaks, and at the beginning of sunset to sleep, and woke up just before dawn. Ever since they first set paw into the desert, Zuri had been complaining.

"Come on, can we stop for just one-minute Vitani?" Zuri asked.

"No." Vitani said sternly.

"Why the heck did she even come?" Jasiri whispered towards Tiifu, just as annoyed with Zuri's complaining as everyone else.

"She wanted to help, and said something about keeping Siri safe." Tiifu whispered back.

"Why would Siri need keeping safe, he's taller and more muscular than Simba." Jasiri said.

"I think she might be jealous of Vitani and Siri." Tiifu said.

"Oh, so I'm not the only one who has noticed them together." Jasiri replied.

As Zuri continued to complain about how much she hated deserts, Siri came up to her.

"I'll carry you for a bit if you want Zuri." Siri said.

Without a replay, Zuri jumped onto Siri's back. Vitani saw and her eyes slightly flared. Vitani knew that Siri was trying to help Zuri, but she didn't like seeing her on him like that. Within an hour the group came across a group of shady trees.

"Oh yeah, some shade." Kion said, relived to have come across some shady trees.

"Yeah, this looks like a good place to stop. Alright everyone, rest up. We continue on in half an hour." Vitani said.

Zuri got off Siri's back and laid in the shade with everyone. Vitani still wanted to keep moving, but she was happy to lay in the shade for a few minutes. Zuri's stomach growled loudly.

"Who's going hunting?" Zuri asked.

"I'll do it." Jasiri volunteered.

"I'll come help you." Kion said, walking off with Jasiri.

"Try to bring something more than lizards back." Tiifu said.

"Don't count on it." Jasiri laughed.

"Then try to find some water." Siri said.

"You know, when my dad took us to the oasis, we played a game called 'I'm going on an adventure,' and I said that I'd bring coconuts for carrying water." Kiara.

"We'll have to play it when we get back." Jasiri said.

"Will do." Kiara said.

With all said and done, Jasiri and Kion walked off to hunt something for everybody. Siri noticed that Vitani was slightly glaring at Zuri. Siri laid down next to Vitani and placed his paw on hers to try and calm her. Zuri noticed and it sent shivers down her spine.

"Why does he like her so much. Vitani has never been interested in having a relationship, but Siri suddenly shows up in the Pride Lands and Vitani is suddenly in a relationship with him." Zuri thought to herself.

Kiara noticed Zuri was looking at Siri and Vitani and walked over to her friend.

"What's wrong?" Kiara whispered to her friend.

"What does Siri see in her that I don't have?" Zuri asked.

"Some people can't help who they fall in love with Zuri. Look at me and Kovu for example." Kiara said.

"Yeah, but it's just, he's a very handsome lion, even under all those scars, and that limp doesn't slow him down in hunting or in a fight." Zuri said.

"He can still be your friend Zuri." Kiara whispered.

"But what if I want to be more than just his friend?" Zuri thought to herself.

Jasiri and Kion soon came back… wiiiith lizards.

"Aw man, I hate lizards. It can't even be considered hyena food like gazelle." Zuri said.

"Well, one good thing my mother taught me when we still lived in the Outlands was that food is food, so suck it up." Vitani said.

Zuri cast a glare at Vitani.

"Okay everyone, we've got one lizard for everybody. It may not be much, but at least we'll get something in us." Kion said.

Kiara gave her brother a lick on his muzzle as he handed her a lizard.

"You did well." Kiara said.

"Well, Jasiri did most of the work." Kion said.

"Of course, I did. Sorry to say, but males suck at hunting." Jasiri joked.

"Hay, I'm male and I rock at hunting." Siri said.

Siri grabbed Jasiri and jokingly held her in a head lock.

"Then you should have volunteered to go hunting." Jasiri laughed.

"Where did you all find her?" Siri laughed.

"That's Jasiri for you. Kind, jovial, affectionate and respectful, but also very sassy when she wants to be." Kion said.

"And dang proud of it." Jasiri said.

"Didn't we have a game to play when Kion and Jasiri got back?" Kiara asked.

"Yeah, we did. Siri, you start." Jasiri said.

"Alright. I'm going on an adventure and I'm bringing… my sweet dance moves." Siri said.

Siri than began to dance around like a dork. Everyone laughed at how hilarious Siri was purposely making himself look. Vitani and Zuri laughed, but still stared dreamily at Siri. Unknown to both of them, they both noticed each other looking at Siri and the other half of their face glared.

The next day the group came to the entrance of the oasis.

"Here we are." Kiara said.

"Where do we start?" Jasiri asked.

"I vote we start where Dalia and I were attacked. That's got to be the best place where we can try to find the Scarred Pride. It's about half a day's walk into the jungle from where we are." Siri said.

"Alright we got three hours until the sun starts to set. We keep walking on until then, then we'll rest up for the night." Vitani announced.

"Agreed." Kiara said.

With that said the group walked on until the sun started to set.

"Alright, I'll go and hunt us something." Vitani said when they stopped.

"I'll help." Zuri said.

"But Zuri, you hate hunting. You think it's overrated." Kiara said.

"I heard what you all said about me yesterday. I came to help save Kovu and the cubs, not to be questioned on why I came. I'll show you all that I can pull my weight." Zuri said.

Zuri stood up, sharpened her claws on a tree and ran off to go and hunt. Zuri however wasn't watching where she was going and tripped on a tree root. Zuri went rolling down a hill and landed in muddy water. Everyone ran down the hill to see if Zuri was okay.

"Zuri are you okay?" Tiifu asked.

Zuri looked down at her front claws and saw that all of them were broken. Zuri began to cry.

"I was happy back in the Pride Lands. I didn't have to hunt, or have to worry about getting my claws broken. It was impossible to trip on tree roots, fall into muddy water and break my claws, I HATE BEING OUTSIDE THE PRIDE LANDS!" Zuri sobbed.

Everyone looked at one another, feeling guilty about questioning Zuri's intensions to accompany them to save Kovu and the cubs. Vitani however had a paw over her face and shook her head in disgust. Zuri looked towards Vitani

"I hate breaking my claws, and I hate the water, and I hate being wet, and I hate you!" Zuri said.

Later that night everyone was sharing a zebra carcass. Zuri was still angry at the others. She sat ten feet away from them, eating a zebra leg. Zuri was also angrily mumbling to herself about everyone.

"I came here to help. Why does Siri like Vitani more than me? I know Kiara heard them talking about me, and why didn't she stick up for me? I try to hunt for them and look where it gets me. All my beautiful claws broken." Zuri angrily mumbled.

Zuri suddenly heard a choking sound. She looked over and saw Siri pounding on his chest.

"You okay Siri?" Kion asked.

Siri stopped pounding on his chest and took a deep breath.

"Yeah, I just bit off more than I could chew." Siri said.

"Glad you're okay." Vitani said.

"Grrr. Vitani." Zuri angrily mumbled.

Zuri turned back to her zebra leg but stopped when she noticed a giant tarantula on it.

"What's shaking baby?" the tarantula said.

Zuri gave a high-pitched scream and ran from her Zebra leg. Zuri ran into a sleeping bat and it clung to her face.

"Hay, watch where you're going!" the bat said, waving his wing at Zuri like a fist.

Zuri screamed again and ran from the bat, who flew off her face. Everyone watched Zuri as she continued to run.

"The biggest trouble with her right now is the noise." Vitani said.

Zuri flattened herself against a tree. A monkey suddenly came next to Zuri.

"Hay, screamy, you want a banana?" the monkey asked.

Zuri once again gave a high-pitched scream and ran away from the monkey, who was now laughing at her. Zuri was running towards some low hanging branches. Zuri skidded to a halt when she noticed it had a giant snake on it.

"Aww, does someone need a hug?" the snake said.

Zuri once again gave a high-pitched scream and ran off.

"I never knew Zuri could scream like that." Kiara said.

An African owl landed next to a branch that Zuri was standing by, which caused Zuri to scream again. As Zuri ran she stepped on a lizard, which caused her to scream.

"Hay, small guy here lady!" the lizard said.

Zuri finally ran towards her friends, where she knew was the only place she'd be safe.

"This place is completely surrounded! How were Simba, Timon and Pumbaa even able to stand living here? The entire place is crawling with things that want to make you a part of their freak show!" Zuri said.

"That's why they call it the jungle Zuri." Jasiri said.

"Maybe we all should turn in for the night." Siri yawned.

"Yeah, good night everybody." Vitani said as she settled down for the night.

Kiara and Kion slept together to keep each other warm, Tiifu and Jasiri both laid down on a moss-covered log. Zuri's eyes blazed with fire when she saw Siri lay down with Vitani and she allowed him to.

"Why me! Why me! Why me! Why me!" Zuri thought.

Zuri slept between Kion and Kiara and Vitani and Siri.

"I've got to talk to Siri tomorrow." Zuri thought.

The next day Kiara woke up early. She looked around the area and saw that their left over kill from last night was gone. Kiara growled with irritation.

"Scavengers." Kiara scoffed.

Vitani soon also woke up. She also saw that their kill was gone.

"I hate scavengers." Vitani said.

"I wasn't feeling hungry anyway." Kiara said.

"Neither was I." Vitani said.

Everyone soon got up and continued on their way. Zuri kept her eyes on Siri and Vitani. Zuri was thankful that they weren't talking to each other. Zuri was suddenly starting to think about what Kiara told her back in the desert.

"Am I being selfish. Should I be happy for them and that I at least have Siri as a friend? There are other lions I could fall in love with in the future." Zuri was wondering to herself. "Oh, but Siri is like my dream mate."

As everyone was walking, Jasiri suddenly stop and began sniffing the air.

"Do you guys smell that?" Jasiri asked.

"Smell what?" Siri asked.

Jasiri took a few more sniffs of the air.

"Death." Jasiri answered.

Jasiri followed the direction of the smell; the other followed after her.

"Maybe the Scarred Pride was here recently. This could be our big brake." Siri said.

"Could be." Kion added.

After a few minutes of walking, Jasiri stopped at some large, dense leaves and bushes. Jasiri parted the leaves and branches to form a small peaky hole and looked through.

"What do you see?" Kiara whispered.

"A lioness and a lion. They look like their sleeping, but I don't think they are." Jasiri said.

"Well, come on, we got to see if their alright." Zuri said, walking forward.

"Stop!" Vitani said, blocking Zuri with a foreleg.

"What?" Zuri asked.

Vitani made a paw gesture for the others to follow her. They came into a dense and very narrow section of the deep parts of the oasis. The snuck up to the sleeping lion and lioness. What they saw when they got closer shocked them.

"Oh my god!" Kiara cried.

Zuri gave a high-pitched scream. Vitani covered Zuri's mouth before shushing both her and Kiara. Vitani looked back at the lion and lioness. She and everyone else saw the lion and lioness were dead. The lion had both of his eyes gouged out, very deep cuts in his side, and had a jagged piece of wood lodged in his throat.

The lioness had her windpipe torn out, and her belly was torn open with her entrails laid out across the jungle floor.

"That's so horrible." Tiifu said.

"That's not the worst of it. Look at the lionesses' belly." Siri said.

Everyone looked and gasped at what they saw. Half dragged out of the lionesses' belly was a fully developed cub, that hadn't been born yet.

"This lioness was probably going to be giving birth to that cub soon when whatever did this attacked." Jasiri said.

"Or they attacked her as she was giving birth." Kion said.

"Something stinks and it's called the Scarred Pride." Siri said.

"Those Scarred Pride lions and hyenas are going to pay fo…" Kiara began to say before Vitani shushed her.

"Shh, sh, sh! Do any of you hear that?" Vitani asked.

"Hear what?" Kiara asked in a lowered voice.

Vitani looked around the dense jungle area they were in.

"Nothing… absolutely nothing. We're being watched." Vitani said.

"Watched?" Zuri said in a low, fearful voice.

"I wish you hadn't said that Vitani." Tiifu fearfully said.

"Form a circle." Vitani ordered.

Everyone formed a circle, ready for an attack should it happen. The area suddenly grew darker as dark clouds blotted out the sun. Everyone felt like the jungle was shrinking in on them, getting ready to grab them by their necks and squeeze the life out of them. The razor-edged laugh of a hyena suddenly echoed throughout the jungle, causing everyone's body to go cold.

"Jasiri, please tell us that was you who laughed." Zuri said.

"I laugh nothing like that." Jasiri said.

More laughs were heard along with the growls of lions. Three lions, two lionesses and eights hyenas then came out of the foliage, and they all had many scars over their bodies.

"Well lookie at what we have here." said a hyena with one eye.

"Is it dinner or new members for the Scarred Pride?" a hyena without ears asked.

A furious growl came from one of the three lions.

"You all can do whatever you want with the others, but Princess Kiara is mine." the lion said.

Kiara was shocked when the lion said her name.

"How do you know my name?" Kiara asked.

The lion laughed.

"How could I forget you princess?" the lion said coming into view.

Kiara gasped when she saw the lion. He had dark grey fur, a black mane and one eye.

"Terry!" Kiara gasped.

"Did you miss me?" Terry asked.

"A friend of yours?" Siri asked.

"I kind of scratched his eye out." Kiara said.

"And now I'll scratch yours out, both of them and I won't be as gentle as you were." Terry said.

Everyone moved to make a protective circle around Kiara.

"You want to kill Kiara, you'll have to kill us to." Tiffu said, trying to sound braver than she actually felt.

"Fine by me." Terry said. "Kill the rest, but save the princess for me you fools." Terry commanded.

"Sure thing Tare." the hyena without ears said.

The lions, lioness and hyenas began to close in. One of the hyenas jumped at Vitani, but she batted it away. The two other lions ganged up on Siri. They dragged him out of the circle and tried to maul him, but Kion abandoned the circle to help him.

"They're divided, charge in now!" Terry commanded.

The lionesses and hyenas charged into the circle and divided everyone.

Vitani was up against one lioness and hyena, Jasiri was facing four other hyenas, Tiifu and Zuri faced the remaining hyenas together, Kion and Siri faced the two other lions, and Kiara was up against the last lioness.

"Four against one, hehehe. My kind of odds." the one-eyed hyena said as he and his companions circled Jasiri.

"I've faced more hyenas than you all by myself, and I always kick their butts. Plus, like them, all of you are males. So, that makes you foolish." Jasiri mocked.

"Foolish, you, dirty little winch!" the earless hyena snapped.

The earless hyena charged, Jasiri gave a frustrated sigh. When the hyena got close enough Jasiri punched him in the face, immediately knocking him out. Jasiri looked at the other shocked hyenas, giving off her cute, mocking smile.

"He talked a big game, yet he played a terrible one. So, who's next?" Jasiri asked.

The hyenas clutched their chests, faking a heart attack.

"If only Janja and his clan gave up that easily." Jasiri laughed.

The lioness that Vitani was fighting had broke away from the fight and came up to attack Jasiri from behind.

"Jasiri look out!" Kion shouted.

Kion jump-twirled around the lion he was fighting and hit him in the groin with hind of his back paws. Kion tackled on the lioness before she could attack Jasiri. Kion gripped the lioness by the neck and threw her against a tree, knocking her out.

"Thanks for that Kion." Jasiri said.

"Don't mention it." Kion said.

"Use the roar to get rid of these guys." Jasiri suggested.

"I can't, It's too risky, even to make a precision roar." Kion said.

Jasiri growled with frustration seeing that everyone else was having trouble with their fights.

"We just got to hope that we can beat these guys and find the Scarred Pride." Kion said.

"We could just let one of them escape, then we could track them to the Scarred Prides' lands, but then they'd warn the pride about us." Jasiri said with frustration.

Vitani was having a hard time against the hyena she was fighting. She had a nasty bite on her shoulder and the hyena had not a scratch on him.

"Blood red looks good for you sweetie. It matches the color of my eyes. You know, because their blood red." the hyena said.

"Oh, just please stop talking!" Vitani said.

"But the problem is sweetie is that I like to talk, especially to pretty girls that I'm going to be eating soon." the red-eyed hyena said.

"You're going to be eating nobody." Vitani growled.

Vitani waved used her paw to gesture the hyena over to her. The hyena charged at her and she jumped to the side, but the hyena made a sharp turn and rammed into her legs, knocking her over. The red-eyed hyena stood over Vitani and laughed.

"Now, let's bite into that nice fat belly of yours." the red-eyed hyena said.

The red-eyed hyena went for the kill, but Vitani shoved her back left paw into the hyena's mouth, having it bite her ankle instead.

"No pain, no gain!" Vitnai said through clenched teeth.

Vitani rolled onto her back and curled up into a ball enough so she could grab the red-eyed hyena and shove him into the ground.

"Ugh, I'm okay, the ground is not that hard." the red-eyed hyena said completely dazed.

"Have fun in a painful dreamland you dog." Vitani said, bring her paw down on the red-eyed hyena's head, putting him in a 'painful dreamland.'

Vitani looked over to Kiara and saw that she was being backed into a corner by the lioness she was fighting and a hyena who had joined the fight. Vitani ran and tackled the lioness while Kiara took advantage of the distracted hyena. Kiara turned around and hit the hyena in the face with her back legs like a horse. Kiara looked towards Vitani, the lioness had her pinned. Kiara ran towards the them and rammed into the lioness' side.

"We're even now I guess." Kiara said.

"Yeah, thanks for that." Vitani said.

Kiara looked at Vitani's soldier where the red-eyed hyena had got at her.

"That shoulder of yours looks pretty bad Vitani." Kiara said with concern.

"His bark was worse than his bite." Vitani said.

A hyena jumped towards Kiara from a tree, but Tiifu tacked it in midair and knocked it's head against a tree, knocking it out.

"Thanks for the save Tiifu." Kiara said.

"Your welcome." Tiifu said.

The other lion of the group had Jasiri pinned beneath one paw. Zuri grabbed the lion's mane by her teeth and pulled him of Jasiri. The lion swiped at Zuri with his paw, sending her crashing into the rocks just beneath Terry.

"Enough of this!" Terry jumped down from his place and placed one of his large paws on Zuri's chest.

Terry raised his left paw to strike at Zuri.

"No!" Kiara screamed.

Kiara raced towards Terry and Zuri. Kiara tackled Terry off her friend just in time. Zuri felt Terry's claws brush against the fur and skin of her throat as Kiara tackled him off.

"Thank you for coming to me princess. Keep the others at bay while I deal with her!" Terry commanded.

The other two lions of the group and one lioness were able to pin Siri and Vitani to the ground, while a hyena got Jasiri pinned, a lioness pinned Kion to the ground, two hyenas got Tiifu and Zuri pinned. The remaining hyenas made a triangle around Terry and Kiara.

"Let's dance princess." Terry said.

Terry pounced, but Kiara dodged and tried to hit Terry in the head with her paw. Kiara felt like she hit a rock wall with her paw and clutched it in pain.

"Ugh, what is that guy made of, rock?" Kiara thought.

Terry tried to swipe his claws at Kiara, but she ducked. She tried to sweep Terry's legs out from under him, but he barley even moved. Terry connected his paw with Kiara's jaw, almost managing to knock out some of her teeth and he caused her nose to bleed. Kiara clutched her nose and jaw, gasping in pain.

"Oh, is the wittle princess going to cry." the red-eyed hyena who was holding Jasiri down mocked.

"Shut up." Jasiri said from beneath the red-eyed hyena.

"What did I say about talking?" the red-eyed hyena snapped at Jasiri.

Terry walked over to Kiara and brought one of his paws down towards her back left leg, nearly breaking it. Kiara tried to swipe at Terry but he batted it away, making her arm rattle. Kiara tried to kick him in the chest with her back right leg, but it sent Terry only a couple inches back.

"You're weak." Terry said.

Terry raised his claws.

"Now to live true to my promise and take out your eyes." Terry proclaimed.

"Kiara!" everyone shouted.

Siri's head started to hurt. He heard a familiar scream that sounded like it belonged to a young lioness. The scream didn't belong to Kiara, but it lit a fire deep in the pit of his gut. Siri pushed his paws against the ground throwing the lion pinning him off of him. Siri ran towards Kiara and Terry.

The hyenas forming the triangle around Kiara and Terry blocked him.

"Terry is busy right now white eye." a hyena said.

Siri grabbed the hyenas' heads in his paws and bonked them together hard, nearly cracking their skulls.

"Move it!" Siri said.

Siri tackled Terry before he could strike Kiara again. Siri and Terry traded a couple blows with their claws before Terry delivered a good swipe to Siri's head. Terry roughly grabbed Siri by the mane with his paws.

"Let go of me barbaric shi…" Siri began to curse before Terry smashed his head against a bunch of rotten tree roots.

"Siri!" everyone shouted.

Terry kept smashing Siri's face against the tree roots until a they broke, making one of the tree roots go jagged, and sharp. Terry tried to impale Siri through his throat on it, and Siri struggled with Terry by pushing his paws against other tree roots. Before Terry was able to impale Siri on the tree root, one of his paws slipped closer towards Siri's muzzle, and Siri took the chance that he saw. Siri bit down hard on Terry's paw. Terry screamed in pain and released Siri.

Siri grabbed Terry and slammed his face multiple times on the jagged, sharp piece of wood that Terry was trying to impale him on. Everyone stared on in utter shock at the gruesome scene of Siri continuing to savagely and repletely smash Terry face on the root. After what felt like hours, which was really just a few more second, Siri stopped and left Terry's unrecognizable face impaled by the jagged, sharp tree root. Siri, covered in Terry's blood, turned towards the rest of Terry's group and made a roar that sounded like a thousand lions.

"Alright, who's next!? Who wants their face to be turned into swiss cheese?" Siri screamed.

Terry's group all looked at each other in fear. The hyenas of the group eventually ran away, but the two other lions and lionesses stayed. The lions and lionesses charged at Siri and began to maul him. Siri tried to fight back, but he was getting overpowered.

"GET THE HELL OFF OF ME!" Siri yelled.

"Come on, we've got to help him." Kiara said, running forward to help Siri.

Kiara stopped when she heard the roar of another lion. From where Terry and his group emerged came another group. The new group had three hyenas, two lionesses, and were lead by one old looking lion. Kiara and the old lion locked eyes. The old lion broke away from Kiara's gaze and looked to where Siri was being mauled.

"Help him." the old lion commanded to his group.

The lionesses and hyenas rushed towards what remained of Terry's group, dragged them off of Siri and killed them quickly as possible. When it was done the old lion walked over to Siri and looked down at him. Siri stared up at the old lion before losing consciousness.

Siri woke up with an extreme headache. Siri put a paw to his head and felt that he had leaves for bandages on them. Siri than remembered everything that happened and looked around for his friends. Siri's eyes immediately fell on the old lion that lead the second group of hyenas and lionesses. The lion had dirty dark yellow fur, a lighter yellow underbelly, messy brown mane, red eyes, a scar over his left eye and one that traveled his jaw line and halfway down his shoulder.

"Hello beautiful." the old lion said somewhat jokingly.

Siri jumped up into a defensive position, but his body hurt so bad that he fell back to the ground.

"I wouldn't stand up fast if I were you." the old lion said.

"Where are my friends?" Siri demanded.

"Their coming to see you right now, and here they are." The old lion said.

Siri looked and saw his friends were coming towards him, with the old lion's group behind them.

"Oh, Siri we're so glad you're awake." Kiara said.

"How long have I been out?" Siri asked.

"Since yesterday." Kion answered.

"Since yesterday!?" Siri exclaimed.

"That's right bucko." one of the old lion's hyenas said.

"You might have died if we hadn't saved your sorry butt." another hyena said.

Siri looked up and saw that it was starting to get dark. He couldn't believe he'd been knocked out since sometime before midday yesterday, to near sunset today. Siri looked back at his saviors.

"Thanks for your help there." Siri said getting up.

Siri's body got a jolt of pain and he fell back down. The old lion offered his paw to Siri and helped him up.

"Stand up slowly." the old lion said.

"Thanks." Siri said.

"Alright, Siri if you're okay to travel I think we should move on." Vitani said.

"But it's nearly dark." Siri said.

"Some hyenas escaped though. They might warn the Scarred Pride about us." Kion said.

"And we all agreed to keep walking without any breaks until about this time tomorrow night so that we can make up for lost time." Vitani added.

"Well, my body still hurts a little, but I'm ready to get going." Siri said.

"Alright let's head out." Vitani said.

Kiara turned to the old lion and his group.

"Thanks again for your help, uhh…" Kiara said, trailing off.

"My name is Ni." the old lion said.

Kiara was surprised when she heard that the lion's name was Ni.

"Wait, did you just say that your name is Ni?" Kiara asked.

"Yes, I did." Ni said.

"Do you happen to know a Nala of the Pride Lands?" Kiara asked.

It was now Ni's turn to be surprised.

"Yes, I do, but how do you know that? I saw her many years ago, and your much too young to have been one of the cubs that lived in the Pride Lands when I was there." Ni said.

"I know because Nala has told me about you, and she's my mother, and she's the queen." Kiara.

"Oh, so Scar had a son and forced Nala to marry him, did he?" Ni said.

"No, she probably told you about Simba. He came back and overthrew Scar. He's now the king and my father." Kiara said.

Ni then looked skeptical.

"Then tell me, what's Queen Nala's daughter doing so far outside of the Pride Lands?" Ni asked.

"We're looking for the Scarred Pride." Kiara answered, a little hesitant.

"Answer me princess, are you and your friends stupid?" Ni asked.

"No!" Kiara said, a little offended.

"Then why the hell are you all looking for the Scarred Pride?" Ni asked.

"A few days ago, they captured my mate, my son, and one of his friends." Kiara explained.

"And the Scarred Pride also has a friend of mine. An elderly hyena named Dalia" Siri added.

"And your looking to save them from the Scarred Pride?" Ni guessed.

"You better believe it." Jasiri said.

Ni sighed.

"I feel sorry for all of you, I truly do. But trying to rescue someone from the Scarred Pride is a fool's errand." Ni said.

"And how would you know?" Vitani asked defensively.

"I know because I'm part of the Scarred Pride." Ni said.

Everyone jumped in shock at Ni's confession. Vitani and Siri immediately got into their fighting positions.

"I knew you weren't to be trusted." Vitani growled.

"I see it now. You save me and my friends from Terry's recruiter group just so you could take all the glory." Siri said.

"I had no love for Terry, that's true; But I ain't got no love for the Scarred Pride neither." Ni said.

"And remember you two, he and his group saved us." Kion said.

"If you got no love for your pride then why are you part of it?" Vitani asked.

"I had a pride of my own, but about three years ago a bunch of Scarred Pride recruiters attacked my Pride. They killed my mate, my son and daughters, their mates, their cubs, and any of my pride members who fought back along with their cubs. I'm the only one of my original pride left." Ni explained.

"Very likely story." Vitani scoffed.

"It's true." one of Ni's lionesses said, defending him.

"Yes, and he leads a rebellion of other lions, lionesses and hyenas in secret to one day destroy the Scarred Pride." a hyena said.

"If you work with hyenas then you must be as stupid as them." Vitani said.

"Uh, exsqueeze me!?" Jasiri said offended.

"Well, I believe Ni." Kiara said, walking up and standing next to Ni.

"So do I." Kion said joining Kiara.

"You know where I stand." Jasiri said.

"Room for another?" Tiifu said.

Zuri stayed right where she was, unsure if she believed Ni or not.

"He could help us get into the Scarred Pride and get back Kovu, Taka, Bluu and Dalia." Kiara said.

"Whoever said I was going to help? I told you it's too dangerous." Ni said.

Kiara was angry now and turned to Ni.

"What would you have us do then?" Kiara angrily asked.

"Go home before you get yourselves killed." Ni said.

"I'm not leaving without my mate and son, and friends." Kiara said.

"Ni, at least lead us to the borders of the Scarred Lands, please." Kion said.

"If you want we'll even join your rebellion." Kiara said.

"I can't take you in, you'll put my rebellion in jeopardy." Ni said.

"How?" Jasiri asked.

"You don't know the layouts of the lands and you're not part of the Scarred Pride, stupid." a hyena said.

"Yes, to be in the rebellion you need to know the land and be able to blend in with the crowd. Which none of you can do since you're not members of the Scarred Pride." a lioness said.

"They're right. So, for the last time, go home. If my rebellion succeeds one day and if you're family and friends are still alive I will personally make sure that their given safe passage to the Pride Lands." Ni said.

"That seems fair actually." Zuri said.

"Zuri!?" Kiara shouted in disbelief.

"Think about it. If Ni is part of the Scarred Pride and he says we can't rescue Kovu, the cubs and Dalia, we'd probably get ourselves captured or killed. Ni's offer is safe and fair." Zuri explained.

"I'm willing to take that chance Zuri." Kiara said.

"But what if I'm not?" Zuri said.

"Do you want to go back home Zuri? Well go ahead, no one's stopping you!" Kiara said, walking up to Zuri.

Zuri began to cry. Kiara realized what she had just done and reached for friend's shoulder. Zuri just flinched away and walked to the edge of the clearing.

"Why am I becoming so angry and yelling at everyone lately?" Kiara thought to herself.

Kiara turned to Ni.

"Ni, if you won't help us will you at least lead us to the edge of the Scarred Lands?" Kiara asked.

"You're actually going to trust a Scarred Pride member?" Siri asked.

"Kovu was a member of the Outlander Pride and I trusted him, and I trust Ni the same way as I did Kovu." Kiara said.

Siri looked to Ni and his group.

"I honestly don't know if I can trust him, but Kiara does, and that's good enough for me." Siri said.

"Thank you." Kiara said gratefully.

Kiara looked towards Vitani, who still didn't look convinced.

"Fine, whatever." Vitani said when she saw everyone staring at her.

"Well Ni?" Kiara asked.

Ni growled with irritation.

"Fine, I'll lead you to the Scarred Pride's borders, but after that you're on your own. I can't risk my rebellion." Ni said.

"Thank you." Kiara said with relief.

Ni took a seat in front of everyone.

"Alright everyone tomorrow we keep going deeper north into the jungle, through the Dismal Swamp, and straight for the Scarred Lands." Ni said.

Everyone settled down for the night. Siri and Vitani walked over to Kiara and laid down next to her.

"Do you really think we can trust this guy?" Vitani whispered.

"If he's anything like how my mom described him than yeah, I trust him." Kiara whispered back.

"I hope you're right." Vitani sighed.

"Listen Vitani, if he turns out being evil… we'll just kill him." Siri said.

That caused a small smirk to form on Vitani's face.

"Well if it does come to that point, I want to be the one to knock his teeth out." Vitani said before going to sleep.

Chapter 22: Nuka's Wrath

"Well make yourselves at home… As best as you can." Dalia said, bringing Kovu, Taka and Bluu into her den in the Scarred Lands.

Dalia's den was a bit bigger then Nuka's cave, and it smelled cleaner, not by much, but better.

"So, this is your own private den?" Taka asked.

"No, it's our private den. At least until we hopefully get out of the Scarred Pride one day." Dalia said.

Kovu immediately lied down. He seemed happy not to be sleeping in a cave that smelled like Nuka.

"Good idea dad. I can use some sleep after today." Taka said.

Kovu took Taka in his paws and wrapped his front legs protectively around him. Dalia laid down next to them. Bluu walked up to Dalia.

"Need a sleeping partner?" Bluu asked.

Dalia smiled at the young lioness and waved her forward. Bluu settled down, laying against the old hyena's side. Dalia smiled at the feeling of having a lion cub lying next to her. It made Dalia remember a younger Siri.

"My little Siri." Dalia happily whispered to himself.

"Hay, circus freaks." a voice said.

Everyone looked towards the den entrance to see Nuka standing there. Kovu pressed Taka against his chest and growled at Nuka, and Dalia just glared at the scraggly lion.

"What do you want?" Dalia asked.

"Shut it fatso, I'm here to talk to my nephew and his little girlfriend." Nuka said.

"Well they're trying to sleep right now. So, you're going to have to talk to me." Kovu said, getting up and walking towards his brother.

Nuka cowered in fright of his younger, yet stronger brother.

"You fool. King Scar and Queen Zira ordered me to talk to them, not you." a ghostly voice said.

Everyone looked to see Wraith in the mouth of the cave with the sun setting behind him.

"Of course, sir." Nuka said in a scared and shaky voice before slinking off.

Wraith stared at Kovu with his ghostly blue eyes. Wraith walked up to Kovu, grabbed him roughly by his jaw, brought his face close to his and growled.

"Your son, his friend, and the hyena have angered our queen." Wraith said in his calm yet angry voice.

"She made everyone else in training gang up on them." Kovu said.

"If it were up to me, I'd beat those cubs for disobedience. Tomorrow your brother will escort them to training, and they will obey. If they don't obey, then Queen Zira has given me permission to execute the hyena, and to train the cubs myself personally, and trust me when I say that they won't want that, and neither will you." Wraith explained.

Wraith let go of Kovu and walked away. Kovu looked at the cubs, they looked scared. They had to do what Zira ordered them to do in training, if they didn't they would have to be trained by Wraith personally, and he would hurt Dalia.

"Kovu, what are we going to do?" Bluu asked.

"Do what Zira says. For now." was all Kovu could say.

Taka and Bluu looked to each other, worried that they might be forced to fight each other again. Dalia nuzzled her snout against Bluu's cheek.

"Don't worry my dear. I'll be there to make sure you and Taka are safe." Dalia said.

"But you won't be able to intervene this time." Taka said.

Kovu placed a comforting paw on his son's back.

"Taka, I pulled through all of Zira's training for years, and I know that you and Bluu can do it to." Kovu reassured.

"But we're not like you." Taka said.

"You can do it." Kovu said.

Kovu lied down and wrapped his front legs around Taka again.

"Now rest up you two. You're going to need all your strength tomorrow." Kovu said.

"We all will." Dalia said.

Kovu's Dream:

Kovu was awake, but the edges of his vision were blurry, which meant that he was asleep at the same time. He was in Pride Rock's den, it looked so clear and vivid that he mistook it for reality. 'I'm home,' Kovu wanted to shout out, but didn't, knowing it was only a dream.

"You look beautiful, and I'm certain they will to." Kovu said.

Kovu's blood ran cold. That wasn't him that spoke, yet it was him that spoke. Kovu looked to his right and saw himself, laying down with Kiara, whose belly was swollen with cubs just waiting to be born.

"This was a day from when Kiara was still pregnant with Taka, Mufasa and Talia." Kovu said, watching his dream-self with Kiara.

Kovu's dream-self, slid his tongue across Kiara's pregnant belly. Kiara giggled at the slight ticklish sensation it caused.

"She always loved it when I did things like that." Kovu thought to himself, smiling at the memory that his dream was allowing him to relive.

Vitani then came into the cave.

"How are they doing?" Vitani asked Kovu's dream-self.

"One more month at most." Kiara answered.

"How many do you want?" Vitani asked Kiara.

"I don't care, I only care that we'll have it or them soon." Kiara said.

"Do you need a cub sitter for when you're out on royal duties?" Vitani asked.

"As long as you don't scare them with your scary face." Kovu's dream-self teased.

"What was that?" Vitani asked.

"He said that your face in scary." Kiara said.

"But, in the best way." Kovu's dream-self tried to compliment.

"How is my face scary?" Vitani asked.

"I don't know, you just look scary for some reason." Kovu's dream-self shrugged. "If scary looks could kill, you wouldn't be able to show your face anywhere. You'd have to wear a leaf or bark mask."

Kovu was trying to hold in his laughter. Vitani became much nicer and care free after the pride's joined, but she still had her intimidating appearance. Even when she was happy she always had a stern look on her face, which kind of looked like Zira's face, just more round than pointed and sharp. Kovu continued to watch the memory play out. Jamey came walking by the group of three.

Vitani looked towards Jamey.

"Jamey, does my face look scary?" Vitani asked.

"Ahhh!" Jamey whimpered in fright before running off.

"It's your always stern, tough look you have on your face Vitani. Take it as a complement. If hyenas ever try to attack us, just one look at 'em from you and they're scurrying back to where they came from with their tails between their legs." Kiara explained.

Kovu tried to walk over to his dream-self, Kiara and Vitani, but suddenly he, and the dream versions of himself, Kiara and Vitani heard a scream. Kovu followed them outside of Pride Rock. When they emerged from the den, the sky was the color of blood.

"What the heck is going on?" Kovu's dream-self asked.

Darker red clouds suddenly appeared in the sky. The roar of thunder echoed throughout the sky. Soon after, it started to rain, it started to rain blood.

"Kiara, Kovu, Vitani!" a voice shouted.

Kovu looked saw that Simba had just jumped onto Pride Rock and was rushing towards his dream-self, Kiara, and Vitani. Simba didn't get close to them though. Wraith jumped up onto Pride Rock as well. Wraith grabbed Simba by the neck and threw him towards Pride Rock's ledge.

"Dad!" Kiara shouted.

"Simba!" Kovu's dream-self and Vitani shouted.

A clap of thunder raced across the sky, turning everything white. When Kovu's eyes focused, he saw Simba barly hanging onto Pride Rock's ledge, and the mutilated body of Scar was standing above him. Scar looked at everyone with the left side of his face, so no one could tell if he was smiling evilly or not. Scar used his left, toeless paw to pound down on one of Simba's paws, making him begin to lose his grip. Scar than dug the claws of his right paw into Simba's other paw.

Scar laughed demonically.

"Long live the king." Scar said as he demonically laughed before throwing Simba of Pride Rock.

"NO, DAD!" Kiara shouted.

Another flash of lighting streaked across the sky. When the white light died away, Kovu looked towards the dream versions of Kiara, Vitani, and himself, they were all dead. Kovu than heard the demonic laugh of three lions. Kovu looked and saw Scar, Zira, and Wraith, who were all now as tall as the sky. Kovu than heard himself laugh, but it wasn't him who did it.

Kovu braced himself for what he was about to see. Kovu turned and looked at his dream-self. Kovu's dream-self was smiling evilly at him.

"You cannot escape the Scarred Pride." Kovu's dream self said before laughing demonically.

End of Kovu's Dream:

Kovu got up early the next morning. Kovu looked at Taka and Bluu, who were still sleeping. Kovu sighed with worry.

"They'll be okay." Kovu said, trying to convince himself that Taka and Bluu wouldn't be hurt in training.

Kovu gently shook the two cubs awake. Dalia woke up seconds later after the cubs.

"I guess we'd better get ready." Taka said.

"Yes, but first let's get you kids some food." Dalia said.

Kovu, Dalia and the cubs walked out of the den to try and get some food. When it came to food in the Scarred Pride, there were six ways to get food. You had to hunt it yourself, hopefully find someone who would share, wait for the pride to gather at dinner time, fight and kill another member for it, somehow find it just laying around, or God forbid, resort to cannibalism. Kovu, Dalia and the cubs saw a male hyena come across a random piece of meat from last night's dinner time.

"Come to papa." the hyena said as he bent down to grab it, but as he did a female hyena came and grabbed it as well.

The two hyenas than went into a tug-of-war over the meat.

"Let go you dog, I saw it first!" the male hyena said through clenched teeth.

"Get your head out of your bum, I saw it first!" the female hyena said.

"No, you didn't." the male said.

"I'm a female, so that makes me a higher rank in this clan." the female said.

"Well, I don't play by the rules toots!" the male said.

"Sooner or later there's going be death involved over that meat." Bluu said as she continued to watch.

"Let go of my meal ticket!" the male hyena demanded.

"I think you mean let go of MY meal ticket!" the female hyena snapped.

Ed, who had just happened to be walking by saw the two hyenas fighting over the scrap of meat. Ed laughed like a mad man before grabbing the meat from the two hyenas, quickly chewing it, then swallowing it. Ed's eyes dropped half closed, and his tongue hung limply out of his mouth in satisfaction. The two hyenas gasped in shock at what just happened. They looked at each other in disbelief, then they turned on Ed and growled.

Ed laughed, and ran away with the two hyenas close on his heels.

"We'll kill you for this!" the male hyena shouted as he and the female hyena chased Ed.

"Wow, that Ed guy is pretty stupid." Bluu said.

"Or mentally unstable." Taka said.

Shenzi, Banzai, and Nuka then came by.

"Hey, kids it's training time." Shenzi said, eyeing Taka and Bluu.

"We know." Bluu said.

"Now Kovu, Wraith is waiting for you. Go to him before he get's angry." Nuka said.

Kovu growled and began to walk where Wraith trained members of the Scarred Pride. Nuka and Shenzi grabbed Taka and Bluu by their mid-sections. Taka and Bluu felt uncomfortable with Shenzi and Nuka's teeth poking their sides.

"You're hurting them." Dalia said.

"Shut it fatso. You're lucky that you weren't punished yesterday for intervening in training." Banzai said.

Dalia growled in irritation. Banzai chuckled evilly before he walked up to Shenzi's side.

"Oh boy, I can't wait to see these two get their tails kicked babe." Banzai said.

"Yeah, I wonder which one will go down first." Shenzi said, trying not to laugh.

"You know, later when we're alone you got to give me one of your real laughs. 'Cause you know I love it when you snort like a pig because of how hard you laugh." Banzai said.

"Oh, don't worry, I will just for you." Shenzi said.

"I'll even split my meat with you tonight." Banzai offered.

"Oh, you don't need to do that. You got to eat, and you haven't been doing well with your hunger pains lately." Shenzi said.

"Neither have you, and you get more food than me and Ed do." Banzai said.

"I don't need food. I've got plenty of spirit I can use as fumes to go on." Shenzi said,

"OW! Would you stop it with those teeth!" Bluu suddenly shouted out.

"Then stop you're squirming you little, wiggling worm." Nuka said.

"I'll show you squirming." Bluu said.

Bluu swung herself and used her back paws to kick Nuka in the throat. Bluu bit Shenzi's leg, causing her to drop Taka. Taka and Bluu tried to run to Dalia, but Nuka grabbed them by their tails in his paw. Taka and Bluu tried to pull their tails free from Nuka's paw as he held them upside down in front of his face.

"Mother can wait. I'm going to deal with you two little snot-nosed brats first." Nuka growled.

Nuka looked to Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, who had suddenly just joined up with the group.

"Guys, let's grow some lion plants." Nuka said.

"Huh, lion plants?" Taka questioned.

Shenzi, Banzai and Ed had began to dig in the dirt.

"What are they doing?" Taka asked.

"Setting up my getting pay back on you two." Nuka said.

Nuka dropped Taka and Bluu into the cramped hole that Shenzi, Banzai and Ed dug. The four than put a bunch of thick, dead vines over the hole. Nuka and the three hyenas then sat on the vines and shook each other's paws.

"I've sure got a green paw, do I?" Nuka asked.

"Nuka, the green pawed lion." Shenzi said.

Dalia growled angrily at the scraggly lion and three rotten hyenas.

"Dig them back up, now!" Dalia demanded.

"Hmm, no, no, no, no, no, and let me think. No!" Banzai laughed.

"You said it Uncle Banzai." Nuka said.

"Take it from Uncle Banzai, kid." Banzai said, punching Nuka on the shoulder.

"And from Aunt Shenzi." Shenzi said while ruffling what little bit of mane that Nuka had.

"And from Uncle Eddie." Ed said in his own language.

Thunder suddenly began to roar across the sky grey.

"Man, I hate thunder storms. The thunder sounds like a lion's roa…YEOW!" Banzai tried to say before screaming.

Banzai jumped from where he was sitting and looked to see scratch marks on his butt.

"Oh, come on! Not again!" Banzai yelled.

Everyone looked to see Bluu's foreleg sticking out of the vines.

"That kids dead." Banzai angrily stated.

Banzai cleared away the vines around Bluu; big mistake. Bluu jumped out from the vines and onto Banzai's face. Bluu began to claw and bite at his face.

"Get her off, get her off!" Banzai screamed.

"Alright, don't have a fit." Shenzi said, coming to Banzai's rescue.

Shenzi tried to bite at Bluu, but Bluu quickly vaulted over Banzai's head and onto his back, causing Shenzi to bite Banzai's snout.

"You just bit my face!" Banzai yelled.

"Quit being such a cry baby! Ed, get over here!" Shenzi commanded.

Ed began to run over to his friends, but stopped within the first few steps and screamed in pain. Ed looked to see that Taka and bit his tail to drag himself out of the hole. Ed shook his backside to try and throw Taka off. Dalia ran up to Ed and hit him hard upside the jaw with her head.

"Thanks Dalia." Taka said.

"Yeah, fatso goanna pay." Shenzi said before running towards Dalia.

"Hay, you're supposed to be helping me!" Banzai angrily yelled.

Banzai jumped and tried to land on his back to squash Bluu. Bluu quickly jumped off and Banzai landed on his back hard.

"Good grief." Banzai miserably said.

Lightning suddenly struck a tree, setting it aflame.

"Now this is a good battle scene." Nuka said.

Shenzi tried to pounce on Dalia. Dalia ran under Shenzi, rammed her head into her stomach and flipped her to where she landed on her back. Shenzi tried to get up, but Dalia kicked her in the head with a back paw, knocking her out. Ed laughed like and maniac and tried to bite for Bluu, but she used her tail to whip him in the face. Dalia then came up and knocked Ed out as well.

"No one knocks out my girl or my best man!" Banzai said as he recovered from landing on his back.

Banzai started to advance towards them, but Bluu showed that while she was attacking Banzai's face, she had cartoonishly ripped off his eyebrows.

"Ahh! My eyebrows!" Banzai screamed, feeling where his eyebrows where supposed to be.

Bluu ran over to the burning tree and held Banzai's eyebrows above the flames.

"But kid, I can't make scary faces without those!" Banzai yelled, worried about his eyebrows.

Bluu was about to drop Banzai's eyebrows into the fire, but Nuka tackled Bluu, grabbed Banzai's eyebrows and threw them back to him.

"Thanks kid, you're a life saver." Banzai said as he put his eyebrows back into place.

Nuka held Bluu up by one of her hind legs in front of his face.

"Now, how to punish you?" Nuka pondered.

"Hay Nuka, is that your mother Zira over there praising your valiant actions to serve the Scarred Pride." Bluu said.

"Oh, where?" Nuka asked looking behind him.

Seeing his chance, Taka quickly grabbed a fiery branch and threw it at Nuka's head. Bluu and Taka then quickly ran to Dalia.

"Good work kids." Dalia praised.

Ed and Shenzi regained consciousness.

"Oh, something smells delicious right now." Ed said in his own language.

"That's burnt fur you smell Ed." Shenzi said.

Shenzi and Ed went with Banzai over to Nuka to help him up. The three hyenas gasped, so did Dalia, Taka and Bluu when they saw Nuka.

"Uh Nuka, you're missing something." Shenzi said.

Nuka got up and went over towards some murky water, and looked at his reflection. Nuka saw that what little bit of mane he had on his head and neck were all gone. Nuka quickly turned, and glared at Taka, and Bluu.

"Are you kidding me!?" Nuka angrily yelled through clenched teeth.

Taka, and Bluu shrank back in terror. Nuka started advancing menacingly towards the cubs and Dalia.

"I'm going to rip off your legs, and scratch you in the face with your own claws!" Nuka threatened.

"That's it, run for it!" Taka shouted.

Dalia and the cubs took their chance to make a run for it.

"After them!" Nuka shouted.

"Something smells like burnt fur." Ed said, dumbly forgetting everything that had just happened a few seconds ago.

Nuka pounded Ed on the head for saying that. Taka looked back and saw that the four of them were catching up.

"Split up!" Taka said.

"What!? That's the easiest way to get picked off." Bluu said.

Taka looked up ahead and saw an outcrop of rocks up ahead. Taka quickly broke off from the group and rushed through the outcrop of rocks.

"Taka, get back here!" Dalia shouted.

"Hay, stay right there!" Nuka shouted from not far behind.

Dalia and Bluu just continued to run and hoped that Taka would be fine. Nuka and the hyenas stopped where Taka had split from the group.

"You three go after that Scar-look-alike, I'll get fatso and little Mrs. Blue-eyes." Nuka said.

"You heard him boys, after that Scar-look-alike imposter." Shenzi commanded.

"Oh, boy I wonder how he tastes." Banzai thought out loud.

"No, don't eat him. Bring him to me so I can punch him, or better yet, take him to Scar and my mother." Nuka said.

With that Shenzi, Banzai and Ed began to run after Taka.

"There better not be any thorn bushes to fall into this time." Banzai said.

Taka jumped over, crawled under, climbed over and dashed around numerous rock in the outcrop. Taka had to quickly find his dad. Chased after or not, they had to make a run for it and get back home to the Pride Lands. Taka heard the sound of running paws behind him and looked for the source.

"SURPRIZE!" Shenzi and Banzai yelled as they along with Ed jumped into view.

"Holy zebra stripes!" Taka shouted.

"You know, we could give you your own set of stripes." Banzai said menacingly as he dragged his sharp claws across a boulder.

"And you already look exactly like Scar. So, all you need is the signature scar to become an exact replica." Ed said in his own language; Shenzi had translated for him.

Taka quickly turned tail and ran.

"Alright a chase." Ed said, ready for the adrenaline rush.

Taka ran so fast and without care that he cut his paw pads on some small sharp rocks. Taka didn't think he'd ever been this scared in his life. Taka's mind wandered to thanking about Jasiri and her small clan. How could there be hyenas like Shenzi and her two partners in crime who were so mean and evil, when Jasiri and her small clan were so friendly.

"Oh man, I wish she or just anyone was here right now." Taka said to himself as he continued to run.

Taka rounded a bunch of rocks and saw a small space under a large slap of rock just big enough to fit him inside. Taka quickly dived into the tiny space and held his breath. Shenzi and her gang stopped in front of where Taka was hiding, but from how they were talking, they didn't know where he was.

"Where'd that little rat go?" Shenzi asked.

"I thought you said that you saw him 'round the corner." Banzai said.

"I did." Shenzi snapped.

"Then it's your fault we lost him." Banzai said.

"Well at least I was closest to him while you and Ed were galivanting behind me." Shenzi said.

"And those two are mates?" Taka wondered.

Taka knew that couples fought every now and then, but he could somehow just tell that Banzai and Shenzi argued a lot.

"They say when you get old, the mind is the first thing to go. Ed lost his mind way long ago before he was old. It took you, I don't how many times quicker it took you to lose your mind, well now it seems that you've lost your speed, speedy." Shenzi said, trying to insult Banzai.

"Oh yeah, well at least I haven't lost my sight, unlike you." Banzai said.

"Oh, that's it!" Shenzi angrily snapped.

Shenzi threw a clenched paw at Banzai, pounding him in the eye.

"Ow, what was that?" Banzai asked.

"That's called a knuckle sandwich, would you like me to supersize it for ya?" Shenzi asked.

"I like sandwiches." Ed dumbly said in his own language.

"Shut up Ed!" Shenzi snapped.

"Oh, you hungry babe? How about I give back that knuckle sandwich!" Banzai yelled, throwing his own punch at Shenzi.

Shenzi being quick as she was ducked, causing Banzai to hit Ed instead. Ed growled angrily, jumped over Shenzi and attacked Banzai. A cloud of dust formed around Banzai and Ed as they fought, their paws and heads regularly popping in and out of the cloud. An occasional 'take this and that,' 'OWW,' and laugh was heard.

"OW! That's my foot!" Taka heard Banzai yell.

"OW! That's my tail!" Taka heard Shenzi, who must have gotten caught in the fight, yell.

Banzai uppercut Ed. Ed landed in front of Taka's hiding spot, with his face facing Taka. Ed dazedly opened his eyes and spotted Taka. Ed laughed in delight and he told Shenzi and Banzai what he had found in his own language. Taka quickly crawled out of his hiding spot and tried to run for it.

"Uh, bye." Taka said.

However, the three crazy hyenas all body slammed Taka. Taka was able to pop his head, front legs and upper body out from under the three hyenas.

"You're going nowhere pal." Shenzi said.

"Except to your Grandma Zira and your Great-Great Uncle Scar." Banzai said.

"No, anyone but them!" Taka cried out, on the verge of tears.

"Okay, we'll just deal with you ourselves than." Banzai said.

"Grandma Zira, Uncle Scar help, help!" Taka shouted.

"Let me go you no-mane freak!" Bluu's voice suddenly shouted out.

Everyone looked to see Nuka walking towards them with Bluu held by her tail in his mouth.

"Bluu, where's Dalia?" Taka asked.

"She's as dead as can be." Nuka said with an evil smirk.

"That's n…" Bluu tried to shout out, but Nuka cupped his paw over his mouth.

"God, you make me want to puke." Nuka irritably said.

Shenzi picked Taka up by his scruff with her paw and brought him to eye level and barred her teeth at him.

"What do you boys think we should do with him?" Shenzi asked.

"I say we use his own claws to neuter him right here, give him the Bob Barker Treatment!" Ed crazily said in his own language; Shenzi translated when Taka asked what Ed said.

"Oh no! Please, not THAT!" Taka wanted to shouted out, but knew it would do no good.

Nuka, Shenzi and Banzai cheered at Ed's suggestion.

"Yeah, let's Bob Barker him!" Nuka shouted. "Whose Bob Barker?"

Shenzi held Taka down by standing on his forelegs while Banzai spread open Taka's back legs. If Taka wasn't scared before, he was terrified now. Nuka handed Bluu, who was shouting at the hyenas to leave Taka alone, to Ed.

"Hope you weren't planning to pass your genes onto the next generation of stupid Pride Lander lions." Banzai mocked.

"Oh boy, this is going to be so good." Shenzi snickered.

Nuka walked over to Taka. Nuka was inspecting his claws.

"No Nuka, Ed said to use the cub's own claws, not your claws." Shenzi said.

"Oh, riiiiiight." Nuka said.

Nuka roughly grabbed Taka's right paw and forced his claws out.

"Let the Bob Barker Treatment begin." Nuka proclaimed.

Just before Nuka could begin the Bob Barker Treatment, a roar broke out.

"Huh?" everyone exclaimed.

Kovu suddenly jumped over some rocks and tackled Shenzi and Banzai off Taka, taking Nuka along with them. Ed was so frazzled by the whole situation that he didn't notice Dalia come up beside him and ram into him, causing him to drop Bluu. Kovu was on top of Nuka, who was scared out of his mind.

"You think you could just try to harm my son!" Kovu roared in his brother's face.

Nuka saw Dalia, and pointed at her.

"She kicked me in the mouth and made it bleed!" Nuka whined.

Kovu just growled, which was enough to make Nuka scream like a sissy boy.

"Hay, get off my laughing buddy!" Banzai said.

Banzai clamped onto Kovu's tail and tried to pull him off, but Kovu just horse kicked him in the face. Shenzi jumped on Kovu's back and tried to bite at his neck through his mane. Kovu got off of Nuka and tried to shake Shenzi off.

"The boulder." Nuka heard Banzai whisper over to him.

Nuka looked and saw that Shenzi was luring Kovu over to a large boulder. Nuka got the idea and ran over to the boulder. Nuka used whatever strength he had to push the boulder off it's small perch. Shenzi saw the boulder coming, and jumped off Kovu. Kovu quickly jumped out of the boulder's way, but Shenzi, Banzai and Ed quickly rammed into Kovu's side and pinned him.

"Alright Nuka, let him have it." Banzai said.

Nuka came running down over to Kovu.

"Nighty night you little termite." Nuka said.

Nuka went to bite for his brother's throat, but Taka suddenly appeared in front of him and shoved some plant in Nuka's mouth. Nuka gasped and accidently swallowed the plant. Before Nuka knew it, his limbs started to become stiff.

"What have you done to me?" Nuka asked before falling stiff on the ground.

Shenzi, Banzai and Ed looked at Nuka with concern. They then turned to Taka and began to advance, but Taka held the plant he shoved in his uncle's mouth in front of him.

"That kid is trying to poison us!" Banzai shouted.

"Run for your no-good lives." Shenzi said.

The three hyenas then quickly hightailed it out of there. Kovu got up and walked over to his son.

"Taka what did you do to Nuka?" Kovu asked.

"Remember when you and mom first took me out in the savanna when I was two and a half months old and I fell and sprained my leg. Well when Rafiki was looking at it, he started to ramble on for some reason about certain plants. Well this plant can cause muscles to go stiff." Taka explained.

"Well that was good thinking." Dalia said.

"Don't worry about Uncle Nuka. He'll be fine in about two hours." Taka said.

"Alright, now let's get out of here. We're going home." Kovu said.

Dalia and the cubs began to follow Kovu. Taka suddenly stopped and looked back towards his uncle.

"Wait, we can't just leave him like this." Taka said.

"Yes, we can." Bluu said.

"Just wait here." Taka said as we walked towards Nuka's stiffened body.

"Taka, get back here!" Kovu demanded.

Taka jumped onto Nuka's chest, grabbed his fore leg, bent it towards his face and drove his index claw up his nose.

"There, all better." Taka said.

Everyone then began to try and escape the Scarred Lands, leaving Nuka's frozen stiff body with his index claw stuck up his nose.

Chapter 23: The Pit

Wraith watched, and waited for Kovu to arrive to train with the other Scarred Pride lions. Wraith had dealt with late showers before, but Kovu was way, way late. Wraith was growling with impatience.

"If I have to go after that stupid lion, he's going to wish he had stayed home the day we caught him." Wraith thought to himself.

Wraith was starting to think they might be trying to escape the Scarred Lands.

"I could use a good chase if they are." Wraith thought to himself.

Many had tried to escape the Scarred Lands, and all have failed. Whether it was lion, lioness, or hyena, alone, or in groups, Wraith always caught them single pawedly. If they were in groups, they would always try to overwhelm Wraith with their numbers, but it never worked. Wraith was a skilled fighter, the best in the Scarred Pride, even better than Queen Zira herself was when she was younger, and still in her prime. Wraith waited for a couple more minutes until his patience wared out.

Wraith began walking towards Dalia's cave, but stopped when he heard screaming. Wraith looked to see Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed running towards him. Wraith sighed, every time he saw these hyenas, they made him want to kill himself. The three hyenas stopped in front of Wraith.

"What?" Wraith growled in his usual low, ghostly voice.

"That kid is trying to poison us!" Shenzi screamed in fear.

"Yeah, he already killed Nuka with poison." Banzai added.

"Who's killing people with poison?" Wraith asked.

"The Scar imposter." Shenzi said.

"You mean the new comer, Kovu's kid?" Wraith asked.

"Yeah, and he's just killed Nuka with some kind of poisonous plant." Shenzi said.

"Where are they now?" Wraith asked.

"The rocky outcrop to the east. They're probably trying to escape." Shenzi said.

Wraith called another lion over to him.

"Gather the pride at King Scar's cave, you three idiots go get Nuka's stinking corpse, I'll go after our escape artists." Wraith said.

Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs were nearing the eastern border running for their lives, and for home.

"I can't wait to see our friends when we get back." Bluu said.

"Yeah, my mom must be sick with worry." Taka said.

"Talk later kids, run now." Kovu said.

"I can see the boulders that mark the border." Dalia said.

"Then let's kick it into high gear." Bluu said, starting to run faster towards the border.

ROAR!

Lions, and hyenas jumped over the boulders marking the border. Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs skidded to a halt in front of the group.

"Sprint around, sprint around!" Taka shouted.

The group tried to sprint around, but…

"SURPRIZE!" a bunch more of hyenas shouted as they jumped in front of the group.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Taka shouted.

"How'd they get here so fast?" Bluu wondered out loud.

They were surrounded on all sides by lions, and hyenas. A few parted to make way for Wraith. Wraith stared at Kovu with his cold, ghostly blue eyes. Wraith walked up to Kovu, grabbed him by the base of his neck, and threw him to the ground. Dalia, and the cubs shrank down in fear of the creamy white furred lion.

"King Scar, and Queen Zira of the Scarred Lands would like to see all four of you." Wraith said.

Everyone had gathered in front of Scar, and Zira's cave. Scar's mutilated, burned left side shone like fire in the sun, which seemed to irritate his blind milky white eye.

"What's so important that we had to be called out of our cave?" Scar asked in his old, raspy, weak voice.

Wraith forced Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs forward in front of Scar, and Zira.

"These four have no respect for our rules. These three have gotten into fights, and Kovu helped them avoid morning training." Wraith said pointing from Taka, Bluu, and Dalia to Kovu.

"Ah, so Kovu is still as rebellious as he was back then.' Zira observed.

"Quiet women!" Scar yelled. "Anything else?" Scar asked, turning back to Wraith.

Wraith turned his ghostly blue eyes on Taka, and Bluu.

"These two…" Wraith began to say before he was interrupted by Zira.

"Those two disobedient cubs refused to listen to my orders durning their training with the other cubs." Zira said.

Scar slapped Zira across the face.

"We said quiet. We asked Wraith, not you." Scar said. "Have they done anything else WRAITH?" Scar asked.

"From what Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed said, Kovu's son here killed Nuka." Wraith said.

A happy uproar went throughout the entire Scarred Pride about Nuka being dead. Scar sighed, his face buried in his toeless left front paw.

"Where is Nuka's body?" Scar asked.

"Right here, and he's not dead. He's paralyzed, or something." Shenzi's voice suddenly shouted out.

Everyone groaned, and looked to see Shenzi, and her two partners in crime acting as a living stretcher to carry Nuka. They got in front of Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs. Everyone gathered around to look at Nuka's paralyzed body.

"Why do you have your index claw stuck up your nose." a hyena asked.

Nuka made muffled, paralyzed shouts, but no one couldn't understand a thing he was saying.

"Does anyone understand what he's saying?" Zira asked.

"I speak frozen." a hyena said.

The hyena ran up to Nuka, and bent down to him.

"What happened?" the hyena asked.

Nuka angrily yelled something in his muffled, paralyzed voice.

"What did he say?" Scar asked.

"He said that Taka force fed him some plant that caused his muscles to stiffen, but that he should be back to normal in about two hours." the hyena said.

Nuka screamed something else.

"Oh, and he says that he wants to see Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs all good and dead." the hyena said.

Scar looked at the four Scarred Pride criminals, and pondered.

"Well, we're not one for killing cubs," Scar said, proudly placing a paw on his chest. "But Nuka will get half his wish. The cubs will be trained under Wraith, and Kovu, and Dalia are sentenced to death… in the fighting pits." Scar said.

The entire Scarred Pride cheered at the mention of the fighting pits. Taka looked towards his father. Kovu just glared angrily at Scar, and Zira. Dalia however, looked scared. Taka guessed that she knew what the fighting pits were.

"Prepare the fighting pits for an execution fight tomorrow, right before sunset. Wraith, guard Zira's son, the cubs, and this old, fat hyena until than." Scar commanded.

"Yes, my king." Wraith said as he bowed.

Scar, and Zira were leading the Scarred Pride to where Taka assumed the fighting pits were. Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs, flanked by Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, followed Wraith. The eight of them came to a lone cave that stood on the other side of a surprisingly crystal-clear lake.

"This is the cleanest water that I've seen in the Scarred Lands." Taka said.

"That's because this is the only clean water in the Scarred Lands." Banzai said.

"What is this place?" Kovu asked.

"Wraith's cave, and I'll warn you four. It's pretty gruesome inside there." Shenzi said.

"But don't worry, Wraith won't bite, hahaha… much." Banzai laughed.

The four lions, and hyenas came to the mouth of the cave, and stopped. The cave from here smelled of mold, other oozy smells, and death. Wraith turned towards everyone, and looked at Kovu.

"You've really done it now. Tomorrow is your last day boy. Yours, and this fat, old hyena's." Wraith said in his low, ghostly voice.

"I'm not dying tomorrow Wraith, neither is she. I made a promise to a friend that I'd save her from this damned pride, and bring her back to him safely." Kovu said.

"You amuse me boy, but you'll amuse me more when your dead. Now, it's time for your last meals. Dalia here is a hyena, so I know that she'll naturally like her last meal since hyenas will eat anything." Wraith said.

Wraith turned around, and walked into the cave, gesturing everyone else to follow.

"But you Kovu, just one time before you die. You really outta try lion." Wraith said, stopping in front of the carcasses of many dead lions, and lionesses.

"What are all these dead lions, and lionesses doing he…" Bluu began to ask until she saw Wraith dig his jaws into the flesh of a dead lion.

Wraith pulled back his head, tearing off a chunk of meat from the lion's body. Wraith then chewed the meat slowly before he swallowed. Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs stared in shock at what they just saw.

"What the hell was that?" Taka asked.

"This is the gruesome I was telling you about kid. You see, Wraith is a cannibal." Shenzi said.

"A cannibal?" Bluu asked.

"You're telling me you don't know what a cannibal is?" Shenzi asked.

Taka, and Bluu shook their heads.

"A cannibal is an animal that eats their own species. Wraith is a lion who eats other lions, so that makes him a cannibal." Shenzi explained.

Wraith walked up to Kovu, licking his now blood-stained lips. Kovu usually acted fearless in front of Wraith, but now, Kovu looked obviously scared. For the first time since they met him, Wraith smiled, and laughed.

"I wonder how you'll taste boy? And I wonder how your boy will taste the day I get to sink my teeth into him, as well as his girlfriend." Wraith wondered out loud as he patted Kovu's cheek with a paw.

Kovu looked from the dead lions, and lionesses in the middle of the cave to Wraith's mocking smile.

"What kind of place is this? We need to get out of here." Kovu thought to himself.

The next day, just before sunset began Zira came to Wraith's cave. She led them towards the fighting pits. As they were walking, Wraith stopped, and looked down when he saw a beautiful young flower that had somehow grown in the unfertile Scarred Lands. It had a beautiful, strong, green stem with a yellow middle, and it's petals were blue, slowly fading into purple as it got to the petals' tips.

"Well, well, well a young blossom. So full of potential, yet so easy to destroy. Say your prayers." Wraith said before crushing the flower under his paw.

Everyone came in front of a large pit, thirteen feet deep, and twenty-five feet in diameter. There was a long log that acted as a bridge across the pit. There were many rocks, big, and small, along with sticks, and bones covering the floor of the pit, and the ground seemed stained with dry blood. In front of the pit was a large rock that looked like the ramp-like stone of Pride Rock. It jutted high over the edge of the pit, giving a good view of the fight from above.

Scar was sitting on the rock, breathing heavy, raspy breaths with a look of suffering on his face. Zira got up on the rock, and licked his mutilated left side. Scar winced in pain, Zira's tongue sending millions of tiny knives into his left side. Scar shoulder shoved Zira, making her stop.

"You're hurting us." Scar said.

Zira growled, and turned her head away from Scar angrily. As Kovu, and Dalia walked closer to the pit, Kovu came across a long, flat, table like rock. The rock had the severed heads of lions, lionesses, and hyenas on it. All the rotting heads were sitting between the skulls of some strange creature that looked like some type of monkey.

"Your friends have been busy." Kovu said with a grimace on his face.

"Let's just hope our heads don't end up here." Dalia said.

Wraith looked towards Kovu, Taka, and Bluu, then at the stone table with the heads.

"Take a good, long look you three. It's very important you see what comes of disobedience." Wraith said.

Wraith continued to march Kovu, and Dalia to the pit's edge. Kovu, and Dalia saw a slim lion in the pit with dark grey fur, a dark red mane along with a tuft of it on his chin like a goatee, he had a scar identical to Kovu, and Scar's on his left eye, along with another one on his cheek, back left ankle, shoulder, and side.

"That is the lion you two will fight." Wraith said.

"Yes, his name Damubo." Zira said from above the rock. "He's fast, deadly, vicious, our champion of the fighting pits, and our executioner."

"Pit fighters. Artists who paint in blood, and know no rules, but kill." Dalia said.

"Sounds like something my mother would say." Kovu said.

Damubo looked at Kovu and Dalia.

"An old, fat hyena. That will be easy." Damubo said.

Damubo than looked to Kovu.

"And you, what are you supposed to be. With your one simple scar, and pretty little dung colored mane? I'd sooner throw you down to the ground to plough you with one of these many sharp bones than fight you!" Damubo shouted, not impressed by Kovu.

"Thanks for noticing the dung colored mane." Kovu growled sarcastically.

"At least you still have a sense of humor." Dalia sighed.

Wraith shouldered Dalia into the pit.

"Dalia!" Kovu shouted, concerned for his new hyena friend.

"Hay Kovu." Shenzi shouted out.

Kovu turned around to face Shenzi, and her two partners in crime. Shenzi, and Banzai grabbed Kovu's whiskers in their paws, and Ed pushed him into the pit, making Kovu fall, and losing all his whiskers to Shenzi, and Banzai.

"Don't die." Shenzi mocked before laughing like a maniac.

Kovu feel on his back into the pit. Kovu rolled over, and placed his paws on his muzzle where his whiskers use to be, and rubbed it.

"I'm gonna get you three." Kovu groaned.

Kovu looked up, and saw that Nuka was staring down to him from above, waving at him and smiling with evil glee. Wraith turned to Nuka.

"Explain the rules of the fighting pits." Wraith said.

Nuka got onto the log bridge and walked across it

"Alright there are two rules to the pit. First: it's a fight to the death, so you kill your opponent, and if you refuse, we kill both of you, or in this case, all three of you. Secondly: other than that, there are no rules." Nuka explained.

Kovu, and Dalia looked at each other in fright, and worry.

"Well come on. Let's see how you die!" Damubo shouted impatiently.

"Well, I've certainly lost my sense of humor." Kovu said.

Dalia took a glance at Damubo before looking back to Kovu.

"If I die in here, when you, your son, and Bluu get back to the Pride Lands, tell Siri that I love him, and I'm sorry for not making it back like I promised him. But he doesn't have to worry, he's got a new family in you, Taka, Bluu, and everyone else in the Pride Lands now." Dalia said.

"You'll not die in here, so you can tell him you love him, yourself." Kovu said.

Hearing this, Zira laughed.

"May the best fighter win!" Zira shouted.

"The best would be me." Damubo replied.

Damubo stalked towards Kovu, and Dalia. He jumped against one of the many large rocks covering the floor of the pit, and pushed himself off, doing a stylish twirl just to show off.

"Ready your ears for the song of blood." Damubo said.

"Haven't got a clue what that means, but we're gonna have to refuse." Kovu said.

Damubo jumped at Kovu, scratched him on the foreleg, and quickly jumped back before Kovu could get a hit in.

"Would it help if I stood still?" Damubo asked.

"Maybe." Kovu replied.

Kovu stalked towards Damubo.

"Come on little boy, try to hit me." Damubo mocked.

Kovu made a quick lunge for Damubo, who quickly jumped back. Damubo winced in pain when he felt something bite his ankle. Damubo looked to see Dalia, who had snuck around while Kovu distracted him. Damubo whirled around, throwing Dalia off his ankle. Dalia rolled onto her paws as she flew away.

Kovu rammed into Damubo chest, sending him back a foot, or two.

"Son of a hyena!" Damubo cursed.

Damubo sweep kicked Kovu off his paws. Damubo tried to shoulder dive into Kovu's face, but he quickly rolled away. Damubo got up, and rubbed his shoulder.

"Let's see if you're still smiling after I break your face." Damubo shouted at Kovu.

"Kill him Damubo!" Banzai shouted.

"Shut up!" Bluu shouted as she jumped up, and scratched Banzai's face with her claws.

"Not again!" Banzai shouted in pain.

Wraith grabbed Bluu by her scruff with his paw, and brought her close to his face. Bluu went numb with fear as she looked into the cannibal lion's ghostly blue eyes.

"Trouble maker. Just wait till I eat your boyfriend's daddy." Wraith said.

Damubo, and Kovu were circling each other while Dalia was on the outskirts of the fight. Her, and Kovu's telepathic plan was for Kovu to attack Damubo directly, and she would quickly strike Damubo if she could. Kovu lunged at Damubo. Damubo jumped back, and then forward. Damubo wrapped his forelegs around Kovu's neck and, flip-slammed him. Dalia acted quickly, jumping on Damubo's back, and biting his shoulder.

"Get off old woman!" Damubo shouted.

Damubo tried to slam his shoulder into a rock to get Dalia off him, but she jumped off at the last second. Everyone around the edge of the pit was starting to laugh. Damubo screamed in anger.

"No one makes a mockery of Damubo!" Damubo shouted.

Damubo was about to go over to Dalia, but Kovu rammed into him, causing him to slam into rock. Kovu raised his claws, and tried to claw Damubo's face, but he quickly ducked. Damubo curled his paw into a fist, and punched Kovu square in the throat. Kovu clutched his throat, croaking, and coughed. Damubo brought his paw into the side of Kovu's head, sending him to the ground.

Dalia scratched Damubo's side with her claws. Damubo tried to bring his paw down on top of Dalia's head, but she jumped to the side, and bit onto Damubo's foreleg. Damubo stood on his hind legs to use his other forepaw to pry Dalia off his foreleg. Damubo threw Dalia against the far wall of the pit. Dalia slid to the ground, unconscious.

Kovu seeing this, roared in anger, and tried to claw Damubo from behind, but he rolled out of the way.

"You won't be so lucky without your little hyena helper!" Damubo said.

"Hate to tell ya, but that wasn't luck." Kovu said.

Damubo kept making twirls, jump backs, and fake lunges.

"Are you ready Pride Lander? This is gonna hurt!" Damubo shouted.

Kovu made a lunge at Damubo, who just made a twirling leap around Kovu, scratching his shoulder, and side in the process. The crowd cheered loud enough to wake the dead.

"You hear that boy? We cannot let the crowd go wanting." Damubo said.

"Think I can actually." Kovu said.

Damubo made another lunge at Kovu, who quickly jumped back. Kovu brought a paw down on the top of Damubo's head, making the lion hit his jaw on the ground hard. Damubo made a ground sweep, sending Kovu to the ground. Damubo than quickly grabbed a thick stick next to him, and began to choke Kovu with it as he got up by pulling it against his throat. Kovu thinking quickly, used the back of his head to headbutt Damubo square in the snout.

Damubo, clutching his nose, and growling angrily, began to circle Kovu while looking at the crowd above.

"Look at this terrified boy! He fears his end." Damubo cockily announced.

Kovu taking advantage of Damubo's distracting himself, tried to ram into him. Damubo seeing Kovu try to ram him out of the corner of his eye, made one last attempt. Damubo jumped to the side at the last second, then jumped on Kovu's back. Damubo wrapped his forelegs around Kovu's neck tightly, and his back legs around Kovu's abdomen. Kovu fell to the ground as he tried to wriggle out of Damubo's grasp.

Everyone began to chant Damubo's name, thinking that their pit fighter champion was about to win.

"I got to do something before he strangles me to death." Kovu thought to himself.

Kovu looked to Dalia's unconscious form, begging the old hyena to wake up, and help him. Just when Kovu was beginning to that he was going to die by getting choked to death, he saw a sharp rib bone just out of reach. Kovu took a paw away from Damubo's forelegs around his throat, and began to reach for the rib bone. As he was reaching, Kovu looked up around the pit. No one seemed to have noticed that he was reaching for it, then his eyes fell on his mother.

She was smiling. Kovu could have killed her just for that damned smile.

"Damubo wins again!" Damubo shouted up towards the crowd.

The edges of Kovu's vision were starting to become blurry.

"No, no, no, no, no, NO! I can't pass out now!" Kovu thought to himself.

Kovu clenched his teeth together so hard with strain that he was positive that he was either pushing his teeth further into his gums, or he was going to shatter them with their own bite force. Kovu's paw brushed against the rib bone. Kovu vision was starting to go from blurry to black. Kovu's paw pressed down on the very tip of the rib bone. Kovu's hearing turned to a buzzing sound.

Kovu's paw was half way to getting a good grip on the rib bone. Kovu's muscles became weak. Kovu gave an almighty roar with the last of his strength, gripped the rib bone tightly in his paw, and stuck the sharp end into the side of Damubo's neck. Damubo shouted out in pain, let go of Kovu, and backed away, pulling the rib bone out of his neck, and clutching the gushing hole that it left. Kovu painfully, but gratefully sucked as much air as he could into his lungs while messaging his throat.

When Kovu got enough air into his lungs he turned back to Damubo. The lion was staring at him with anger, and one paw still on his neck. Damubo put his paw down, and began to charge. He only got three steps towards Kovu before Dalia, who had just regained consciousness, used all her strength to punch Damubo in the side of the head, sending him to the ground. Damubo tried to rise once more, but Kovu uppercut him, sending the lion, who was too weak to fight anymore, to the ground for good on his back.

Kovu looked up, Taka, and Bluu seemed relieved that he and Dalia were safe. Scar, Zira, Wraith, Nuka, Shenzi. and her two partners in crime however looked disappointed in the fight's outcome. Some lions, lionesses, and hyenas in the crowd however began to chant Kovu's name. Hearing the crowd chant his name made Kovu angry. What made it worse was that a hyena called him the Scarred Pride's new champion of the fighting pits.

A lion however said that he needed to finish off Damubo first. Kovu looked down at the lion he, and Dalia had just defeated together. He was still on his back, panting, and groaning in pain. Kovu looked angrily up to the crowed, especially to Scar, and his mother.

"You know what I say to your Scarred Pride, and its customs?" Kovu said.

The crowd waited for Kovu's answer. Kovu looked towards the ground, and spat.

"Ohhhhhh. That guy is so dead." Banzai said in shock.

"Where I come from, we don't kill others for sport in fighting pits!" Kovu angrily yelled to the pride.

"So, you refuse to kill Damubo?" Scar asked.

"We Pride Landers don't kill for sport." Kovu reminded everyone.

Kovu walked over to Damubo, and offered him a paw. Damubo stared at Kovu's paw for a few quick seconds before looking Kovu in the eyes, and growling at him. Seeing this, Scar sighed with disappointment.

"As of the rules of the pit fights, kill all three of them." Scar said.

Many lions, and hyenas led by Wraith jumped down into the pit. A group of hyenas went after Damubo. Damubo was back up against the wall in fear.

"No, please. Stop. Stop! STOP! STO…" Damubo said before his please for mercy turned into screams of the pain of getting eaten alive.

Kovu, and Dalia had their backs against the wall, facing imminent death with dignity. Taka, and Bluu were shouting at them to fight back even through they knew there was no hope Kovu, and Dalia could fight everyone off. Just when the lions, and hyenas were about to pounce a bunch of voices rang out.

"King Scar, King Scar! Queen Zira, Queen Zira! Wraith, Wraith!" the voices shouted.

Taka, and Bluu looked to see a couple hyenas running towards the pits.

"What is it? We're in the middle of an execution." Zira said.

"And where is Terry?" Scar asked.

"Terry is dead, and worse, lions are coming to the Scarred Lands." a hyena said.

"And Queen Zira, two of those lionesses in the group are the ones from your stories. Kiara, and your daughter Vitani. One of the lions is also that Kion kid you've told everyone about, and the other lion was that lion that Wraith ran into a while back." Another hyena said.

"Kiara?" Kovu exclaimed.

"Mom, Uncle Kion, and Aunt Vitani?" Taka exclaimed.

"Siri?" Dalia exclaimed.

Scar, who had heard them, smirked evilly hearing that Kovu, Dalia, and the cub's loved ones were coming to the Scarred Lands. He looked at the cubs, and at Kovu, and Dalia, the mutilated left side of his face turned their spines to ice.

"On second thought, we might have use for you after all Kovu, as well as the cubs, you two our dear Dalia. We'll use you all as bait." Scar said.

"No!" Taka shouted out.

"Yes." Scar hissed, eyeing Taka.

Scar looked to the hyenas.

"About what time will they all get here?" Scar asked.

"About two days." a hyena answered.

"Alright everyone." Scar said, addressing the Scarred Pride. "In two days we're going to have some guests, and to wait out the time, we're going to have some fun."

Scar looked towards Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed.

"We still need to punish Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed for allowing these four traitors to almost escape. Game nights anyone?" Scar asked.

At the mention of 'game night' Shenzi, and Banzai gulped in fear while Ed just laughed stupidly. Shenzi, and Banzai glared at Ed for laughing.

Kiara, her friends, and Ni's group had just exited the jungle, and were on the edge of a swampy region. Kiara guessed that this was the Dismal Swamp.

"Just one more obstacle, and we'll get to the Scarred Pride." Kiara sighed with relief in her.

Vitani, who was at the back of the group, and still untrusting of Ni, looked at him.

"This is the Dismal Swamp?" Vitani asked.

"Yeah." Ni said.

"Um, it smells like butt." Zuri said.

"Yes, it really stinks." Tiifu agreed, holding her nose with a paw.

"This swamp goes on for miles, so many miles that recruiters don't bother to go around. So, we walk straight through to the Scarred Pride." Ni said.

"Okay." Kion said, taking in a few breathes of fresh air to prepare for the smells of the swamp.

"I'd say you'd get use to the stink of this swamp, but you never do." Ni said.

The large group began to walk through the Dismal Swamp. Kiara, and her friends never having been in a swamp before made groans of disgust as the walked through the swamp sludge. It was like walking through the squishy mud that came during the rainy season in the Pride Lands, but something about the murky greenish water made it many times worse. The water eventually became so deep that Jasiri had to start paddling to cross the water.

"There isn't much land to walk on here." Siri observed.

"Some swamp lands have more water then land, like this one for example. It use to have more land though." Ni explained.

Zuri suddenly screamed.

"What is it Zuri?" Siri asked.

"Something just moved past my leg." Zuri said, looking down at the water.

"It was probably just a water snake." Ni said.

"Water snake!?" Zuri exclaimed in fright.

"Don't worry, if you don't bother them, then they won't bother you." one of Ni's lionesses said.

"Well, thank goodness." Zuri said.

"Let's continue on, we still have a long way to travel through this swamp." Ni said.

As they continued to walk Kiara noticed something in the corner of her eye. She looked, and saw a light that looked like a flickering lamp. It looked so pretty that it made Kiara feel more light hearted than she had been for a little over a week since Kovu, and the cubs were captured.

"Oh, cool. Ni what are those lights?" Kiara asked.

"Hay, does Ni look like a tour guide to you?" one of Ni's lionesses snapped.

Vitani stomped over to the lioness, and got in her face.

"Hay! Leave her alone!" Vitani snapped protectively.

"Or what?" the lioness asked.

"That's enough Imepigwa." Ni said.

Imepigwa walked away from Vitani and Kiara, getting Ni's message.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Vitani said under her breath.

Ni looked to Kiara.

"Sorry about that, Imepigwa has a tendency to snap at others." Ni said.

"I can see that." Kiara whispered enough to where only Ni could hear.

"Now, you were asking what those lights were?" Ni asked.

"Yeah, I've seen fire flies before, but those aren't fire flies, I think." Kiara said.

Ni looked towards the lights with Kiara.

"Someone once told me that their called will-o-the-wisps. Lights seen hovering or floating over the ground." Ni said.

"Why do we never see them in the Pride Lands?" Kiara asked with wonder.

"That's because they only appear in marshy lands like the Dismal Swamp. They say that if you fallow them, they lead you from the safe paths, and to your fate." Ni said.

"Oh." Kiara said with more wonder.

"Some other names for them are ignis fatuus, hobby lights, jack-o'-lantern, friar's lantern, spook-lights, ghost-lights, pixy-light, hobby lights, or simply orbs." Ni said.

"Oh, I wish Kovu, Taka, and my dad were here, they'd love this." Kiara said.

"Maybe one day you can bring them here to show them." Ni suggested.

"I hope so." Kiara said.

Everyone continued on for a few minutes walking, or swimming through the water. Jasiri's legs were starting to get sore from the constant paddling.

"Come on Jasiri, get on my pack." Kion offered, noticing that Jasiri was getting tired.

"No need, there's some land coming up." Tiifu announced.

"We can rest there for the night." Ni said.

When the group got to the outcrop of land, they shook themselves off, and began to settle down. Ni had some hyenas go to try to hunt for some lizards by the water. Zuri laid herself against some tall grass. Zuri caught sight of Siri, and Vitani laying down together. Siri was whispering something in her ear, it must have been a joke from the way Vitani laughed.

Zuri still couldn't believe that Vitani was laughing out loud. She'd heard Vitani laugh before, but only when she was laughing at someone's misfortune, but not in a super mean way, just a mocking way, even then she didn't laugh as loud as she was now.

"The white-eyed lion is not the one for you Mrs. Zuri." one of Ni's hyenas, who had suddenly appeared next to Zuri said.

Zuri jumped in shock. Zuri looked towards the hyena. She guessed that he must have seen the looks she'd been giving Siri, and Vitani, and he had decided to come talk to her, to comfort her, or something, but also scared her in the process.

"How come every hyena who isn't Jasiri, Madoa, Tunu, Wema, or anyone in their clan always scary, and sneaky?" Zuri mumbled to herself.

"There are two types of people in the world. Those who dance, and those who do not." the hyena said.

"Uh hmm." Zuri said, going along with the hyena.

"I first met my beloved at a war rally sometime before the Scarred Pride ubducted us. We were fighting to defend our territory from an invading clan. Everyone flailed about, dancing. Except for one women. My Ovet. I knew immediately she was the one." the hyena said.

Zuri nodded, trying to be polite.

"The most melodic singing in the world could be going on, and she wouldn't even tap her paw. She wouldn't move a muscle. One might assume she was dead." the hyena said.

"Yeah, that sounds pretty hot, but…" Zuri tried to say.

"It would make my nether regions engorge…" the hyena continued to ramble on, completely ignoring Zuri.

"Alright, I get your point. I'm a dancer, and Siri is not." Zuri frantically said, flailing a forepaw, not wanting to hear anymore of the hyena's very graphic story.

"You just need to find a lion who is pathetic, like you." the hyena said like he thought that comment wouldn't offend Zuri.

The hyena walked off before Zuri could replay to his rude comment. The hyenas Ni sent out came back with lizards, Zuri groaned. Zuri barely touched her lizard because she was sick of lizard, the swamp around her gave her depressing vibes, and seeing Siri and Vitani together. The day before they arrived in the Dismal Swamp, Zuri had done some thinking with herself, and had decided to accept that the two most likely loved each other, and that she should happy for them, but she was still heart broken that Siri had decided to choose Vitani as a mate. The fact that Vitani was the only one that Siri hung out with didn't help either.

It made Zuri think that Siri had chosen her as a mate too quickly, even if they did get along so well. It suddenly started to rain heavily. Zuri began to cry from all the depressing feelings she was getting. Zuri suddenly felt someone lie against her. She looked, and saw Kiara lying next to her in an attempt to use her body heat to help keep her friend warm.

"Hay, I'm sorry about yelling at you in the jungle." Kiara said.

"It's okay, I didn't mean what I said either. I am willing to risk anything to help rescue Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs. It's just, your braver than me when it comes to speaking your mind." Zuri said.

The two friends looked towards Siri.

"Do you think Siri will stay in the Pride Lands?" Zuri asked.

"I hope so. Because I have a feeling that if he leaves back to his original home, Vitani will go with him, and I don't want her, or him to leave." Kiara said.

"Yeah, I don't spend much time with Vitani, but the Pride Lands just wouldn't be the same without her, or even Siri." Zuri said.

"I always wanted an older sister to look up to." Kiara said.

"Yeah, so have I." Zuri said, eyeing Kiara out of the corner of her eye.

Ni stood in front of everyone.

"Alright everyone, get some sleep. We still got a lot of swamp land to cross." Ni said.

Everyone settled down for the night, hustling together to keep each other warm through the rain storm. Kiara stayed with Zuri. Before sleep took over Zuri, she heard the hyena's voice in her head.

'You just need to find a lion who is pathetic, like you.'

Chapter 24: Game Night

Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs were being guarded by Wraith as they watched Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed being marched in front of Scar and Zira. The three hyenas were glaring at Taka as they were being marched. They obviously blamed him for whatever fate had in store for them. When they got in front of Scar, and Zira, they sat down. Shenzi, and Banzai looked scared while Ed just continued his non-stop giggling. Scar looked down at the three hyenas who were his friends once upon a time.

"You three are charged with failing to keep the new members of the Scarred Pride from trying to escape." Scar said.

"But why are we being punished when it was boxhead here who screwed up!" Shenzi angrily asked while pointing at Kovu.

"Because, SHENZI, you, your mate, and your stupid friend are members of the Scarred Pride, and if a member escapes, those who failed to stop them get punished. Just be thankful that we were able to capture them before they escaped, and that they have more use to us now than we thought, or all three of you…" Zira made a slit throat symbol to prove her point.

"Why does stuff like this always happen to us man?" Banzai asked with fright.

"Because the entire world is against hyenas." Shenzi said.

"Alright everyone, let game night begin!" Scar shouted out.

Zira jumped down from the rock she, and Scar were on, walked around the three hyenas, and towards the rest of the pride. The entire pride looked at the three hyenas, waiting for something. Ed got behind Banzai, and pushed him towards Zira.

"Tag, your it!" Ed said in his own language.

Banzai's body skidded across the ground until it came to a sudden halt. Banzai looked up and saw Zira's crazy blood red eyes staring down at him.

"Hello Zira." Banzai nervously said.

"Hello my dear Banzai, let's play." Zira said.

Zira grabbed Banzai by his ears while another lioness grabbed Banzai by his tail. The two lionesses then used Banzai as a jump rope while a third lioness jumped over Banzai as he was being swung.

"Banzai's a goner." Shenzi said.

The lionesses stopped using Banzai as a jump rope.

"You know, why should we have all the fun when the cubs, and pups should have some to." a lioness said.

"Oh kids!" Zira shouted over to some young lions, and hyenas.

Zira, and a lioness held Banzai on the ground, flat on his back.

"Trampoline time." a lioness said.

The young lions, and hyenas yelled in delight as they began to use Banzai as a trampoline.

"Stop that you little brats!" Banzai snapped.

Shenzi, and Ed were laughing at Banzai hysterically. They knew that they were next, but they weren't going to pass the opportunity to laugh at Banzai's misfortune. A young lioness ran up to Banzai, who was now on his feet, growling at the pride, and whacked him on the butt with a branch of thorns.

"Hahaha! Cactus butt!" Shenzi shouted.

Banzai crawled towards Shenzi, and Ed.

"Okay, that's it. Tag me, tag me, tag me!" Banzai pleaded.

Ed slapped Banzai's paw, and ran towards the lionesses.

"Banzai has a bunch of thorns up his bum, and now he needs some band-aids." Ed said in his own language.

Some female hyenas jumped on Ed.

"Give them the mute head bump Ed!" Banzai shouted, trying to pull the thorns out of his butt.

"I can't Banzai, daddy says I can't fight girls." Ed said in his own language.

Ed grabbed Shenzi's foreleg, and switched with her.

"Tag!" Ed said as he switched places.

Shenzi rolled towards the lions, and hyenas waiting for her. A lion grabbed Shenzi by her bangs with a paw, and started to spin her in circles in the air by her bangs.

"Hay! Be careful with those! Those are my signature bangs, my matriarch bangs." Shenzi said frantically, worrying about her bangs.

"Rip her bangs off!" Banzai shouted.

The Lion stopped twirling Shenzi by her bangs, and forced her to curl up into a ball. The lions than threw her along the ground. Shenzi stayed curled up in a ball to protect herself, and soon rolled into Banzai and Ed like a bowling ball. Many lions, lionesses, and hyenas laughed at pointed at the three hyenas.

"Oh, I think I broke something." Shenzi moaned.

"You broke something? I think you broke something in us." Banzai moaned.

Shenzi was grabbed once again by the lion, and was twirled in the air by her bangs again. Banzai, and Ed were than suddenly grabbed by some lionesses, and were thrown to the lion twirling Shenzi around in the air by her bangs. The lion used the same paw he was holding Shenzi with to grab Banzai, and Ed's tails, and twirled all three of them. Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs were watching the whole thing in shock. The four of them didn't know whether to be glad that Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed were being punished for all the bad the three have done to them, and all their friends, and family members in the past, or to feel bad for the torture they were being put through.

For the next hour Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed were used as the Scarred Pride's three living punching bags. The Scarred Pride for their grand final in tonight's game night was to build a large catapult/teeter tauter-like machine with some wood, a large rock, and some nearly dead vines. Once they got Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed into their positions. a bunch of lions jumped, sending the three hyenas into a lava geyser somewhere out in the Scarred Lands, but they safely landed on a giant slab. The pressure then shot the three hyenas back out, sending them flying somewhere.

"Is that a bird?" a hyena laughed.

"No, it's a shiny, metal bird." another hyena laughed.

"No, it's three idiots we sent flying off." a lion laughed.

With game night over, Wraith then escorted Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs to a small cave, and pushed a large to block the entrance.

"See you in the morning." Wraith hissed from outside.

The small cave the four where in was small, and cramped.

"How are we going to get out now?" Bluu asked.

"I don't know Bluu." Dalia asked.

"I miss home, I miss mom, and dad, Griffin, Mufasa, Talia, Grey, Tunu, Wema, and everybody else back in the Pride Lands." Bluu said, visually on the verge of tears.

Dalia pulled Bluu into a comforting hug.

"Don't worry Bluu. I promise we'll get you back home." the old hyena said in the most comforting voice she could muster.

Kovu growled in frustration, and a small hint of defeat. He was at his wits end. Kovu looked down at Taka, he was looking at a particular stone.

"Taka, what are you looking at?" Kovu asked.

Taka didn't answer, he just looked at the stone, and pushed it.

"Dad, give me a push." Taka said.

Kovu used one of his back paws to push Taka against the stone while Taka pushed with his front paws. The stone was loose, and moving. After a minute of pushing the stone Taka, and Kovu were able to make a hole in the cave to the outside. Unfortunately, the hole was small, maybe just big enough for a cub of Taka, and Bluu's size to squeeze through.

"Me, and Bluu can squeeze through this hole." Taka said.

Kovu was about to tell Taka, and Bluu to go through the hole, and head towards the Pride Lands, and hopefully encounter Kiara, Vitani, Siri, and the others on the way, but Taka looked up at him.

"I know what you're thinking dad, and Bluu, and I aren't going to leave the Scarred Pride without you, and Dalia." Taka said.

"Then why did you even bother to move that stone?" Kovu asked.

"You all are going to think I'm crazy, but I think Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed can help us." Taka said.

"You're right, we do think you're crazy." Bluu said.

"And Taka, have you forgotten what they, along with Nuka tried to do to you?" Kovu asked.

"No, I haven't forgotten, but this isn't about holding grudges. It's about trying to escape back home." Taka said.

"But why would those three help us still?" Bluu said.

"Think about it. They hate Scar, and the Scarred Pride just as much as we do. We can use both our hatreds of Scar to our advantage." Taka said.

"What's your plan?" Dalia asked.

"I'll get the three of them to stage a distraction on the next game night, and the four of us will escape, meet up with mom, Aunt Vitani, and Siri before they come into the ambush, and we'll escape back home." Taka explained.

Kovu had to admit that it did sound like a good plan, but even if Taka was able to convince Shenzi, and her friends to help, could they be trustworthy?

"I don't like this." Kovu said.

"It does sound risky, but maybe it will work." Dalia said, sounding optimistic, but still as uncertain as Kovu.

"Please dad, I know what I'm doing." Taka said.

Kovu looked deep into his son's eyes. He saw a lot of Kiara in those eyes. Determination, bravery, confidence, and a bit of arrogance. Taka was purely a male version of Kiara.

"Okay, but just be careful, and keep Bluu safe." Kovu said.

"I will, I promise." Taka said. "Come on Bluu."

Taka, and Bluu began to squeeze through the small hole, Dalia giving them a push through. Kovu let his head fall against the wall of the cramped cave.

"You did the right thing in giving them a chance." Dalia said.

"With all the trouble my family has gone through, both before, and after I was born. I keep on asking myself what we've done to deserve this much hate. Did we bring upon ourselves, or is this family just cursed." Kovu said.

"There are many out there that go through all the things that your family has gone through Kovu. Some have it better, some have it worse." Dalia said.

"I know things like this doesn't just happen to my family, but with how often it happens, it sure feels like it does." Kovu said.

"There's always a light at the end of the tunnel Kovu, and even in times of distress like this, even the smallest amount of courage can change everything." Dalia said.

Kovu couldn't help but give a small laugh.

"That sounds like something Kiara would say." Kovu said.

Somewhere out in the Scarred Lands, Shenzi, and her two partners in crime were walking around. Their fur was slightly singed, and covered in soot from the lava vent that the Scarred Pride catapulted them into. They were all somehow fine though. Banzai looked to Ed.

"You know, you look good in black, man." Banzai said.

Ed laughed in thanks to Banzai's comment. Banzai's stomach then growled from lack of food. Banzai moaned in pain, and clutched his stomach. He, and his friends may have been able to eat along with the rest of the Scarred Priders, but Scar made sure that the three of them got less to food than everyone else for obvious reasons. Banzai had been starving most of his life, yet he'd never been so hungry.

"Oh man, I just gotta get me some breakfast. I feel like I got a hole in my stomach." Banzai moaned.

"Well that's funny, you look like you got a hole in your head." Shenzi irritably said.

"Why you! How would you like a hole in your head!?" Banzai snapped as he grabbed a stick.

Banzai tried to hit Shenzi with the stick, but she ducked, and Banzai accidently hit Ed instead. Ed saw stars for a few second, but he shook them away. Ed angrily glared, and growled at Banzai. Ed grabbed the stick from Banzai's paws, and attempted to hit him with it, but Shenzi grabbed a rock that looked like a potato off the ground, and offered it to Ed. Ed took the rock, and Shenzi took the stick, and hit Banzai with it.

"Alright save your energy. What can I tell ya, I get cranky when I don't eat well… for months." Shenzi stated.

"Yeah, and they say a good breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Banzai said.

"Well, next to lunch, and dinner." Shenzi said.

"And don't forget about dessert." Banzai said.

Shenzi, and Banzai looked to Ed, who had taken some of the soot of his fur, and was sprinkling it over the potato-shaped rock before eating it.

"Well, he's happy at least." Shenzi said.

Banzai, and Ed's fur suddenly sprouted up small flames. Banzai, and Ed quickly patted their fur free of smoke, and the small flames. Banzai began to lick some soot of his fur.

"Oh, smoky." Banzai said as he continued to lick the soot off his fur. "I don't know why, but man I sure am in the mood for barbecue. How about you Eddie?"

Ed nodded happily, and licked his chomps.

"Barbecue!" Ed mumbled happily in something that almost sounded like clear English.

"Yeah, barbecue sounds good, but what do we got to barbecue?" Shenzi asked.

"Uh." Banzai pondered.

"EXACTLY, that's because we ain't got nothing to barbecue!" Shenzi snapped. "Do these lands look rich with pray Banzai?"

"No." Banzai said.

Unknown to the three hyenas, they were being watched. From behind a dead bush a few feet away Taka, and Bluu were looking at them. Taka had a determined look on his face while Bluu had a worried look on her's.

"Are you sure about this?" Bluu asked.

"No, but they might be our only chance." Taka said truthfully.

Taka and Bluu took a deep breath before walking towards the arguing hyenas.

"We should have eaten those two kids when we first caught them back in the Pride Lands." Banzai said.

"We were following orders Banzai." Shenzi said.

"Why are we even serving Scar, and why is he making us serve him. We hate him, and he hates us, and he's weak, and old. He's like fourteen or something. We can take him." Banzai said.

"Because the guy is guarded 24/7, we got like no allies other than Nuka, and a few hyenas from the old clan, but we're still outnumbered, and if we were somehow able to get to Scar, and kill him than the Scarred Pride will just kill us right back. I may be old, but I don't want to die before my time is officially up, and neither do you two." Shenzi explained.

"Hay, Banzai write this on this piece of bark." Ed suddenly said in usual language of laughs, and giggles as he handed Banzai some tree bark. "Dear Scar, I hate you, you're a bad lion, and you made me cry."

Banzai gripped the piece of bark in anger.

"You know, our lives were so much better when…" Banzai began to vent before Taka's voice suddenly spoke out.

"Hay, Shenzi, Banzai, Ed." Taka said.

The three hyenas looked to see Taka, and Bluu standing a couple feet away from them. The three hyenas barred their teeth, and approached the cubs.

"You two have been a lot of trouble for us. So, have Kovu, and that other hyena, Dalia." Shenzi said.

"Oh, just shut up, and let's eat 'em already." Banzai said impatiently.

"Happily." Shenzi said.

Shenzi pushed Taka to the ground. Shenzi placed her paw on top of the cub's chest, and stuck his head inside her mouth, getting ready to bite it off.

"Shenzi wait, I came to talk to you, and your friends." Taka yelled in fright before Shenzi could bite his head off.

"I don't talk with my breakfast." Shenzi said.

"Please Shenzi, listen to me. I want to talk about getting out of the Scarred Pride with my dad, and friends." Taka said,

"Oh, like were going to trust a lion that isn't Nuka again. And man, I mean like look at the kid, he looks exactly like Scar." Banzai said.

"And why is he helping us after we tried to Bob Barker him like I suggested a couple days ago?" Ed asked in his own language.

"And, we've got more important things to do before we get our butts kicked by the Scarred Pride at game night again. Wallow in self-pity, solve world hunger, tell no one, dinner with Nuka, bang our heads against a rock while thinking over the poor life choices we've made, and day dream about catching little Simba, and eating him along with his little girlfriend Nelly." Shenzi said.

"I thought her name was Nala." Ed said in his own language.

"Shut up Ed." Shenzi said.

"Shenzi, if you agree to help I can try to get you three out of the Scarred Lands as well." Taka said.

This got Shenzi, and her friends' attention. Shenzi took her paw off Taka, and sat back with her friends.

"Go on." Shenzi said suspiciously.

"Tomorrow night is another game night, right?" Taka asked.

"Don't remind us." Banzai said.

"Well here's the plan. You three get me some of those plants I used on my Uncle Nuka. Tomorrow night at game night distract the Scarred Pride while I use the plants on whoever is guarding us to sneak away, and make a run for the Pride Lands." Taka explained.

"But how are you going to get US out?" Banzai asked.

"They'll probably chase us to the oasis. Volunteer to go after us with them. Break away from them when you get to the jungle, and run towards the Pride Lands. I'll put in a good word for you three, and have by grandpa pardon your crimes against the Pride Lands and maybe allow to live there." Taka said.

"Ha! That's not a plan to get the three of us out of the Scarred Lands as well. It's a plan where you escape, and we might not." Banzai said.

"And why would Simba allow hyenas, especially us, into the Pride Lands?" Shenzi asked.

"There are some hyenas who already live there, and my mother, and dad to got an enemy of ours live in the Pride Lands in peace with us when they killed his first son, Kopa a long time ago. Maybe they can do the same with you, along with me putting that good word I talked about in." Taka said.

"Sounds too risky to me still." Shenzi said.

Taka had to think quick, he wasn't getting through to them.

"How about this. When the group that comes after us get to the jungle, Taka's father, and mother, Dalia, Siri, and any others with them will ambush the group, and we'll escort you to the Pride Lands with us." Bluu said.

"Yes, that'll work, and I give you three my word as a prince." Taka said.

Shenzi was visibly thinking it over.

"Do you want to be slaves to the Scarred Pride for the rest of your lives?" Taka asked.

"Oh, don't listen to him Shenzi. Let's just eat them alrea…" Banzai began to say before Shenzi interrupted him.

"Wait a minute! That Scar-imposter is right. Why didn't I think of it sooner?" Shenzi said. "We don't have to be starving slaves."

"Right, we could be starving bamboozled slaves!" Banzai said, glaring at Taka and Bluu.

Banzai obviously didn't believe in anything Taka, and Bluu were offering. Shenzi seemed optimistic about Taka's deal, while Ed was hard to read because of his permanent goofy smile. Shenzi pinched Banzai's snout, then turned towards Taka and Bluu.

"You've got a deal." Shenzi said.

Taka, and Shenzi shook each other's paws.

"I promise you, you'll get everything I've promised." Taka said.

Banzai just facepawed himself. He couldn't believe that Shenzi was now basically eating out of the palm of Taka's paws.

Shenzi got up around noon the next day, ready to play her part of Taka's plan to get out of the Scarred Pride. She yawned and stretched her legs out. Her thigh suddenly began to itch. She began to gnaw as well as curse the fleas, and termites that infested the Scarred Lands.

"How does it feel to get bitten?" Shenzi said to the fleas, and termites as she continued to gnaw at her thigh.

Shenzi's already hurting stomach growled in hunger, causing it to hurt even more. Shenzi groaned as she clutched her sides.

"That cub had better make good on his promise to allow us to live in the Pride Lands, or get us a good meal before heading out on our own at the very least." Shenzi said to herself.

Shenzi suddenly caught sight of some leftover zebra ribs from last night. They were basically already leftovers when they received them as their nightly dinner with the Scarred Pride last night. Their had barley been any meat on them, which Banzai, and Ed, who were in a generous mood allowed Shenzi to have. The zebra ribs were now just bones. Shenzi broke off a part of the rib bones, and began to chew on it.

Bones weren't as good as meat, but they were a source of food at least. Shenzi heard snoring a couple feet away from her. She looked to see that it was coming from Banzai. Shenzi got an evil/mischievous grin on her face as she began to walk over to the sleeping hyena. Shenzi took the rib bone in one paw, and brought it down on Banzai's head.

"OWW! Hay, what was that?" Banzai asked as he rubbed the spot where Shenzi hit him.

"That was you're alarm clonk." Shenzi said with a mocking smile.

Banzai growled in anger, but not just for being awakened by his 'alarm clonk.' Even though he was generous to Shenzi with the ribs last night, he was still angry with he for trusting Taka, and Bluu. He thought that she trusted Taka, and Bluu's promises to easily.

"So, this deal with the cubs, you're really going to go through with it?" Banzai asked for what must have been the hundredth time he asked Shenzi.

"I know the Scar-lookalike's plan isn't the best thought out plan, but it could work." Shenzi said.

"That's if they do decide to ambush the search party, and take us to the Pride Lands with 'em. But we also got to think about the ambush not working." Banzai said.

"Well, I don't want to be a slave to this god forsaken pride like the cubs said we we're, and you and Ed don't either." Shenzi said.

"Yeah, but what about Nuka. We need our laughing buddy." Banzai said.

"We'll bring him along with the search party, and we'll have them allow us to bring him with us to the Pride Lands. If not, we'll just set off on our own I guess." Shenzi said.

Banzai nodded in agreement to show they understood.

"I just hope that you really know what your doing." Banzai said.

Ed suddenly woke up, and hussled together with Shenzi, and Banzai.

"Now let's rehearse for our distractions." Shenzi said.

Shenzi and her two friends rehearsed their distraction for the rest of the day, until a lioness came by, and got them for game night.

"Alright boys, enough games. We've got a job to do." Shenzi said.

Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs covered their eyes from the blinding light of the setting sun as Wraith, accompanied by three others lion, moved the boulder to their small, cramped cave prison. The four looked, and glared at the cannibal lion.

"Taka, and Bluu are hungry." Kovu immediately said.

"You, the fat one, and the cubs are going to do no eating until we capture those friends of yours coming to save you." a lion said.

Kovu growled at the lion that said that.

"What do you want?" Kovu asked.

"Game night with those stupid three hyenas is about to start again, and we wouldn't want you to miss it." Wraith said.

Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs reluctantly followed Wraith, and his group. When they got to where game night was held they saw Scar, and Zira waiting of their rock. Taka found Scar staring at him with his one good green eye, and his blind, milky white eye. Taka hadn't really talked or thought much about it, but Scar's appearance really scared him. Not his scarred, burned, mutilated body, but their identicality.

Without all the scars, burns, and mutilation Scar, and Taka looked exactly alike. Other than that, the only differences that Scar, and Taka had were the looks of their face. Scar's was more sharp, and stern while Taka's was round, and far kinder looking. Taka had been told that he looked exactly like Scar, but he never thought much about it, not since the blood pact he, and his brother Mufasa II had made back in the Pride Lands in Scars old cave. His parents at first thought that he would get bullied for his identical appearance to Scar, but he never did get bullied for it in the Pride Lands.

That, or his brother, sister, and friends put the fear of God into anyone before they could start the bullying him. Scar raised a paw, and used it to beckon Taka to him. Taka looked at his dad who was about to say something about not allowing Taka to go over to Scar, and Zira, but Wraith stepped between the both of them and looked down to Taka.

"Go to King Scar, young cub." Wraith said in his usual ghostly voice.

Taka wanted to refuse, but he didn't have the courage to argue with the ghost-voiced, cannibal lion. Taka turned towards Scar, looking at all the burns, bite marks and very small patches of fur of Scar's left side, especially at the scar over his left milky white eye. Taka's left eye started to sting. Taka placed a paw over his left eye, and rubbed it to get the dust out. Taka then began to walk over to his great-great uncle and grandmother.

Taka climbed onto the rock, and sat in front of them.

"Yes?" Taka asked dryly.

Scar looked down at his lookalike with his blind eye only.

"You look so much like us." Scar said, pushing his face into Taka's. "Tell us dear great-great nephew, what do you think about hyenas?" Scar asked.

"Well I don't think of them the same way you do." Taka said.

"How can you not? We've seen what they're like. They're dim-witted, have no potential, they're greedy scavengers, more than useless, and they have no sense of respect for anything." Scar said.

"Well, then you must be even blinder than your eye is. There's a small clan of hyenas that live in the Pride Lands, and they're nothing like what you think of them." Taka challenged.

"Well, what about Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed? What do you think of them?" Zira asked.

As if on cue, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed walked in front of the rock that Scar, Zira, and Taka were on. Scar looked down to Taka, leaned down, and whispered to him.

"You can't deny it, you think of them the same way that we do, and do you know why?" Scar asked.

Taka felt a shiver go down his spine.

"It's because you are us." Scar said.

Taka turned to Scar, with a hard look on his face.

"I may look like you, and I may have your true name, but I'm nothing like you. I have a brother back home named Mufasa, after your brother. We made a pact months ago." Taka said.

Taka showed Scar his paw. Scar looked, and saw the small scar across Taka's paw pad. Scar laughed.

"And tell us dear great-great nephew, how long until you get a second scar… over your left eye, and one day throw your little brother Mufasa II over a cliff?" Scar asked.

"You don't know me Scar." Taka said.

"We know exactly who you are Taka, because like we said, you are us. Remember that." Scar hissed.

Taka growled, and jumped off the rock. As Taka passed Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, he asked in a whisper if they were ready. Shenzi tapped her paw three times as a yes. Taka also passed his Uncle Nuka, who had one small bit of mane starting to grow out of his head. Nuka grabbed Taka roughly by the shoulder.

"I'm gonna get you one day. Not just for my mane, but also for that paralyzing plant you used on me, and putting my laughing buddies in their current situation." Nuka said before letting go of Taka.

"I'm sorry Uncle Nuka. I never meant to hurt you, or Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed." Taka said truthfully.

"I don't care what you meant." Nuka growled.

Taka continued to walk towards his dad, Bluu, and Dalia in the back of the gathered pride. They were guarded by two lionesses, and one hyena. As Taka sat down next to his dad, Kovu leaned don to him.

"What did he say to you?" Kovu asked with concern.

Taka just looked at his paw with the scar.

"Taka II, and Mufasa II, brothers forever." Taka said to himself.

Taka looked up to his dad.

"You got the paralyzing plant ready?" he whispered.

Kovu cleared away some of his mane off his shoulder to show Taka where he was hiding the plant that was important to their plan. Taka gave his dad a nod of approval before looking towards Shenzi, and her friends. Everything was going according to plan, Shenzi, and her friends just had to start distracting the Scarred Pride, then Kovu, and Dalia would use the paralyzing plant on the lionesses guarding them while Taka, and Bluu got the hyena.

"If this doesn't work we'll never see home again." Taka thought to himself.

Scar cleared his throat before addressing the pride.

"Alright everyone, it time to start game night again. Who's ready?" Scar asked.

Lions, lionesses, and hyenas grinned in delight and began cracking their paws/knuckles as they closed in on the hyenas. Shenzi, and Banzai looked around in fear while Ed just smiled dumbly as usual, somehow unaware of the upcoming pain.

"Oh man, this is gonna hurt." Banzai said in fright.

"We just need to remember the Scar lookalike's plan to distract the Scarred Pride. Who wants to go first?" Shenzi asked.

Banzai just continued to look around in fright, and Ed in dumb, unaware happiness.

"Alright, I'll go first." Shenzi said. "WAIT!" Shenzi shouted.

The advancing lions, lionesses, and hyenas stopped.

"Wait? Wait for what?" a hyena asked.

"Uh, well, uh?" Shenzi stuttered, unsure of what to say.

"Uh, what Shenzi wants to say is that you know, whenever we have a game night, it's always you beating us up. How about we just do a performance where we do entertaining stuff for you, and probably get laughed at instead because you all think we'll look stupid." Banzai said.

"Yeah, a performance." Shenzi said with a nervous smile on her face.

Scar, and Zira looked suspicious, before Scar started to chuckle evilly.

"Very well, we could use a good laugh. We'll laugh at you, then beat you up." Scar said. "What do you think Zira?"

"Yes, it will build up my claw's thirst for their blood." Zira said.

Shenzi, and Banzai looked at each other nervously while Ed just smiled dumbly at his friends. Shenzi stepped forward.

"Alright everyone for my performance I'll be preforming my," Shenzi suddenly pulled out a blue, and pink ballet dress, and put it on "my filet ballet."

Shenzi began to ballet dance around the pride. In the back Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs were looking on, their mouths hitting the ground.

"Should paralyze our guards, but so shocked that I can't look away." Kovu said.

Dalia smacked Kovu, Taka, and Bluu back to their senses.

"Sorry about that." Dalia said.

"It's okay." Taka said, rubbing the spot where Dalia smacked him.

The four of them looked at the lionesses, and hyena guarding them. They were so confused, and shocked about what Shenzi was doing that it gave them a chance to paralyze them with the plants.

"Shenzi's distraction is working." Bluu said.

"Alright, let's paralyze them, and go home." Taka said.

Kovu took the paralyzing plants out of their hiding spots in his mane, and handed them to Dalia, and the cubs. The four of them jumped on their guards, and force fed them the paralyzing plants. They covered their guard's mouths before they could shout out for help, and held them until the paralyzing plants took full effect.

"Alright it worked." Dalia said.

The four of them looked towards Scar, and Zira, they seemed to be focused on Shenzi to notice them.

"Alright, this is our chance. Now run for it." Kovu said.

Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs began to make a run for it, leaving the pride behind to watch Shenzi's ballet dancing that nobody, except Nuka was liking. A lion had finally had enough of Shenzi's ballet dancing. The lion grabbed her, ripped her ballet dress off, and threw her into Banzai, and Ed.

"You're dancing is terrible!" the lion shouted.

"I actually thought she was pretty good." Nuka said.

The lion knocked Nuka on the head. Shenzi got off of Banzai, and Ed, glaring at the lion that threw her.

"Do you see them back there Shenzi?" Banzai asked.

Shenzi looked to where Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs were supposed to be with their guards.

"They're not there." Shenzi said.

"Does that mean we can stop now?" Banzai asked.

"No, we got to give those four more time to escape." Shenzi said.

"Alright, I'm on the job." Banzai said, walking in front of the pride.

The pride was muttering to each other, wondering about what Banzai's performance was going to be. Out of nowhere, like Shenzi, Banzai pulled out an Elvis Presley outfit along with a wing, and microphone. and began to sing.

"Yeah, that's right. I'm active, I'm active at night. And when that sun goes down, what am I? That's right, I'm out of sight." Banzai sang.

"I'm gonna puke!" a hyena in the crowd shouted.

"Hay, that's my go to song when I sing man, and this Elvis Presley hairdo makes me look like a hunk." Banzai said.

"Yeah, a hunk who sings terribly, and is about to get a real beating." a lion said.

"I can sing Jail House Rock if you prefer." Banzai said.

"How about the Shut-Up House Rock." a lioness said before throwing Banzai into Shenzi, and Ed.

"They just don't know a good song when they hear one. Man, I freakin' hate critics, which means I hate everyone." Banzai said.

Ed said something in his own language of laughs and giggles.

"Ed, they didn't like my singing, or Shenzi's ballet. What's makes you think they'll like your act any better?" Banzai asked in frustration.

Ed didn't listen, and just began to start his act. Like his friends, he pulled some cloths out of nowhere. He put on a black shirt, a yellow jacket, and a stylish hat.

"Where are they getting those things?" Nuka asked out loud.

"This totally defies the laws of physics." a lion said.

Ed pulled out of nowhere three rotten tomatoes.

"Were'd he get the tomatoes?" Nuka asked.

Ed, laughing like a lunatic, threw the three tomatoes at Scar, Zira, and Wraith. The three growled in anger as they whipped the tomatoes off their faces. Wraith walked up to Ed, who now looked scared.

"Now, let me give you my performance. Why didn't the Scarred Pride laugh at the hyena's jokes?" Wraith asked.

"I don't know?" Ed said in his own language.

Wraith grabbed Ed by the throat, completely cutting off his air supply.

"Because I don't laugh, and in the Scarred Pride others only laugh at others when their hurt, or they make complete fools of themselves." Wraith said.

Wraith then threw Ed into Shenzi, and Banzai. Ed began to cry, hurt by Wraith saying his act was bad.

"Ah, save your tears Ed." Shenzi said.

"Yeah, you're not the only one at the end of your rope." Banzai said.

The three hyenas heard a growl above them. The three of them looked to see Wraith glaring down at them. The three hyenas smiled nervously, and waved at Wraith.

"Bonjour monsieur." Banzai said nervously.

"Something doesn't seem right to me. These three come up so suddenly, and say that they want to do a performance for us. This is a distraction for something." Warith said.

"A distraction!" Zira roared.

"Exposed." Banzai whispered silently.

Shenzi looked around. The entire pride was glaring on them, they were believing Wraith. Shenzi needed to act fast if Taka's plan was going to work. Shenzi jumped up, dragging Banzai, and Ed with her.

"No, this isn't any kind of distraction. It's just a performance. A 100% pure performance." Shenzi frantically said.

Music starts to play as the three begin to sing.

"Performances, and distractions are two very different things. What we're doing is a performance for the pride that we love." Shenzi sang.

"If there's one thing that the three of us are bad at, it's distractions. The three of us only live to perform for our pride, and to kiss your tail sections." Banzai sang.

"A distraction is where you are kept from knowing something." Shenzi sang.

"A performance is where we try to entertain ya' and make ya' laugh, so let's stop all the suspicions and start laughing." Banzai sang.

"Oh, there is no distraction. There is no distraction going on." Shenzi sang.

Banzai edged over to Shenzi.

"This song is terrible, it's not catchy." Banzai whispered.

"Yes, I agree, but it's distracting them isn't it?" Shenzi whispered back. "Just keep singing whatever comes to mind."

Shenzi and Banzai continued to sing.

"The Scarred Pride is so gloomy, and dull, so let our entertainment lighten your mood." Shenzi and Shenzi sang.

"And when we lighten all your moods, even Wraith's, your all going to say 'my God this pride is freakin' sweet.'" Banzai sang.

"Yes, so drop all your suspicions and say that this pride is freakin' sweet." Shenzi sang.

"There's no distractions here, so drop it, shove it away, push it aside, and put a smile on you face." Shenzi, and Banzai sang.

Unable to take it anymore, Wraith roared loudly.

"Enough!" Wraith yelled. "Where is our Queen Zira's son, the cubs, and that fat old hyena?" Wraith asked.

Everyone looked to where Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs were supposed to be.

"Gasp, they're gone!" Nuka said.

"We can see that!" Zira angrily snapped.

Everyone turned to Shenzi, and Banzai, who waved nervously at the pride while Ed dumbly stared at a butterfly with his tongue lolling out.

"We're in trouble, aren't we?" Banzai asked nervously.

Scar roared in anger before turning to Wraith.

"After them, don't let them escape!" Scar commanded.

Wraith took a few lions, lionesses, and hyenas to run after Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed along with Nuka tried to go after them, but some lions blocked them.

"Not you four. You stay with us, and we'll deal with you later." Scar said.

"But I didn't do anything!" Nuka whined.

As Kovu, Dalia, and the cubs dashed for the border they heard a roar.

"That was Wraith's roar." Dalia said.

"That's our que." Kovu said.

"Que for what?" Bluu asked.

"Run faster." Kovu said.

The four pushed themselves to run faster. They came to an outcrop of rocks.

"We're nearing the border, there's a river there. If we get to it maybe we can…" Kovu began to say before he ran into something, or someone.

Kovu, and whatever he ran into fell to the ground. Kovu began to panic, he thought that he ran into some member of the Scarred Pride, and that they might have caught up with them. Kovu lifted his head up, baring his teeth while looking down at the Scarred Pride member, but gasped when he saw the Scarred Pride member. It was a lioness with peach-ish colored fur, light beige underbelly, and reddish-brown eyes.

"Kiara!?" Kovu shouted.

Chapter 25: Scar and Moyo

Half a day after exiting the Dismal Swamp, Kiara and Ni's group came to a small cliff drop that overlooked the large valley that was the Scarred Lands. Kiara turned towards Ni, who was looking at the land with pure disgust.

"So, this is the Scarred Lands?" Kiara asked.

"Welcome." Ni said dryly.

"I can see why. The land is black like it just got scorched by some wild fire, what little bushes and trees it has are dead, or close to it, there's huge fissures in the ground everywhere, and I'm pretty sure it's water, if it has any, isn't pretty to look at either." Zuri said.

"Nothing here is pretty to look at." one of Ni's hyenas said.

Ni turned towards Kiara.

"This is where we part ways princess." Ni said.

"Thank you for bringing us here Ni. Where should we start from here on?" Kiara asked.

"Head towards the river. There's a large sinkhole near there in an outcrop of rocks with a tree that you can use to climb in, and out of it. There's a cave in the sinkhole. Stay there for tonight and begin your rescue mission tomorrow." Ni suggested.

"Thank you, Ni." Kiara said before signaling her brother, sister-in-law, and friends to follow her.

"One last piece of advice princess." Ni said.

Kiara turned towards Ni.

"What is it Ni?" Kiara asked.

"If you get captured by the Scarred Pride, just know that it has many colorful characters in it, but the one you need to watch out for the most is Wraith." Ni said.

"Whose Wraith?" Vitani asked.

"A disgusting abomination, who doesn't deserve to even be considered a lion. If you see him, you'll know him by his creamy white fur, pale blonde mane, and ghostly blue eyes, as well as voice." Ni explained.

"You sound as if you fear him." Kion observed.

"I do, everyone in the pride, even our king, and queen fear him, and for good reason." Ni said.

"Why's that?" Kiara asked.

"I'll just say that if you do get captured by the Scarred Pride, don't have dinner with Wraith." Ni said. "Ask just about anyone in the pride, and they'll tell you that Wraith is the true and only ruler we've got." Ni scoffed.

Kiara wanted to ask more questions, but decided that she and everyone else needed to move on. All of them, even Vitani, whished Ni and his friends farewell, and good luck. The group soon came to an outcrop of rocks.

"Well, here's that outcrop of rock that Ni told us about." Siri said.

"Yeah, now let's look for that sinkhole that Ni told us about." Kiara said.

"I still can't believe we're really trusting a Scarred Pride member." Vitani mumbled to herself.

Kiara however heard Vitani and looked towards her.

"Vitani, he was a friend of my mother." Kiara said.

"I don't care if he's a friend of your mother, I don't like him." Vitani said.

"We don't have to like him, we simply have to take his word." Kion said.

Vitani looked to Kiara.

"How do we know he won't betray us?" Vitani asked.

"We don't." Kiara said truthfully.

As soon as Kiara said that something tackled her to the ground. Everyone jumped in fright and began to rush to Kiara's rescue.

"Kiara!?" a familiar voice suddenly said.

Kiara and everyone else looked to see that it was Kovu that ran into her.

"Kovu!" Kiara shouted happily.

Kovu and Kiara immediately wrapped their paws around each other and began to nuzzle each other.

"Mom! Princess Kiara!" two more familiar voices shouted out.

Everyone looked to see Taka and Bluu running from behind the same rock that Kovu came from.

"Taka, Bluu!" Kiara shouted, running up to both the cubs and nuzzling them as well.

Kovu and the cubs than saw Vitani, Kion, Jasiri, Tiifu, Zuri and Siri. The three of them ran over to embrace them as well.

"Oh, I'm so glad you all are here." Kovu said while embracing his sister.

Siri was talking with Taka and Bluu.

"Were you two brave?" Siri asked, ruffling Taka's mane.

Taka smiled up at Siri and gestured his head down to him.

"Siri, there's something we want to show you." Taka said.

"What would that be?" Siri asked.

Taka ran to the boulder from where he, Kovu, and Bluu ran from behind. Taka gestured for someone to come out. To Siri's delight Dalia came from behind the boulder.

"Siri!" Dalia shouted in delight.

Siri ran over to Dalia and wrapped a paw around her.

"Thank god that your still in one piece." Siri said.

Siri began to look over Dalia and list everything that she still had.

"A cute, red, doggy nose, three thick locks of hair over those beautiful blue eyes of yours, that heart shaped spot on your shoulder, and that big, fat belly that I think you still need to work on. You seem to be all good." Siri said.

Dalia smiled and licked Siri from under his chin.

"I'm glad you're alright as well." Dalia said.

"Hay, you got to introduce the rest of us." Jasiri poked in.

Siri turned to everyone and introduced them to Dalia.

"Dalia, this are my new friends. You've already met Kovu, Taka, and Bluu. The rest are Kiara, Kovu's mate, Vitani, Kovu's sister, Kion, Kiara's brother. The rest are Jasiri, Tiifu, and Zuri." Siri said, traducing everyone.

"It's nice to meet all of you, I'm glad you've made so many new friends Siri." Dalia said.

"We're all happy to meet you as well Dalia." Kiara said.

Kovu was loving the happy reunion that they were all having, but he had to cut it short. Kovu pulled away from the hug he and Kiara were in and become more serious.

"We need to get out of here, now. We need to tell Simba and the rest of the Pride Lands about them." Kovu said.

"Yeah, we're more than likely going to be getting invaded by the Scarred Pride." Vitani said.

"Not just the Scarred Pride, we need to tell Simba about THEM." Kovu said.

The way Kovu said 'them,' scared everyone except for Dalia, and the cubs.

"What do you mean by 'them?'" Zuri asked.

Kovu looked around at everyone. There was no way he could prepare them for what he was about to say.

"The king and queen of the Scarred Pride are Scar and Zira." Kovu said.

Everyone's spines turned to ice after they heard what Kovu said.

"But, Zira is dead. She fell into the river, we all saw it." Vitani said.

"And Scar was eaten by the hyenas." Kiara said.

"I don't know exactly why, but they did somehow survive. The hyenas that 'ate' Scar are here, working for him, and Nuka is also here." Kovu said.

"What? But, Nuka died, he was crushed to death by those logs." Vitani said.

"Nuka being, well, Nuka, thought he was dying, but he was actually just hit on the head hard by a log, and some logs fell in just the right places to save him from getting crushed." Kovu explained.

"This isn't a pride of scarred lions and hyenas. It's a pride of ghosts." Kiara said.

"You've got that right little princess." a ghostly voice said.

Kiara and everyone else looked up to see a creamy white lion with a pale blonde mane and ghostly blue eyes.

"Wraith!" Kiara thought in fright.

"Take them." Wraith ordered.

Lions, lionesses, and hyenas rushed towards everyone. Kion looked and saw they were all hopelessly outnumbered and wouldn't be able to fight their way out. As the enemy swarmed them, he ran to Jasiri, Tiifu, and Zuri. He quickly told the three to run and get back to the Pride Lands to warn everyone.

"But you'll need our help here." Jasiri argued.

"We aren't going to be able to defeat all of them and escape. You three go back to the Pride Lands and warn my father to get ready to defend the Pride Lands, we'll do what we can here for now." Kion said.

"What about Taka and Bluu?" Zuri asked.

Kion looked over to see Dalia and Siri defending Taka and Bluu. Kion didn't want to admit it, but if Jasiri, Tiifu, and Zuri took Taka and Bluu with them, they would only slow the three of them down. It was for the best that the cubs stayed with Kion and the others. Kion turned towards his three friends.

"Just go, we'll keep them safe." Kion said.

"Don't worry Kion, we'll come back with help." Tiifu said as she, Jasiri, and Zuri were able to run away from the battle towards the Pride Lands.

"You stubborn lion." Jasiri said as she, Tiffu, and Zuri ran.

Wraith was walking around the rocks of the outcrop, looking over the battle. Within a few minutes the Scarred Pride lions, lionesses, and hyenas would overrun them.

"No one ever escapes the Scarred Lands." Wraith whispered.

"Get your paws of me!" a female voice shouted.

Wraith's eyes than caught Vitani. She had just pounded a lion's face into the ground and stopped hard on his ribs, so hard that she probably puncturing his lungs.

"She's a strong fighter, but is she stronger than I am?" Wraith said as he creped over to her and pounced on her. "Got you." Wraith said as he landed on Vitani.

"Get off me!" Vitani yelled as she tried to get Wraith off her.

"Silence little girl!" Wraith demanded as he began to try to crush Vitani's skull in one of his paws like an egg.

Vitani began to shout out in pain. Siri noticed Wraith on Vitani and ran to her rescue. Wraith noticed and jumped out of the way right as Siri reached him. Wraith wrapped his paws around Siri's neck, lifted him off the ground and slammed him into the ground. Vitani tried to counter attack Wraith, but he just horse kicked her.

Vitani was sent crashing into a rock, knocking her out. By then Wraith's lions, lionesses and hyenas had over run everyone. Without a word, Wraith began to walk in the direction of where the Scarred Pride's king and queen were waiting. Some lion grabbed Vitani and Siri, dragging them along with everyone else.

"We were so close." Kovu mumbled to himself.

Siri and Vitani had gotten their senses back as they neared Scar and Zira's cave, and began to fight back but stopped when they saw Taka and Bluu being held in the mouths of two hyenas, threatening to kill them if they fought back. Everyone soon came to where Scar, Zira, Nuka, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed were waiting. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed were angrily mumbling to each other, seeing that Taka and the others had failed to escape, and were now regretting that they actually thought Taka's plan would work. Shenzi glared at Taka when she saw him.

"So much for your plan... Scar II." Shenzi said.

Wraith walked towards Scar and Zira and bowed.

"King Scar, Queen Zira. I have caught the runners and I brought back an extra prize." Wraith reported.

"What extra prize?" Zira asked.

Wraith gestured his lions, lionesses, and hyenas to bring Kiara, Vitani, Kion, and Siri forward.

Zira's eyes flared with fiery rage as she saw Kiara and Vitani.

"So, the Butcher King's daughter and the traitor returns." Zira hissed.

Zira tried to jump down to go and kill them, but Scar stopped her.

"Now, now Zira. We know you have good reason to want them dead, but that's not how we deal with new additions to our pride. Besides Simba is the one we want not them, our problems starts with him." Scar said.

Zira growled in anger and disagreement, but she knew better than to disobey Scar.

"Yes, I understand." Zira lied.

Wraith than looked to Siri and Kion.

"This is the lion that escaped me in the oasis, and here's the leader of the Lion Guard from your stories my queen." Wraith said.

Siri found himself staring at Zira. He had never met her before, but she looked so frighteningly familiar. Siri thought back to those nightmares that he's been having for years, ever since his first night in Dalia's cave. Him as a cub being attacked by a lioness made of shadow with blood red eyes. Zira had those eyes.

The nightmare always ended with a girl trying to shout out his name, his true name as the shadowy lioness slashed at his face.

"That's Zira, but why does she look so much like the shadowy lioness in my nightmares, I've never met her before? Or have I?" Siri wondered.

Zira was also looking at Siri and he looked so familiar to her to, but she didn't care and brushed it off. Zira looked back towards the crowd.

"Who has the cub, the male cub!?" Zira shouted.

A hyena came forward with Taka in his jaws. Kiara in fright looked from her son to Zira. Zira stared at Kiara with her blood red eyes.

"It's such a pity you know." Zira said. "Such a pity that such a strong, handsome cub is born to a filthy brat like you. I should just have this dog holding him kill him right now." Zira said.

Kovu roared as Zira said that and tried to run towards the hyena holding Taka, but Wraith reacted quickly and punched Kovu in the side of the head as he passed, knocking him out.

"Kovu!" Kiara yelled.

Kiara ran past Wraith, towards Kovu. Kiara buried her face into Kovu's mane and cried. Nuka looked on in disgust.

"Ugh, crybaby princess. The little terminate is fine." Nuka scoffed.

Scar looked towards Wraith with a look of devilish glee on his face.

"Wraith once again you prove your loyalty to the Scarred Pride." Scar said.

"I live to serve you my king." Wraith said while bowing.

Scar than looked to Kiara, who was still crying her eyes out into Kovu's mane.

"Our dear little great niece looks half staved. Wraith give her something to eat." Scar said with a grin on his face.

When Kovu woke up, his head hurt so bad that he felt like an elephant had stepped on him. He hoped beyond hope that he, Dalia, and the cubs being recaptured by the Scarred Pride along with Kiara and everyone else was a dream. He was disappointed to see that he was in the area where the pride usually met. Kovu thought he was alone until he heard Nuka laughing above him. Kovu roared and tackled Nuka to the ground.

Nuka nearly soiled his fur in fright.

"Where's Kiara, my son, and everyone else?" Kovu demanded through clenched teeth.

"Everyone else is in Scar's personal cave, being held in cave prisons behind some stones like the one you, Dalia, and the cubs were in, but I don't know where Kiara is, I swear." Nuka quickly said in fright.

"Liar." Kovu growled.

"Sorry to say Kovu, but your brother is right." Scar's voice suddenly said.

Kovu looked towards Scar, who had just come out of his cave.

"Where's Kiara!?" Kovu demanded.

Scar chuckled evilly.

"We talked with everyone. We played a little with Kion's mind, telling him he was just like us like we told Taka II and that the power of the Roar of Elders will go to his head just like it did for us, and will betray his kingdom, just like we did. Kion kept denying he was just like us, before breaking down into tears." Scar laughed.

"You sick, twisted, evil freak." Kovu growled.

"And oh, how fun it was to tear that old fat hyena Dalia from that lion Siri again." Scar said. "We even locked up those three traitors Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed in a holding cave. They kept talking on how they're going to kill that little cub of yours." Scar said.

"Stop going off topic and tell me where Kiara is!" Kovu demanding.

Scar chuckled evilly once again.

"She looked half staved the poor thing. So, we sent her on a romantic dinner with Wraith about an hour ago." Scar said.

Kovu gasped in fright after Scar said that.

"Wraith said something about feeding her his specialty." Scar said.

"Specialty?" Kovu thought to himself.

Kovu thought back to the day that he saw Wraith eat lion meat.

"Oh no, Kiara!" Kovu exclaimed in fright, knowing what Wraith was probably about to make Kiara eat.

Kovu turned tail and ran for Wraith's cave as fast as he could. Kovu came to the small crystal-clear lake in front of Wraith cave and raced across. Kovu came into the mouth of the cave. He saw Kiara with Wraith in front of a carcass of meat that Wraith had personally made sure Kiara wouldn't know the carcass was a lion's. Kiara had a piece of meat between her jaws.

"SPIT THAT OUT!" Kovu shouted to Kiara like she was a young child who was eating something she shouldn't.

Kiara's eyes widened in shock as she looked towards Kovu, with the meat still between her jaws.

"SPIT THAT OUT I SAID!" Kovu shouted again.

Kiara was confused about why Kovu was telling her to spit the meat out, but she did as he said.

"Kovu what's wrong?" Kiara asked.

"Kiara, Wraith is a cannibal, and he's making you eat another lion's meat!" Kovu explained.

"What?" Kiara exclaimed.

"Don't listen to him my dear princess. Like King Scar said, you look half staved, now go ahead. Continue to eat your fill." Wraith said.

Kiara looked from Wraith to the meat in front of them to Kovu. Kiara than remembered what Ni said when she and everyone else arrived at the outskirts of the Scarred Lands' borders. 'Don't have dinner with Wraith.' Kiara looked at Wraith and began to back away.

"Wraith, is what Kovu just said true?" Kiara asked.

Wraith looked at Kiara for a few long seconds before taking a bite out of the carcass and chewing the meat slowly before swallowing it.

"Yes." Wraith said.

Kiara gasped at the truth.

"You bastard, you almost made Kiara eat the meat of another lion!" Kovu shouted.

Without warning Wraith grabbed Kiara. He grabbed her chin in one paw, his claws digging into Kiara's cheeks as Wraith forced her to make a pucker face.

"She already has." Wraith said.

Kovu looked and saw that Kiara's muzzle was covered in blood from the lion carcass.

"No, I'm too late." Kovu thought in horror.

"Dear Kiara, you're now a cannibal, like me." Wraith said with an unusual gleeful smile on his face.

Still holding on to Kiara, Wraith moved over to a rock that covered a hole in the cave wall. Wraith removed it to show a storage of the carcasses of lions and lionesses young and old. Seeing Wraith's storage was the last straw for Kiara, she threw up in disgust. Kovu growled in anger and began to advance towards Wraith before he put his claws to Kiara's neck. Kiara gasped in fright as she felt Wraith's claws lightly poke against the skin and fur of her throat. Kiara and Wraith looked to Kovu.

Kovu was visibly scared. Every instinct in his body was telling him to run towards Wraith and rip him apart, but with Kiara in danger he couldn't and Wrath knew it.

"Oh, come one you dung manned coward. I have her, come and get her." Wraith said with sinister glee.

Kovu looked into Wraith's ghostly blue, wide, shaky eyes. He could feel those eyes piercing his soul. Kovu had never felt so scared in his life until now. There was something about Wraith that was so unsettling, other than his ghostly blue eyes, and him being a cannibal. Kovu suddenly found himself doing something he thought he would never do.

He, a brave, strong, full grown lion was whimpering in pure fright. Kovu than ran away in fright from Wraith and leaving Kiara with him. Kiara stared at Kovu's disappearing figure in shock. Wraith began to sadistically laugh in amusement. Wraith than began to whisper in Kiara's ear with his ghostly voice.

"I've heard of your story little princess. How your daddy didn't trust Kovu at first and even banished him without listening to his story. Not even a day later he welcomes Kovu back. I wonder what daddy is going to think when he hears that he left you alone with a lunatic like me?" Wraith said.

Kiara closed her eyes, trying to fight back the tears of fright about to spill out of them.

"He'll probably say something like, 'you were supposed to protect her. I trusted her with you, and you allowed her to eat disgusting lion meat, then you leave her alone with a cannibal that could very well eat her right now if he decides to.'" Wraith said.

Wraith than licked Kiara's neck to get her taste. Kiara, now closer to tears of fright, gasped as Wraith's tongue continued to explore her from the neck up. Wraith's tongue slid across Kiara's slightly bleeding right cheek. Wraith tongue slid across the front of Kiara's wet nose, the tip of his tongue slightly entering her nostrils for second or two. Wraith's tongue then slid over Kiara's closed right eye, over her ear rim, and exploring the outer inside of her right ear.

Kiara felt so frightened. She felt like she was getting sexually violated. She was glad that Wraith was only just trying to scare her.

"Ni was right, Wraith doesn't deserve to even be considered a lion." Kiara thought.

Wraith's tongue slid back down Kiara's face, across her cheek, and slid back into his mouth.

"You taste heavenly little princess." Wraith said.

The tears of fright finally fell from Kiara's eyes, and she began to quietly sob. Wraith walked in front of Kiara. Kiara gasped when she felt Wraith grab her chin with his paw. Wraith tilted Kiara's head up to force her to stare him in his ghstly blue, soul piercing eyes.

"Shhh. It's okay to be afraid." Wraith said.

The compassion Wraith had in his voice as he said that was to mock and scare her. Wraith than licked away Kiara's tears. He moaned in delight at their sour, salty taste. Kiara felt so sick to her stomach that she thought she was going to throw up again. Wraith than pulled Kiara into a hug, burying her face into his mane.

"No little princess, I won't hurt you." Wraith said.

"Why do you eat lions Wraith?" Kiara asked.

"Zebra, wildebeest, antelope, water buffalo? All too bloody rich for my taste, always have been. I only eat them when there are no dead lions around and when I do, I prefer to eat them alive, just so I can hear their screams, which makes them slightly better tasting." Wraith said.

Kiara pulled away from Wraith's false hug of compassion. She glared up at him angrily, tears of fright still in her eyes.

"Your sick Wraith. Sick in the head." Kiara said.

"Little princess, that's not a very nice thing to say." Wraith said.

"This pride is full, full of monsters." Kiara stated.

"Do you want to know how our pride started little princess. After your dear father overthrew your great uncle in the Pride Lands, he wandered around for half a year. During which he lost his mind." Wraith said.

"What do you mean by that?" Kiara asked.

"Dear little princess, do you hear how King Scar always say 'we,' 'us,' or 'our,' and never 'I' or 'my?'" Wraith asked.

'Yeah." Kiara said.

"Yes, he's developed multiple personalities. Queen Zira, that fool Nuka, the three stooges Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, and I have seen King Scar talking to himself. He seems to talk to his old Taka self, and his Scar self. The trauma, pain, hunger, and dehydration he went through during that time turned him into what he is." Wraith said.

"What does the Scarred Pride want?" Kiara asked.

"King Scar wants to gather all lions, lionesses, and hyenas to make them all into one large pride, and clan. It may take a few years, but one day he will succeed, one day he will rule the entire world." Wraith said.

"That's impossible, he's fourteen years old and weak with age. He could drop dead or die in his sleep any day now. He'll never rule the world by bringing all lions, lionesses, and hyenas into one large pride, and clan. It's impossible." Kiara said.

"King Scar survived being eaten by hyenas, being burned by fire, and survived months of starvation and dehydration. He is no ordinary lion, he is some god in mortal form." Wraith said.

"He is no god. He's a traitor, a liar, and a coward who uses others to get what he wants, and when he sees someone as being useless to him he just casts them aside. He'll do it to you one day Wraith, he's using you like he's using all of you." Kiara said.

"No, he cares for us, he looks after us." Wraith said.

"It's not too late Wraith, you can be saved, you all can be saved. We can beat him and Zira." Kiara said.

"No." Wraith said.

Wraith than began to move towards the mouth of the cave, dragging Kiara along the way.

"Where are you taking me?" Kiara asked.

"There's no need to worry little princess." Wraith said, smiling at Kiara.

Kiara looked at Wraith in fear, unsettled by his smile.

In Scar's personal cave, he was standing in the center of the cave. Under the spot where the hole in the roof had light shining through.

"They cursed us." Scar said to himself.

"Murderer." Simba's voice said in Scar's head. "

"Murderer they called us. They cursed us and drove us away." Scar said to himself.

FLASHBACK:

About five and a half years back in the Pride Lands, Scar had just been overthrown by his nephew, Simba. He had just been thrown over Pride Rock and landed with somehow no injury other than some scrapes and bruises. What made things worse was that his hyena friends Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed had come, not to help him, but to kill and eat him. Just a couple minutes when Simba had him cornered and desperate, Scar had blamed his hyena friends and the rest of their clan. Scar tried to beg his friends for forgiveness, but they were all too angry to listen or believe him.

The hyenas advanced slowly, then they pounced on him and began the mauling. They went for his body, his face, his neck, his legs, and tail. Scar tried to claw and bite at them as best he could, but there were just too many hyenas. Just when Scar thought he was about to die something saved him. The fire surrounding them became wilder and was beginning to close off any means of escape.

One of Scar's former hyena friends, Shenzi saw this and immediately knew that she and the rest of the clan had to get out.

"Everyone get out! The fire is starting to close off any means of escape, we need to get out now!" Shenzi ordered.

"But we gotta finish the job." Banzai, who hadn't sunk his teeth into Scar like everyone else yet, said.

"We gave him a good mauling. Either his wounds will kill him, or the fire, or the pride will." Shenzi said.

Convinced by what Shenzi said, all the hyenas began to run away from Scar's dying body to escape the fire. Scar watched as they were running towards the last area of escape that the fire hadn't closed off yet. Scar didn't see if they made it or not because he blacked out from the pain of his wounds and from some fire licking against his left side.

Scar woke up hours later and he screamed in unbelievable agony. Scar had never felt pain like this before. He tried to rise, but he just ended up once again screaming like a banshee.

"What was that?" Scar heard a voice say in the distance.

Scar, now even more scared when the hyenas were about to maul him, looked at Pride Rock behind him. They heard his scream and would now come after him. Scar couldn't decide which was worse: being mauled by hyenas and burned by fire and being left alive in painful agony or the pride finding him and torturing him a little before finally killing him. Scar decided to run, he would not wait here to die like a scared, injured animal being hunted. Scar got up as quickly as he could despite the searing pain pulsating through his body.

Scar's paws hurt as he ran, the fire had burnt most of his paw pads raw, exposing the tissue underneath which seared with pain as they touched the ground. Something else felt wrong with his front and back left paws as well. Scar almost stopped to see what was wrong but decided to wait until he got a safe distance away from Pride Rock. When he got to the river just outside the gorge where he killed his brother about three years ago, he would see what damages the hyenas and fire caused him. In what felt like years, which was actually a little over half an hour, Scar made it to the river outside the gorge.

He looked at his front and back left paws to see what was wrong, but then wished he hadn't. All the toes on his front and back left paws were missing. Some of the stumps were oozing blood, while others had been painfully cauterized by the fire. Scar also saw many bite marks on his legs, some cauterized, some bleeding. Scar looked into the river to see how much more the hyenas and fire had damaged his body.

The right side of his body was somehow just fine, it had not a mark on it. His left side however was unrecognizable. He had only tiny wisps of fur here and there, the rest had been burnt away by the fire. Much of his skin had been charred black by the fire. He had many bite marks like on his legs.

Three areas of his body had large chunks of flesh and meat missing, but they were thankfully cauterized by the fire, so he wouldn't bleed to death from them. He was also missing all of the mane on the left side of his head and neck and judging by the burn marks on his head and neck, the mane would never grow back. He was also missing the left side and front of his lips, so his teeth were constantly showing. His left ear was missing as well. The skin around his left eyes had also been blackened, causing it to go milky white with blindness.

A voice in his mind said one thing; you are a monster. Scar jumped back in fright and screamed at the top of his lungs.

"I'M A MONSTER!" Scar yelled in fright of his appearance.

And Scar was right, in more ways than one. If anyone who knew all that Scar had done called him a monster, they would be right. Now Scar's inner ugliness showed not just on the inside, but on the outside as well. Scar gave a shrieking scream before burying his face into his front paws and beginning to cry, his salty tears stinging any of his paw pads that the fire had not cauterized. When Scar somewhat calmed down he looked back into the water.

Just looking at his own appearance scared Scar so bad that it made him feel like a scared little cub again. A scared and miserable voice deep inside Scar's mind told him to cry out for his mother, Uru, but Scar remembered that she was dead. His mother had died during the first month of his reign. When Uru heard that her oldest son and her only grandson had died, she became heartbroken. Within the first month of Scar's reign, Uru had died from a broken, unfixable heart.

Back then, her death was probably the only thing that could make Scar truly sad. Even with the way he had been back then, before he became king and let the hyenas into the Pride Lands of course, Uru, other than Simba, had been the only one to show Scar any affection. His brother Mufasa was always angry and ready to yell at him. Sarabi and Sarafina tried to be politer, hoping that their old friend, Taka I was still in Scar somewhere, but always ended up arguing with him as well. Everyone else just shunned him and always went about their daily business, acting like Scar didn't even exist.

Unlike Simba's affectionate company, Scar somewhat enjoyed his mother's affectionate company, even though he wouldn't admit it back then. Scar than thought back to his father Ahadi. Oh, how Scar hated him. Scar always thought that Ahadi hated him, looked down on him and favored Mufasa. Scar couldn't have been further from the truth back then.

Ahadi had always told Scar, who was still Taka I, back then that he loved both him and Mufasa equally. Scar however wouldn't listen to his father's words of truth. Scar had almost shouted in joy the day he heard that his father had died. His father had been patrolling the Pride Lands and had come across two hyenas forbiddingly hunting. Ahadi had tried to throw them out, but the two hyenas wouldn't leave. One of the hyenas had provoked and attacked Ahadi.

Lionesses had come to aid Ahadi, but by the time they got there, the hyenas had already killed Ahadi. Scar would have thanked those hyenas, but one of the hyenas were killed, and the other had vanished off somewhere. Scar stopped thinking about those memories or any others and began to move on into the desert and away from the Pride Lands, without another word or thought.

END OF FLASHBACK:

That memory had brought pain to Scar, but also great pride. That day he had been reduced from a king back to a scared cub, but he had come far since that day.

"And now we're king of a new pride, a better pride." Scar said, talking to himself.

"Let me go." a young female's voice said.

Scar looked to see Wraith dragging Kiara into the cave.

"Moyo." Scar whispered.

FLASHBACK:

Scar had been walking the deserts for half a year. During that time, he had gotten nowhere, he had been walking around his circles. Ever since he saw that reflection of himself in the river back at the gorge in the Pride Lands, his mind snapped and the trauma of all the events that happened that day took full affect. In his half year of walking in circles around the desert, he hadn't come across anybody to talk to, even if he did it wouldn't matter. He was too traumatized by the events that happened half a year ago that he wouldn't be able to talk to anybody.

He didn't even talk to himself out loud or in his head. Today however, that would all change. As Scar was blindly walking across the desert sand he spotted the dead body of a hippo. Scar would have wondered what a hippo was doing so far from any water source if he was able to think, but the trauma wouldn't let him. Scar walked over to the carcass and was about to bite into it, but something suddenly caught his attention.

From the high sandy dune Scar was standing on, he saw something in the distance and for the first time in half a year, Scar had wonder enter his mind again. Scar looked and saw what looked like a lion in the distance. Scar found himself moving towards it. He was walking even though he knew that if the figure he saw moved away that walking wouldn't get him caught up with it. Scar also decided that if this figure he saw was dangerous and decided to attack him, that he'd prefer to walk to his death.

The figure thankfully didn't move from where Scar saw it. When Scar got to where the figure was he saw that the figure was a young lion, about a year and a half old. The lion had creamy white fur, a mane that had already grown into a head of hair and it looked like his brother Mufasa's, but what was really to look at was the teenage lion's ghostly blue eyes and his face which also looked structured like Mufasa's, but had his own sharp facial features, but more calm looking than angry or annoyed looking.

"Hello." the young teenage lion calmly said when he saw Scar.

Scar was confused at this young lion's reaction of him. Scar looked like a monster with his mutilated appearance, but the teenaged cub didn't seem scared. The teenage lion acted like he was meeting an ordinary person. The teenage lion was either not bothered by Scar's appearance or he just hid it well.

"Hello." Scar said through the trauma.

The words felt like sand against Scar's already dry throat. Scar looked and saw that the teenage lion was standing over a dead lioness with a belly that was swollen with now dead, unborn cubs.

"I'm sorry." Scar said, guessing this lioness was the teenage lion's mother.

"I was just about to eat, but you can join me if you'd like." the teenage lion said.

"There's nothing to eat here, but I found a hippo carcass on that dune way over there." Scar said, pointing to where he found the hippo.

"No, there's plenty of food right here." the teenage lion said, looking at his dead mother.

Scar was about to say something before the teenage lion took a bite out of his dead mother's rump. Scar just stared at the teenage lion in shock. The teenage lion noticed and stopped eating.

"Come on. Come eat your fill." the teenage cub offered.

Scar sat down and as the cub said, he began to eat.

"Just save her pretty little head for me. I'm saving that for dessert." the teenage lion said.

Scar nodded in understanding.

"Where are you from?" Scar found himself asking.

"A land beyond a jungle oasis." the teenage lion said.

"Why are you all the way out here with your pregnant mother when there's obviously no food or water for miles?" Scar asked.

"Humans." the teenage lion simply said.

Scar's eyes widened with fright after the teenage lion said that. When Scar was young and his father still king, a rogue lion and his family came to the Pride Lands, seeking shelter for a few days. When Ahadi asked the family what happened they said that a monkey-like species called humans attacked their lands. Scar usually wouldn't have been interested in what any rogue would have to say, but the talk of an unknown species had amused him, so he had listened to the rogue family's story. The rogue family said that they fought with sticks that shot tiny metal stones, their fur was many different colors and they rode on strange animals that they called 'trucks' or 'jeeps.'

They hunted animals for food, but mainly for sport, skinned them and wore them or used them as throw rugs. They were probably the only thing that Scar feared.

"I was about to go back and kill them for taking my home. Want to join me?" the teenage lion asked casually.

Scar looked at the lion in surprise.

"If you go they'll kill you." Scar said.

"Not if I have someone like you with me." the teenage lion said, looking at Scar's mutilated body.

Scar thought about it. If he and this teenage lion went to fight humans, they'd probably get killed. Scar was about to say no until a sudden realization came to him. Scar had nothing left to live for. He was a monster inside and out, he had nowhere to go and if he came across a pride of lions, they'd not welcome him in due to his appearance.

They would see him as a threat due to his appearance and attack him. Scar looked back at the teenage lion that he had just made a friendship with through an odd meeting. The teen lion held out a paw to Scar.

"Interested?" the teenage lion asked.

"Yeah." Scar said.

Scar and the teenage lion had traveled through the desert to a jungle and beyond the jungle they crossed a swamp. When the two lions exited the swamp, they came to their destination. A land that had been blackened by a wild fire. They were currently hiding in an outcrop of boulders. They peeked over one and saw a group of five humans sitting around one of their truck/jeep beasts.

"Those the humans?" Scar asked the teenage lion.

"Yes, now let's go get them." the teenage lion said as he began to creep towards the humans, while hiding behind a line of boulders.

Scar followed the young teenage lion. The two came to a section in the line of rock with a long dash run. Without a word, the teenage lion dashed to the next section of boulders. After he got there, Scar began his dash, but one of the humans walked into Scar's path, causing them both to trip.

"What the heck… Ahhh! A lion." the human screamed as he saw Scar.

Scar immediately began to maul the human, but another human came and kicked Scar off the other human. The human then grabbed Scar by his mane, dragging him into the human camp with the injured human following close behind them. The human smashed Scar's face against the jeep/truck beast. The human than held Scar up by his front legs. The human Scar had mauled began to punch him full force in his stomach.

"How's it feel to get got you stupid lion?" the human Scar attacked asked as he punched Scar in the stomach.

The human holding Scar up by threw him to the ground when the other human stopped punching him. A third human kicked Scar in the side of the head. Scar tried to crawl away, but a human grabbed Scar's leg and dragged him back and began beating him with his stick that fired little tiny metal stones. Scar was wondering why the teenage lion wasn't trying to save him.

"He abandoned me." Scar realized.

A fourth human kicked Scar in his injured left side. Scar dragged himself against some rocks and cowered with his head in his paws. The human that beat him with his tiny metal rock firing stick handed it to the human Scar had mauled. The human walked up to Scar, aiming his stick at Scar.

"And now lion, I'm going to turn you into a handsome throw rug for my house." the human said.

Scar cried in fear. Suddenly, something snapped inside Scar. He no longer felt like an individual, he felt like two different lions. Two voices were in his head. One that was weak, sad, and full of misery and despair.

Scar knew who that voice was. That voice was him, him as Taka before he became Scar. The second voice was dark and cold, full of evil malice, and sounded like the hissing of snakes.

"Taka, why does it cry Taka?" the Scar side of Taka asked.

"Cruel humans hurts us. Our companion abandoned us." the Taka side of Scar said in a scared, miserable, weak voice.

"Of course, he did. I tried to warn you he was a trickster. I told you he was false." the Scar side of Taka said.

"Companion was our friend." the Taka side of Scar said.

"You had friends before and look where it got you. Look where it got us. You don't have any friends, nobody likes you." the Scar side of Taka said.

"No. Not your business, leave us alone." the Taka side of Scar said.

"You're a liar, and a thief." the Scar side of Taka said.

"No." the Taka said of Scar denied.

"Murderer. This is all your fault. You had plenty of chances to kill Simba. Like in the gorge after you killed Mufasa, you could have killed Simba. He was just a cub. Just one quick slash of your claws and you would still have the throne today, but you let him run away." the Scar side of Taka said.

"No, no. He was just, he was just…" the Taka side of Scar tried to say before it continued to cry and the Scar side of him interrupted him.

"And when you had him cornered and made him slip off the edge of Pride Rock. All you had to do was throw him off and you almost did, but you had to tell him that it was you who killed Mufasa and not him. You are in this position because of your foolish choices." the Scar side of Taka said.

"Simba! Simba, he stole it, he stole it from us." the Taka side of Scar said in an angry voice.

The human that Scar mauled walked up closer, his gun raised and pointed at Scar.

"Hay, throw rug, quit your yowling, and tell me, who did this?" the human mocked.

Scar slowly turned towards the humans, no longer scared.

"Our nephew, and he stole our kingdom!" Scar said before roaring at the humans.

The human that Scar mauled was about to shoot, but out of nowhere the teenage lion attacked from behind, immediately killing one of the humans. The human that Scar mauled looked back in fright. Scar took his chance to grab the gun out of the human's hands and finish the job he had started with this human. Soon the ground was red with the blood of five humans. After they were finished Scar looked to the teenage lion.

"You abandoned us." Scar said.

"I didn't abandon you. You didn't look before you ran, and you were caught and almost killed. I saved you." the teenage lion said, completely ignoring that Scar referred to himself as 'us' instead of 'me.'

Scar growled. He had to admit that the teenage lion was right though.

"Yes, you are right. We should have looked before we dashed." Scar said.

"You helped me destroy these disgusting creatures, I thank you." the teenage lion said.

Scar gave a single nod as a sign of saying 'your welcome.'

"What were you talking about by the way when that human had his stick on you? Who are you, what's your story?" the teenage lion asked.

Scar began to tell the teenage lion his story. Scar told the teenage lion about his brother Mufasa, his nephew Simba, and his hyena friends Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. He told him how he escaped the fire and that he'd been walking around the desert in for half a year and somehow survived the harsh heat of the desert.

"You are some sort of wonder." the teenage lion said.

"Yes, and now we plan to start a pride. A new one, a better one." Scar said.

"Sounds fascinating. Tell me your plan." the teenage lion asked.

"We plan to gather all lions, lionesses, and hyenas. To form them into one pride, to form them into the Scarred Pride. Because I was born to rule, and I choose to rule all." Scar explained.

"Everyone lion, lioness, and hyena you say?" the teenage lion asked.

"Yes." Scar said.

The teenage lion seemed to be pondering about Scar's idea.

"You know Scar, I think your plan is completely impossible, but what the hell. I could use some excitement. I've been bored for a while, and when I say that, I mean all my life, until I met you. So, I have a feeling living in your pride will lead to some... excitement." the teenage lion said.

Scar and the teenage lion shook paws.

"What's your name by the way? We told you ours, but you haven't told us yours." Scar said.

"My name is Moyo." the teenage lion said.

"Moyo, it's another meaning for heart." Scar said.

"And I've always hated it, hated her for giving it to me." Moyo said.

Scar guessed that it was his mother he was talking about.

"You hate your name? Well, what do you want to be called?" Scar asked.

"Wraith." Moyo immediately said.

"Very well." Scar said without question. "Now before you join the Scarred Pride, there is one thing we must do." Scar continued.

"Lead the way King Scar." Moyo, now Wraith said.

Scar and Wraith walked for a few minutes. They came across a cave atop a large slap of rock that led into the ground.

"Our throne." Scar said.

Scar walked towards the large slap of rock, jumped on and laid down. Scar gestured for Wraith to come over. When Wraith reached Scar, Scar immediately grabbed the young lion's chin in his toeless front paw and slashed Wraith across his left eye with one claw. Wraith didn't scream, groan, or even flinch as Scar gave him a scar to match his own.

"I am yours." Wraith said with a bow, understanding what his scar meant.

"Welcome to the Scarred Pride, Wraith. Now, let's get to work." Scar said.

END OF FLASHBACK:

And in the five years since that day, the Scarred Pride has become large and strong thanks to Wraith going out to recruit members for the pride. Wraith had come across Zira, Nuka, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed and brought them to the Scarred Pride, by force and they all served him. Wraith had just shoved Kiara into one of the cave prisons around the den area where Scar slept. Wraith was now going out to find Kovu. As Wraith passed Scar, he gave him a nod.

Scar got up and walked towards a small pool of water in the cave. Scar looked at his appearance and thought of Simba and all the other Pride Landers. Scar blamed them all for his troubles and for his monstrous appearance, especially Simba. Scar began to talk to himself, with himself as Taka and Scar.

"Taka hates Pride Landers and Simba. Taka wants to see them dead." the Taka side of Scar said.

"And we will. Taka did it once, he can do it again." the Scar side of Taka said.

The image of Scar throwing Mufasa to his death flashed through his mind and so did the Pride Lands.

"We must get the Pride Lands, we must get them back." the Taka side of Scar said.

"Patience, patience my love. First, we must break Simba." the Scar side of Taka said.

"We break him by killing all he holds dear." the Taka side of Scar said with glee.

"Yes, all he holds dear, and then." the Scar side of Taka said.

"He goes into the pit." the Taka side of Scar said.

"And when he goes in, there's no coming out. The pit of disappear and hopelessness in the mind is always hungry, it always needs to feed. And when the pit swallows him up, we will kill him and travel to the Pride Lands with our lions, lionesses, and hyenas." the Scar side of Taka said.

"And take it for meeeeee!" the Taka side of Scar said.

"For us." the Scar side of Taka scolded.

"Yes, we meant for us." the Taka side of Scar said.

"The Pride Lands and the world will be ours once Simba and the other Pride Landers are dead." the Scar side of Taka said.

Scar than looked look the cave-prison cells in around his den and started listing off his prisoners. Kiara, Vitani, Kion, Siri, Dalia, Taka II, Bluu, soon Kovu, and next to them the traitors Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed.

"All Pride Landers and traitors will die." Scar Said

Scar suddenly started coughing. He coughed so hard that blood flew from his mouth. Scar fell to the ground weak. Scar knew where he was, he was in a story. He was in a story of a pride of scarred lions, lionesses, and hyenas fighting against his old pride which were now his enemy.

He was in a game called life, and his time was almost up. Weather this story ended with his defeat, or his triumph, he would die. There was no way he would survive this story. His new pride saw him as a god for all the hardships he's pulled through, but he must just a simple mortal. He was a mortal playing the game of life that all mortals play, and his story was soon to end by either the claws, and teeth of his enemies, or the slow decay of time.

In this story of two prides, he would die.

Chapter 26: Use the Heart

"Ugh, this place is disgusting." a lioness said as she and the rest of the lionesses that Simba had brought on his rescue party crossed the Dismal Swamp.

"Don't worry, we can't be that far from getting out of this swamp." Nala reassured the lioness.

"Ugh, I always hated this swamp. Thanks for ferrying me across Pumbaa, because I wouldn't want to be swimming in all that muck." Timon said to Pumbaa.

"No problem pal." Pumbaa said.

Simba was just as eager to get out of the Dismal Swamp as everyone else. Kiara, Kion, and the others were out there somewhere and probably in the clutches of the Scarred Pride. Surprisingly he wasn't angry with Kiara or Kion. Simba was angry at himself, because Kiara was right. Kovu was his son-in-law, Taka, his grandson, and Bluu, his future granddaughter-in-law, and that meant that he should rush to save them from the Scarred Pride and damn all the consequences.

Simba just hoped that Kiara, Kovu, or any of the others with them weren't hurt.

"I think I just stepped in something." Pumbaa suddenly said.

A water snake suddenly broke through the surface of the water.

"Not in something, on someone you twit!" the snake hissed.

Timon and Pumbaa screamed in fright of the snake. The snake tried to grab Timon with it's tail, but he jumped out of the way.

"Hay, Joka's cousin, keep that thing to yourself. Uh, Simba!" Timon called.

Simba immediately went to his friend's rescue and growled at the water snake. The water snake screamed in fright and dove back into the water to hide.

"Man, I hate water snakes." Timon said.

"Hakuna Matata pal." Pumbaa said.

"Alright, now sing it!" Timon said.

The meerkat and warthog began to sing their signature song and all the other lionesses groaned. The duo had been singing it almost nonstop the whole journey and they were starting to get tired of it.

"Don't you two know any other songs?" Njano asked.

"Of course, we do. We know Hakuna Matata House Rock, Hooked on a Hakuna Matata Feeling, Hakuna Matata Magic Dance, Hakuna Matata Shore Drive, and we also know…" Timon began saying before Njano interrupted.

"Something that doesn't have Hakuna Matata in it?" Njano asked.

"Lady what is wrong with you!?" Timon angrily asked.

"And we can't have any singing." Sarafina said.

"Simba, help us out here. Which Hakuna Matata song should we sing for the pride?" Pumbaa asked. "Everyone needs a song right now."

Simba looked towards his two friends. He was glad that they were trying to lighten the gloomy mood the pride was in, but he had to agree with no singing. They might be close to the Scarred Pride's lands, they might even be in it right now, and they needed to be as quite as possible if they didn't want to get caught.

"I'm sorry you two, but no singing." Simba said.

"No singing!? Buddy!" Timon exclaimed.

"Hay, is that Tiifu, Zuri, and Jasiri?" Pumbaa suddenly asked.

"What?" Simba said with shock.

Everyone looked to see two lionesses, one with creamy fur and the other a tawny-orange color, together with a young adult female hyena that had grey fur with a slight purplish hint to it.

"Yeah, that's them." Nala said.

"They seem to be running." Sarabi said.

"From someone or towards someone?" Pumbaa asked.

"Only one way to find out." Simba said.

"Tiifu, Zuri, Jasiri!" Nala shouted towards the three.

The small group of three stopped and looked to see Simba, Nala, Sarabi, Sarafina, Mheetu, Timon, Pumbaa and everyone else. The three began to run towards them through the sludge of the swamp. The few pride members ran up to meet up with the missing Pride Landers.

"Oh, Tiifu, Zuri, Jasiri. I don't think we've ever been so glad to see you girls." Mheetu said.

"We're so glad your all in one piece." Sarabi said.

Simba looked around and saw that the two lionesses and single hyena were a bunch of lions short.

"Where are Kiara and everyone else?" Simba asked.

"The Scarred Pride's got them." Jasiri said.

"What!?" Simba shouted with fright.

"We found Kovu, the cubs, and that hyena, Dalia that Siri told us about, but we were immediately ambushed and overrun." Zuri explained.

"Kion told the three of us to run and warn you about the Scarred Pride." Tiifu said.

"Take us to the Scarred Pride's lands." Simba ordered, not wasting any time.

The three girls did as they were told and immediately began to lead the way towards the Scarred Pride.

Within hours Zuri, Tiifu, and Jasiri had led Simba and the rest of the rescue part to the edge of the Scarred Pride's lands.

"Ugh, this place looks and smells disgusting." Timon said, holding his nose to block the Scarred Lands' permanent smell of death and soot.

"Where were all of you attacked?" Simba asked the three girls.

Zuri pointed towards the outcrop of rocks in the distance where they were attacked. The red setting sun covering the rock outcrop in a red eerie, ominous glow. The image was enough to send a shiver down even Simba's spine. He looked towards his pride and gave a nod, signaling everyone to follow him. Zuri walked up beside Simba.

"There's a large sinkhole among that outcrop. We can stay there for the night and start the rescue in the morning." Zuri informed Simba.

"No. No more stalling. We're saving everyone from the Scarred Pride tonight." Simba said coldly.

Simba looked back at who he had brought on the rescue part. There were thirteen lionesses with him, not including Nala, his mother, Sarafina, Tiifu and Zuri.

"Twenty pride members and three others to help us. That should be more than enough to rescue everyone. No other pride is larger than mine." Simba thought with confidence.

When they all got closer to the outcrop of rocks they saw a hyena was standing guard. Everyone immediately hid in the long dry, dead grass they were by.

"Dang it. Hyenas, why did it have to be hyenas? I hate hyenas." Timon groaned.

Jasiri tapped Timon's head and glared down at him.

"Uh, what I meant to say was, I hate bad hyenas, but I love good ones like you Jasiri." Timon said nervously, kissing Jasiri's cheek.

Jasiri pushed Timon away from her with a paw.

"Don't do that again." Jasiri said.

"Why don't we just take that hyena out, there's only one?" Zuri said.

"There may be one that we see, but there could be more hidden among those rocks to alert the Scarred Pride." Sarabi said.

"So, what are we going to do?" Zuri asked.

"Private Timon and Pumbaa reporting for duty." Timon said as he began rubbing grey soot over himself. "Here Pumbaa, cover yourself to." Timon said, handing Pumbaa a handful of soot.

Everyone looked at the duo in confusion.

"What are you two doing?" Nala asked.

"Mrs. Simba's mom says that there might be other hyenas hidden amongst those rocks, well me and Pumbaa are going to go undercover and see if there are other hyenas amongst those rocks. If so, we'll give some sort of signal and if not, we'll beat the crap out of that hyena." Timon explained.

"Ha. I always wanted to be an undercover operative." Pumbaa said with enthusiasm.

When the duo were finished covering themselves in grey soot, they stood in front of the pride.

"So, tell us, how do we look for a couple of stupid bad hyenas?" Timon asked, puffing out his now grey chest.

Simba faced pawed himself. Timon and Pumbaa could come up with some crazy ideas, but this was just sad. They looked nothing like hyenas, they looked like a meerkat and warthog covered in grey soot, plain and simple.

"Guys, you look nothing like hyenas. Wouldn't the hula dance be safer?" Simba said, hoping they would listen.

Timon walked up to Simba and patted his right leg.

"Simba, Simba, Simba, Simba. That went out like years ago. People don't want crusty, old things. They want new juice, they want something that looks like it won't work, but somehow will work. Besides, you know how stupid, dumb, brainless, and absent minded the bad hyenas can be." Timon said.

"Oh, your so stubborn." Simba thought to himself frustrated.

Timon and Pumbaa ran out of the grass and towards the guarding hyena before anyone could stop them. They hyena noticed them coming towards him. He got into his fighting position and growled.

"Who the holy h are you two?" the hyena demanded.

Timon put his hands on his hips and did a cool guy walk up to the hyena with Pumbaa close behind him.

"Come on bro, don't you know a hyena when you see one?" Timon asked.

"You're walking on two legs dude." the hyena stated.

"Can you believe it, I taught myself to walk on to legs. Now I can do this." Timon said before he started doing push-ups.

"Uh, even a hyena with four legs can do that." the hyena said.

"But four leggers can fake push-ups, unlike two leggers. See" Pumbaa pointed out before doing fake push-ups.

"You two aren't part of the Scarred Pride, so what are you doing here anyway?" the hyena demanded.

"Uh, well you see uh, we were uh." Timon stuttered. "Weeeee, were thrown out of our old clan." Timon said.

"Why?" the hyena, now suspicious of them, asked.

"Because they didn't like that we were the cool guys and they weren't." Timon lied.

"And because they didn't like our singing." Pumbaa added in.

"So, you want to be Scarred Priders?" the hyena asked.

"Bingo yo." Timon said.

The look on the hyena's face said that he wasn't convinced, but it went away quick.

"Very well, but hay, do you want a tip on how to be a Scarred Pride hyena first?" the hyena asked.

"Sounds awesome dude. Fill me in." Timon said.

The hyena gestured Timon forward. Timon cuffed a hand around his ear and walked towards the hyena. When Timon got close enough the hyena closed his jaws around him. The hyena swallowed him, and Timon punched the hyena's throat as he slid down it's gullet. Pumbaa and everyone back in the tall grass looked on his shock.

"You're a hyena my tail section!" the hyena said, looking at his stomach.

"TIMON! You let him out of there!" Pumbaa demanded.

"Make me pig." the hyena laughed.

Pumbaa gave a challenging shout and rushed towards the hyena, beginning to beat him up.

"Only my friends call me pig, and it's Mr. Pig to you!" Pumbaa stated as he beat the hyena up.

Everyone looked on in surprise. Zazu and Timon had told them all about how Pumbaa beat up Shenzi and Banzai back at Pride Rock years ago, but no one had seen the action.

"I never thought I'd feel bad for Shenzi and Banzai." Simba said.

"Yeah." Nala simply said.

Pumbaa dragged the hyena over to some dirty, brown water, and began to give the hyena a non-toilet swirly.

"Now, spit Timon out." Pumbaa said.

"Never!" the hyena said.

"Alright, we can do this the hard way." Pumbaa said.

Pumbaa grabbed some old dead vines and wrapped them around his hooves to form 'boxing gloves,' and began punching the hyena with them. When he was finished, Pumbaa grabbed an old rotten baobab fruit and held it down like a football .

"Kick this straight to the moon Charlie Grey." Pumbaa said.

The hyena tried to 'kick the baobab fruit football straight to the moon,' but Pumbaa pulled it away at the last second, causing the hyena to fall flat on his back. Pumbaa and the hyena began to play go fish with cards made from rotten wood that Pumbaa was somehow able to quickly make.

"You got any twos?" Pumbaa asked the hyena.

"Oh, have mercy." the hyena said, handing Pumbaa his whole hand which was full of twos.

Simba looked towards everyone.

"Is this for real?' he asked everyone.

Pumbaa was on the hyena, who was lying flat on his back. Pumbaa grabbed some rotten grass and began to tickle the hyena's sides with it. The hyena laughed, giving Pumbaa his chance. He used a piece of dead bark as a spoon to force feed the rotten baobab fruit to the hyena. The hyena was able to squeeze away and began to run away, but Pumbaa grabbed him and shoulder dived him in the stomach.

Timon was then sent flying out of the hyean's mouth and collided with Simba's face, covered in saliva that had many colors to it. Timon slowly slid off Simba's face, and fell to the ground flat on his back.

"Timon are you okay?" Simba asked his friend with concern.

"Should I go towards the light, or run away from it?" Timon asked.

"He's fine." Simba said with the smallest hint of a smile on his face.

Everyone looked back to see how Pumbaa was doing with the hyena. The hyena was on the ground crawling away while whimpering in fright. Pumbaa scooped the hyena in his tusks, spun around and came to an abrupt stop, sending the hyena flying off into the distance screaming.

"Moooooommmmmmyyyyyy!" the hyena screamed as he flew through the air.

Everyone seeing that it was safe came out of the grass, Simba carrying Timon in one paw.

"Good one Pumbaa." Zuri said.

"Mess with the friends, you get the tusks." Pumbaa said, glaring in the direction of where he sent the hyena flying.

"Alright, let's move on." Nala said.

"Wait." Simba said.

Everyone stopped immediately and looked to their king, waiting for his orders.

"Everyone, we came with a large number of pride members and we all knew what we were signing up for." Simba announced.

Everyone nodded in agreement. Simba turned to Mheetu, Tiifu, Zuri, Jasiri, Pumbaa, and Timon, who was still trying to figure out if he was still alive or not.

"Mheetu, Tiifu, Zuri, Jasiri, Pumba, Timon. I want the six of you to stay here. We don't know exactly how dangerous they are or if the pride is larger than ours. If we aren't back by the day after tomorrow I want you all to go back to the Pride Lands and warn Tojo that war might come there." Simba said.

"Simba, you say that as if you don't expect yourself or anyone to come back." Mheetu said.

"There's always that possibility." Simba stated. "Mheetu, if something happens and the royal family doesn't come back someone will need to take charges as king, and that someone will be you." Simba said.

Mheetu gave a nod of understanding. Simba gave his brother-in-law a proud pat on the shoulder.

"Well, you've been terrible. Really, I mean it. The worst brother-in-law I've ever had." Mheetu joked.

"Thank you Mheetu." Simba laughed.

Everyone else turned towards the rock outcrop and began to move on. Timon sat up, over his overdramatic acting dead because he thought he was dead when he wasn't.

"If you die Simba, I'm going to kill you!" Timon said before going back into his overdramatic acting dead.

A hyena was walking through the rocky outcrop of one of the Scarred Land's borders. He and another hyena were guarding for any intruders on the orders of Wraith. He had just gone for a bathroom break... and a quick, secret snack break.

"Sucker." the hyena said about the hyena he was on guard duty with.

"Moooooommmmmmyyyyyy!" the hyena heard his guard duty partner shout.

"What the?" the hyena exclaimed as he saw his guard duty partner fly through the air.

The hyena began to sprint to where he and his guarding duty partner were guarding. When he got there, he saw a bunch of lionesses lead by two large lions and they were accompanied by what looked like a warthog, meerkat, and a hyena that wasn't part of the Scarred Pride. The lion with a red mane led the lionesses towards the outcrop of rock, towards the hyena.

"Oh crap! I gotta tell Wraith." the hyena said as he began to sprint as fast as he could to find Wraith, who was probably with the Scarred Pride's king and queen.

Back in Scar's cave, in the small holding caves Siri was thinking to himself. He was thinking about something, about someone, about Zira. Since Siri set his eyes on the old lioness, he felt strange all the way to his core, but he didn't know what that feeling was. All he knew is that, that feeling was a sharp pain that somehow didn't hurt. He kept thinking back to his nightmare of the shadowy lioness with blood red eyes that looked exactly like Zira's.

He had never met Zira, yet he somehow knew her. Siri was trying to think about his past, the time before Dalia saved him from drowning in that river. Yet, however hard Siri tried to remember he just continued to give himself a seriously painful headache trying to remember memories that he knew he had, but couldn't remember. Siri felt like he was bleeding from his ears.

"Think god damn you! Think!" Siri cursed himself as he tried to remember his memories.

Tears of pain filled Siri's eyes as he continued to try and remember his forgotten memories. Siri gave up and decided to try and get some sleep.

SIRI'S DREAM:

When Siri opened his eyes, he thought he was going blind because of the blurry edges.

"I'm just dreaming." Siri said when he realized he wasn't going blind.

Siri looked around him and saw that he was in a forest that was so dense that every which way was closed off. There was no left or right, up, or even down since the ground that Siri was standing on was made of twisted, intertwined, gnarled roots.

"Where am I?" Siri asked himself.

Siri heard very faints voices. The realization then hit Siri right in the face.

"Of course, this isn't just a dream. This is what the inside of my mind looks like. Because of my amnesia, I'm just one closed off forest." Siri said.

"Use the heart." a faint voice said.

"What?" Siri exclaimed in surprise.

"Use the heart. It will never fail you." the voice said again.

Siri began to walk towards the sound, but suddenly the branches and roots started to move towards Siri. Siri screamed in fright and tried to run, but he couldn't out run them. The branches began to wrap around Siri, trapping him in a cocoon of branches and roots.

"What's going on!?" Siri screamed.

The branches and roots suddenly let go of Siri. When the branches and roots uncovered Siri's eyes, he saw that the dense forest was gone, and he was falling into a pit of darkness. Siri fell with a loud splash into an icy cold sea of pitch black water. Siri tried to swim towards the surface, but he was being dragged down to the ocean floor. It wasn't just his water clogged mane that was dragging him down, something was pulling him down.

Suddenly, down became up as Siri fell out of the bottom of the water and into a cave. Siri looked to see that the roof of the cave was the black water of the ocean he fell into. Siri heard the scary evil laughter of some female in the darkness of the cave. Siri could feel eyes watching him.

"This is just a dream, nothing can hurt me." Siri thought to himself.

Siri heard a movement behind him and turned towards it. A lioness with blood red eyes covered in wispy shadows walked out of the darkness. Dark tendrils shot out from the lioness and wrapped themselves around Siri.

"Ugh. Let me go!" Siri demanded.

The tendrils of darkness tightened around Siri's throat, cutting off his oxygen.

"Not until I send you to a beautiful sleep." the lioness said.

That sentence sent a chill down Siri's spine.

"I've heard someone say that to me before." Siri said.

Just when Siri thought that the lioness cloaked in darkness was going to kill him in his own dream, a hyena covered in white light shot through the lioness. The hyena's light scattered away the darkness of the shadowy lioness. The white hyena walked towards Siri. Before Siri could thank the hyena, she spoke to him.

"Think with your heart, not your head." the hyena said.

This wasn't the voice Siri heard earlier, but it caught his attention. The hyena took Siri's paw and they transported to another cave. Siri looked around and saw something, or somethings familiar. Siri saw Dalia sleeping peacefully on her side and his younger version sleeping with his head resting on Dalia's belly.

"That's me when I was a cub. Hay, I was cute." Siri said.

Siri's young dream-self suddenly woke up and looked at him.

"Oh, uh. Hi." Sir said uncomfortably to his young dream-self.

"Do like father said and use the heart." Siri's dream self said.

Before Siri could respond, his dream-self walked up to him and placed his little paw and placed it over his heart. Siri found himself being transported to another location in his dream.

"Oh, come on, not again." Siri said groaned.

"It's okay Siri, you gotta know that now." Siri's dream version of Dalia, who had just woken up said. "Don't fight it, let it flow. Just let it in."

Siri did as him dream version of Dalia said.

"Just let it flow. Just let it in." Siri whispered to himself.

Siri found himself by the side of a river back in the Pride Lands. Siri couldn't tell why, but he suddenly felt at home.

"Why didn't I feel like this back in the Pride Lands?" Siri asked himself.

Siri suddenly heard footsteps coming his way. Siri looked to see Simba walking along the edge of the river with a young cub who was almost a year old by his side. The cub looked exactly like him for when he was that age, just without the scars and the limp.

"That must be Kopa, he sure looked a lot like me." Siri observed.

Siri's dream version of Simba and who he assumed was his long dead son Kopa laid down next to the river

"Kopa, I want to tell you something my father told me, who was told by his father, who was told by King Mohatu, and all the way back to the Pride Lands' first king." Simba said.

"What is it dad?" Kopa asked.

"You see all the stars up there?" Simba asked.

"Yeah and there's way too many to count." Kopa observed.

"Indeed, there is." Simba said with a laugh. "Well you see Kopa, all the past kings are up there, looking down at us, guarding and guiding us." Simba explained.

"But what about the past queens or all the princes and princesses that didn't get the chance to become king, or queen, or just any member of our royal family?" Kopa asked, confused.

"Yes Kopa, all of them are up there to." Simba assured his son. "Well, you see Kopa, if you ever feel alone or need help when no one else is able to help you, just ask them for help." Simba explained.

"But what if they can't help me?" Kopa asked.

"Well, I'd say that if any of your loved ones or even the kings and queens of the past or any of our other family among the stars can't help you, just use…" Simba began to say before Kopa interrupted.

"Use my head?" Kopa guessed.

"No Kopa, you don't use your head. That's not where truth comes from, truth comes from the heart. Use that Kopa, use your heart if you are ever lost Kopa, it will never fail you. Use what your name means." Simba said.

"Use my heart, not my head." Kopa replied.

Hearing that hit Siri like a boulder in an avalanche.

"Use my heart, not my head." Siri said, repeating what Kopa had just said and what that voice was telling him earlier.

END OF SIRI'S DREAM:

Siri woke up with a jolt. Siri's throat felt dry, his eyes burned, and his head hurt. Siri took some deep breathes before trying to go back to sleep to a hopefully more peaceful dream.

"Use the heart." a voice said in Siri's head.

Siri once again jolted back up. Siri realized what the meaning of that dream was. For years Siri had been using his head to try and remember who he really was but that was not the way to do it. He had to use his heart to find out who he was.

"Use the heart, not the head. The heart always tells the truth, it never fails." Siri said. "Simba, Kopa thank you."

Siri took a deep breath and focused on his heart, asking it to show him his long-lost memories. As he did Siri soon saw images, images of his past, before Dalia. Siri saw the cub that was with Simba in his dream.

"It's me." Siri realized.

Siri knew that cub with Simba in his dreamed looked like him, and that's because it was him. He saw his cub self, running and wrestling around with Simba and Nala and with many other lion cubs. He was sitting with Sarabi and Sarafina, who were telling him stories. He also saw himself with many other Pride Land animals, Timon, Pumbaa, Zazu, Rafiki, and many, many others.

"It can't be." Siri said as realization began set it.

More images flashed through Siri's mind. Siri saw himself with another young cub with violet/purple eyes that would turn blue when she was older and she had a tuft of fur on her head that almost fell into her eyes.

"Vitani?" Siri exclaimed.

Siri blinked and he suddenly saw his cub self being attacked by Zira. Zira was shaking him violently, pounding him into the ground, biting him, and cutting him with her claws. After Zira slashed Siri across the left eye, leaving him with four deep scars that took away his sight in his left eyes, she picked him up. Zira than threw Siri's cub self into the river. Siri watched as his unconscious cub self floated for a short while down the raging river.

After Siri's cub self hit his head on a log, he regained consciousness. The water of the river swallowed him up multiple times, but he always resurfaced. After a while Siri's cub self, fell down a waterfall and into the river below. Siri's cub self, resurfaced again, unconscious. Siri watched his cub self, float down the river before suddenly being grabbed by a hyena, by Dalia.

Siri opened his eyes and stopped focusing on his heart, having seen enough. The realization fully set in.

"Oh my god! I'm…" Siri began to say before hearing a roar.

Breaking away from his train of thought, Siri looked towards the boulder trapping him in his small, cramped cave cell. After a few minutes the rock was sliding away from the opening. Wraith dragged him out.

"We've got a little job for you." Wraith said.

As Wraith dragged Siri out of his cave/cell, he looked to Vitani, who was fighting against the lions dragging her along.

"Vitani." Siri whispered.

"Stop squirming you brat!" an angry female voice shouted.

Siri looked to see Zira stomping over to Vitani angrily. As she was, Zira looked over to Siri. Zira growled, showing her teeth. Siri felt his body go tense.

"You." Siri thought angrily. "When I get my chance, I'll come for you Zira and when we're staring each other in the eyes one to one and I see fear in your eyes, the same fear I had I mine, for looking at a ghost there will be no more doubt on who I am." Kopa vowed to himself.

Chapter 27: The New World Order

As Simba and his pride continued to sneak through the rocky outcrops of the Scarred Lands, they heard a roar not to far off. Everyone tensed at how close it sounded.

"What was that roar?" Nala asked.

"It was a Scarred Pride lion. What else could it be?" a lioness said.

"Do they know we're here?" another lioness questioned.

"Why did you have to say that?" a third lioness asked.

"What do you think Simba?" Sarabi asked her son.

Simba looked towards his mother and pride. He could see fear in their eyes, even amongst the bravest of them. Simba felt the same way they did, but he had to stay strong for this rescue mission to succeed.

"We keep moving and stay as quick and quiet as shadows." Simba said.

"But where do we go to find the others?" a Pride Lander lioness asked.

"And just how are we supposed to know how many numbers this Scarred Pride has?" an Outlander asked.

Both lionesses were right, and Simba knew it. He should have brought Zazu or Ono to help them find out where Kiara and the others were and to report how many lions and hyenas there were in these lands. Simba than looked towards his mother and mother-in-law.

"They shouldn't be here, they're not supposed to be here." Simba thought to himself.

Back in the Pride Lands when everyone was setting out, Sarabi and Sarafina volunteered themselves to come. They were old, fragile, and not as capable fighters as they were in their younger years. Simba had fought and pleaded with them not to come since their age made the mission too dangerous for them, but both lionesses were stubborn as stone and refused to be left behind.

"They're our grandchildren and great grandchildren Simba, and we will not just sit back and pray that's they and you will return safely." Sarabi had said.

Simba looked back around their surroundings of rocks.

"Mother what do you think we should do?" Simba asked.

"We do what you said, move as quick and as quiet as shadows." Sarabi said.

With that, the pride continued to move on. They soon got to the edge of the rocky outcrop. When they did, they were met with a shock. Kiara and everyone else were on the ground, tried up in vines and gagged.

"Kiara, Kovu, Kion, everyone!" Simba shouted in shock and relief.

Simba began to run towards them without thinking.

"No, it's a trap." Kiara tried to scream, but the vine that was gagging her muffled her warning.

When Simba finally exited the rocky outcrop, a creamy white colored lion attacked him. The two lions rolled on the ground for a few moments before coming to a standoff. Simba tried to swipe a paw at the lion, but the lion just clamped his teeth on Simba's leg and uppercut him. Simba fell on his back and the lion tried to claw his face, but he quickly rolled out of the way. Simba kicked the lion using his back legs, sending him flying back.

Simba ran up to the creamy white lion and placed a paw on his head.

"Sim…" Nala shouted out.

Simba looked to see his pride surrounded by multiple lions, lionesses, and hyenas. A lion was on top of Nala, his big front paws planted on her head. Simba looked and saw that the same thing was happening with Kiara and the others. Two lionesses also had Taka and Bluu in their mouths, ready to kill them if anybody tried anything they didn't like. The lion that Simba was stand on took his chance.

He wrapped his paw around Simba's front legs and jerked, making Simba fall on his side. The lion grabbed Simba by the mane with his paw and forced him to look at him. Simba looked into the lion's ghostly blue eyes.

"Hi, your Simba, right? I'm Wraith. Welcome to the Scarred Pride." the creamy white lion said.

Simba looked at the creamy white lion in shock.

"How do you know my name?" Simba asked.

"All will be made clear in time." Wraith said.

Wraith began drag Simba over to Kiara and the others. Everyone was untied and ungagged, but were forced to their 'knees.' A couple lions were marching Nala, Sarabi, and Sarafina over to them. Simba tried to rise but Wraith placed a paw on his shoulder. Simba got the message and laid back down. Simba looked towards Kiara.

"Kiara are you and everyone else okay?" Simba asked.

"Quiet." Wraith growled.

Simba growled at Wraith but was cut off by three familiar laughs. Simba looked back towards the rocky outcrop and was surprised when he saw three familiar faces, which were the owners of the three familiar laughs.

"Shenzi, Banzai, Ed?" Simba exclaimed.

"And Nuka sucker." Nuka, who jumped over a boulder said.

Simba, Nala, Sarabi, and Sarafina looked towards Kovu.

"I thought you said he was dead." Nala said.

"So did I." Kovu said.

Shenzi, Banzai and Ed walked up to Simba, all with evil grins of their faces.

"Well if it isn't little itty-bitty Simba, the little cub with the big ego that the three of us just love to pieces." Shenzi said.

"Yeah, in seven pieces. Four legs, one head and tail, and the rest of his body." Banzai said.

"Oh, I hope he lets us eat you when he's done with you." Ed said in his own language.

"What did he say?" Nala asked.

"Oh, don't worry little queeny. It's nothing you need to concern yourself with." Shenzi laughed.

Wraith growled down at Shenzi, who cowered in fear.

"Don't you act so happy. I'm still going to deal with you for betraying the Scarred Pride." Wraith said.

Wraith than slowly looked back down towards Simba.

"But right after they deal with you of course." Wraith said.

Simba looked around as the lions, lionesses and hyena walked around. They all kept talking about someone they called 'he' and Simba was wondering who 'he' was. Simba was about to demand to know who 'he' was before the lion Wraith walked in the center of the large circle the lions, lionesses, and hyenas had made. Simba was starting to think if Wraith was 'he.' Wraith looked like a king, he was large and muscular, even more than his father was, and he had a very regal look.

Wraith looked down the line of prisoners from Simba to Dalia and the kids with the lionesses. Wraith finally looked at all the lionesses, who were being guarded by a bunch of lions and hyenas separately.

"We got us a full boat. Let's show our guests the king and queen of the Scarred Pride." Wraith said.

All hyenas laughed and began chanting.

"Redrum, redrum, redrum, redrum, redrum, redrum." the hyena chanted.

"Why are they chanting that?" Kiara asked.

"It's murder spelt backwards." Vitani confirmed.

Soon, the Scarred Pride queen came from out of the rocky outcrop. All Pride Lander and former Outlanders, except Kiara, Kovu, Vitani, Siri, Kion, Taka, and Bluu gasped when they saw the Scarred Pride queen.

"But, but how is that even possible?" Simba said.

Zira had walked out from behind the boulders of the rocky outcrop. Zira with her signature evil grin walked up towards the group of nine lions and one hyena as they all stared at her in shock.

"Hello Simba, did you miss me, I missed you." Zira wickedly said.

"But, how, how did you survive the flood?" Nala asked.

"This big lug right here." Zira said, looking towards Wraith.

"He found you, when?" Nala asked.

"All in good time, all in good time. Oh, and by the way Simba, I forgive you." Zira said mockingly.

Simba looked confused before he saw something horrifying coming behind the rocks. Simba couldn't decide whether he was shocked by who he saw come from behind the rocks, or his appearance. Scar walked from behind the boulders and up towards the group slowly and weakly.

"Scar?" Simba said is disbelief.

Scar looked at Simba with his blind milky white eye.

"Nephew." Scar said in a wheezed voice before coughing.

Simba shook his head in disbelief more than fear.

"It can't be, this, this isn't real. It can't be real. It, it just can't." Simba said is disbelief.

Zira petted Simba's head with a paw.

"Oh, my dear, this is very, very real and it's why I forgive you. You allow your daughter to manipulate my son, which lead to my downfall in the Pride Lands, only to be found by Wraith and find my beloved here." Zira said.

Zira walked up to Scar.

"Beloved, why don't we tell them a story before we put them down for their dirt naps." Zira suggested.

"Yes, we'll give them a story." Scar said as he walked in front of the group.

Simba watched his mutilated uncle struggle to walk as he began his story about the Scarred Pride.

"You all probably want to know about our fun little pride. Well, we shall tell you. This pride began because of you and all of you." Scar said looking from Simba to Shenzi and the few members of her original clan.

Shenzi and her clan quivered in terror. They all knew that after Scar took care of Simba and the others, he would come for them. Scar turned back to his captives, on their 'knees' in front of him.

"After we we're mauled by the hyenas, we woke up hours later and raced for the gorge where we killed your father, Mufasa." Scar said, looking directly at Simba.

Simba growled as the name 'Mufasa' passed over Scar's lips, or what was left of them.

"You have no right to speak his name." Simba growled.

Wraith growled at Simba, warning him to be quiet or he would make him be quiet. Scar continued on with his story.

"After we got to the end of the gorge, we saw our reflection in the water and saw… this." Scar said, gesturing towards the ravaged left side of his body. "We walked around the desert in circles for half a year. We don't know how we survived, yet… we did survive. After all those months, we came across Wraith. He told us that his land had been ravaged by humans." Scar explained.

"Humans?" Sarabi exclaimed.

"Yes, our dear Sarabi, humans. Weather it was a wish for death or not, we chose to help Wraith. We came to the humans, put out their eyes and made them crawl. We decided to start a pride, a pride known as the Scarred Pride. Wraith was the first to join our pride. He became our recruiter." Scar explained. "For many, many years he traveled many lands, bringing hyenas and other lions and lionesses to us, including Zira, Nuka, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed to make our pride stronger." Scar said.

"Make the Scarred Pride stronger for what?" Kion asked.

"To rule the world. All lions, lionesses, and hyenas banded together as one whole pride and clan." Scar declared.

All lions and lionesses roared and all the hyenas barked to Scar declaration.

"That's impossible." Simba shouted out.

The entire Scar Pride looked towards Simba. In the Scarred Pride, to say that their goal was impossible was insulting and treasonous.

"Do you all know what Scar has done or who he is?" Simba asked. "He's my uncle. When I was about a year old, he killed my father for the throne and he made me think that it was my fault he died. He sent those three after." Simba said looking towards Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed.

Simba was about to continue his story but Wraith interrupted him.

"We know his story and yours old man." Wraith said.

"Then you all know he drove the Pride Lands to ruin, let the hyenas force us to overhunt and nearly destroy our lands." Nala said.

"And he refused to see the truth that the Pride Lands were no longer livable. When I told him that we had to leave, he refused and when I said that he would sentence us to death if he made us stay, do you all know what he said?" Sarabi said before pausing to look at everyone. "He said 'so be it' and he dared to call himself a much better king that his brother, Mufasa was."

The entire Scarred Pride, including Wraith looked towards Scar. They had obviously never heard that part of his story. Sarabi looked towards Scar.

"You were my friend once Scar and for years I secretly hoped that I could have you, the real you, my friend Taka back, but that all changed when you allowed the hyenas to force us to overhunt back under your rule." Sarabi said.

Scar walked up to Sarabi and smacked her.

"Shut your mouth women. There is no Taka in here, only Scar." Scar said.

"You are a monster Scar, both inside and on the outside." Sarabi said.

Zira growled in anger at Sarabi for insulting Scar.

"You little winch, I'll kill you for saying that." Zira growled in a low voice.

Zira walked towards Sarabi with her claws branded, but Scar stopped her.

"No, if Sarabi is to die, we do it." Scar said, placing a paw on his chest.

Zira growled in irritation and walked back to sit with the rest of the Scarred Priders. Scar than turned to Sarafina.

"And what of you Sarafina, what do you think of us now?" Scar asked.

Sarafina looked at Taka for second, before looking away.

"And to think I once loved you." Sarafina said.

"If you really loved us, then you wouldn't have chosen Haipo. Your supposed love for us back than is false." Scar said.

"No, my love for you was genuine, but then when you were told that Mufasa would be future king, you became cruel. You became cruel not just to Mufasa, but to your father, the other cubs, the rest of the pride, and towards the herds." Sarafina explained, tears falling from her eyes.

"Do you know what happened to Haipo, Sarafina?" Scar asked. "We fed him to our hyenas." Scar said.

Sarafina and Nala would have gotten up to tear what remained of Scar apart but they knew they wouldn't get the chance. Scar went into another speech.

"Everything we did back then to get to the throne was all necessary to build the new world order. We failed back then, but things don't always work out on your first try. That's why you move on to phase two and other phases if your previous phases don't work. Good thing that when it comes to us, we don't make the same mistake twice." Scar stated.

"And what you're doing now is part of phase two for the building of a new world order?" Simba asked.

"Yes nephew, and it starts… with her death." Scar said with an icy coldness in his raspy voice as he looked towards Kiara. "Her death will send you into a pit of despair and hopelessness, which will lead the Scarred Pride and us to victory."

Scar walked over to Kiara. Everyone was shouting for Scar to leave her alone. They all, especially Simba wanted to get up and protect her, but knew it would be futile. The Scarred Pride lions, lionesses, and hyenas would restrain them as soon as they got up. Simba growled at Scar as he walked up to Kiara.

"Trust me when I say that you'd better hope you drop dead before I get my paws on you Scar." Simba said.

"Don't worry nephew, if you want it so much, you can be next." Scar said. "If only we were at a cliff, we'd throw you off just like we did Mufasa, but the thing that cheers us up is that after you, Simba is next and we won't have to stare at your faces for any longer." Scar said venomously.

Scar began to drag his claws across the ground to sharpen them.

"Kiara!" Nala and Kovu shouted.

"Mom!" Taka shouted shouted.

"Ha ha! Go for her throat Scar!" Nuka said as he mock strangled himself.

Scar branded his claws and raised them.

"Good night little princess." Scar said.

The sun glared on Scar's raised claws. As Scar brought his claw towards Kiara, something very unexpected happened. Wraith pounced of Scar from behind. Wraith grabbed Scar by the neck in his teeth. The entire Scarred Pride and Simba's Pride looked on. Everyone in too much shock to stop Wraith.

"What are you doing!?" Zira fearfully demanded.

Wraith got Scar down to the ground, his paws on his shoulders. Wraith jerked quickly, completely turning Scar's head around to where his face was now the back of his head, and the back of his head his face. Scar's now backwards face was staring right at Simba. Wraith looked towards Kiara.

"Your safe now little princess." Wraith said.

Wraith turned back to Scar. Wraith dug the claws of both his front paws into Scar's chest and tore it open. Wraith then reached into Scar's chest cavity and pulled out his heart. His still beating heart. Wraith raised Scar's still beating heart into the sky, the sun shining down on it.

Wraith bit into the heart, warm blood squirting onto his creamy white face and pale-blonde mane as he did. Everyone stared on his shock, especially Simba and everyone else who had come to rescue Kiara and the others since they hadn't figured out that Wraith was a cannibal yet. They were all holding back the urge to throw up. Taka had his eyes shut tight and had his paws over his ears to block out Wraith's loud eating of Scar's heart.

"I wanna go home, I wanna go home, I wanna go home." Taka mumbled in a voice full of terror.

Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, and Nuka were staring at each other in shock at what was happening.

"Uh, I don't wanna be part of the Scarred Pride anymore." Nuka whispered to them.

"We feel ya'." Banzai said.

When Wraith finished eating Scar's heart, he looked back to Kiara and smiled at her, which sent shivers down her spine. Zira ran over to Scar's corpse, cupping his face in her paws.

"No, no, no! Not again!" Zira sobbed.

Zira looked towards Wraith, who was standing just a couple feet away from her.

"You traitor!" Zira screamed.

Zira got up and quickly advanced towards Wraith. She tried to swipe her claws at him like she did with Kovu over a year ago, but Wraith simply ducked his head. Wraith grabbed Zira's leg and threw her to the side. Zira just got up and began to advance towards Wraith again.

"Restrain her." Wraith commanded.

Some Scarred Pride lions did as Wraith commanded them, be it more out of fear than respect or loyalty.

"Get off me!" Zira screamed

Kiara looked at Wraith.

"Why?" Kiara asked

"You were right little princess." Wraith said.

"Right about what?" Kiara asked.

"Scar is no god, he is just a mortal and from what we heard of the parts of the story he hadn't told us, he would have led us to ruin. You changed my mind little princess." Wraith said.

Kiara's ears perked up as Wraith said that.

"You mean you'll let us go home? Let any and all lions and hyenas go home?" Kiara asked hopefully.

"No." Wraith said.

Kiara and every other member of her pride froze as Wraith said that.

"It's time to build a new world order like King Scar said." Wraith declared

"You really think the Scarred Pride will follow you after you just killed your king?" Simba asked.

Wraith walked over to Simba slowly.

"Do you know what it was like to have your uncle rule over us? Well, do you?" Wraith asked.

Simba of course didn't answer.

"He was old, ready to drop dead at any time. He could barely move, so he had me make most of the commands and the punishing of trouble makers. So, I was basically the true king of the Scarred Pride." Wraith explained.

That made Kiara think back to when Ni said that Wraith was basically the true king of the Scarred Pride. When she saw that Scar and Zira were still alive, she thought that they were the biggest threat in the Scarred Pride. She was now having second thoughts, Wraith was far worse than Scar or Zira, far more ruthless, maybe even far more intelligent, far more terrifying. Wraith was in front of Simba, staring down at him.

"I'm the true king of the Scarred Pride, King Simba and I do not appreciate you killing my pride mates. Also, when I sent my pride mates to kill your pride mates for killing my pride mates, you killed more of my pride mates. You have no freaking idea how not cool and frustrating that is, but I think you're going to be up to speed her shortly. Yeah, you are so gonna regret crossing me in a few minutes, hell yeah you are." Wraith said.

Everyone felt their spines turn to ice by the crazed look in Wraith's ghostly blue eyes.

"You see Simba, whatever it is you do, no matter what, you do not mess with the new world order and the new world is very, plainly simple to understand, even if your stupid, which you very may well be. That new world order is this: join the Scarred Pride or I will kill." Wraith said. "Today you all learned who we are and what we want and that is who you are and what you want now to. The Scarred Pride wants to rule the world, to build something. This is your way of life now, as it will be for all other lions, lionesses, and hyenas and the more you fight against it, the harder it will be for you. So, if we come to your door, you let us in. We now own your door and if you try to stop us, we will knock that damn door! And if you all think your safe in your little clans and prides ready to fight against us, I'm sorry to say, but you are not safe. Not even close." Wraith explained as he walked around in front of everybody.

Everyone in the Scarred Pride and Simba's pride, except Zira, were starting to shake in fear of Wraith. This was a truly a terrifying, yet inspiring speech for the Scarred Priders, not even Scar gave a speech this good. Wraith walked back up to Simba.

"So, you understand my explanation?" Wraith asked.

Simba just glared at Wraith. Wraith put a paw around his ear and leaned it down towards Simba.

"What, no answer?" Wraith asked. "Listen, I don't want to kill any of you. I want you to work for me and the Scarred Pride, but that can't happen if your dead can it? This isn't a garden. We don't plant seeds, harvest it all up, then use it all up and replant the seeds to start the same process all over again, but you killed my pride mates. You killed a lot of my pride mates, more than I'm comfortable with and you have to pay for that, but the question is which one of you am I'm going to kill to punish you." Wraith said.

Wraith looked towards Taka and Bluu.

"The cubs, I won't kill. They're still young enough to harden into loyal Scarred Pride members." Wraith said.

Wraith looked down the row of lions and the one hyena in front of him. Wraith's eyes fell back on Simba.

"I could kill you and finish the job that Scar couldn't, there's one problem though. I've always wanted to fight, kill, and eat a lion king, and your uncle there was no true king and there's a counter to that. You may be old but I can tell that you're a strong fighter still, which makes you a huge threat to me." Wraith said.

Wraith's eyes than fell on Nala. Wraith walked over to he and stroked her cheek with his paw.

"I could kill you. Zira has told me all about you. You are a strong fighter, even better than your lands' own king and that you've never been defeated in fight. That gives all the reason to kill you. No counter argument but do I want to kill you more than all these other lions and that one hyena at the end?" Wraith pondered.

Wraith came over to Sarabi and Sarafina.

"Are you two stupid or something, or is Simba over there stupid. You both are just as old as Scar is, or was. You two seem better of than he did but can you two even still fight?" Wraith asked.

Sarabi and Sarafina's gazes lowered.

"So, I'm right then." Wraith stated. "Maybe I don't have to kill either of you two, because you both could drop dead right after I kill one of these others but if I do, your son and daughter will be forced to watch me kill you, which could break their spirits." Wraith pondered.

Wraith walked over to Kiara.

"I could kill you, have your son and mate watch me kill you and let your mother and father live out the rest of their damn lives knowing that they failed to protect their child. That they failed as a mother and a father, same to you Kion. Plus, you have the Roar of the Elders Kion, which makes you an even bigger threat than your father." Wraith said.

Kiara drew a cold breath and lowered her gaze. Wraith grabbed Kiara's chin in his paw and lifted it up to make her meet his gaze.

"I could kill you, but no. I have plans for you later little princess." Wraith said.

Wraith came up to Kovu.

"I could kill you. You've been a thorn in my side since day one." Wraith said.

Wraith laughed as he looked over to Simba.

"Simba, did you know that this failure left your daughter alone with me willingly?" Wraith asked.

"You scar…" Kiara began to say before Wraith interrupted her.

"Hay! No interruptions." Wraith warned.

Wraith finally walked over to Vitani, who had a look of defiance on her face. Vitani stared Wraith straight in the eyes without fear, unlike everyone else.

"Come Vitani lighten up, at least cry a little." Wraith said as he stared down at Vitani.

Vitani just continued to look at Wraith with defiance. Wraith than walked up to Siri/Kopa.

"I've been after you since the jungle, I finally catch you and now I must just have to kill you." Wraith said.

Wraith passed Kion, already having mentioned him. Wraith finally came over to Dalia.

"You killed two hyenas and one lioness back in the jungle, not bad for a fat, old, stupid hyena." Wraith said.

Wraith walked away from his prisoners, pinching where his face and nose met.

"I simply cannot decide, I've a good reason to kill every single one of you. Never fear though, I've got an idea." Wraith said.

Wraith walked back over to Simba and began his way of finding out who he was going to kill.

"Eneey, meeny, miney, moe, catch a tiger by his toe. If he hollers let him go. My mother told me to pick the very best one…" Wraith said as he walked down the line of prisoners from Simba to Dalia, skipping Kiara.

Siri/Kopa looked at Vitani next to him and saw a single tear of fear run down her face while she still held her look of defiance.

"…And you are it." Wraith said as he stopped in front of Simba and stared down at him.

Before anyone could say anything, Wraith spoke.

"Anybody moves, anybody says anything, kill the Scar-lookalike cub and force feed his corpse to his mother and father and the rest of his family, than we'll start. You can breathe, you can blink, hell you can cry. Your all going to be doing that anyway." Wraith said.

Wraith unsheathed his razor-sharp claws and raised them, ready to start striking any minute and everyone unable to do anything without putting Taka and Bluu in danger just simply watched with fear. Simba just simply growled at Wraith, getting ready for him to strike him. Wraith was smiling and chuckling.

"Long live the king." Wraith said.

Wasting no more time, Wraith brought his claws down towards Simba, and as he did a roar was heard.

Chapter 28: And Now it Begins

Ni was surprised when he saw that Nala, Simba, and other members of the Pride Lands had come to save Kiara, Kovu. and the others. The only thing that surprised him more was when Wraith attacked Scar from behind and killed him by snapping his neck and then ripping out and eating his still beating heart. Ni never thought Wraith would flip and betray the Scarred Pride, or at least not as extreme as that.

"Ni, what are we gonna do?" one of Ni's hyenas asked.

Ni looked at the hyena and back to Wraith, who had just finished eating Scar's heart. Anyone who would think that Scar's death would progress the Ni's resistance's goal was wrong. Scar being the Scarred Pride's thing was actually a good thing. Scar's mind had deteriorated with age and from when he first saw his mutilated appearance years ago when he escaped the Pride Lands and he couldn't thank as straight as he use to anymore. Even when he suspected any of Ni's resistance movement, he never put much thought into it.

Wraith was however a different story. He was just about six-and-a-half years old and still strong in both body and mind. He often suspected that Ni was up to something suspicious and often talked to Scar about. Scar however never looked in on it and told Wraith not to believe in rumors. Wraith becoming king was the worst thing that could happen for Ni's resistance.

Ni looked back at the hyena.

"Ni what are we going to do?" the hyena asked.

"You see Simba, whatever it is you do, no matter what, you do not mess with the new world order and the new world is very, plainly simple to understand, even if your stupid, which you very may well be. That new world order is this: join the Scarred Pride, or I will kill." Ni heard Wraith say.

That made Ni think back to his old pride. Of his wife, his son, his two daughters, their cubs and his other pride mates. He was their king, husband, father, grandfather, friend, brother in all but blood, and protector, and he failed as all seven.

"I could kill you. Zira has told me all about you. You are a strong fighter, even better than your lands' own king and that you've never been defeated in fight. That gives all the reason to kill you, no counter argument, but do I want to kill you more than all these other lions and that one hyena at the end?" Ni heard Wraith say.

Ni looked and saw that Wraith was looking down at Nala. Ni thought back to when he first met Nala. She may have been almost 10 years old now, but she looked only half that old. She was still that cute, brave little cub that he met in the pride Lands. Ni looked at the captured Pride Landers, trying to spot Chumvi and/or Kula, but he couldn't spot them.

Ni remembered those two cubs very well to. In his mind, he saw a young dark brown lion with a pale brown muzzle and underbelly along with a messy patch of fur on his head, and reddish-brown eyes.

"Little Chumvi." Ni thought.

Ni hadn't really seen it, but from what Nala said, Chumvi was arrogant, boastful and didn't really listen to reason, but he was a kind, playful little cub deep down who cared about his friends very much.

"Nala, I'm sorry I teased you. It was a crummy thing to do to a friend. I was so worried about you." Ni heard Chumvi voice play over in his mind.

Ni had even taught Chumvi a few fighting tricks back then before he left to form his own pride. Ni then began to think of Kula. A young caramel brown lioness with a tan brown underbelly, dark brown tail tuft and her chestnut colored eyes. She was also a little fat cub when Ni met her.

"I wonder how much fatter she is now?" Ni thought.

Nala told Ni about how Kula never got up before dawn. She told him that Kula's daily routine was sleep until breakfast time, play with her and Chumvi a little bit, nap until lunch time, wake up for lunch time, maybe play with her and Chumvi a little bit more, nap until dinner time, wake up for dinner time, and then go to sleep just to start the routine again in the morning.

"I hope dinners don't become even skimpier then they've been since Scar let the hyenas into the Pride Lands." Kula said.

That little lioness may have only been interested in talking about food but you just had to love her. He remembered his few days of staying in the Pride Lands, hiding right under the hyenas and Scar's noses. He remembered playing and exploring with Nala, Chumvi, and Kula. It was hard for Ni to leave the Pride Lands because of how close he'd gotten to the three young cubs but if he stayed Scar would eventually notice him and he wanted his own pride. He remembered his last conversation with Nala before he left.

"You're one of us, you're a Pride Lander." a young Nala's voice said inside Ni's mind.

FLASHBACK:

Ni and Nala were coming close to one of the Pride Lands' borders.

"Thanks for bringing me to the border Nala." Ni said.

"Yeah, you're welcome Ni." Nala replied.

The two young lions had just come upon the border line. Ni playfully ruffled Nala's head before he began to turn and leave. After a few steps Ni turned to look at Nala. He saw her looking longingly at the Pride Lands. Ni walked back towards Nala.

"You okay Nala?" Ni asked.

Nala looked up at Ni with a sad look in her eyes.

"This place just hasn't been the same since Simba and his dad died. It's been over half a year since they died. I should be over it now, but I'm not." Nala said truthfully.

"It's okay, that could take a while longer than you want it to. You won't hurt this bad forever." Ni said, placing a paw on Nala's shoulder.

"You know, Simba and I were betrothed, which means we were going to marry each other one day." Nala said.

"Oh." Ni exclaimed.

"Neither he or I liked it when we heard about it but now I'm kinda starting to think that it wouldn't have been so bad to marry him. I mean, we were best friends and I will admit he was kind of cute, and he may have been all 'me, me, me' most of the time but he wasn't selfish, even though he seemed it at times." Nala explained.

"I see." Ni said, understanding what Nala was saying.

"Having you here just kind of reminded me of the good ol' days." Nala said.

"Ha. I don't know if your trying to flatter me or trying to convince me to stay." Ni said.

Nala couldn't help but laugh.

"Hay, Ni is it okay if I tell you something?" Nala asked.

"Sure, what is it?" Ni asked.

"You're one of us, you're a Pride Lander now." Nala said.

"Yeah, and it was good to be one while it lasted." Ni said.

"No really, you're one of us. Things may be going bad in the Pride Lands now, but I know that it will get better someday and when that day comes I'll try to find you and our prides can become allies." Nala said.

"I'd like that." Ni said.

"Yeah, and if you're pride is ever in trouble and needs help, just send a messenger bird or something and we'll come help you, or at least I will." Nala said.

"And I'll return the favor and do the same one day if I can." Ni promised.

Nala put her tiny paw out towards Ni.

"Our pride is your pride Ni. So, Pride Landers forever?" Nala asked.

Ni took Nala's small paw in his large one.

"You got it kiddo, Pride Landers forever." Ni said.

END OF FLASHBACK:

"Pride Landers forever." Ni said to himself.

Ni felt a small tug on his mane. Ni looked and saw his hyena with an impatient face that said he wanted an answer on what they were going to do now. Ni looked and saw that Wraith was beginning a game of eeny, meeny, miney, moe to decide which of the Pride Lander leaders he was going to kill. Ni quickly lowered to whisper into the hyena's ear.

"IT begins now." Ni said.

The hyena gave a nod, knowing what Ni meant by 'IT.' As the hyena rushed to get everything ready, he turned towards the Pride Lander leaders. Ni looked towards Nala.

"I failed my old pride but I won't fail my new pride." Ni promised.

Ni stalked his way towards the lionesses who were holding Taka and Bluu. When Ni gave the signal, he was going to have to react quickly in order to save the two young cubs. After a tense minute of Wraith playing eeny, meeny, miney, moe, Wraith came in font of Simba, with him being 'it.'

"Don't worry Simba, you're going to be alright." Ni thought to himself.

Ni watched as Wraith began to raise his claws. Ni looked down at the two lionesses and got ready to pounce. Ni pounced on the two lionesses as Wraith brought his paw down. Ni roared as he landed on the two lionesses holding Taka and Bluu. Wraith's paw stopped just as he was about to strike Simba.

Everyone turned to see Ni rescuing Taka and Bluu. He quickly pried the lionesses' jaws off Taka and Bluu. He succeeded and slit one of the lionesses' throat for good measure. The second lioness pounced at him, but some of Ni's hyenas pounced on the lioness and quickly killed her.

"What is the meaning of this?" Wraith demanded.

"A new world order!" Ni announced.

As Ni said that, more of his hyenas along with lions and lionesses of his resistance began to fight against the Scarred Pride.

"And now it begins." Ni said.

Wraith looked around in shock as lions, lionesses, and hyenas began to fight amongst each other. Wraith looked at Ni and the two cubs he saved. The cubs were running off, having been instructed to hide by Ni. Wraith decided that he would deal with them later, but he had more pressing matters to deal with at the moment. Wraith turned his attention back towards Simba.

Wraith raised his claws once again and went for the kill. Simba cringed back, waiting for Wraith's claws to dig into his face.

"WARTHOG BODY SLAM!" a voice shouted.

"What the?" Wraith exclaimed before a brownish-red blur tackled into him.

Simba looked and saw that Timon and Pumbaa, mostly Pumbaa had body slammed Wraith before he could succeed in striking him.

"You guys!" Simba shouted with relief.

"Hay pal, looks like we're just in time to save ya'." Timon observed.

"Indeed so." Simba said as he and everyone else got off the ground. "But I told you to stay put."

Pumbaa got up and jumped off of Wraith.

"Haha. Sorry." Pumbaa said to Wraith as he jumped off the creamy white lion.

"We heard a couple roars and we were really starting to get worried, so we came to see what was going on." Timon said.

"Yeah, and by the looks of things, we and the others arrived just in time to save ya' to." Pumbaa said, shuddering from when he saw Wraith about to attack Simba.

"Seriously Simba, you're lucky that me and Pumbaa haven't died from old age yet. I mean do you know how many times you would have died without us?" Timon asked.

"Uh, Timon." Simba said.

"Hold on a sec Simba, I'm in the middle of a speech here. So, like I was saying, do you know how many times you'd be dead without u…" Timon said before Wraith got up and closed his jaws around him.

Pumbaa screeched and ran over to Simba. Who looked on in shock.

"Oh, not good, not good, not goo…" Timon screamed in fear before Wraith sucked the rest of the meerkats body inside his mouth like a noodle.

"He's dead, he got so ate." Pumbaa said with fear and shock.

Simba growled in anger and began to advance on Wraith.

"You are going to wish you never did that." Simba growled in a low angry voice.

"Hay, save a few punches for me." Pumbaa said, coming up to Simba's side.

Wraith was about to start advancing on them as well, but suddenly stopped when he felt a slight pain in his gums. Wraith poked at the area with his tongue. Suddenly a loose, rotten tooth was ripped from Wraith's gums. Wraith screamed in pain and Timon jumped out of Wraith's mouth, miraculously unharmed.

"You're never eating me! I'm gonna bust you're face up!" Timon said as he jumped onto Wraith's face and began stabbing his face with his own rotten tooth.

"Get off me, you filthy little rat!" Wraith said as he swiped at Timon with his paw.

Timon jumped off Wraith's face before Wraith's claws could get him. Wraith ended up clawing himself in the face.

"Nobody messes with Timon Berkowitz!" Timon shouted as he landed on the ground and looked up at Wraith.

Wraith glared down at the meerkat and snapped at him again. Timon narrowly avoided Wraith's teeth before running over to Simba and Pumbaa.

"I really showed that guy, huh?" Timon said.

"Timon, you nearly gotten eaten again." Pumbaa pointed out.

"I know, I guess it's a day for close calls." Timon said.

"Guys." Simba said.

Timon and Pumbaa immediately went into a saluting position.

"Privets T and P reporting for duty sir, uhh, your majesty." the meerkat and warthog said at the same time.

"You two run after Taka and Bluu, keep them safe. I'll take care of Wraith." Simba said while glaring over at Wraith.

"Kick his butt Simba." Timon said before he and Pumbaa ran off after Taka and Bluu.

Simba turned towards Wraith, who was bleeding from the mouth where Timon had pulled out one of his teeth, the tiny puncture marks on his face where Timon stabbed him, and the small gashes where he accidently clawed himself.

"Fine, I'll make that meerkat pay later, for now, I'll take care of you." Wraith growled in his ghostly voice.

"You're not going to be hurting anyone ever again after today." Simba said.

Simba and Wraith began to circle each other.

"You know, ever since your uncle told me about you, I've always dreamed of this day. The day where I kill King Simba of the Pride Lands." Wraith said.

"You're not going to be killing anymore kings today or ever." Simba said.

Wraith lunged at Simba, who immediately jumped back and swiped down at Wraith with both paws. Wraith rammed into Simba's chest before he could do so, sending him to the ground. While Simba was stunned Wraith tried to bring his claws down onto his face but Simba rolled out of the way just in time. Simba got up and punched Wraith in the side of his head. Wraith quickly recovered and clamped his teeth down on Simba's paw before his could pull it back.

Simba connected his other paw to Wraith's face, claws extended. Wraith let go of Simba's paw, which allowed him to uppercut him. Simba shoulder charged into Wraith, sending him to the ground. Wraith quickly recovered and threw dust into Simba's eyes, temporarily blinding him. Taking the advantage, Wraith pounced on Simba.

As Simba was stunned on the ground Wraith stood on his hind legs and brought both front paws together. Wraith brought his paws down onto Simba's side, nearly breaking his ribs. As Wraith stood back up for another pound, Simba used one of his back legs to kick Wraith in his stomach. Simba rolled out of the way as Wraith fell. Simba stood back up and stood on Wraith's side.

"It's over Wraith, give it up." Simba said.

In response, Wraith used one of his back paws to rake Simba's side with his claws. Simba winced in pain and got off Wraith. Wraith than pounced on Simba, pinning him.

"Enough of this, it's time to finish what I started!" Wraith said as he extended his claws

As the fight started Kopa/Siri immediately went after Zira, who had run back to cry over to Scar's dead body.

"It's time to make you pay for what you did to me." Kopa/Siri said to himself as he ran towards Zira.

Kopa/Siri was about to reach her but a lion jumped in front of him.

"Remember me?" the lion asked.

Kopa/Siri looked at the lion and he for sure remembered him. The lion had grey fur so dark that it was nearly black, a mane the color of the dying embers of a fire, dark blue eyes, and he was missing his nose and part of his lips.

"You again!?" Kopa/Siri exclaimed.

The dark grey lion pounced onto Kopa/Siri, pinning him to the ground.

"I don't have time for this!" Kopa/Siri growled.

Kopa/Siri clamped jaws onto the dark grey lion's face and pulled his head back. The dark grey lion roared in pain and jumped off Kopa/Siri. As Kopa/Siri got up, he could see that he had torn off the rest of the dark grey lion's upper lips.

"I'll make you pay for that." the dark grey lion said.

Both lions circled each other. The dark grey lion tried to charge at Kopa/Siri, but Vitani rammed into the dark grey lion, sending him skidding a few feet across the ground.

"Room for one more?" Vitani asked.

"The more the merrier." Kopa/Siri said.

Vitani jumped to Kopa/Siri's side. The dark grey lion recovered from Vitani's attack. The dark grey lion winced as he stood and clutched his side.

"I must have really hurt his side when I rammed him." Vitani observed.

"Well, then what are we doing standing here for? Let's bring him down!" Kopa/Siri said.

"Yeah, let's." Siri said

Kopa/Siri and Vitani each raked the claws of their front paws on the ground to sharpen their them. The dark grey lion recklessly charged at both of them. Vitani and Kopa/Siri jumped to the side at the last second and rammed the dark grey lion in his upper and lower body. Kopa/Siri than grabbed the dark grey lion's ember mane and flipped him.

"You retched fools, you mock me! I am a scar…" the dark grey began to say before Vitani scratched his right eye.

The dark grey lion screamed and clutched his right eye, which had been destroyed by Vitani's claws. Kopa/Siri grabbed the dark grey lion's neck in his jaws while Vitani held him down. Siri than than quickly snapped the dark grey lion's neck.

"That wasn't so hard." Vitani breathed out.

"Now we do away with Zira." Kopa/Siri said.

Siri turned around to face Zira, but she wasn't there, nor was Scar's body.

"No! Where did she go?" Kopa/Siri tought to himself.

Kovu and Kiara teamed up together and ran over to Sarabi and Sarafina. They had to get them away from the battle, they were too old to fight in a battle, especially one this large and intense. They were about to reach them but a lion jumped on Sarabi.

"Grandma!" Kiara shouted with fear.

Sarafina tried to help Sarabi but the lion easily batted the old lioness away. Sarabi struggled underneath the lion to get away but she was too weak to do so. The lion went for the kill but stopped when he felt something land on his back. He, Kiara, Kovu, and Sarafina looked to see that Zuri had jumped onto the lion's back, biting at his shoulder and raking the claws of her back paws against his sides. The lion tried to shake Zuri off but she stubbornly stayed on.

Another lion came to help his fellow Scarred Pride member against Zuri. Zuri saw the lion coming and side kicked him in the face, sending him back to get attacked by some of Ni's hyenas. The lion Zuri was attacking before reached for one of her back legs, grabbed it, and slammed her into the ground. Zuri shook her head free of stars just in time to see the lion's claws coming down towards her. Zuri quickly rolled to the side where she was directly underneath the lion's jaw.

Zuri quickly stood up, uppercutting the lion's jaw with her head. The lion went falling on his back. Zuri pounced on and pinned the lion. Zuri than drove her claws deep into the lion's lower jaw and raked down, slicing his throat open. Zuri turned back to Sarabi and helped her up. As Sarabi got back onto her paws, Kovu and Kiara came up to join them along with Sarafina.

"Good one Zuri." Sarabi said.

"I'm done being useless in our fight with the Scarred Pride. I'm going to start truly helping now." Zuri said as she looked at the four standing in front of her.

"Well it looks like you've done well for start." Kovu said, glancing at the lion that Zuri had just managed to kill.

Kovu than turned to Sarabi and Sarafina.

"Sarabi, Sarafina! We got to get you two out of here." Kovu said.

"You're not going anywhere." a lion said as he and a group of lionesses and hyenas surrounded the five.

Kiara, Kovu, and Zuri stood protectively in front of the two old lionesses.

"This isn't going to be easy." Kovu observed.

"Not as easy as it was last time." Kiara said.

A hyena charged at the five but Dalia jumped onto the hyena from hyena from behind. Dalia grabbed the hyena by the neck in her jaws and threw it into another hyena.

"You doing okay Dalia?" Kiara asked.

"As okay as can be expected." Dalia said, huddling together with them.

Kovu looked around the fighting. He saw his mother grieving over Scar's dead body, Simba was fighting Wraith, Siri was fighting a dark grey lion, but there were a certain few he couldn't see.

"Where's Nuka, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed?" Kovu asked.

"Who cares about them?" Zuri said.

"Kovu, I think Zuri is right. We have more important things to worry about." Kiara said.

Kovu had seen Taka and Bluu run off when the lion that had saved them told them to run and he didn't like them being alone with his brother and his hyena friends being around. Kovu looked and saw the lions, lionesses, and hyenas closing in on them. Kovu would go to find Taka and Bluu later, for now he had to help keep his grandmothers-in-law safe. A hyena jumped in front of Kovu. Kovu tried to swipe at it, but the hyena jumped back, and another hyena clamped it's jaws onto Kovu's fore leg.

Dalia bit onto the hyena's ear, which caused it to let go. A lion tried to attack Dalia, but Kiara pounced onto the lion. Kiara got off the lion and tried to swipe at his face with her claws. The lion rolled out of the way and tried to jump onto Kiara. Zuri quickly rammed into the lion's side.

A lioness tried to attack Kovu from behind, but he horse kicked her. A lion made it to Sarabi and Sarafina and tried to attack them but Tiifu had come up and grabbed the lion's tail in her teeth and pulled him back. The lion tried to swipe at Tiifu but she kept her distance. Three hyenas jumped onto Tiifu and tried to go and snap her neck but Mheetu and one of Ni's lionesses came to Tiifu's rescue. Kiara, Kovu Zuri, and Dalia looked over to Tiifu and Mheetu.

"Are you okay Tiifu?" Kiara asked.

"After that save, yeah." Tiifu assured them.

Kovu looked and saw that the rest of the lions, lionesses, and hyenas were dragged into other fights.

"We need to get Sarabi and Sarafina to safety. They'll be killed out here." Kovu said.

"I can take care of that." the lioness who ahd helped Mheetu save Tiifu said.

Kiara looked saw that the lioness was Imepigwa, the one who had snapped at her when she asked Ni what a will-O-the-wisp was.

"Just keep them save. They're the only grandmothers I have." Kiara said.

"I will." Imepigwa said.

"And I'll help you." Mheetu offered.

"We have a cave as our hideout a mile south from here." Imepigwa said.

"Alright Let's go." Sarabi said before turning towards Kiara and Kovu. "You two stay safe and protect each other." Sarabi said.

"Don't worry grandma, we will. See you soon." Kiara said before giving each of her grandmothers a quick nuzzle.

Kiara, Kovu, Dalia, Zuri, and Tiifu turned towards the battle.

"So, what now?" Dalia asked.

"We go and find Taka and Bluu." Kovu said.

"No need, I saw Timon and Pumbaa running in the direction they did earlier. They'll keep them safe." Zuri said.

"Then what do we do?" Dalia asked.

"Then we either help my dad or we find Zira and deal with her." Kiara said.

"Oh no, Simba!" Kovu suddenly shouted out.

Kiara looked where Kovu was looking and saw Wraith on top of her father, ready to strike him.

"Dad!" Kiara shouted.

"Come on, we got to help him!" Dalia said as she, Zuri, and Tiifu began to go to Simba's rescue.

Kiara and Kovu quickly followed close behind. If Wraith killed her father, Kiara would never be able to forgive herself.

Nala stared at the lion that had saved her grandcub and his friend. He looked familiar, like she had seen him before. As the fight broke out around her, Nala got up and ran towards the lion. As she ran towards him a large hyena tackled Nala to the ground.

"You want to see purtty boy over there, you gotta kill me first." the hyena growled.

"No problem." Nala said.

Nala drove a paw deep into the hyena's gut, sending him flying a few feet. Nala circled the hyena as it recovered. The hyena laughed and fliped his hair look like some cool guy.

"Come on babe, join the Scarred Pride. It's not all butterflies and unicorns at first, but it can be a pretty cool place after a while. When we get use to it, it's like a party every other day." the hyena said.

"I assure you, that parties in the Pride Lands are way better than this, and it's not if butterflies and unicorns there either sometimes." Nala said.

"Ugh, then your just another boring one that I'm just going to have to put into the ground." the hyena said.

The hyena pounced at Nala, but she does her signature move to where they roll around a little bit before she slips the hyena and pins him.

"Oh crap!" the hyena screamed.

Nala went for the hyena's throat but it rolled out of the way. The hyena stood up and drove both of his front paws into Nala's head, pushing her face into the ground. Nala used her paw to grab the hyena's mane and throw him to the side. Nala ran up to the hyena and put her paws on his head and shoulders. Nala sank her teeth into the hyena's neck, suffocating it to death.

When Nala pulled herself away from the hyena's corpse, she looked to see that Zuri, Tiifu, and everyone else who stayed behind had just came into the battle to help them.

"What are they doing here, Simba told them to stay put?" Nala said to herself.

As Nala turned to looked towards the lion who saved Taka and Bluu, she saw Zira with Scar's body, she was quickly dragging him off somewhere as Siri/Kopa and Vitani were fighting a lion. Nala got the thought to go after Zira and finally make her truly pay for killing her son, Kop years ago but she felt too curious about that lion that had saved Taka and Bluu. Nala looked back at the lion and saw that he was having trouble a lion.

"Time to find out who that lion is." Nala said.

Nala resumed making her way towards that lion. A lioness came and tried to pick a fight with Nala but she quickly used her shoulder to shove him aside. Nala was about to reach the lion until a voice made her stop.

"Enough of this, it's time to finish what I started!" a voice shouted.

Nala looked and saw that the lion Wraith was on top of Simba and was preparing to kill him.

"Oh no, Simba!" Nala shouted with fear.

Nala abandoned her current objective and ran towards Simba and Wraith. Just as Wraith brought his claws down, Nala tackled him of Simba. The lion and lioness landed a few feet away from Simba. Nala got up, ready for a fight against Wraith. However, that was a fight that would never happen one way or another.

Wraith recovered from Nala's attack more quickly than she thought he would. Wraith roared in anger and swiped his claws at Nala. Nala gasped. She put a paw against her throat and pulled it away. Her paw and very front of her neck were now covered in something sticky and red; blood.

Nala stared into Wraith's ghostly blue eyes. Wraith seeing the damage he had done caused him to laugh.

"I've heard the stories." Wraith said. "I've heard that you Pride Landers always win. The Hyena Rebellion during the reign of your great king, Mohatu. I've heard of Simba's return where just a small number of lionesses took on an army of almost 100 hyenas. I've heard of the war between the Pride Landers and the Outlanders and how it was ended by your pretty daughter. You Pride Landers always win." Wraith stated.

Nala couldn't say that Wraith was wrong. The Pride Landers always won. Wraith leaned forward and whispered to Nala.

"But that fact will soon no longer be true and do you know why?" Wraith asked.

"Why?" Nala found herself asking in a gurgled voice.

"This is way. In time, you will know what it's like to lose. To feel so desperately that you're right, yet to fail all the same. Dread it, run from it. Destiny still arrives." Wraith said.

Dizzy from the loss of blood, Nala fell to the ground.

"Nala!" a voice that wasn't Simba' voice shouted.

"And I hope they remember you." Wraith said.

Kion saw his mother running towards Ni. Ni was having trouble with fighting a lion much younger than him. Kion decided to help the both of them. He ran towards Ni and his mother, knocking easily aside any hyenas that tried to attack him. A lion had suddenly attacked him from the side.

Kion wrapped his fore legs around the lion, under his fore legs and flipped him onto the ground hard. Kion than began to run towards Ni and his mother again. Just when Kion was about to reach his mother, he saw her run in another direction.

"Where is she going?" Kion wondered.

Kion was about to run after his mother until he heard a grunt. Kion looked and saw that Ni was down on the ground and the lion he was fighting against was about to pounce for the death blow. Kion quickly surveyed the area, it was clear. Kion unleashed a Roar of the Elders, which sent the lion flying to who knows where. Kion ran up to the old lion.

Kion reached his paw down towards Ni.

"Need a paw?" Kion asked.

Ni took Kion's paw in his and stood up.

"Thank you, lad." Ni said.

Kion saw that Ni was the one who saved his nephew and his friend.

"Where are Taka and Bluu, the cubs you saved?" Kion asked.

"I told them to run as far away from here as they could and to try and make for the south. That's where the lions, lioness, and hyenas of my resistance are." Ni explained.

"And you let them go off alone!?" Kion exclaimed.

"Those two are better off on their own. If somebody went with them, they'd only slow them down." Ni said.

Kion had to admit that Ni was right. Taka and Bluu's best chance at escape was by themselves.

"Your roar was very impressive there my boy. You think you can do it again?" Ni asked.

Kion looked over the battle.

"Everyone is too jumbled up, if I use the roar I could end up killing someone." Kion said.

"I can fix that. If I command my followers to retreat and your father does the same with his, we can run from the Scarred Pride and with everyone out of the way you can…" Ni began to say before something caught his eye.

Ni saw that Nala was standing in front of Wraith, a few feet away from where Simba was getting up from. Wraith and Nala seemed to be talking. A few seconds later Nala fell to the ground.

"Nala!" Ni shouted.

"Mom!" Kion shouted, seeing the same thing.

Kion and Ni made a run towards Nala and Wraith. The two came across Kopa/Siri and Vitani.

"Kion, what's wrong?" Vitani asked, seeing Kion's worried expression.

"It's my mother. I think Wraith might have killed her." Kion said with fear.

"What!" Siri/Kopa shouted.

Kopa/Siri and Vitani ran towards where Nala and Wraith were. Kopa/Siri was probably the most scared of them all. Kops/Siri had just found out who he was and that Nala might be his mother and if she was and he failed to protect her, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. Kiara, Kovu, Dalia, Zuri, and Tiifu were with Simba, helping him up. Simba, seeing what Wraith had done, immediately ran towards Nala when he was back on his feet.

"Oh my god, Nala!" Simba shouted.

Simba rolled Nala over and put his paws over the gash at her throat. The fighting stopped and the Pride Landers and Ni's resistance fighters gathered around. Simba was doing his best to cover the gash but blood kept gushing out.

"Oh my god! It's not stopping, it's not stopping, IT'S NOT STOPPING!" Simba yelled.

Simba felt Nala's paw grasp his shoulder. Simba looked down at her.

"Don't add me to the weight you carry." Nala said

Flashback suddenly happened through Simba's mind. The gorge, the stampede, his father falling, Kiara when she nearly died in the fire, and when she almost fell into the river along with Zira, and most of all, Kopa, as well as all the nightmares of those events.

"No… NO!" Simba screamed before punching his fist/paw on the ground once, nearly breaking it.

Simba looked to Wraith and growled.

"You will bring death to all who follow you." Wraith said.

Kion took a look around. The Scarred Priders were all in one area with none of his own pride mates or any of Ni's resistance fighters mixed in. Kion turned around and in anger, unleashed a Roar of the Elders at the Scarred Priders, sending them somewhere away from them. Kion than rushed past his father and unleashed another roar at Wraith. Wraith braced himself and to everyone's surprise, he didn't get sent off like the others.

Wraith took slow strained steps towards Kion. Kion screamed from the strain of keeping his roar going, he had never kept one on for this long. Just as Kion felt like his head was going to explode, the Roar of the Elders finally sent Wraith flying somewhere that Kion hoped was the pit of some active volcano. Kion fell to the ground exhausted. Kion forcefully dragged himself towards his mother and the rest of his family.

"Oh my god, mom." Kion said, looking down at the gash in Nala's throat.

"How, how the hell did this happen?" Kovu frantically asked.

"Some needs to help her!" Zuri said.

"She got her throat slashed open, how can somebody help her?" Kiara asked.

"Rune can.' a lion said

Everyone looked to see Ni walking over to Nala. Simba growled at Ni.

"Dad, it's okay, he's a friend. He saved us back in the jungle oasis." Kion said.

"Than why is part of the Scarred Pride?" Simba asked.

"I saved you grandcub and his friend. I promise I'll explain everything later but right now, Nala needs help. If we don't get her to Rune quickly she will die." Ni said.

"Will this Rune be able to help?" Kiara asked hopefully.

"He's fixed slashes to the throat before, so yes. IF we get her to him quickly. Gather her up and everyone follow me, we're heading South." Ni said.

Some Pride Lander and Outlander lionesses carefully gathered Nala up to carry her. As they walked off, Kovu was doing his best to comfort Kiara and Kion as well.

"Don't worry Kiara, everything is going to be alright." Kovu said.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this." Kiara said, tears falling out of her eyes.

Kopa/Siri came up to Nala and looked at her with worry. Dalia came up to Kopa/Siri and placed a paw on his shoulder. Kopa/Siri looked down into Dalia's blue eyes, they looked a lot like Nala's.

"Mother." Kopa/Siri thought, looking down at Dalia.

Within half an hour everyone got to the cave in the South that Ni mentioned. After three minutes of walking through a tunnel entrance, everyone came into a vast underground cave chamber with many tunnel networks. Many colorful rocks twinkled in the walls and ceiling, and there was a small medium-sized lake in the center of the large cave chamber. Everyone looked around and saw dozens upon dozens of lions, lionesses, and hyenas, who were all members of Ni's resistance.

"Rune!" Ni shouted.

An old lion with blue-grey eyes, dull greyish yellow fur and a mane peppered with black, grey, and white came up to them.

"Yes Ni?" the old lion asked in a voice that sounded like a whisper.

Ni gestured Simba's pride mates to bring Nala to him. Simba and his pride mates walked over and showed Rune, Nala.

"Her throat was torn open by Wraith. Can you save her?" Simba asked in a pleading voice.

"I'll see what I can do but I might need some help since my apprentice is off doing God knows what. Do any of you know anything about medicine, anything at all?" Rune asked.

"I do." Dalia said, walking up.

"Good, now come on. Bring her over here." Rune instructed as he walked over to a little overhang of rock in the cave close by.

Vitani, Kopa/Siri, and Simba helped the lionesses get Nala onto a large pile of leaves. As Rune and Dalia got to work Simba stood over them. Rune looked up to Simba.

"I'm sorry my boy but can you give us a little bit of room? Other than my apprentice, I work better without an audience." Rune said.

"Just please save her." Simba begged.

"I can't make any promises but I'll do everything I can." Rune promised.

As Simba was walking off to find Mheetu, his mother, and his mother-in-law to tell them what happened, Kovu, Kiara, Vitani, Kion, Kopa/Siri, Zuri, and Tiifu were discussing their next course of action.

"So, what are we going to do now?" Vitani asked.

Kiara looked around.

"Taka and Bluu aren't here. We have to go out looking for them." Kiara said.

"And what about Jasiri, I don't see her anywhere." Kion said.

"I didn't see her during the battle either." Tiifu said.

"Than it's decided, we go out looking f…" Siri said before a voice suddenly rang out.

"Let me go you Scarred Pride freak!" a voice said.

Everyone looked to see a lion whose black mane reached to his shoulders. He was holding Bluu in his jaws

"Easy kid." the lion said.

"Who's that, and what's he doing to Bluu?" Kovu asked, ready for a fight.

A passing by hyena answered Kovu's question.

"That's Andika, Rune's apprentice." the hyena said.

The lion let Bluu down, who immutably ran to Kovu and the others as soon as she saw them.

"Kovu, Kiara, Siri, everybody. Boy am I glad to see you guys." Bluu said.

"Bluu, where's Taka?" Kiara asked.

"I don't know where he is, as we were running from them, we hid and he..." Bluu began to say before Kopa/Siri cut her off.

"Running? Running from who?" Kopa/Siri asked.

As so as Kopa/Siri said that, Timon and Pumbaa, accompanied by Jasiri came walking into the cave chamber. Taka was cradled in Pumbaa's tusks, his face hidden from view. Everyone, now worried for Taka, ran over to the trio.

"You three what's wrong with Taka?" Kiara asked.

The three tried to speak, but their tongues were all tied up. Kovu turned Taka over in Pumbaa's tusks and everyone gasped at what they saw. Kovu's mouth moved, but no words came out until he got his senses back.

"What the hell happened out there?" Kovu asked.

Pumbaa set Taka gently on the ground.

"You three what happened?" Vitani asked.

The three just shook their heads in disbelief, unable to speak about Taka.

"Jasiri, Timon, Pumbaa what happened?" Kiara asked, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

The three just looked at everyone, pale as ghosts. Kovu had lost all his patience and finally snapped.

"Dammit you three, tell us what happened! Why does Taka have that scar over his left eye!? Kovu demanded.

As Kovu said that, white lighting flashed outside and then the black rain began to fall.

Chapter 29: Scars of the Present

When Taka saw Wraith's claws descend towards his grandfather, he thought it was all over for them. His thoughts however changed. Taka and the lioness holding him were forced to the ground by something. Taka was able to turn himself and see that some old lion had jumped down onto the lioness holding him. The old lion quickly pried the lionesses jaws off him and he was able to do the same with the lioness holding Bluu.

The old lion was able to slit the throat of the lioness holding Bluu and was about to do the same to the lioness that was holding Taka but she pounced on him. Hyenas attacked the lioness as soon as she pinned the old lion to the ground. Wraith looked their way.

"What is the meaning of this?" Wraith demanded.

"A new world order and now it begins." the old lion said as lions, lionesses, and hyenas began to fight amongst their fellow pride mates.

Taka watched as his family and pride mates began to join in the fight. Taka and Bluu looked towards the lion that saved them.

"Thank you." Taka said.

"Can you two run?" the lion asked.

"Yeah." Bluu answered

"Run from here as fast as you can, try to make for the South. There's a cave there, you'll find good lions and hyenas there that will protect you two." the old lion said.

"Thank you." Bluu said.

"Thank me later, run… NOW!" the old lion commanded.

Taka and Bluu did immediately as they were told and ran for it. The two friends ran from the battle. They dogged the stomping paws of a few lions and hyenas before finally escaping from the battle. Taka took a look back at the battle.

"I wish there was something we could do to help everyone." Taka said.

"If only we were about two years older." Bluu said.

"We have to make for the South. We round that boulder coming up." Taka said.

Taka and Bluu rounded the boulder but as they did, they got a nasty shock. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed where there, cowering. Taka skidded to a halt. Taka ended up with his and Shenzi's noses pushing against each other. Shenzi opened her eyes ad took her paws away from them.

Shenzi saw Taka and screamed in shock, causing Taka to scream, which caused Bluu to scream, which caused Banzai to scream, which caused Ed to scream and laugh.

"AHHH!"

"AHHH!"

"AHHH!"

"AHHH!"

"AHHH! HAHAHA! AHHH!"

The five continued to awkwardly scream, and laugh, for a few moments until Shenzi stopped.

"Hay, wait a minute. It's just him, the Scar imposter." Shenzi said.

Banzai and Ed stopped screaming, and laughing, and looked to see that Shenzi was right. Banzai and Ed's fear, like Shenzi's, was instantly replaced by gleefully evil pleasure.

"Oh man, it's payback time for you kid." Banzai said, smiling evilly, showing all his sharp teeth, thirsty for blood.

"How did you three get here?" Taka asked for some reason when he knew that he and Bluu should be running for their lives.

"We snuck off just before Wraith began swiping at your granddaddy." Shenzi said.

"And Nuka snuck off somewhere else instead of coming with us but who cares about that right now. The only thing that matters is getting some revenge on you and your little friend there." Banzai said.

"Revenge? What did I do?" Taka asked.

"You failed to escape the Scarred Pride and failed in getting the three of us and Nuka out of here when you said the plan was foolproof and now Wraith is probably going to kill us since he never liked us anyway." Banzai answered.

"Hay, I didn't mean to get caught and I didn't go back on our promise. I can still get you three out of this place." Taka said.

"Enough talk! You two are about to be sent on a one-way ticket to our guts." Shenzi said with a creepy smile on her lips.

Taka and Bluu looked at each other.

"That's it, run for it!" Taka shouted.

"Zoinks!" Bluu shrieked.

Taka and Bluu ran for their lives, aiming to break the world's speed record. Shenzi and her friends were hot on the cub's tails, snapping at them.

"Now I know how your grandpa and grandma felt when they went into the graveyard when they were cubs." Bluu commented as they ran.

"Talk later, run now!" Taka said.

"Huwezi, huwezi, huwezi!" Bluu shouted, saying Fuli's catchphrase, hoping that saying it would somehow make her and Taka run faster.

Taka and Bluu came to a dry river bed. The two friends jumped in and ran along the dry riverbed. They hoped that this would throw off Shenzi and her two friends but the hyenas had seen them jump in and continued to run after them.

"You three can't escape us. We know every inch of these lands!" Banzai shouted after the cubs.

"When we catch you, we're going to turn you into lion chops!" Ed shouted in his own language.

"I have no idea what that guy said but I've got a feeling that I don't want to know." Taka said.

"Yeah, me to." Bluu replied.

The two cubs came across a bunch of piled up rocks. They helped each other climb the rocks to get out of the riverbed. Once they climbed out, the two cubs found some curious looking items. They had come across the bones of some strange animal that looked like a monkey, yet they weren't monkeys. They also saw something that seemed to be made out of some shiny smooth rock in some areas and some rough brownish rocks in other areas.

The strange object also had soft insides and many other weird looking things inside. Unknown to the cubs, they had found what remained of the human camp that had been here before Scar and Wraith took it over about five years ago.

"This place looks cool." Bluu couldn't help but say.

The two friends looked back at the dried-up river when they heard the laughter of the hyenas chasing after them.

"Quick Bluu, let's hide in this." Taka said, jumping into the long dead human's jeep and hiding under the seats.

Shenzi and her friends emerged from the dried-up river bed just as Bluu managed to hide herself under the other seat. Shenzi and her friends began arguing with each other, blaming one another for losing them as they sniffed around. Bluu nearly gasped in fright when she saw Banzai's hyena's mane pass the door next to her. Bluu looked over to Taka, under the seat he was hiding under.

"Taka, they're going to find us." Bluu whispered to where Shenzi and her friends wouldn't hear but loud enough for Taka to hear.

Taka took a glimpse at the hyenas. Bluu was right, they would find them sooner or later. Taka had to do something to get himself and Bluu out of they're current situation. Taka looked towards Bluu.

"Stay here Bluu." Taka whispered.

"What are you going to do?" Bluu asked.

"To give these three a serving of pavement." Taka said with a mischievous grin on his face.

"What the heck does that mean?" Bluu asked.

"It means that this is going to hurt." Taka said.

"Oh boy." Bluu said.

Shenzi and her friends were arguing with each other as Taka quietly got out from under the jeep's seat. Taka took a small rock in his paw and threw it. The rock hit Banzai in the back of the head, causing him and his companions to look towards Taka.

"You should have stayed hidden cubbie." Shenzi said.

"Then come do something about it." Taka dared.

The three hyenas ran towards Taka with the intent to tear him apart. Taka jumped the jeep's seat and through the broken window just as Ed's jaws were about to clamp down on him. Taka ran across and jumped down from the jeep's hood and back towards the river bed.

"This cub is a package of trouble." Shenzi complained as she and her companions jumped back into the dried-up riverbed to chase Taka.

After a minute of running, Taka looked back at the hyenas chasing him.

"Hahaha! Run, run, run as fast as you can." Taka laughed as he continued to run, not watching where he was going.

Taka's paws were soon touching nothing but open air. The next thing Taka knew, he was falling. Taka landed on his back with a thud. Taka looked and saw that he had fallen down a six-foot small waterfall.

"That sucked." Taka groaned.

"Not for us it didn't." Taka heard Shenzi's voice saying.

Taka found himself being covered in shadow. When Taka opened his eyes to look, he wished he hadn't. The shadow that had covered him was Shenzi falling down towards him. Taka screamed and tried to run away but he hadn't gone a single pawstep when Shenzi's paws wrapped around him.

"Gotcha." Shenzi shouted.

The fur on Taka's back stood on end with fear. Shenzi turned Taka on his back and stood on his forelegs. Banzai and Ed came up soon, with Banzai standing on Taka's back legs.

"I'm trapped!" Taka thought to himself.

Banzai lowered his face down towards Taka's, baring all his sharp teeth and chuckling evilly.

"Here we are again." Banzai said.

Taka stared into the old hyena's horrifying yellow eyes, completely terrified of what he knew was going to happen next. Taka tried not to think about it but he couldn't stop from thinking what Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed would do to him. He knew they were going to eat him but how would they do it was the question? Would they just kill him than eat him, tear open his belly and force him to watch them eat his guts out, pull on him until they tore his legs off, or grab onto both his front and back end and tare him in half? It didn't really matter how they did it, the idea of being eaten by hyenas was a horrible way to die in and of itself.

Shenzi began to poke Taka's body with a paw.

"Been starved for a few days, but still in good shape." Shenzi said. "Nice plump belly, thick prime ribs, tail to chew on for our teeth, thick legs, nice beefy neck."

"And essence of Scar." Ed said in his own language, looking at Taka's physical characteristics.

"Okay, okay you two, come on, let's just eat the kid already." Banzai said.

"Wait, we have to decide who gets what." Shenzi said.

The blood throughout Taka's body turned to ice as Shenzi said that. They were going to decide who got which parts of him to eat. Taka suddenly started laugh. Taka, Shenzi, and Banzai looked to see Ed licking Taka's belly and sides, tickling him. Shenzi slapped Ed.

"No, no! Bad Ed, bad! No one gets to eat or taste him until we decide who gets what and I'm getting the belly." Shenzi said.

She hadn't begun eating him yet but Taka could already feel Shenzi's sharp, vice-like teeth sinking into his soft belly.

"Oh, and also I get a front leg and a back leg." Shenzi added in.

"Hay, there's no way you're getting his belly and two of his legs. If you want his belly, you gotta have one leg and something that's small if you want anything else." Banzai protested.

Shenzi groaned with frustration.

"Fine, I get the belly, a front leg, and an eye." Shenzi said.

"Oh yeah, I'll take an eye to." Banzai said, saliva starting to drip from his teeth and onto Taka's fur.

"But there's only two of them and I want an eye to. I hear that they're juicy when they pop." Ed said in his own language.

Taka couldn't understand what Ed had just said but he knew it wasn't good. Taka felt so scared that he wanted to throw up. Taka began to sob out of fear.

"Hay, kid quiet your crying. The grownups are trying to talk business here." Banzai said.

"Now, like I was saying, I want an eyeball to." Ed said in his own language.

"Well Ed, I ain't giving up my eye and I know Banzai isn't going to give up his. So, unless you find that other little brat, you're not getting an eye." Shenzi said.

Ed growled in frustration.

"Alright, so Shenzi gets the belly, a front leg, and an eye. I'll take the other eye, his neck, a back leg and a front leg." Banzai said.

"Hay, how come you get the extra leg." Ed argued in his own language.

"Because you two are always given more food than I'm given, so I get an extra leg, including his other eyeball." Banzai said.

"Sounds fine to me. Ed can have one of his rib racks, we'll split up the other rib rack later and Ed can have the last leg." Shenzi said.

"But who gets his head?" Banzai suddenly asked.

Shenzi looked at Taka's head and grinned.

"We'll still eat his eyes out but I say that we keep the head as a trophy, plus if we bring it back to Wraith, maybe he'll show us mercy and we won't have to be Scarred Pride slaves." Shenzi suggested.

Banzai and Ed looked at each other and nodded, agreeing with Shenzi's suggestion. With the debating done the three hyenas looked down at their meal, all smiling and baring their teeth. The three sniffed over their respective section of Taka's body that they would soon be eating. Their wet noses slightly tickled Taka's body as they sniffed.

"Oh man, where am I gonna bite first? I've never had lion cub before, I wonder what it tastes like?" Banzai wondered out loud as he sniffed at Taka's neck.

Taka gagged and coughed from the stench of Banzai's hot, smelly breath as he sniffed at his neck.

"Oh boy, I can't wait to look at my reflection in some water after we eat him and see how fat my belly becomes." Shenzi said.

"Mine to." Ed laughed in his own language.

Taka's had an unpleasant sick feeling in his stomach from all the mocking and other side comments.

"Oh, why don't they just get it over with?" Taka thought to himself, wanting everything to stop one way or another.

The hyena trio raised their heads, ready to dive in for the first real meal they've had in who knows how long. Taka watched as the hynea's tongues push up against the fur and skin of their lips as they licked them, saliva dripping onto his body.

"Welcome home." Banzai said.

"And kid if you taste terrible, we're gonna be like so mad." Shenzi said mockingly.

Ed just simply laughed.

"Alright boys enough goofing off, on three! One… two… THREE!" Shenzi shouted.

"WARTHOG AWAAAAAAYYYY!" a voice shouted.

"What the." Shenzi exclaimed before she, Banzai, and Ed were tackled off Taka.

Taka looked and saw that Pumbaa, with Timon riding on his back, had tackled the hyenas off him, saving his life. Pumbaa got of the hyenas, muttering a 'sorry,' and began walking over to Taka. Taka got up and ran towards his warthog and meerkat surrogate uncles.

"Boy, am I glad to see you guys." Taka said, unable to hide his relief.

"Same here kid, you alright?" Timon asked.

"More so than those three." Taka said, looking over at Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed.

The three turned around as they heard the other three getting up. Banzai was about to run to attack until his eyes fell on Pumbaa. Banzai screamed, remembering Pumbaa from the battle at Pride Rock years ago.

"Banzai, what are you screaming about, I can't see. Ed's cheeks are in my face and I don't mean the ones on his face." Shenzi said.

"It's that crazy pig!" Banzai shouted in fear.

"What pig?" Pumbaa asked, looking around.

Timon knocked on Pumbaa's head with a tiny fist.

"He's talking about you, you're the pig and they remember you from the battle at Pride Rock when Simba overthrew his uncle." Timon stated.

"Oh right." Pumbaa said, now remembering.

Shenzi and Ed got up and immediately screamed to when they saw Pumbaa. Pumbaa looked at the three hyenas, with a mischievous grin on his face.

"Boo." Pumbaa said.

The three hyenas screamed and ran off.

"Run, run, run, run, run, RUN!" Shenzi and Banzai said as they and Ed ran off.

Taka, Pumbaa and Timon began dying of laughter.

"That was great Uncle P." Taka said, giving Pumbaa a friendly punch on the shoulder.

"Take it from Uncle Pumbaa, kid." Pumbaa said, returning the gesture.

"And from Uncle Timon as well." Timon piped in.

"Alright, now come on. Let's go get Bluu before those three realize that they actually outnumber us and try to use that to their advantage my ambushing us or something." Taka said.

With that, Taka and his surrogate uncles started to run towards where Bluu was hiding.

"Is that crazy pig following us?" Banzai asked.

Ed looked back and saw that the 'crazy pig' wasn't following them.

"Nuh uh." Ed said.

The three stopped for a bit to catch their breath.

"I thought we were going to get our tails handed to us back there by that pig again." Banzai said.

"Yeah." Shenzi said.

"You know, I never knew that three hyenas could be taken down so easily by one warthog." Ed said in his own language.

"Yeah, just one big, dumb, fat, smelly pig." Banzai said.

"Yeah, just one can, y…" Shenzi began to say before cutting herself off.

Shenzi suddenly found herself feeling completely and utterly stupid. The they were beaten up years ago and just scared off now by a single warthog.

"One lousy pig!" Shenzi shouted.

Banzai and Ed looked at Shenzi in surprise. Shenzi had her teeth clenched together in anger, her claws dug into the stone ground and as she breathed so heavily that her nostrils flared. Banzai and Ed looked at each other in concern.

"I hate it when she gets like this." Ed whispered to Banzai in his own language.

Shenzi suddenly grabbed Banzai and Ed by their ears and pulled them towards her.

"One lousy pig!" Shenzi repeated.

"What about it?" Banzai asked.

"We let ONE stupid pig kick all THREE of our butts and we just let him scare us off when we can take him down and get the Scar imposter and his pretty girlfriend." Shenzi pointed out.

Banzai and Ed got what Shenzi was saying.

"She's right Ed, we let a single lousy pig kick the three of our butts." Banzai said.

Ed made a loud angry groan.

"Let's go get some pay back on a pig and the Scar imposter boys." Shenzi suggested.

"And maybe get some bacon while we're at it." Banzai said.

"Yeah, bacon." Ed said in his own language.

"Three against one warthog and a couple of helpless cubs and a meerkat." Shenzi said.

"Get the pig, get the Scar imposter, Get the pig, get the Scar imposter, Get the pig, get the Scar imposter!" Banzai and Ed chanted.

With that said, the three hyenas began to run off to get some revenge on the said pig and Scar imposter.

"No one makes a dunce out of Shenzi Marie Predatora Veldetta Jaquelina Hyena." Shenzi said as she and her friends marched off.

"Come on guys, she should be up here." Taka said as he climbed out of the dry riverbed.

The trio pulled themselves out of the river and back into the old human camp.

"What a mess." Pumbaa said.

"A human camp is what it is." Timon observed.

"Is that what these things are... or were?" Taka asked, standing over a human skeleton.

"Yeah, strange ape-like creatures, and dangerous." Timon said.

"I'll ask you for the story of how you know humans later but now let's get Bluu." Taka said.

Taka walked up to the jeep and called out for Bluu. When Bluu didn't answer, Taka jumped in the jeep and looked under the seat. Bluu was gone.

"Guys, Bluu's not here." Taka said with fear in his voice.

"Well, where could she have gone?" Pumbaa asked.

"South, I think. That's were that lion said the cave was." Taka said.

Without warning, Timon ran up to a dead tree and started climbing.

"Timon, are you doing?" Pumbaa asked.

"Climbing up this tree to see if I can spot Bluu from up here." Timon stated.

When Timon got to the top of the tree he looked towards the South. He didn't see Bluu. He turned around in the tree to see if he could spot Bluu anywhere, he didn't, but he spotted something worse. He spotted Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, not too far away, running towards them.

"Uh guys, we're about to have an experience we're all too familiar with." Timon shouted down.

"What?" Taka asked.

Timon jumped off the tree to have Taka catch him.

"Those hyenas that we saved you from are running towards us and they're closing in fast." Timon reported.

"Oh no." Taka said with fear in his voice.

"What are we going to do?" Pumbaa asked.

Taka looked around the human camp. The humans had a lot of strange items, most looked dangerous. Taka got a mischievous smirk as an idea popped into his head.

"Uncle T, you said that humans were dangerous right?" Taka asked.

"Why are you smiling? I don't like it." Timon said.

"Alright boys, up here." Shenzi said as she climbed out of the dry riverbed and into the human camp.

The three hyenas looked around the human camp.

"They ain't here Shenzi." Banzai complained.

"I can see that!" Shenzi snapped.

Ed looked around and saw one of the long dead humans' tents. Ed pointed and the tent and said that they might be in there.

"There's no way they're in there Ed. It's too obvious." Shenzi said.

Ed however didn't and listen and rushed over to the tent. Ed knocked on the tent flap with his paw.

"Come on out little piggy and cub, it's Santy Clause and his elves. We got some presents for ya'." Ed said in his own language.

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed saw something moving inside of the tent. There was someone inside. Shenzi and Banzai walked up to Ed and the three got ready to pounce. They lowered themselves to the ground, counted to three and pounced. The three flew through the tent flap and landed on a bunch of upturned nails.

The three hyenas yelped and let themselves fall on their backs to keep themselves from driving the nails further into their paws.

"I'm gonna kill that kid!" Banzai yelled, knowing that Taka was responsible for this.

The three hyenas painfully pulled the nails out of their paws and stood up. As Ed stood up his eyes fell on something silver and shiny. It was one of the long dead humans' can of beans, opened and way past their expiry date.

"What is that?" Banzai asked, looking at the expired beans.

"I don't know but looks yummy!" Ed said in his own language.

"Uh, Ed, I wouldn't." Shenzi said.

Ed dove his snout into the large can of expired beans, big mistake. A loud snap was heard and Ed yelped. Ed pulled his snout out of the can to reveal a rat trap clamped onto it. Shenzi and Banzai laughed at Ed's misfortune.

"Gee Ed, us looking for that Scar imposter and that pig is kind of important but yeah, we can take a quick snap break." Banzai laughed.

"Yeah, just make it… SNAPPY!" Shenzi laughed.

Ed was able to pry the mouse trap off his nose. Ed growled while under his fur, his face boiled red with anger and embarrassment. Shenzi looked and saw a long stick sticking through a hole in the back of the tent.

"Hay, it was this stick that caused that moving we saw, that must mean that…" Shenzi said before running out of the tent.

Shenzi ran around the tent, thinking Taka would be there, she instead found a tire in her way. One of her legs got caught in the tire and Shenzi tripped and fell face first on a tool box in front of it.

"Hahaha! How was your trip Shenzi?" Banzai asked.

"When I find that Scar imposter, I'm gonna maul him." Shenzi said.

"Hello." a voice said.

The three hyenas looked to see Taka standing next to the jeep's hood with a small box looking thing next to him.

"I got him." Banzai said.

As Banzai got to Taka, Timon jumped over him, with the pliers to the human's old car battery charger that was next to Taka, and it still had some juice to it. Timon pinched Banzai with them and gave them a jolt. With Banzai occupied, Taka and Timon ran off. Banzai was able to get the pliers of the car battery charger off him. After Banzai took them off, he was revealed to now be a complete puffball.

Shenzi and Ed were on the ground laughing and clutching their stomachs.

"You think that's funny eh?" Banzai asked. "Well, you'll laugh your heads off at this."

Banzai grabbed Ed and Shenzi and pinched their noses with a car battery charger pliers, zapping them. Ed was able to get the pliers off of him and Shenzi and they were now puffballs like Banzai.

"There, now we can be Triplets!" Banzai shouted.

Shenzi grabbed one of the humans' frying pans and hit Banzai on the head with it.

"Just shut up and let's get after that cub, that stupid pig, and that walking stick." Shenzi said.

Banzai and Ed set any bickering they were about to have with each other or Shenzi aside and followed her lead. Shenzi ran around the jeep and stepped on a rake that Taka, Timon, and Pumbaa placed there for the three hyenas to step on. As Shenzi stepped on the rake, it hit her in the middle of her face, between her eyes.

"Ugh, doy, doy, doy, doy, doy, doy!" Shenzi said in pain and completely dazed as she staggered backwards.

As Shenzi backed up, she stepped on the humans' second rake, hitting the back of her head. Shenzi staggered forward only to hit herself in the face with the first rake again.

"Hay, what's going on over her Shenz…" Banzai asked before Shenzi stepped on the second rake again, which Banzai was standing over.

Shenzi ended up hitting herself in the back of the head again and sending Banzai flying overhead and hitting him in his crotch with the rake.

"OOOOOOHHHHHH!" Banzai screamed in a high-pitched voice as he was hit in his crotch.

Ed was laughing at both Shenzi and Banzai. Shenzi, having gained control of herself, turned the rake around and made Ed hit himself in the face with it.

"Not so funny when the joke is on you is it?" Shenzi asked.

Shenzi than turned around towards Banzai, who was clutching his crotch and looking at Shenzi.

"You… hurt my winky." Banzai said in a dazed voice.

"Well, maybe if you paid attention to where you stood or grabbed that Scar imposter when you had the chance, you wouldn't have gotten smacked there." Shenzi said.

"Oh man, that was great you guys." Timon said as he, Pumbaa and Taka ran from the human camp.

"What was that strange rock thing that sent lightning into the hyenas?" Taka asked.

"Little lightning collectors, which I don't have a clue on how we were able to use them since we're animals and shouldn't know how to use them since they're human things, but what the heck, I guess just listening to your gut works" Timon ranted.

"Timon, Taka, I think we need to plan ahead, because I don't think those hyenas are gonna leave us alone any time soon." Pumbaa said.

Timon threw Taka a human slingshot he had stolen from the human camp.

"Take this Taka, put it to good use." Timon said.

"But how do I use this thing, whatever it is?" Taka asked, fiddling with the slingshot.

"Improvise and hide behind those rocks over there." Timon said.

"What do you plan to do?" Taka asked.

Timon gave an okay symbol with his fingers.

"They were here, I can smell that fat, old, smelly pig." Shenzi said as she sniffed at the ground.

"But, where are they?" Banzai asked.

"This way." Shenzi said.

The three hyenas came into a small dried up lake area of the Scarred Lands's dry river bed with a sink hole in the middle of it, which had a large log in it that you could use to climb in and out of it. Shenzi and her friends saw another log that served as a ladder up against the wall of the dried-up lake, with a slope with a natural tunnel leading out of the river behind it.

"You sure they came here?" Banzai asked.

"Positi…" Shenzi began to say before getting cut off by a tennis ball sized rock landing on her head.

"Shenzi, are you o…" Banzai tried to ask before the same thing happened to him.

Ed laughed as he looked up to see where the rock came from, only to have the same sized rock hit him square in the face. When the three got the stars out of their eyes, they looked to see Timon and Pumbaa laughing down at them.

"Nighty night suckers." Timon said.

Shenzi painfully stood up.

"I'm gonna get you two." Shenzi said.

As Shenzi got to her feet as a small rock hit her in the side of the head.

"Ow, what hit me?" Shenzi demanded.

Ed stood up and saw Taka behind a rock. He was holding the human slingshot that Timon had given him in both his paws and used his teeth to pull back it's tiny basket, letting lose a small rock. The tiny rock hit Ed on the tip of the nose, causing him to yelp. Banzai stood up and tried to go after Taka but he stopped after a small rock hit him in the crotch.

"That little punk is armed and dangerous." Banzai growled as he clutched his crotch again.

Ed pulled Banzai to his feet and both ran after Taka, who had abandoned his rock cover. Taka quickly took a side step before Banzai or Ed could grab him, causing them to fall into the sink hole. The two hyenas landed with a loud thud.

"I'm gonna murder that kid." Banzai said.

Taka laughed as he looked down at Banzai and Ed, who were starting to climb back up.

"Don't you know a kid always wins against two idiots?" Taka asked.

"Kid, you are going to get such a time out." Ed said in his own language.

Taka just continued to laugh until he suddenly felt something warm and slimy fall onto his shoulder. He looked behind him and gasped in fright. Shenzi was standing over him, her fangs dripping with ravenous saliva.

"You better do better than this kid!" Shenzi said.

Shenzi tried to maul Taka, but he quickly threw dust into her eyes and mouth. As Shenzi coughed and tried to rub the dust out of her eyes and throat, Taka ran over to the log that lead fully out of the river/lake bed a couple feet away and climbed up it as quickly as he could. Banzai and Ed had nearly climbed out of the sink hole they were in, hanging onto the ledge. Shenzi had finally got the dust out of her throat and eyes and looked around for Taka.

"Where did that little rat go?" Shenzi said with frustration.

"Shenzi, he's out of the lake. He went up that log!" Banzai shouted.

"What!?" Shenzi exclaimed.

Shenzi looked and saw Taka halfway up the log. Shenzi run towards the log, angrily mumbling gibberish and started to climb after Taka. Taka made it to the top and out of the river. Shenzi got to the top seconds after and began to pull herself out. However, Taka slashed at Shenzi's face with his claws.

"Ow, my face; Not again!" Shenzi screamed.

Shenzi flinched back so much that she found herself and the log falling towards the ground.

"Noooooooo!" Shenzi shouted as she and the log fell.

Shenzi jumped off but landing wrong, landing flat on her face instead of her paws.

"Ohhhhh!" Banzai and Ed exclaimed after they saw Shenzi fall.

Shenzi began to moan in pain.

"We're coming Shenzi, we're coming." Banzai said as he and Ed climbed out of the sink hole.

Banzai and Ed rushed over to Shenzi and helped her to her feet. They looked to inspect her for any injuries.

"Hay, you didn't lose any teeth or get scratched on the cheek again." Ed claimed in his own language.

"Uh oh, but you are missing something." Banzai said.

"Huh?" Shenzi exclaimed, unable to focus.

Shenzi looked at Banzai with a still dazed look on her face. Banzai was pointing towards his forehead. Shenzi felt her forehead and something didn't feel right. Shenzi ran over to a small puddle of murky brown water and looked at her reflection, her bangs were missing. Shenzi screamed and ran back over to where she fell.

Shenzi saw her bangs laying on the ground, they had been cut off when Taka swiped at her face. Shenzi's paw began feeling around where her bangs were supposed to be.

"Those, those were my bangs, my, my signature bangs, my, my matriarch bangs. I'll kill him, I'LL KILL HIM!" Shenzi angrily exclaimed.

Banzai and Ed were completely scared by that look in Shenzi's fiery eyes. Shenzi grabbed them by their ears and shoved her face into theirs.

"I don't care if Kovu and Kiara kill me right back, I'm murdering that kid! Come on, we gotta find a way out of this lake." Shenzi said.

"Hay, why don't you guys try the tunnel slope." Taka shouted from above.

The three hyenas looked at the natural built tunnel slope in the earth that lead from the bottom on the dried lake to dry land.

"Riiiiight." Banzai said.

The three hyenas began to run through the tunnel slope, but Shenzi stopped them when the got close to exiting out of it.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute." Shenzi said, stopping Banzai and Ed. "He flat out told us to go through the tunnel slope, he wants us to go through the tunnel slope."

Shenzi pointed up the natural slope.

"Do you know what kinds traps they can put on slopes?" Shenzi asked.

"No." Banzai said fearfully while Ed just simply shook his head.

"Watch this." Shenzi said. "Let's get him!"

Shenzi began to fake run up the tunnel slope. Taka, Timon, and Pumbaa, who were standing near a tree that was just above the opening in the ground to the natural slope, had a rock tied to some rope they took from the human camp. Taka and Pumbaa lifted the rock and rope up and threw into the tunnel, hoping that it would hit Shenzi. Shenzi was however standing flat against the wall, out of the rock's way.

"OW! He busted me right in my mouth boys!" Shenzi fake shouted in pain. "That's one."

"Don't worry Shenzi, I'll get him!" Banzai said as he did the same as Shenzi. "OW! My beautiful face!"

"That's two." Shenzi said. "Well, it's up to you Ed. Sick 'em!"

Ed did the same as Shenzi and Banzai, and much to their surprise, dodged the incoming boulder.

"OW! Right in the schnoz!" Ed shouted in his own language.

The three hyenas took a moment of silent laughter.

"That's three. Come on, let's get him." Shenzi said silently as she and her friends began to run up the tunnel slope for real this time.

Taka, Timon, and Pumbaa had however prepared for this. This time instead of a boulder, they sent a log that was just short enough to fit sailing towards the hyenas.

"Oops." Banzai said as he saw the log coming towards them.

The log hit the hyena's square on their noses and sent them screaming back into the sink hole.

"That's… four." Banzai moaned soon after they landed.

Back in their spot, Taka was cutting away the vine holding up the log with his claws. Once the vines were cut, the log rolled down the tunnel, over the edge of the sinkhole, and down towards the hyenas.

"No." Shenzi whimpered.

The log fell on the three hyenas with a loud crash.

"That's… five." Ed moaned in his own language.

"Shut up Ed." Banzai moaned.

"Yes." Taka said in victory.

After slowing the hyena's down, Taka, Timon, and Pumbaa made for the South. They hadn't come across Bluu but they hoped that when they got to the cave that she would be there. They were currently walking through a crevice that zigzagged.

"Oh, this would have been a great trap to set for those stupid dogs. We could have sent another boulder towards them to crush them." Timon said.

"Actually, I thought that hyenas were more cat related than dog related. Which in a way make those three and all other hyenas, Simba's very distant cousins?" Pumbaa said.

"Simba, cousins with hyens!? Eck! Pumbaa that's gross. Hyenas don't even look like cats or act like 'em." Timon said.

The trio exited the crevice they were passing through and came to a deep gorge. In the distance to the left, there was a very steep, but slightly angled drop. To the right, it also stretched into the distance, was an even more angled slop down to the floor of the gorge that could be barely seen. There was also a thick, tall, uprooted tree acting as a bridge.

"I didn't even think the Scarred Lands had a gorge." Taka said.

Taka began walking towards the left, towards one end of the gorge.

"Come on, let's go around quickly before the hyenas catch up." Taka said.

"Good idea." Pumbaa agreed.

As soon as the group started walking, they heard the whooping sound of a hyena not too far behind. Taka knew that was Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed.

"Do those three idiots ever give up?" Timon asked. "This is why I hate hyenas. Ugh, except Jasiri and her clan of course."

Taka began to run in the opposite direction, towards the uprooted tree. He looked towards Timon and Pumbaa.

"Taka, what are you doing?" Timon asked.

"Point A to Point B fact. No questions, just follow me." Taka said as he jumped on the thick tree, and began to carefully, but quickly use it to cross the gorge.

"Good thinking Taka, come on Pumbaa. Let's follow him." Timon said.

"Wait a second." Pumbaa said, walking back towards the zigzagged crevice.

"What are you doing?" Timon asked.

"Just watch." Pumbaa said. "Need to find a good-sized boulder."

Shenzi and her friends were limping in the crevice that Taka, Timon and Pumbaa had just walked through.

"Man, that kid and his two friends had better taste good for all this trouble." Banzai said.

"I don't care about how they taste anymore, all I care about is avenging my bangs." Shenzi said, rubbing the spot where her bangs use to be.

Ed said something in his own language.

"What was that Ed?" Shenzi asked.

"He said that he hears something." Banzai said.

"Like what?" Shenzi asked.

"Let's continue on and find out?" Banzai suggested.

As the three hyenas rounded the next bend, a boulder smacked into them.

"Noooooo!" the three shouted as they were squashed against a wall.

They had used their paws to stop some of the boulder's friction but they still got their noses squashed flat as pancakes. The three pushed the boulder away from them.

"That was the sound of a boulder rolling down the hill." Banzai obviously pointed out.

Ed said nothing while Shenzi just quietly grunted in anger. The three hyenas grabbed their noses and painfully straitened them out. The three than painfully dragged themselves out of the rest of the zigzagged crevice. They saw Taka, Timon, and Pumbaa were safely across the gorge, waving at them. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed ran towards the log to cross, but Pumbaa gave it the last push it needed to fall into the gorge.

Shenzi was so angry that one of her eyes twitched. Shenzi was about to start yelling out some non too friendly words until she saw something that lifted her spirits. She saw another tree not too far off that had some vines that connected to another tree across the gorge.

"Come on boys, time to cross some vines." Shenzi said.

Banzai didn't like the look of the vines and tried to voice his protest but Shenzi growled at him. Banzai decided not to disobey Shenzi's order and followed her.

"Oh, I just get the feeling that something bad is going to happen." Banzai groaned.

Shenzi got to the vines and began to quickly and carelessly drag herself across the vines.

"Shenzi, be careful." Banzai said, concerned for his mate.

"Not until I avenge my matriarch bangs. Now get onto the vines and follow me!" Shenzi snapped.

"Oh boy." Banzai complained.

Ed whimpered to Banzai.

"I know Ed, I hate it when she gets like this to, and I mean, I'm the one of this threesome who is supposed to let their anger get the better of them." Banzai said.

"And you're much less scarier than Shenzi when she does it." Ed said in his own language.

"Hay!" Shenzi shouted back at them, "Less gob yapping and more helping me avenge my bangs!"

Banzai groaned in frustration.

"I'm starting to think she cares more about her bangs than she does about me and Ed." Banzai mumbled to himself.

Shenzi was eyeing Taka angrily.

"Just you wait until I get over there!" Shenzi shouted.

Taka gasped in fright as he saw Shenzi and her partners in crime closing in. Taka, Timon, and Pumbaa could just make a run for it, but the hyenas would just keep following them. Taka had to think of something fast. Taka looked at the vines and got an idea. He unsheathed his claws and began sawing the vines with them.

"Saw man, saw like your life depends on it!" Timon shouted.

Shenzi saw what Taka was up to and immediately forgot about avenging her bangs.

"Go back, go back!" Shenzi shouted frantically.

The three hyenas never got close to going back. The three hyenas found themselves swinging towards the gorge wall.

"I told youuuuuuuuuu!" Banzai screamed.

After they hit the wall, they fell through the air, through the branches of a dead tree, which broke most of their fall, and they landed into a giant bush that luckily wasn't a thorn bush. Shenzi and Banzai looked at each other in disbelief and then they looked towards Ed in disbelief.

"That should keep them from following." Taka said.

"Relax, those broken bones will only hurt for a month!" Timon shouted down into the gorge.

Taka turned around and came face to face with a vulture. The vulture screeched at him. Taka shouted out in fright and backed up. One of Taka's back paws slipped over the edge of the gorge, followed by the rest of his body. Timon and Pumbaa screamed in fright and tried to grab Taka before he fell, but they just ended up catching nothing but thin air.

Taka screamed in fright as he fell. He couldn't help but wonder if this was exactly how his great grandfather, Mufasa I felt when Scar threw him to his death in the gorge back in the Pride Lands. Just when Taka felt like he was going to feel the cold, hard ground meet him, he felt something still hard, but softer hit him. He had landed in a small river that ran along the floor of the gorge. Taka quickly swam to the surface.

Taka took in grateful deep breaths of air. When Taka's lungs were full, and no longer hurt, he looked up to the heavens, searching for his great grandfather.

"Thank you." Taka said gratefully.

"Yes, thank you… for dropping by!" a frightenly familiar voice laughed.

Taka looked to his left and saw Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed stalking towards him.

"You've got to be joking!" Taka thought to himself in disbelief.

Taka looked back up to where he fell from.

"Timon! Pumbaa! I'm alive but Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed found me, help!" Taka shouted up to them.

Taka heard Timon and Pumbaa scream in fright.

"Just run for now kid, we'll get down to you as soon as possible!" Timon shouted down to Taka.

Taka tried to get up and run but the three hyenas formed triangle around him, preventing his escape.

"Come on little Scar, don't you want to play with us?" Ed asked in his own language.

"Yeah, come on little cubbie, the fun is just about to start." Banzai said.

"And the sweet, delicious revenge." Shenzi said, pointing at her missing bangs.

Without warning, Ed came up behind Taka and swiped him with his paw, sending him towards Banzai. Banzai grabbed a pawful of Taka's mane tuft and pulled a large chunk of it out as he threw him towards Shenzi. Shenzi smiled evilly and grabbed Taka's face in her paw, bringing his face close to hers, their noses pushing against each other's.

"Go on, call for help, squeal. No one's gonna save you now." Shenzi said.

Shenzi threw Taka to the ground, than she swiped at Taka with her claws. Taka screamed as he sailed through the air. He landed with a thud and his left eye hurt badly.

"What did she do to my eye?" Taka thought to himself.

Taka didn't even have time to try and figure out what Shenzi had done to his left eye. Shenzi grabbed one of Taka's front legs in her jaws while Banzai and Ed got his back legs.

"Now pull!" Shenzi shouted through her full mouth.

The three hyenas began to pull on Taka's limbs. Taka screamed in pain from the strain. If they pulled any harder or longer, they would tare his back legs and one front leg off.

"Someone HELP!" Taka shouted.

Just before Shenzi and her companions could tare Taka's limbs off, something or someone tackled them and beat them away from Taka. Taka, bleeding, but safe fell to the ground. He tried to look up and see who saved him but he passed out before he could see who it was. As for Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, they were recovering from the small beating they got.

"Okay, that's it. I've had just about enough of all this." Banzai said.

"No more fooling around." Shenzi said.

The hyenas with a new fire lit in their guts turned towards the one who attacked them. Banzai, who had turned around quicker than his companions gasped at what he saw.

"Jasiri?" Banzai said in disbelief.

Chapter 30: Jasiri Marie Predatora Veldetta Jaquelina Hyena

About 6 Years Ago, The Pride lands:

The once beautiful Pride Lands were being engulfed by ravenous fire that had been started by a lightning strike minutes ago. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed had just informed their clan mates of Scar betraying them and were going to set up an ambush for him. They had come across Timon and Pumbaa, who were stalling for something. After a few performances from Timon and Pumbaa that the hyenas found amusing, a crazy, against the laws of nature proposal, and unusual heroics from Timon, the hyenas fell into a crack and slid through a tunnel until they came to a stop. All the hyenas were piled onto each other, groaning.

"Are we dead?" Banzai asked.

"No, but Scar is about to be." Shenzi huffed angrily.

Shenzi and the rest of her clan quickly climbed up another tunnel slide. As Shenzi and her clan got back to the surface, they saw Scar laying on the ground. Shenzi smiled evilly from ear to ear.

"Perfect timing ol' buddy." Shenzi said before turning towards her clan. "Alright ladies and germs, let's get him."

Banzai came walking over to Shenzi.

"Can we spend some time together later?" Banzai asked.

"Just don't get clawed by Scar or cooked well done by the fire and we can spend all the time you want together." Shenzi said to her husband.

Banzai gave Shenzi a quick kiss on the muzzle before continuing to advance towards Scar. The two, along with Ed walk on top of a rock and glared down at Scar.

"Ah, my friends." Scar sighed with relief.

"Friends?" Shenzi laughed. "I thought he said we were the enemy."

"Yeah, that's what I heard." Banzai said.

"Ed?" Shenzi and Banzai said.

"Whose hungry, I'm up for some payback pie." Ed said in his own language as he laughed.

The entire hyena clan began to advance on Scar, who was pleading for forgiveness, claiming that they didn't understand. The entire clan didn't listen however, they were all either too angry to listen or they just didn't care. Soon every single hyena began pouncing on Scar and began to rip his apart.

"Go for the eyes!" a hyena shouted.

"Save me his tongue, I want to eat that!" Ed shouted in his own language.

"Rip off his coconuts, turn him into a maned lioness!" another hyena shouted.

"And his banana to make it official!" a third said.

Shenzi was able to get towards Scar. Some of the mane around his neck, having been ripped out by multiple hyenas, revealed his jugular. Shenzi sunk her teeth into Scar's throat, planning to rip it out. Shenzi suddenly felt a burning sensation on her side. She yelped and jumped away from Scar.

She and everyone else looked around to see the wild fire closing in on them. If they didn't get out of here soon, they would be trapped. Shenzi turned towards her clan.

"Everyone get out! The fire is starting to close off any means of escape, we need to get out now!" Shenzi ordered.

"But we gotta finish the job." Banzai, who hadn't sunk his teeth into Scar like everyone else yet, said.

"We gave him a good mauling. Either his wounds will kill him, or the fire, or the pride will." Shenzi said.

Everyone took a second glance at the fire and saw that Shenzi was right. The entire clan began to retreat. As the clan made their escape, Shenzi took one last glance back at Scar. Shenzi for a moment felt pity, not for Scar but for Taka. For the lion that she met years ago when she was still a pup.

"Good bye, Taka." Shenzi said to the dead part of Scar that was once her friend before running after her clan.

The clan ran through the Pride Lands as fast as they could while avoiding close calls with the wild fire. The clan finally made it to the river and crossed to the other side where the fire wouldn't get to them. After they crossed the river, Shenzi did a visual headcount. Other than herself, Banzai, Ed, and the pups of the clan, they had all 83 members, which was a little above average for a hyena clan. Shenzi thought back to the years they had spent in the pride Lands.

She used to have a clan of 84 members, excluding herself, Banzai, Ed, and the pups, however she had lost one. During the first few months of Scar's reign. A young lion cub had died after being bitten by a poisonous snake and a hyena tried to eat the dead body but the mother wouldn't allow it. A fight had nearly broke out between the two and Scar had come down to take care of it. Shenzi remembered that day.

FLASHBACK:

"Scar, Scar!" Shenzi shouted as she bolted into Scar's cave.

Scar, who was currently bullying Zazu in his rib bone cage, turned towards Shenzi with an annoyed expression.

"What?" Scar asked.

"A young lion cub has just died of a snake bite and one of my clan mates wants to eat it." Shenzi informed.

"And why should I care?" Scar asked.

"Because a fight is about to break out between them." Shenzi said.

"Than… deal… with it… your… self." Scar hissed.

"I tried but neither of them will listen to me." Shenzi said.

Scar sighed irritably and began to go deal with the situation. When they got to the group, they saw a lioness standing over the dead body of her cub. A hyena with a mullet-like hyena's mane stood in front of her.

"Ugh, Fisi." Shenzi groaned.

"Come on lady, it's dead and I'm hungry. So, hand it over." Fisi said.

"You couldn't have my cub when it was alive and you can't have it even when it's dead." the lioness said with an angry, mourning voice.

"If you won't give it to me, then I'll just take it." Fisi said.

Scar made a loud growl and everyone looked towards him. Shenzi looked at Scar while he was looking at the dead cub. Shenzi saw Scar's face drop a bit in sympathy for the dead cub. Weather that look of sympathy was genuine or not, Shenzi didn't know, but she guessed that it was fake. She however felt a little genuine sympathy.

Shenzi hated lions just as much as the next hyena but she wasn't bigoted enough to hate the cubs of lions. Sure she tried to eat Simba and Nala months ago when they ventured into the elephant graveyard but that was just survival since the elephant graveyard had no food other than the occasional lizard and she couldn't just deny herself a good dinner when it wandered so willingly into the graveyard. Shenzi looked towards the couple pups in her clan. Shenzi never had children and wasn't too fond of them but she did have a secret soft spot for them deep down in her heart that she didn't even know she has. If a pup in her clan died, she would offer sympathy for them and she would even do the same to her lion enemies, even if she did keep that sympathy well hidden.

Shenzi pushed those thoughts back and focused as Scar addressed the hyena with the mullet mane.

"What is the meaning of this?" Scar asked.

"Well, this cub died of a snake bite and I thought it would be okay to…" Fisi began before Scar cut him off.

"I already know of that, Shenzi already told me!" Scar snapped.

"Whatever, so can I eat it or not?" Fisi asked.

"No." Scar said. "I will not condone the threatening of the pride's cub's lives like I've been complained to about and I will not condone the eating of the dead bodies of any of the pride."

A look that said 'say what' crossed Fisi's face. As Scar began to turn around, Shenzi saw Fisi smile mockingly.

"You know, any of you ever wonder how your wonderful king, Mufoopy died?" Fisi asked.

Scar stopped walking and his body tensed once Fisi said that. Shenzi looked from Scar to Fisi in fear. Fisi looked around, smiling.

"We all know about King Mufoopy and King Taka here." Fisi said, using Scar's real name. "We know, even the hyenas know that they had a strained relationship… very strained."

"What is that idiot doing?" Shenzi wondered fearfully.

"The two basically hated each other. You know, maybe King Taka here killed him just so he could become king and I bet he also killed that little cub, what's his face, to so that he could be the only one who holds a claim to the throne." Fisi said.

Everyone tensed and the pride looked at Scar, whose back was still turned. Fisi was trying to blackmail Scar into letting him eat the cub and it seemed to be working. The mullet maned hyena continued on.

"I bet he came into the graveyard and sang some song about us getting our due in this new generation if we helped him kill them. I bet the song went something like: 'prepare for the chance of a lifetime, be prepared for sensational news, because a shining new era is tiptoeing nearer. Be prepared for the death of the king, we're gonna kill him… and Simba to and if you help me, you'll never go hungry again. Your future is littered with prizes, so be prepared for a glorious future, the pride's golden age. Be prepared!" Fisi mockingly sang while he goose-stepped like a Nazi.

That was the last straw. Scar roared and pounced onto the cocky hyena and savagely mauled him to death. When Scar was done he picked Fisi up and held him with one paw.

"Let this serve as a lesson to all. If anyone, be they lion or hyena, adult or even cub make such accusations against me again like this hyena scum did, they will be executed... painfully." Scar said before returning to his cave while everyone just stared on in shock.

END OF FLASHBACK:

That was a scary day for the pride and the clan. Other than Fisi's now orphaned son, Fisi Jr., the rest of the clan didn't mourn Fisi. Nobody else cared about him, he had almost thrown Scar under the bus and ruined everything the hyenas had had at that point. Weather the pride had believed what Fisi said or not was unknown, except for one thing. No one had ever made such accusations like that against Scar again and the hyena clan never tried to eat any pride members that died during Scar's reign.

Shenzi turned back towards her clan and did another visual head count. Shenzi noticed that a certain someone was missing.

"Where's Banzai?" Shenzi asked.

As if on cue, Banzai came running out of nowhere screaming with his tail carrying a small flame on it.

"Help, my tail is on fire! Help, my butt is on fire! My everything is on fire!" Banzai yelled as the fire cartoonishly spread allover his fur.

Banzai soon jumped into the river, putting out the fire on himself and causing a large splash. Banzai resurfaced and sighed with relief. His grey fur was a bit blackened but he was safe.

"Hay!" Shenzi suddenly snapped at Banzai.

Banzai looked and saw that he had accidently splashed Shenzi with water, completely soaking her fur. Banzai smiled and laughed nervously towards Shenzi.

"You look good in wet fur babe." Banzai said nervously.

"You can forget about spending time together later." Shenzi said irritably.

About seven months had passed since the clan escaped the Pride Lands. All the hyenas were miserable since they were all back down to square one again. It had been raining nonstop for over a month in the Elephant Graveyard and all the hyenas were soaked and cold down to whatever was beyond the marrow, which made them even more miserable. The rain had caused Banzai to become very, very grumpy, more than usual. He swore at anything and anyone that made him mad.

One day he had even accidently yelled some non to friendly swear words at Shenzi, which caused her to give Banzai a serious butt-woopin'. That wasn't the worst thing though. Everything since they escaped the Pride Lands and the fire had caused so much tension that Shenzi and Banzai's relationship had a falling out and they're relationship had soon fallen apart. They had just kept finding themselves yelling at each other. They still kinda remained friends but their marital relationship was questionable.

That made Banzai probably the most miserable hyena in the graveyard. He hadn't gotten Shenzi to be his mate easily. He had to fight for her, and Ed, who had been his best friend before he even met Shenzi, lost his voice in helping him fight to get Shenzi as his mate. Banzai tormented Ed a lot but the two were basically like brothers. Ed's mother had died in childbirth and his father was bit by a poisonous snake when he was a week old and died since the clan's healer didn't know how to treat a snake bite.

Banzai's family had taken Ed in and the two were raised alongside each other as adoptive brothers. Banzai blamed himself for Ed losing his voice. Banzai was currently laying by one of the graveyard's geysers for heat. He was dreaming of better days, when he and Shenzi were happy in their marriage; not fully happy because of the graveyard living conditions, but it was the happiest moments Banzai ever had. Banzai was pulled out of his dream by a maniacal laughter in his ear.

Banzai looked to see Ed standing over him, laughing loudly into his ear.

"Ed!" Banzai snapped.

Ed was giggling as he waved at Banzai.

"What is it you want Ed?" Banzai annoyingly asked Ed.

Ed said something about Shenzi in his own language.

"What, Shenzi's belly looks bigger?" Banzai asked.

"Uh huh." Ed said.

"Good, that means she's eating well. Now go away and let me sleep." Banzai said, trying to get back to sleep.

"But we haven't caught anything for a month." Ed said in his own language.

"Wha?" Banzai exclaimed.

Ed beckoned Banzai to follow him. Banzai got up and stretched out each of his legs before following Ed. The two soon got to the skull where the clan's healer lived and worked. Most of the clan was gathered around the skull and this added to Banzai's concern for Shenzi. They may not have been together anymore but Banzai still cared for Shenzi's wellbeing.

Banzai walked into the healer hyena's skull home. Banzai saw Shenzi laying on her side, and the hyena clan's healer examining Shenzi's belly.

"Hay, am I able to come in man?" Banzai asked the healer.

"Of course, you're the guest of honor here anyway if my assumptions are correct." the healer said.

Banzai walked up to Shenzi, who had a bored look on her face.

"Shenzi what's wrong with your belly, Ed told me it looked bigger. Is something wrong with it?" Banzai asked.

"I don't know, my belly has just been hurting for about a week. Oh, just stay back and let the healer work!" Shenzi irritably said.

"Okay, geez!" Banzai said.

Banzai laid near the entrance of the skull for about three minutes before the healer hyena came up to him.

"So, spill it, what wrong with Shenzi?" Banzai asked.

"Come in so I can tell the both of you." the healer hyena said.

The two hyenas walked back to Shenzi.

"Come on, what's wrong with my belly already!" Shenzi snapped impatiently.

"You have a pup or pubs in your belly Shenzi." the healer said.

"What!?" Shenzi and Banzai exclaimed in disbelief.

"I said that you're going to have children, and Banzai is the father of them or it." the healer said.

"What!?" Banzai exclaimed.

Everyone stayed quiet for a second before Shenzi suddenly growled and grabbed a bone near her.

"BANZAI, YOU, YOU, YOU DIM-WITTED, MORONIC, COWARDLY, LAZY, FAT, INFINATE BOOB! LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO ME. I'LL KILL YOU!" Shenzi yelled at the top of her lungs.

Banzai screamed and ran for his life.

"YEAH, THAT'S IT, RUN YOU ALWAYS-HUNGRY IDIOT, RUN!" Shenzi shouted as she chased after Banzai.

"Ed help!" Banzai shouted as he ran away from Shenzi.

Banzai jumped over bones, made sharp turns and zigzagged around the many bones lining the graveyard. Shenzi kept yelling about how she was going to murder Banzai in the most brutal way possible.

"Shenzi stop please!" Banzai said.

"Not before I rip your head off!" Shenzi shouted.

Banzai just kept running. Banzai didn't look where he was going and he tripped over a bone. Seeing her chance, Shenzi jumped on Banzai, and pinned him.

"Got you!" Shenzi said.

Shenzi began hitting Banzai on the head with the bone she had in her paws.

"I don't know when and how you pumped me with whatever's inside me but I'll make you pay for it." Shenzi said as she continued to hit Banzai.

"How did I even get you pregnant anyway?" Banzai asked.

"I don't know?" Shenzi said obliviously.

"Must have been something we ate." Banzai said as he was still being hit.

"Wait a minute." Shenzi said, stopping hitting Banzai.

Shenzi remembered that just sometime last week she was so hungry that she was looking for anything to eat. Banzai had come across her and he helped her search for something even though the tension of their separation was still blooming a little. They had come across a bunch of snails. The two had started eating them, they tasted gross but they were so hungry that they didn't even care. The both of them had felt funny after finishing the snails.

Whatever happened after that was all a blur to them. The only thing they remembered was waking up the next day piled on top of each other. It suddenly hit Shenzi.

"It was those snails we ate. They did something to us and we did it… the thing." Shenzi said.

"I knew that eating those snails were a bad idea." Banzai said.

"Whatever, the thing now is me shoving this bone up your bum… with the sharp end." Shenzi said, glaring down at Banzai.

"Like gulp." Banzai said fearfully.

Before Shenzi could begin to start hitting Banzai with the bone again, Ed grabbed it form her paw and threw it into a nearby geyser.

"Shenzi, what are you doing?" Ed asked in his own language.

"Didn't you hear what this numb head did. I'm pregnant again because of him and you know what it was like with our last child Banzai. I've told you, I don't want to deal with it again." Shenzi said.

"But this isn't my fault." Banzai said.

It pained Ed to see his two bestest friends fighting. Ed never knew what having a true family was like since his parents died when he was very young. Ed did grow up with Banzai as an adoptive brother of course but knowing that they weren't really related didn't give him that family feeling, that sense of belonging. That was all until they both met Shenzi. When he and Banzai became friends with Shenzi, the three of them were as thick as thieves, even if Shenzi did like to playfully bully them back than.

Whenever Banzai and Shenzi were around, Ed had finally gotten that feeling of family, of truly belonging. They weren't related but as far as Ed was concerned, Banzai was his brother and Shenzi was his sister and he loved them both like ones.

"You two use to be so close. You use to be happy despite everything we've gone through and had to deal with." Ed said in his own language.

"Yeah, well… things change." Shenzi said with a sad look on her face. "All me and Banzai ever do anymore is yell at each other."

"I hate to say it Ed but Shenzi is right. We haven't been happy with each other since we all came back to this hell hole." Banzai said, looking around the graveyard.

Ed looked at Shenzi's swollen belly.

"Well, maybe things can change again and that puppy in your tummy might be the key to it Shenzi." Ed said optimistically.

Shenzi placed a paw on her belly.

"You know what it was like with our last child Ed. We tried to raise it. We tried to raise it to even be better than us but it just didn't work." Shenzi said.

"Don't be afraid of your own feelings. I know that you two still care for each other and want to be happy together. Maybe this pup is no accident like you two may think it is. Maybe it's your ancestors trying to send a message to you, that things will get better for you, fur us, for the future of all hyenas, for future generations." Ed said.

That struck Shenzi and Banzai right to they're cores, thawing their hearts. Ed wasn't the smartest hyena in he graveyard but he wasn't dumb like most may think he is either, he did have his moments of cleverness like he just had now. Shenzi and Banzai looked at each other.

"Hay." Banzai said.

"Hay." Shenzi said.

Banzai reached his paw up and moved Shenzi's bangs away from her eyes. Shenzi's eyes were yellow like any hyenas were but her yellow eyes were more beautiful than any others. Banzai stretched his neck out and licked Shenzi's cheek. Shenzi placed her paws on Banzai's chest, laid her head between them and closed her eyes.

"Things change." Shenzi said.

"For better or worse." Banzai said. "But better for us."

A couple months later, Shenzi and Banzai were laying down in their den. Banzai was laying behind Shenzi with his paw over her side, rubbing her swollen belly.

"You know what I've been thinking?" Banzai inquired.

"No, but I would like to." Shenzi said.

"Do you think our pup will be a boy or girl?" Banzai asked.

"I hope it's a boy, because if it is, he'll be just as handsome as you are with those big bushy eyebrows." Shenzi said.

"Well I hope it's a girl, because I could use another beauty with bangs in my life, also she'd have everything I love about you, even the simplest things: the way you snort like a pig when you laugh and the way your lips push against the sides of your mouth when you smile." Banzai said.

Shenzi laughed.

"Well if she does look like me, I just hope she'll get the best trait you have on you." Shenzi said.

"What's that?" Banzai asked.

"You know just how to tickle my giggle box." Shenzi said.

Banzai licked Shenzi from her neck to her cheek, tickling her 'giggle box.'

"Whether it's a boy or girl, I don't care. Just as long as we have one with a giggle box like yours that's just as easily tickled." Banzai stated.

Shenzi and Banzai suddenly heard a maniacal laughter. Within seconds Ed rounded the corner to their den, dragging a zebra.

"Ed, where to you get that?" Banzai asked.

"I went to the Pride Lands and I caught it myself and it's only for Shenzi, you, and for Ed Junior in Shenzi's oven." Ed said in his own language while leaning down a smiling at Shenzi's belly.

Shenzi was grateful for Ed's gift but her thoughts drifted towards the clan.

"Ed, me and Banzai are grateful, but there are hyenas and pups who have gone longer than me and Banzai without food." Shenzi said.

"They all know that Shenzi but they also know that you're carrying the future of our clan. They'll want you to keep your strength up for when our pup is born." Banzai said.

"And the clan did the same for you when you were about to be born Shenzi and when you were a new born pup. They all care about you." Ed said in his own language.

Shenzi sighed. She wanted to take care of her clan but Banzai and Ed were right. If she didn't eat properly enough, her and Banzai's pup would die before it was even born or she might not survive giving birth to it. The clan for the past few months had been risking their lives going to the Pride Lands to bring back food for her.

"Alright." Shenzi said before she started eating the zebra with Banzai following behind her.

As they ate, Banzai suddenly laughed. Shenzi looked towards him.

"What's so funny?" Shenzi asked.

"I was just thinking about you as a pup. I remember how fat you were." Banzai said.

Shenzi thought back to her puphood and she to remembered how fat she was back than.

"Oh yeah, I remember." Shenzi laughed.

"Everyone did envy and admire that fat belly you use to have." Banzai said.

"I still do have it and this pup has made me even fatter." Shenzi laughed.

"Of course it has your royal plumpness." Banzai said with mocking curtiously, using one of his childhood nicknames for Shenzi.

The two stopped laughing and went back to eating. When they finished they cleaned each other's muzzles free of blood. As Shenzi was licking Banzai's muzzle clean, she accidently burped in his face. She would have been blushing with embarrassment if hyenas could blush. Banzai however laughed and Shenzi joined in.

"Ed was right. This pup you accidently put in me was the key to things becoming better for us." Shenzi said.

"And I'm glad I did, even if it was just an accident." Banzai said.

"Hay, remember what Ed said months ago. It was no accident." Shenzi said.

The two than hugged each other.

"I love you." Shenzi said.

"I know." Banzai said.

Shenzi suddenly felt a pain in her stomach and backside. She ignored it but it soon became too intense. Shenzi fell to the ground, clutching her stomach.

"It's happening isn't it?" Banzai asked as he saw this.

"What does it look like!?" Shenzi snapped

Shenzi clenched her teeth in pain and her legs kicked out.

"Get out… Now!" Shenzi yelled, wanting to be alone as she gave birth.

Banzai rushed out of they're den to give Shenzi the space that she wanted. The entire clan gathered around the den, having heard Shenzi's screams. Minutes later, the screaming stopped. Shenzi called Banzai and Ed in soon after the screaming stopped. Banzai and Ed took slow, quiet step into the den.

When they rounded the corner, they saw Shenzi with a single, young hyena pup, who was just starting to suck at Shenzi for milk. Shenzi looked at her mate and surrogate brother.

"Come on you two. I thought it was the pups who were the shy ones, not adults." Shenzi said.

Banzai and Ed walked up to Shenzi and the pup. Shenzi gently took the pup, whose muzzle was now wet with stray milk, back in her paw.

"Come here my little one. You gotta meet your daddy and surrogate uncle." Shenzi said with a honeyed voice.

Banzai and Ed got a good look at the pup as it looked up at them. It was a female with grey fur that had a slight purple hint to it, a greyish brown underbelly, her hyena's mane was all on her head and neck forming black and purplish hair, she had purple/blue eyes, and she had a dark grey muzzle which was unique for female hyenas, who's muzzle where usually the same grey as their main fur.

"She's so unique." Banzai said as he smiled down at his daughter.

"She kinda looks like she would be the daughter of different hyenas, she looks so different from us." Shenzi said.

"That's what makes her unique, she looks physically unrelated to us, yet she is but she does have one trait from you though." Banzai said.

"What?" Shenzi asked.

"She's just as beautiful as you." Banzai said before affectionately punching Shenzi's cheek lightly with his paw.

Ed came up and took a look at the newborn hyena. Ed laughed with delight at the sight of the newborn hyena. The newborn hyena reached up and bit Ed right on his nose. Ed yelped and jumped back, rubbing his nose with both his front paws. Shenzi and Banzai couldn't help but laugh at Ed.

"Well, you know what they say Ed, sometime love hurts." Banzai laughed

"I think she likes you Ed." Shenzi said.

Ed just whimpered from the bite to his nose as he continued to rub it.

"What are we going to name her?" Banzai asked.

Shenzi looked down at the little pup as she bravely dragged herself out of Shenzi's protective paws and over to get more milk.

"Jasiri, it means brave." Shenzi said as she smiled down at her daughter. "And I've got a feeling that she's going to need a lot of it during her life."

PRESENT DAY:

Banzai stared on in shock at his daughter. His daughter, Jasiri Marie Predatora Veldetta Jaquelina Hyena was standing right in front of him, her mother, and surrogate uncle.

"Hay, Banzai! What are you gawking at?" Shenzi snapped, seeing Banzai's surprised expression.

Banzai looked to Shenzi and Ed.

"It's her." Banzai said.

"Her who?" Shenzi asked.

"Look at her. Closely." Banzai said, pointing at Jasiri.

Shenzi and Ed looked at Jasiri, who was standing protectively over Taka. Shenzi and Ed gasped when they realized who she was.

"Jasiri." Shenzi whispered. "She's alive."

Ed just laughed like a happy maniac.

"Hay, are you three going to start attacking or what?" Jasiri impatiently asked.

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed slowly walked up to Jasiri. Jasiri growled and was about to pounce but didn't as she noticed the shocked expressions on Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed's faces. Shenzi and Banzai each stretched out a paw, cupping Jasiri's face in them. Jasiri didn't know what to be more confused about: the way these hyenas were acting or that she wasn't attacking them.

"You're just as beautiful as the day we lost you." Banzai said.

Jasiri jumped after Banzai said that and pulled away from him and Shenzi. Jasiri pulled Taka towards her and growled.

"Do you know who we are?" Shenzi asked in a honeyed voice.

"Scarred Pride hyenas." Jasiri said.

"No dear, your wrong." Banzai said.

"Then who are you?" Jasiri asked.

"Your parents and surrogate uncle." Shenzi answered.

Jasiri felt a shiver run down her spine after Shenzi said that. She looked at the three of them, even more confused than before. They were just attacking Taka and now they were saying they were her parents, she guessed they most of hit their heads too hard on something.

"You lie, my parents are Liwa and Baba back home in the Pride Lands with my sister, Madoa, my cousins, Tunu and Wema, and my aunt, Mrithi, and if you are my parents than where the heck were you when I was growing up?" Jasiri angrily questioned.

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed looked at each other with guilt in their eyes.

"Was I like given up for adoption or something?" Jasiri asked sarcastically.

"No sweetheart, you aren't." Shenzi said.

"You were three months old when we lost you." Banzai answered.

"Oh, and how did you 'lose' me?" Jasiri asked, still not believing Shenzi and Banzai.

"The clan in the graveyard was attacked by lions." Banzai said.

That got Jasiri's attention and began to make her believe Shenzi and Banzai were telling the truth. When Jasiri was still a young pup, she would sometimes hear her parents talking about lions attacking some elephant graveyard and discussing on telling someone they referred to as 'her.' Also, even to this day, whenever Jasiri's parents or aunt back in the Pride Lands looked at her, she always saw some sort of sadness in their eyes. Jasiri looked at Shenzi and Banzai with a now shocked expression.

"But, that's not possible." Jasiri whispered.

"It is, you're our daughter." Shenzi said.

"And you're very beautiful" Banzai added.

Ed laughed in agreement. Jasiri almost walked towards her parents but she reminded herself who these hyenas standing in front of her were. They were Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed from Simba and Nala's stories and they were pure evil.

"No! You're not my parents, my parents could never be as vile as you three and I look nothing like either of you, when there's hyenas back home that I look a lot like." Jasiri firmly stated.

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed looked at Jasiri, visually very hurt by her statement.

"Jasiri…" Shenzi began to say.

Shenzi felt something slam into her and Banzai and Ed. Shenzi looked to see Timon and Pumbaa had rammed into them. The meerkat and warthog than hurried over to Jasiri. Jasiri picked Taka up by his scruff and set him in Pumbaa's tusks and then they began to run off. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed shouted after Jasiri, begging her to come back.

Jasiri took a glance back as she ran along with Timon and Pumbaa to the south caves where everyone else would be.

"This can't be true, it's not possible. Those aren't my parents, I look nothing like them and I don't even remember anything about them. They just lied to try and get me to think they were on our side and get me to lead them to everyone so that they could give the Scarred Pride a chance to beat us." Jasiri thought.

If only Jasiri knew how wrong she was.

Chapter 31: The Beginning of the End

"Dammit you three, tell us what happened! Why does Taka have that scar over his left eye!? Kovu snapped towards Jasiri, Timon, and Pumbaa.

As Kovu said that, lighting flashed outside and then the rain began to fall. Timon and Pumbaa stammered before finally saying what happened.

"We found Taka when he was about to get eaten by those three hyenas that served Scar back in the day." Timon said.

"You mean Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed?" Vitani asked.

"Yeah and they gave Taka this scar. I saved him before they could try to eat him again." Jasiri said.

"But not before me, Pumbaa, and Taka put those three into a world of hurt. Some vulture landed behind Taka and screeched at him, causing him to fall off the cliff of some gorge." Timon explained.

"Taka fell off a gorge!" Kiara shouted.

"But thankfully it wasn't as deep as the gorge back home and it had a river in it that he fell in. Oh, and we weren't able to fully beat up that vulture like it deserved but Pumbaa was able to give it one good horse kick before it flew off, if that makes you feel any better. Hahaha." Timon said laughing nervously.

Kiara and Kovu growled at Timon, they could hardly care less if that vulture that caused Taka to fall off the cliff got beaten up or not. They were more worried about Taka and just how damaged his left eye was. Siri/Kopa looked at Taka with a heavy heart. He considered Taka a friend when he met him back in the Pride Lands but with the current revelations he got from those visions he had earlier today, Taka might be his nephew. It pained him to see Taka like this as his friend but it pained him even more to see him like this as his uncle.

Siri walked off towards the caves lake, growling. Vitani noticed and was about to go after him but decided to give him some space. Bluu was pressing a paw against Taka's face.

"Taka, are you alright?" Bluu asked, concerned for her friend.

"Come on, let's get him to Rune." Kion said.

As the others took Taka to be looked at by Rune, Vitani walked over to where Siri/Kopa was. Siri/Kopa was looking at his reflection in the lake with a hardened look on his face. Siri/Kopa was thinking of her, of Zira. He blamed her, he blamed her for EVERYTHING. His destroyed childhood in the Pride Lands with Vitani, all his other friends from when he was a cub, his parents, his brother and sister, and pride mates, his scars, his half blindness, his limp, his amnesia, the war between the Outsiders and the Pride Landers and everything that happened during that war, and for everything that had been happening with the Scarred Pride, even Taka's scar, even though she wasn't the one who dealt the blow.

Every life that Zira touched was plagued by death and misery. Many have nearly died because of her and Siri/Kopa knows that as long as she lived, she'll just do it again.

"It's time that someone ended her, it's time that I cast aside my new name and take back my old one. I know who I am now, I'm Prince Kopa of the Pride Lands, son of King Simba and Queen Nala, not Siri." Siri, once again Kopa thought to himself.

Kopa felt a paw being placed on his shoulder. Kopa looked to see Vitani staring at him with concern. He thought about telling her who he was, but he couldn't, not yet, not until Zira was dead, her corpse feeding worms, maggots, vultures, and hyenas, who would also gnaw on her bones until all that was left of were bad memories best forgotten.

"Siri…" Vitani began to say before Kopa cut her off by pressing his muzzle to hers a giving her a kiss.

Kopa pulled away from Vitani, who looked at him shocked. They had been getting close in the past about two weeks but nothing like that. Kopa placed a paw against Vitani's cheek.

"I love you." Kopa said.

Kopa than walked off, leaving Vitani standing where she was, shocked. Zuri was coming to find Kopa and Vitani. When she saw Kopa walking her direction she also walked towards him.

"Siri, I…" Zuri began to say before Kopa cut her off as well but in a different way than he did Vitani.

Kopa pulled Zuri into an embrace. Zuri returned the gesture by wrapping one paw around him.

"I'm sorry I broke your heart." Kopa said.

Zuri pulled away and looked up at Kopa.

"Oh, no you didn't. I've been jealous, I haven't been showing it but I have been and I'm sorry for it. You and Vitani look very happy together and I like to see Vitani happy more than seeing her all stone faced and scary anyway." Zuri said with a tiny laugh.

Kopa pulled away and looked at Zuri and then looked back at Vitani when he suddenly realized something. Kovu and Vitani were brother and sister and Kovu was married to Kiara, his sister. That crushed Kopa, because of that fact it meant that he and Vitani couldn't be together. Kopa almost shouted out in anguish but didn't. Kopa looked back at Vitani.

"Forgive me Vitani." Kopa thought.

Kopa pulled Zuri into a passionate kiss like he did with Vitani. Zuri pulled away and looked very shocked. Kopa than continued on, he walked outside of the cave and towards where he thought his target goal would be. Meanwhile in the cave, Vitani had walked up to Zuri.

"I saw what he did with you." Vitani said calmly.

"I didn't force him to kiss me, he did it on his own." Zuri said frantically, thinking that she had angered Vitani.

"No, I'm not angry at you or Siri. I'm worried about him, he's acting strange." Vitani said.

"What is he even doing out there, where is he going?" Zuri asked.

Vitani didn't answer, instead she walked off to find Kiara and Kion. Vitani was going to go after Kopa with them and Zuri. Vitani found Kiara and Kion with Kovu, who was cradling Taka in his paws and few dozen feet away from where Rune was working. Vitani saw that he had sewn Nala's throat up with very thin vines and was gently rubbing some solution on it. He was certainly a good healer and sewer for an animal without thumbs.

Vitani than took a glance at Nala. Vitani still couldn't believe that Nala, the Pride Lands' best fighter even at her age was beaten so easily by Wraith. Vitani sighed and closed her eyes.

"If he can't save her, I at least hope that he can ease her passing." Vitani said to herself.

Vitani than looked towards Taka in Kovu's paws. He had a leaf over his left eye. Vitani knew that scar over Taka's eye would be permanent. She couldn't help but think of the irony. Taka despite being Kovu and Kiara's son, looked exactly like Scar, except his face was kind and gentle like his great grandfather, Mufasa I's and his eyes were emerald green like Kovu's instead of neon green like Scar's.

Other than those minor traits Taka now looked exactly like Scar with his new scar. Taka never really showed it but everyone could tell he was insecure about his physical similarities to Scar. Taka wasn't afraid of the dark, heights, bad hyenas, rogues, or any other dangerous animals, fire, or death. Taka's greatest fear was getting a scar like his father and great-great Uncle Scar had and that fear has come true to be more a part of him than it already was.

"He didn't deserve this." Vitani said to herself. "He should have been back in the Pride Lands causing mischief with his brother, sister, and friends."

Vitani walked up to her brother, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and nephew. Kion had his head bowed in anguish, Kiara was sniffling and crying even worse than she did when Kovu was unfairly banished by Simba, and Kovu always trying to be the tough guy was trying to hold back his tears of grief. He was doing a good job of it but they would start wetting the fur on his cheeks soon. Vitani laid down and sighed. She reached her paws out to Kovu.

Kovu getting the message placed Taka in his sister's paws. Vitani pulled Taka close to her chest, which had a fuzzy feeling inside of it. She had never held Taka like this, even when he was a younger cub. Holding him like this just felt so natural and she enjoyed it very much. Taka began to stir and wake up in Vitani's paws.

Taka yawned and looked up to his aunt. Vitani smiled down at her nephew. She leaned down and nuzzled him with her snout.

"Aunt Vitani? What happened to me, my left eye hurts?" Taka asked.

Kovu reached out a paw and held onto his son's.

"You don't need to worry Taka, everything is going to be alright." Vitani said.

Taka placed a paw over his left eye and felt his leaf bandage.

"What's wrong with my eye?" Taka asked.

Vitani looked down at her nephew with sympathy.

"I'm afraid you have a scar over your left eye Taka." Vitani said.

Vitani felt Taka jump in her paws. Taka now remembered when Shenzi swatted him with her paw. His left eye hurt after she did that. Taka looked around in disbelief.

"I want to go home." Taka simply said.

Vitani handed Taka back to Kovu before standing up.

"We will be going home soon Taka. Just wait a little longer." Vitani said as she stood up.

Vitani looked from Kiara to Kion.

"You two come with me." Vitani said.

"For what?" Kiara asked.

"Siri ran off somewhere and we're going after him along with Zuri." Vitani said.

"But what about my son? I can't just leave him like this." Kiara said.

"Don't worry Kiara, nothing bad will happen to him while Kovu's with him." Vitani said.

Kovu placed a paw on Kiara's.

"He'll be fine, I'll watch over him. Just go after Siri and bring him back." Kovu said.

Kion and Kiara followed Vitani as she walked back towards Zuri. Kovu looked down at his son, he was trying to take his leaf bandage off.

"No Taka." Kovu said.

"It wasn't supposed to happen like this." Taka said with a blank expression on his face.

"That's exactly what I thought when your grandfather banished me a little over a year ago." Kovu said.

"Dad, I'm scared." Taka said.

"It's okay to be scared, it shows that you're not afraid to hide your feelings. That's the qualities that make not only a good king but a good person." Kovu said.

"I'm afraid to face Mufasa again dad." Taka said.

"Why?" Kovu asked.

Taka placed his paw over his leaf bandage.

"He's your brother, he won't look at you any differently, even with that scar." Kovu reassured his son.

Vitani, Kiara, Kion and Zuri had gathered together. Tiifu had tried to come with them but Kiara instructed her to find her dad, grandmothers, and uncle to tell them what happened to Taka. As the four were walking towards the cave's exit, Kion noticed Jasiri hiding in a little crevice in the cave wall. Kion looked towards his companions.

"Go on, I'll catch up." Kion said before running over to Jasiri.

"Jasiri what are you doing over here?" Kion asked.

"You know those hyenas I said that gave Taka his scar?" Jasiri asked.

"Yeah, what about them?" Kion asked.

"Well they, they… they told me they're my parents." Jasiri said.

"You're parents?" Kion questioned.

"I know, I don't believe it either. If you come across them out there be careful around them. They're dangerous if you ask me." Jasiri said.

Kion stayed silent for a bit before he said he would and returned to the others.

When the battle between the Scarred Pride, the Pride Landers, and Ni's resistance began, Zira ran over to Scar's dead body.

"No, no, no, not again!" Zira sobbed into what remained of Scar's mane.

Zira got a hold of herself and began to drag Scar away from the battle field. Within an hour Zira made it to the cave where she and Scar slept. Zira stared down into Scar's glazed over eyes and cried.

"You said that we would be together for all of eternity." Zira said to Scar's corpse as she continued sobbing. "It wasn't supposed to end like this."

Zira began to dig a hole where her and Scar's sleeping spot was, crying as she did.

"The day you had the hyenas eat Ubakaji, you promised that you would never leave my side. That I would be your mate, your wife, your queen. 'my sweet little kitty' you called me. You treated me better more than Ubakaji ever had but because of him, no… because of me, I let him have his way with me. After I let him shove Kovu into my belly, I became barren, unable to give you a trueborn son. I failed you back than, just as I have now. I allowed that brute to get near you." Zira lamented as she continued to dig. "I allowed Wraith to get near you."

Zira stopped digging and growled as she pictured Wraith's emotionless face stained with Scar's blood in her mind. Zira looked at Scar's dead body.

"Do you know, do you know what he did to me?" Zira asked Scar's dead body. "I floated down that river, for hours or days, I did not know. All I do know however is that I woke up and weakly dragged myself out. Before I knew, I saw several lions and hyenas, all male staring down at me. I tried to attack them but I was too weak to do so. They held me down and they said they were going to gang rape me, lions and hyenas both. Some were half my age, some were three times younger than me. I saw Wraith sitting from a distance, he didn't try to partake in it but still, he allowed them to. Before they could start however, Wraith saw my face and knew immediately who I was. He stopped his lions and hyenas from trying to gang rape me, he even killed a lion and hyena who protested. He talked of you without fully mentioning who you are. However, he didn't stop them out of kindness, he did it because he knew that when he brought me to you that I would tell you and you would have punished him. I wish he didn't stop them because I would have done just that."

Zira walked over to Scar's body and cupped his face in her paws.

"Once I'm done here, I'll find Wraith and I'll kill him and than... I'll find you." Zira said before going back to dig the hole.

When she dug a sizable hole, she began to move Scar into it.

"Mother!" a voice suddenly shouted out.

Zira growled at the sound of the voice. She turned to see Nuka had just ran into the cave with a grin as big and as goofy looking as Ed's on his face.

"What do you want, what are you doing here?" Zira angrily asked.

"Oh, well you see, I ran away after the battle began. I saw you dragging Scar into the cave. I thought about coming to help you but I decided to give you a moment." Nuka said in his usual hyper happiness.

Seeing Nuka's big, dumb, happy smile and hearing his hyper, happy voice angered Zira.

"Of course, you ran, you always run. You're as much of a coward as you are a disappointment to me." Zira hissed.

"Aw, mommy don't be like that." Nuka said.

"Don't you tell me what I can and can not do. Now make yourself and go die in the battle." Zira said harshly.

"Mother!" Nuka shouted in a hurt voice,

"You've tried to impress me all your life, well impress me by dying in battle so I don't have to deal with you any longer!" Zira said.

"Your acting as if you don't care about me." Nuka said.

"Because I don't." Zira said.

"But, but, but back a year ago with those logs. You took a second to mourn for me when you thought I was dying." Nuka stated.

"I mourned for the living shield that I lost, not the so called 'son." Zira said.

That put Nuka on the verge of tears. Zira had physically abused him all his life as well as verbally abusive but not to this level. Zira had called him weak, foolish, irresponsible, and had been told by Zira that he disappointed her but she had never said that she didn't care about him, call him a living shield, or tell him to go die in battle.

"And even if I did mourn for my so called 'son,' I don't even know why I would bother mourning you. You look exactly like him, you look like your father, Ubakaji. Your father was a swine, rapist, a waste of life, and much more, just like you." Zira said. "Every time I look at you, every time you talk, I see and hear you're father. I thought when Scar fed him to the hyenas, I'd be rid of him but I was wrong because I still had you. You look just like Ubakaji."

"So you think this is my fault?" Nuka asked.

"It's your fault, your sister's, and your brother's. If it wasn't for all of you and your father, I would have been able to give Scar a true son. You know, I was going to say that a wish you died a year ago but now I wish you didn't and were able to escape before the logs could fall on you and do you know why I wish that?" Zira asked.

Nuka didn't answer, he just stared at his 'mother' with a hurt expression on his face and a paw on his chest.

"I wish it because maybe Kiara would have convinced you to join her side, just like she did with Vitani during the battle. Because if she did, it would give me an excuse to kill you other than me just simply wanting to, which I've always wanted to do." Zira said.

Nuka began backing out of the cave.

"No one cares about you my 'son.' Not me, not your siblings, not anybody. I mean just look at you. There's no lioness who will every fall in love and mate with you. Even if there was, they would have to be pathetic like you." Zira said with a malicious grin on her face.

Nuka couldn't take Zira's cruel words anymore. He ran out of the cave sobbing.

"Finally, I thought he would never go away." Zira said.

Zira placed Scar's body in the hole she dug and began to fill it back up. When Scar's body was halfway covered in dirt, she heard someone rush into the den.

"Oh, confounded Nuka, I thought I told you to…" Zira began to say before she turned and saw Kopa standing the mouth of the cave entrance tunnel.

"Finally." Kopa said.

"Get lost!" Zira said

Kopa charged towards Zira, roaring. Zira tried to pounce on Kopa as he ran towards her but a broke into a roll. When Zira landed, Kopa grabbed her by her abdomen and body slammed her onto her back. Kopa pinned Zira to the ground by her shoulders before she could get up.

"Who are you?" Zira demanded.

Kopa released a paw from one of Zira's shoulders and punched her in the face. Zira spat out blood and a couple teeth before she looked back up at Kopa.

"You're a smart lioness Zira, I thought you would know." Kopa said.

Zira drove her back legs into Kopa's gut. It wasn't hard due to Zira losing her strength from old age and digging Scar's grave but it was enough push him off. With Kopa off of her, Zira tried to get up and swipe her claws at Kopa. Kopa dodged her claws by standing up on both his back legs and bringing his front paws down on Zira's head. Zira tried to get up, but her strength was drained from her.

Kopa kicked Zira in the side, sending her rolling a few paces. Kopa rolled Zira over and placed one of his large paws on her chest. Zira took a look at Kopa. She didn't know that this was Kopa but the lion she was seeing looked familiar and the cuts over him looked familiar to.

"Who are you?" Zira asked once again.

"Don't you remember me? 'He took someone dear to me away and now I'll return the favor by sending you to a beautiful sleep." Kopa said, repeating what Zira said to him years ago.

Zira was confused at first but when she put thought into it, she knew who this lion was. She was fighting Kopa. All the places where he had scars, Zira remembered everyplace that she slashed and cut Kopa and this lion had those scars in the exact right places.

"Prince Kopa, you survived." Zira said, completely surprised and numb with fear.

"Surprised?" Kopa guessed correctly.

Zira was seeing a literal ghost and she was scared out of her mind. Zira wasn't one to scare easily but this, a cub she thought she killed many years ago was alive and he had her life in his paws.

"I have your life in my paws Zira and when it comes to surviving you don't stand... a ghost of a chance." Kopa said darkly.

Zira had never been so terrified in her life. For a second Zira thought that she had soiled her fur but luckily for her, she didn't. Kopa raked the claws of his left paw across the ground before raising it. Kopa brought his claws down to Zira's face, his claws cutting through her skin and fur like a hot knife through soft butter. Zira screamed in pain.

Kopa wasn't done. He raised his claws once again and brought it down.

"Stop." Zira begged.

"Not until your face is unrecognizable." Kopa said.

This time Kopa racked his claws slowly across Zira's face, his claws feeling like white hot knifes to Zira. Kopa than slashed Zira's un-notched ears, splitting them into three separate shreads while still attached to her head. Kopa slashed Zira's face again, giving her slash marks over one of her eyes like he had. Kopa leaned down towards the ear that he slashed and whispered into it.

"Eye for an eye witch." Kopa said.

Kopa than grabbed onto the rest of Zira's ear and pulled, ripping it off. Zira roared in pain. Kopa spat the ear into Zira's face.

"You've taken everything from me and now I'll make you pay for it!" Kopa said, raising his claws for one finale strike.

"No, please, please no." Zira said in a weak, scared voice.

Just before Kopa could bring his claws down to finish the job, someone grabbed his paw. Kopa looked to see that Vitani had grabbed his paw. Kiara, Kion, and Zuri were close behind Vitani, looking worried.

"Siri what are you doing?" Vitani asked.

"I'm making her pay, I'm getting my revenge." Kopa answered.

"Revenge, what did Zira ever do to you, you only just met her earlier today?" Kion asked.

"What did she ever do to me? She tore us apart, she tore all of us apart." Kopa answered.

"What do you mean by that?" Kiara asked.

Kopa pointed from Kion to Kiara and to Vitani.

"She tore you two and me apart, and me and you apart, and when we were supposed to be together forever." Kopa said.

Vitani was taken back by what Kopa had just said. Vitani let go of Kopa's paw and took a few paces back.

"Who are you?" Vitani asked.

Kopa looked from Vitani to Kiara to Kion, and to Zuri. It was time to tell them.

"I'm…" Kopa began to say before Zira cut him off.

Zira had taken advantage of Kopa be distracted. She hit him as hard as she could to the side of the head causing him to loose consciousness. Zira than stood up and rammed into Kopa, sending him backwards. Vitani jumped out of the way. Kopa fell into Kiara, Kion and Zuri, pinning them under his massive bulk.

"Man, Siri is heavier than he looks." Zuri said.

Zira than pounced onto Vitani and pinned her to the ground. Zira's blood dripped onto Vitani's face as she looked down at her.

"Finally, now you can pay for betraying me like you did a year ago and when I'm done with you and everyone else, I'll finish what I started with Kopa over there." Zira said.

"Kopa!?" Kiara exclaimed in shock, looking at 'Siri' on top of her, Kion and Zuri.

"You're wrong Zira. His name is Siri, not Kopa, and you have no right, no right to say my brother's name!" Kion angrily shouted.

Zira laughed.

"Foolish child. That is your brother, Kopa. He just told me so himself. I don't know how he survived but what I do know is that when I'm done with my traitor daughter here, I'll be coming for you three and then him." Zira said.

Zira turned back to Vitani. Vitani tried to drive her legs into Zira's gut but Zira threw her lower body off of Vitani's body quickly.

"I guessed you would make that move." Zira said in a venomous tone.

Zira pounded Vitani in the side of the head, stunning her. Zira than dug her claws into Vitani's chest and then started raking them down to her belly. Vitani screamed as she tried to get her mother off her.

"Vitani!" Kiara shouted in worry for her sister-in-law.

Kiara turned to Kion and Zuri.

"Guys help me push Sir… I mean Kopa or whoever he is off of us. We need to help Vitani." Kiara said.

The three pushed Kopa off of them and began to go help Vitani but as they got up they saw someone else trying to help Vitani. Zira had suddenly screamed out and looked to see that Nuka had bitten her back right leg.

"Mother, leave Vitani alone." Nuka said.

Zira quickly grabbed Vitani's face and slammed her head against a rock next to them as hard as she could. Vitani fell to the ground, nearly unconscious. Zira than pulled away from Vitani and backpawed Nuka, sending him skidding away a few feet screaming.

"Kion!" Kiara shouted to Kion, seeing that Zira was open.

Kion used a precision Roar of the Elders that sent Zira flying into a support pillar of the cave. Zira crumpled to the ground, injured, but not dead. Soon after Zira hit the ground, the pillar started to crack from the force of Kion's roar and Zira hitting it. The crack traveled all the way up to the ceiling. The cave began to crumble around them.

Rocks fell from the ceiling of the cave, creating a large dust cloud.

"We need to get out of here." Kiara said.

"I'll get Si... or Kopa, Kiara, you get Vitani." Kion said.

Zuri helped Kion get Kopa onto his back while Kiara threw Vitani, who was beginning to lose conscious from the bump to her head and the pain from the gashes on her chest and belly, onto her back. Kiara began to run before stopping to look back at Nuka. Nuka was looking at Kiara as if he was waiting for something.

"Well, aren't you coming?" Kiara asked.

Nuka gave a small, yet happy shout of joy. Nuka got up and began to run towards Kiara and the others but Zira attacked him from behind. Nuka screamed in fright, causing everyone to look his and Zira's direction.

"I had Vitani in my claws until you butted in and ruined everything like you always do!" Zira screamed.

Zira raised her claws, ready to strike Nuka. Zuri saw this and raced to Nuka's rescue.

"Leave him alone you lousy witch!" Zuri said.

Zuri tackled Zira off Nuka and the two went rolling.

"Foolish child!" Zira yelled. "You all couldn't just stay in the Pride Lands and leave well enough alone!"

Zuri placed a paw on Zira's bloody face, pushing it into the ground.

"You're a horrible person. You just tried to kill your daughter and son." Zuri pointed out.

"They're traitors, they're weak!" Zira argued.

Zira was able to backpaw Zuri across the face. Zira got up and pinned Zuri. A boulder that fell from the ceiling just barely missed them.

"If I'm to die here I'll take at least one of you with me." Zira declared.

"No!" Zuri shouted as she tried to swipe Zira's face with her claws.

Zira pulled her head back and bit onto Zuri paw as it sailed by. Zuri screamed in pain as Zira did so. Zira laughed as she looked down at Zuri face of pain and fear.

"Yes my dear, more, give me more of those delicious screams. I want to see the fear in your pretty blue eyes as you and I both die together." Zira said through her full mouth.

Something suddenlt tackled Zira off of Zuri. Zira looked to see that Nuka had done so.

"It's just as I thought. You side with the Pride Landers like the weakling, cowardly traitor you are." Zira said.

"Well the Pride Landers are better than you." Nuka angrily said.

Zira kicked Nuka in the gut, sending him off her. She began to slowly advance towards him but Zuri rammed into her. As Zira tried to get back up for another attack, a boulder fell on one of her back legs, trapping her. Zuri walked over to Nuka and helped him to his feet.

"Thank you." Nuka said.

"Your welcome. I guess we're even now." Zuri said.

"Hay come on or you'll be trapped and die in here!" Kion shouted from the mouth of the large cavern.

Nuka and Zuri gathered themselves and ran after Kiara and Kion. Zira shouted curses at everyone as they ran away and left her to die. When everyone got outside they took in some fresh air and laid down.

"Is everyone alright?" Kiara asked as she set Vitani, who had finally lost conscious, down.

After everyone said they were alright, Kion laid Kopa down and looked at him with disbelief in her eyes. Kiara, Zuri, and Nuka joined in. They couldn't believe what they heard back in that cave. Siri, the brave, friendly, and funny lion that they had just met about two weeks ago was probably Kiara and Kion's long thought dead brother, Kopa.

"So, this is Kopa?" Zuri asked, not knowing what to say.

"This can't be, Zira was lying. She was probably just saying that to mess with us." Kion said.

"I'm not saying that I believe her or not but remember that Siri said he had amnesia and that Dalia found him half dead in a river?" Kiara asked.

"Yeah." Kion and Zuri both said.

"It's too much of a coincidence I think." Kiara said with hope in her voice.

Kion didn't know what to think but now that Kiara said it, he was starting to think this was Kopa. Some of the former Outlanders had told him about Zira's attack on Kopa and they were pretty graphic. Kion looked and saw scars on the places where the Outlanders told him Zira had struck him, not to mention everything about his amnesia. Kion looked at Kiara, not knowing what t believe. Kiara placed a paw on Kopa's shoulder and tried to shake him awake.

Kopa began mumbling.

"What, mom is pregnant dad?" Kopa mumbled.

"What is he talking about?" Nuka asked.

"I think he's having a memory relapse. He's reliving a memory from his cubhood." Zuri said.

Everyone continued to listen to Kopa has he mumbled.

"I want it to be a girl. I've always wanted a sister since I met Vitani, because she has felt like a sister to me. I'll be her big brother and Vitani could be a like a big sister to her like she is to me. What, really? You want me to pick a name for her for when she's born? I have the perfect name for her dad. When she's born let's name her Kiara, it means 'bright' it's a beautiful name, perfect for a princess and a sister." Kopa mumbled.

Everyone looked at Kiara after Kopa mumbled that. Kiara was staring at Kopa in shock, her eyes wide open and her jaw nearly hitting the ground. She couldn't believe it. Her parents didn't name her 'Kiara' because they liked the name, they did it because Kopa chose it for her and to honor his memory. Tears fell from her eyes, Kiara had never felt so honored and grateful.

"Oh, that's beautiful, he chose your name for you before you were even born." Zuri said.

"It's a name to be proud of." Kiara whispered softly.

Kopa continued to mumble on.

"No Dalia, I can't remember my name, it hurts to remember. You know, sometimes I wonder if I was a royal, Dalia and if I had a brother or sister to." Kopa mumbled.

Kiara and Kion looked at each other. They were now certain on their thoughts. This was their long-lost brother, this was Kopa.

"He's alive." Kiara said in disbelief.

"We've got to tell dad." Kion said.

A groan was suddenly heard. Everyone looked towards Vitani and at her chest belly. There were deep, long cuts along it where Zira had clawed her. A lot much blood was seeping out of the gashes that everyone grew concerned for her.

"We've got to get her to Rune." Zuri said.

"Ugh, that grizzled old prune?" Nuka scoffed in disgust.

"He's the only one that can save your sister." Kiara said, wiping the tears away from her eyes.

"Yes, he is. The only question is, who's going to save you all?" a voice suddenly asked.

Everyone looked to see Scarred Pride lions and hyenas starting to surround them.

"Oh no, not now." Kiara said.

A lion stepped in front of the pride and clans to represent them.

"You all humiliated us and we don't know where King Wraith is, so now we're going to have to take care of all of you." the lion said.

Kiara, Kion, Zuri, and even Nuka made a circle around Vitani and Kopa's bodies.

"Kion, can you use your roar on them?" Nuka asked.

"Yeah but they're so spread out that I won't be able to get all of them before some grab us." Kion said.

"Oh, where's Simba and the rest of the pride when you need 'em?" Zuri groaned.

"We're going to have to fight our way out of here the old-fashioned way." Kiara said.

A lioness raced forward towards Kiara but something tackled it and snapped its neck. Everyone looked to see that it was Shenzi who killed the lioness.

"You?" Kiara said in surprise.

Banzai and Ed than came to Shenzi's side along with twenty other hyenas. They hyenas formed a circle around Kiara's group and faced the Scarred Pride lions and hyenas. Shenzi looked over her shoulder at Kiara.

"Need a little help princess?" Shenzi asked.

Chapter 32: Happy Endings

Kiara stared at Shenzi in shock. Shenzi and her two friends had been chasing after Taka and gave him a scar about half an hour ago and now she wanted to help them. Kiara wondered if Shenzi offering to help was genuine, or just some trick. Kiara quickly made her decision.

"Yes, we could use help." Kiara said.

"Kiara are you serious?" Kion asked, remembering that Jasiri told him to be careful if they came across Shenzi and her two friends.

Kiara looked to her younger brother.

"It's either except their help or get slaughtered." Kiara said.

Kion didn't want to admit it but Kiara was right. Without Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, and their allies the four of them would get slaughtered by the Scarred Pride and then they would to the same to Kopa and Vitani.

"Ugh, I have a bad feeling about this." Kion groaned.

"Hay, you two little turtle doves quit talking and do more getting ready for a fight." Banzai shouted over to Kiara and Kion.

The lion leading the Scarred Priders glared at Shenzi.

"Shenzi, you little traitor!" the lion growled.

"Sorry big guy, but me, my friends, and those that remain of our old clan here have turned over a new leaf." Shenzi said.

The lion growled and charged at Shenzi. As the lion got close to Shenzi, she quickly made a side step to lion's back legs. Shenzi grabbed onto one and put all of her bite strength into it, shattering the lion's leg bone. The lion roared in pain and tried slash Shenzi with his claws but she jumped back. As the lion tried to pull his paw back, Banzai, Ed, and another hyena grabbed onto it.

The three pulled the lion to the ground and quickly gutted him.

"One down, about forty to go." Banzai said.

"Charge them!" a hyena shouted.

Shenzi turned to her clan of twenty-two.

"Alright ladies and germs, it's mauling time!" Shenzi said.

The entire clan barked and yipped and charged.

"Should we help them?" Zuri asked.

"Zuri, you and… it's Nuka, right?" Kiara asked.

"Yeah." Nuka confirmed.

"Alright. Zuri and Nuka, you two stay here and keep Vitani and Kopa safe. Me and Kion will go help the hyenas." Kiara said.

"But Vitani is bleeding out. Shouldn't we try to get her back to Rune?" Zuri asked.

"No, if you run you'll just be inviting the Scarred Pride to come after you. You're safer if stay here." Kion said.

"Alright, just be careful." Zuri said.

"Don't worry, we will." Kiara said before she and Kion ran into the heat of the fight.

Shenzi was fighting with a large lion. She had a small scratch on her shoulder and front right leg, which made her hold it up and limp.

"I always knew you would betray us one day." the lion said.

"Well what did you expect?" Shenzi asked the lion. "This pride has over a hundred lions and just as many hyenas living in it. I'm surprised that more of us haven't died from starvation or dehydration."

"That's because in this pride the strong survive and the weak get put out of their misery, just like I'm going to do to you." the lion said.

The lion tried to lunge at Shenzi. Shenzi rolled underneath the lion and sunk her teeth into his stomach. The lion improvised and let himself fall on top of Shenzi. With Shenzi dazed the lion got up. He one paw on her shoulder and the other on her face.

The lion went for her neck but Kion tackled him away from Shenzi before he could get her.

"Not today." Kion said.

The lion was able to push Kion off of him and he tried to swipe at his face. Kion however ducked and hit the lion under the jaw with his head. The lion clutched his jaw in pain while cursing Kion. Kion shouldered the lion into a couple of Shenzi's hyenas, who finished the job.

"Thanks guy." one of the hyenas said.

"Yeah, your welcome, I guess." Kion said.

"You guess?" a female hyena questioned.

The female hyena saying that reminded Kion of his first meeting with Jasiri years ago. Kion looked around the battlefield at Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. Kion wondered why these three hyenas had just suddenly gotten a change of heart.

"Are they doing this for Jasiri, are they trying to prove something to her?" Kion wondered.

A couple of hyenas suddenly tackled Kion to the ground.

"You know, I've never had lion before. I wonder what you taste like?" one of the hyenas holding Kion down said.

The hyenas went for the kill but Banzai and Ed came up, pulled the hyenas off and killed them.

"Hay kid, pay attention to the fight or get killed." Banzai said.

Kion looked up and Banzai. Looking at him made Kion doubt that he was Jasiri's father. Jasiri's fur had a purplish hue to it while Banzai and Shenzi's fur were completely grey. They also had yellow eyes when Jasiri's eyes were a mix of blue and purple, and Kion also thought that if Jasiri was Shenzi and Banzai's daughter, she would have bangs like Shenzi instead of her hyena's mane looking like a full head hair. Kion growled in anger.

There was no way that Jasiri was related to these hyenas. They looked nothing alike. They were just trying to manipulate Jasiri and use her to get to them and sell them all out to the Scarred Pride. It made Kion furious. Jasiri was a very close friend to him and he cared about her a lot.

And when Kion was trying to get Jasiri and her clan into the Pride Lands about a year ago, he had almost destroyed his relationship with his father. Kion wanted to jump up and punish Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed for trying to manipulate Jasiri, but he couldn't now. He, Kiara, Zuri, Kopa, Vitani, and even Nuka needed their help to get out of their current situation. Kion decided that he would deal with Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed later.

Kiara was in the heat of battle, fighting against lionesses and hyenas. She was looking for Shenzi, she wanted to talk to her. Kiara saw Shenzi struggling with a male hyena that was larger than her. Kiara ran towards them. The larger hyena had knocked Shenzi to the ground and was going for the death blow to her neck.

Kiara grabbed the hyena by the neck and pulled him off Shenzi just as his teeth were about to sink into her neck. Kiara squeezed the hyena's neck as hard as she could, suffocating it. When the hyena was dead, Kiara let it fall from her jaws. Kiara than looked to Shenzi and immediately felt white hot anger flare inside her. She was one of the hyenas that had given her first born his scar.

Kiara had every right to tear Shenzi apart, make her feel the pain that her son felt but she couldn't now even if she wanted to. Kiara just reached down a paw towards Shenzi with a stern look on her face.

"We need to talk later." Kiara said.

"Yes, little princess." Shenzi said, knowing exactly what Kiara was talking about.

Shenzi took Kiara's paw and the two stood side-by-side, facing opposite directions. Kiara couldn't help but be surprised. Kiara remembered when her father first told her about Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. She had just turned two when she asked her father to tell her the story about how exactly he came to be king and overthrew Scar. She had told him to leave out no details, especially the parts with Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed.

After Simba had told Kiara the story, she had wished that he hadn't been so detailed. The parts with Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed had scared her so much that she had nightmares of them that very night. In her nightmare she was a young cub in the elephant graveyard and trying to hide from Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. In the nightmare Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed were so tall that they're bodies were hidden by the clouds with only they're legs sticking out through the stormy clouds of the dream. The dream always ended with Shenzi catching Kiara by her tail, throwing her into the air, swallowing her whole, and millions of other Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed's pulling her down into Shenzi's stomach acids to be digested.

After that nightmare Kiara thought that the last thing she would ever be doing in her life was fighting alongside Shenzi and her two friends. Lionesses and hyenas charged at Kiara and Shenzi with the intent to maul them to death. Kiara and Shenzi, still stayed close to each other and twirled around as they clawed, kicked, punched, and shoulder shoved the oncoming Scarred Priders.

"How you holding up little princess?" Shenzi asked.

"Couldn't be better" Kiara said.

A lioness charged at Kiara and tried to pounce on her, but one of Shenzi's hyenas tackled it.

"How large is this pride anyway?" Kiara asked.

"There's like over a hundred lions, too many to count exactly how many thought, the same goes for the hyenas. By best guess would be about two-hundred and forty-five members in total?" Shenzi guessed.

"That's insane." Kiara said.

"Yeah, but you've reduced their numbers significantly. The twenty hyenas I got here with Banzai and Ed, about forty killed back there, and there's about sixty here." Shenzi answered.

"If your calculations are right and we kill all these Scarred Priders, that would still leave one-hundred and twenty-five members still." Kiara said.

"There are also the ones you all killed before you arrived. Also, I've heard of that resistance rumor that's been going around for a while, how many are there?" Shenzi asked.

"Like seventy-six." Kiara said.

"Than if your calculations are correct that would leave about forty loyal members left to kill if we kill all these ones here. In fact, we might not have to kill them all. Scar is dead, Zira is a nobody to everyone with Scar dead, and if we kill Wraith they all or at least most of them might lose heart and run off." Shenzi informed Kiara.

"Then we gotta find Wraith." Kiara said.

A lion suddenly came at Kiara. The two lunged at each other, gripping onto the other's shoulders. Kiara and the lion pawed and bit at each other. Shenzi tried to attack from behind, but two lionesses began to circle her. The lion kicked Kiara in the gut with one of his back paws.

Kiara groaned and fell to the ground. The lion placed one paw on Kiara's head.

"I can't wait to see Wraith eat you. Maybe he'll even leave your fun area for me to play with." the lion said.

The lion than put both of his paws on Kiara's head with the intent to crush her skull like an egg. Kion saw this and tried to rush to her rescue, some lions got in his way however. Banzai and Ed were to busy with their fights to go help her, and Shenzi was still fighting the two lionesses. Kiara began to shout out from the pain in her skull. Just as Kiara thought her skull was going crack under the force of the lion's paws, something tackled him off her.

Kiara looked and saw the Kopa had tackled the lion off her. Kopa had the lion's head in his large paw and was repeatedly slamming his face into the ground. When the lion died, Kopa walked over to Kiara and helped her up. Kiara should have been shouting with joy for really meeting her older btother for the first time, asking Kopa many questions, and saying how glad she was to finally be meeting him when she thought she never would, instead she said probably one of the most corniest things that she could say right now.

"Well, this is one very funny situation that we're in aren't we Kopa?" Kiara asked.

"Very funny indeed." Kopa said, not surprised that Kiara had just said his name because of all that happened in the cave.

"You should have stayed with Zuri and Nuka." Kiara said.

"I saw you in trouble and I wasn't going to just let you fight on your own." Kopa said.

A couple of lions and hyenas surrounded Kiara and Kopa with the intent to kill. Kiara and Kopa stood beside each other, facing different directions.

"We've got a lot of years to make up for when we get back home don't we." Kopa asked.

"You better believe it." Kiara said, swiping a hyena away from herself.

Kion, Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, and the hyenas of Shenzi's clan ran to the middle of the battle with Kiara and Kopa. Kion looked to Kopa.

"It's good to be meeting you." Kion said.

"We'll have a proper actual first meeting latter but we got to take care of all these barbarians first." Kopa said.

"Mmmhmm." Kion grunted.

"Give them a roar to increase our odds of survival Kion." Kiara suggested.

"And make sure your roar 'em off a cliff or something like that." Shenzi added.

Kion looked and saw the perfect opening to roar away a bunch of Scarred Pride members. Kion took the chance and gave a single Roar of the Elders, halving the Scarred Priders they had to fight down to nineteen.

"There, now this should go easier." Kion said.

A lion with a scraggly, tangled dark brown mane, who seemed to be taking the leadership role, walked in front of the remaining Scarred Pride lions, lionesses and hyenas.

"Umber!" Banzai growled towards the lion.

Umber looked towards the lions, lionesses and hyenas.

"Who owns the Scarred Lands?!" Umber asked.

"We do!" the Scarred Priders shouted.

"WHO OWNS THE SCARRED LANDS?!" Umber shouted at the top of his lungs.

"We do!" the Scarred Priders shouted.

"SHOW ME!" Umber commanded.

Umber turned around to face his enemies and shouted before he and the other Scarred Priders charged.

"Hevi kabisa!" Kion shouted.

"You can say that again." Kopa said.

"Charge everybody!" Shenzi commanded.

Everyone roared and barked before charging. Both Pride Landers, Shenzi's clan, and Scarred Priders collided with each other, trying to tear their enemies apart. Zuri and Nuka were watching from the sidelines, worried for their friends.

"We should help them." Zuri said.

"Are you kidding, those guys have teeth and claws." Nuka said in fear.

Zuri and Nuka heard Vitani suddenly groan. The two looked down to see Vitani regaining consciousness.

"Where am I?" Vitani asked.

Zuri placed a paw on Vitani's shoulder to keep her from rising.

"Easy Vitani, you'd don't want to make your cuts any worse than they already are." Zuri said.

Vitani was confused before she remembered her fight with her mother. Vitani looked at herself and saw the cuts on her chest and belly that her mother had given her. They stopped bleeding a little but a lot of blood was still oozing out.

"Where's Siri?" Vitani asked.

"You mean Kopa?" Nuka asked.

"Nuka?" Vitani exclaimed, surprised to see her brother standing peacefully beside Zuri.

"Yeah, well… Kopa is over there in that battle, hopefully not getting his windpipe ripped out." Nuka said, pointing towards the battle.

Vitani by force of habit began to rise to go join the fight. Nuka and Zuri however pushed Vitani back down.

"Vitani stay down, you're going to only hurt yourself more." Zuri said with concern.

"If Siri is Kopa, he needs my help. So, does Kiara, even Kion." Vitani argued.

"Kiara told us to keep you safe and that's what we're going to do." Zuri argued back.

"I failed to keep Kopa safe when we were cubs and I'm not going to do the same as an adult now!" Vitani stubbornly replied.

"You can do that by not making your wounds worse and dying by bleeding to death." Nuka said.

"Shut up Nuka, you know I never listen to you." Vitani stated.

"Dammit Vitani, you can take a lot of punishment, we all know that. You don't have to prove anything to yourself or Kopa. So, stop being stubborn and lay down." Zuri said.

"Got you!" the three heard a voice say,

The three looked to see that the lion, Umber had backed Kopa into a group of three lions. The three lions held onto Kopa while Umber reputedly punched him in the face the point where Kopa's face bled.

"Oh no, Kopa." Zuri exclaimed in fear.

Vitani took her chance and bolted towards the battlefield towards Kopa.

"Vitani get back here, lay down!" Zuri shouted.

Vitani however didn't listen to a single word Zuri said. Vitani's cut burned with pain and she made them open more as she ran towards Kopa. When she got close enough, she pounced and landed on the three lions. She savagely bit and clawed at them, causing them to let go of Kopa and back away in fear.

"Little wench!" Umber growled inirritation.

Vitani turned to Umber and growled. Umber lunged and was able to grab Vitani. Vitani struck her head forward and lamped her jaws onto Umber's face and put all her bite force into it, cracking the front of Umber's skull a little bit. Umber slammed Vitani into the ground and raised his claws to swipe at her. Kopa struck first however.

Kopa pounced onto Umber and was able to reach through his mane and tare his throat out. Vitani got up and also slashed at Umber's face a little bit as h fell. Kopa fell to the ground in exhaustion, almost losing consciousness. Kopa looked at Vitani and pulled her closer to him.

"You're so stubborn." Kopa said.

Kopa kept dosing off from exhaustion but he tried to shake it away. Before long Kopa got his strength back and looked to see that the Kiara, Kion, and Shenzi's clan had killed the other Scarred Priders. Kiara and Kion walked over to Kopa. Kiara looked at Vitani.

"She came to help you, didn't she?" Kiara asked.

Kopa was too exhausted to answer, so he just nodded his head.

"We should get back. We need to let dad know you're alive." Kiara said.

"Dad." Kopa simply said before laying down to get some rest.

Shenzi came up to Kiara.

"You wanted to talk to me?" Shenzi asked.

"Yes, I do." Kiara said.

"And I'm guessing Banzai and Ed to?" Shenzi asked.

Kiara simply nodded to confirm Shenzi's guess.

"Well, you're all exhausted from that fight and so are we. Coming looking for the three of us tomorrow and bring your son as well." Shenzi said.

"Alright." Kiara agreed.

Shenzi was kind enough to help get Kopa onto Kion's back and get Vitani of Kiara's back, even though Vitani argued that she could walk.

"Good night little princess." Shenzi said.

Kiara looked to Shenzi with a small glare.

"Same to you. And don't call me by my title." Kiara said.

When the six got back to the cave, it was pitch black outside. Almost everyone was asleep, except for a few lions and hyenas on lookout, and Ni, who was waiting with them.

"Where were you five, and what's he doing here?" Ni asked, glaring at Nuka.

"Relax Ni, he's on our side now." Zuri said.

"Nuka helping us, ha!" a hyena laughed.

"Believe it or not, he saved my life and Vitani's." Zuri said.

"It's true." Kiara said.

Ni looked towards Nuka, who looked scared. Ni than turned to Zuri.

"Very well, but he's your responsibility. Watch him, and if he causes trouble you're going to pay the price." Ni said with authority.

"Understood." Zuri said.

Ni than noticed Vitani was bleeding.

"You all have got some explaining to do tomorrow, but for right now take her to Rune." Ni said.

Ni than looked at Kiara and Kion with a look of sympathy.

"Ni, why are you looking at us like that?" Kion asked with a hint of worry-ness in his voice.

"First off, your mother is doing alright, nowhere near fully alright but alright enough but something has happened that you'll all need to talk about. Find your family after you get Vitani to Rune." Ni said.

"Alright." Kiara said.

Everyone than walked into the resistance's hideout den. Zuri and Nuka broke off from the others and laid down near a wall not too far away from the entrance together.

"Hay." Zuri said.

Nuka looked towards Zuri.

"Yeah?" Nuka questioned.

"Thanks for saving me back in the cave when we were fighting Zira and for saving Vitani as well." Zuri said.

"Your welcome I guess and thank you for your part in saving me as well. I don't really want to talk about it." Nuka said, laying his head on his front paws

"Okay." Zuri said, understanding.

Zuri nuzzled her head against Nuka's cheek. Nuka's eyes shot open in surprise and he looked towards Zuri.

"That's my way of saying thank you." Zuri said before laying her own head down on her front paws.

Kion and Kiara with Vitani on her back, arrived at Rune's part of the den, where Rune, his apprentice Andika, and Dalia still were.

"How's my mom doing?" Kiara asked.

"She's doing alright dear, we might have gotten her here just in time to save her." Dalia said.

"But?" Kiara asked.

"But, it's still too soon to say. Even if we defeat the Scarred Pride, we might have to stay here for a few weeks just to make sure her throat heals perfectly or find some large piece of bark and sled her to the Pride Lands with it." Dalia said.

"Well, I hope you all can take one more." Kiara said.

Kiara gently laid Vitani down on a large leaf bed. Rune, Andika and Dalia saw Vitani's injury.

"My god, what happened?" Dalia asked.

"Vitani can fill you in on what happened if she wants. I'm going to go to sleep for now." Kiara said.

"Alright dear, we'll take as good care of her, and your mother as we still can." Dalia said.

"Thank you, Dalia." Kiara said.

Dalia pressed her head against Kiara's before they went to their separate matters. Kion had just set Kopa down a fair distance away from where Vitani was. Kiara and Kion than looked at each other.

"Let's find the others like Ni suggested." Kion said.

"Yeah." Kiara agreed.

Kiara and Kion looked around the den for their family. They found 'em by the lake in the cave with all the other Pride Landers and former Outlanders. Kiara and Kion walked towards them, pardoning they're way through. As they walked through the group, the Pride Landers and former Outlanders gave them looks of sympathy. Kiara and Kion looked at each other, more worried than before.

When they got through the group, they saw the rest of their family members. None of them looked happy however. Kiara and Kion saw their grandmother, Sarabi holding something in her paws tight against her chest and her faced pressed into it, she was sobbing. Simba was nuzzling his face against his mother's head, he was also sobbing. Kiara and Kion looked and saw Kovu with Taka, who was sound asleep in his paws with a leaf bandage over his eye.

Tiifu was next to him and Bluu was with her, her face pressed against one of Tiifu's legs and sobbing into it. Tiifu, also with tears in her eyes, had a paw on Bluu's back. Everyone had looks of sorrow on their faces, all except two, and those two were missing. Kiara and Kion felt the fur on the back of their neck stand up in fear. They had questions, so they went up to the one they knew had the answers.

"Grandma Sarabi, what's going on with everyone?" Kiara asked.

"And where's Grandma Sarafina and Uncle Mheetu?" Kion asked.

Sarabi looked up at her two grandchildren with her red, puffy eyes.

"He is just an animal, passing on his cruelty to anyone he sees fit." Sarabi wailed.

Kiara and Kion began baking away in fright.

"Grandma, what are you talking about?" Kiara asked.

Sarabi took her paws away from her chest to reveal what she had been holding onto so tightly.

"OH, MY GOD!" Kiara shirked.

"NO!" Kion shouted in immediate grief.

In Sarabi's paws, she held Sarafina's head, which had been torn from her body. Kiara's body fell to the ground, her paw over her mouth in grief. Kion fell against some Outlander lionesses, who caught him. Kiara looked towards her grandmother, her own tears falling out of her eyes.

"What happened and where is Uncle Mheetu and that lioness who went you, Imepigwa?" Kiara asked.

"Ambushed, Wraith." Sarabi was able to choke out.

"What happened?" Kiara asked.

Flashback:

Sarabi, Sarafina, Mheetu, and Imepigwa were running South, towards where the resistance's hideout cave was. Imepigwa was in front of them. As they ran, they all kept watching their backs for anyone following them.

"How much further?" Sarabi suddenly asked.

"Just follow me." Imepigwa said.

Imepigwa than turned, now heading Northwest. After a while, Mheetu tried to ask about the cave they were headed towards again.

"Imepigwa, is this the way to the cave you're taking us to?" Mheetu asked.

"No." Imepigwa said.

"What!? You mean your taking us in the wrong direction?" Mheetu asked.

"I'm doing this try to throw any Scarred Priders who might be following us off our tracks. Just run for a few more minutes, than we're going to double back and run in another direction to throw them off our trail. Whenever any of us resistance fighters go to the cave, this is exactly what we do to try and confuse anyone who might be following us." Imepigwa explained.

"Valid point." Sarafina said.

The four ran for a couple more minutes before coming to rest against a hill with a small steep ledge to it.

"Rest for one minutes and then we double back." Imepigwa said.

The three did as Imepigwa said as she stood guard. When that one minute was up, the four began retrace their steps to double back but as they did, they heard a roar from above the small hill's ledge before something fell on them and turned their world black.

When Sarabi came to, her entire body ached. She tried to stand up, but her body felt too heavy. Sarabi decided to look around her. Sarabi saw that Mheetu and Sarafina were next to her, unconscious. Sarabi than looked in front of her and screamed in shock.

Imepigwa was in front of her, Sarafina, and Mheetu. Well, most of her. Imepigwa's body from the ribcage up was nothing but bloody bones. Sarabi than heard a ghostly laugh. Sarabi looked to see that lion named Wraith behind the carcass.

Wraith was licking his blood-stained muzzle. Sarabi wondered why Wraith's muzzle was stained with blood but than she looked back at Imepigwa's corpse.

"You know, other than Ni, I always expected Imepigwa to be one of these rumored resistance fighters. I always told her that if I found out that she was, I'd take great pleasure in eating her." Wraith said in his ghostly voice. "Oh, and these two seem to be getting up from their naps."

Sarabi looked and saw Sarafina and Mheetu beginning to wake up. They gasped as soon as they saw Wraith and what was left of Imepigwa. Mheetu growled and tried to rise but fell back down to the ground. Mheetu along with Sarabi and Sarafina looked to see that his left back leg was completely twisted around, obviously broken. The three gasped and looked at Wraith, who was sadistically smiling.

"Sorry, accident." Wraith said.

"You sick, twisted freak." Mheetu growled.

"Oh, I beg to differ boy but you seem to be the one whose… twisted." Wraith said, pointed at Mheetu's twisted back leg.

The three looked up at Wraith. The last time they saw him was during the battle and it caused them to wonder what Wraith was doing here.

"Where are our family and friends Wraith?" Sarafina demanded.

"Escaped me unfortunately. I also gotta say that even though he's my enemy, I am impressed with that roar your grandson and nephew Kion has. Felt the force of it myself. Sent me flying about a good mile maybe." Wraith said.

"Did you hurt him?" Sarafina asked with fear.

Wraith gave a small laugh as he looked at Sarafina.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about him. You should be worrying about someone else, Sarafina, mother of Queen Nala of the Pride Lands." Wraith said.

Sarafina and Mheetu suddenly looked very fearful at Wraith's mention of Nala.

"What did you do with her?" Sarafina asked with fear in her voice.

Wraith chuckled evilly and lightly scratched his throat with his claws.

"Let's just say that your pretty daughter has a beautiful neck." Wraith said.

Sarafina and Mheetu stared at Wraith, confused but then realized what he meant.

"Nala!" Sarafina shouted with fear.

Mheetu growled and stood on his paws, ignoring the pain in his broken leg. Mheetu tried to lunge at Wraith but he merely stepped aside shoulder shoved Mheetu. Mheetu feel easily off his balance thanks to his broken leg. Wraith grabbed Mheetu by the mane and slammed his head a few times against a rock. Sarafina and Sarabi roared in anger and attacked the creamy white lion.

Wraith couldn't help but scoff in mocking amusement. Wraith turned around and grabbed Sarabi by the neck and threw her to the side. Wraith than turned to Sarafina and rammed into her chest. Sarafina fell to the ground, winded. Mheetu tried to attack Wraith from behind.

Wraith noticed and swiped at Mheetu's legs. As Mheetu fell to the ground, he fell onto one of Imepigwa's upturned ribs, which impaled the side of his head.

"No!" Sarafina shouted once she saw this.

Wraith looked down at Mheetu with a blank expression on his face as he died.

"Oh, how most unfortunate." Wraith simply said.

Wraith grabbed Mheetu by the shoulders, pulling him off Imepigwa's rib bones and throwing him aside. Wraith broke off the rib that had impaled Mheetu and inspected it.

"Thank you Imepigwa." Wraith said.

Sarafina glared at Wraith. She struggled into standing up. Once she was on her paws, she charged Wraith. While in mid sprint, she lunged at Wraith. Wraith quickly grabbed Mheetu's body and threw it at Sarafina.

Mheetu's body collided with Sarafina, pinning her to the ground as he fell on top of her. Wraith grabbed Imepigwa's rib bone in his teeth and began to walk towards Sarafina and Mheetu's body. Sarabi roared in anger and charged at Wraith. Wraith slapped Sarabi in the face before she could reach him, sending her back. Wraith continued to walk towards Sarafina.

When Wraith got to her, he rolled Mheetu's body off her and grabbed Sarafina by the neck. Sarafina tried to swipe with her right paw at Wraith but he just simply slapped it away. Wraith dragged Sarafina to the wall of his cave and pressed her against it. Wraith stood on his back legs and took Imepigwa's in his other front paw.

"Old women, you really need to grow up. You come to fight against this pride at your age and think you can challenge me?" Wraith laughed. "Now if you would be so kind as to holding this for me." Wraith said before stabbed Sarafina in the throat with the same bone that killed Mheetu.

"No!" Sarabi cried as she saw what Wraith did to her childhood best friend.

Sarafina gasped and coughed while grabbing at the bone in her neck. As she fell to the ground, she looked up at Wraith and glared at him before falling to the ground. Wraith stepped back as Sarabi ran over to Sarafina. Sarabi pulled the rib bone out of her friend's throat and tossed aside.

"No, no, no. This can't be, this isn't happening, this isn't happening." Sarabi said in denial.

"Oh, but it is." Wraith said.

Sarabi, with tears in her eyes, looked up at Wraith.

"You, you are just an animal. Passing on your cruelty to whoever you see fit!" Sarabi shouted.

Wraith stared at Sarabi with cold eyes.

"You're right, I do." Wraith agreed.

Sarabi stood there for a few minutes, glaring at Wraith. She couldn't understand how someone like Wraith could be so cold hearted, so evil.

"What did this world ever do to you Wraith?" Sarabi demanded.

"My family, my pride." Wraith answered.

"What did they do to you Wraith, what did they do to turn you into… this?" Sarabi asked, looking at Imepigwa's half-eaten corpse.

Wraith took a few seconds to look at Imepigwa's corpse before turning back to Sarabi. Sarabi looked and saw a small hint of sadness in Wraith's eyes but they were immediately replaced by his cold, icy stare.

"It's not what they did to me, it's what they would have done to me." Wraith said.

"What do you mean?" Sarabi asked.

"My family and pride mates never did anything to me, they were loving and caring lions and lionesses but when I was the cub, the very first thing I could remember was the nightmares." Wraith said.

"Nightmares?" Sarabi questioned.

"Yes, the nightmares. Every night I had nightmares of the wraiths of my family, of my mother, father, sibling, pride mates, and the wraiths of my ancestors. In the nightmares, they attacked me with the intent to kill me. I knew they were dreams but that didn't stop the constant paranoia I always felt around everyone." Wraith explained.

Sarabi stared at Wraith. Even through all her anger and hatred she felt for him right now, she couldn't help but feel a small amount of sympathy for Wraith after hearing his story. Sarabi however than thought about Scar and all the lies he told to make others believe he was the good guy.

"How can I even trust what you're telling me is real?" Sarabi asked.

"Because, I'm not Scar, Sarabi. I won't lie." Wraith said. "Lies and manipulations, using them to make others think you're the good guy to them, one showing that they value those qualities is a sign of weakness and Scar was weak because he used them."

Sarabi stared at Wraith, she didn't know why but she believed him.

"Did you even love your family and your pride?" Sarabi asked.

"No, I didn't. I wanted to but the nightmares and the paranoia they caused wouldn't allow it. I always thought they would one day try to kill me like in the dream. Those thoughts became stronger when I was a year old. An old lioness came to our pride and I talked to her. I told her of my dreams but I didn't tell her that my pride or dead ancestors were the ones who attacked me in those dreams, I just simply said that lions attacked me. She told me that dreams can be prophecies that predict the future. My paranoia became worse after that. That very night, I had a dream of… one of the certain cubs attack and try to kill me. The very next day, I took that cub into a secluded area with me and I kill the cub." Wraith said.

Sarabi stared at Wraith in shock. Wraith noticed and stared into her eyes for a minute.

"When I did, I saw the same fear in his eyes as are in yours. The land, this land, which was our home soon began to die and in a couple months, we decided to leave them but we were attacked by humans as we left. Me and my mother made it out but no one else did, because I left the rest of them to die when I could have saved them, but I couldn't because of the nightmares, because of the paranoia. Me and my mother wandered for weeks, coming into a desert. She died within days from hunger and thirst, which was a pity, because out of all my pride mates, I hated and feared her the least. Scar than found me, we came back to these lands, killed the humans, and here we are today." Wraith explained.

Sarabi stared at Wraith with face that showed she couldn't decide something.

"You hate me, don't you? It wouldn't be the first someone has." Wraith said.

"No, I pity you. You had it all when you were young, yet you were too blinded by simple dreams to see it and you allowed them to make you hate others who don't deserve your hate and you allowed your hate to turn you into what you are. I pity you." Sarabi said, keeping a stoic look on her face.

"The nightmares and paranoia aren't the only things who have made me who I am. It was the stories that the old lioness who came to our pride told me." Wraith said.

"What were the stories?" Sarabi asked.

"Of the Old Way." Wraith said.

Sarabi gasped when Wraith said those words.

"She came from a pride that was ruled by the Old Way. She couldn't take that life style anymore, so she left and found my pride, which was a follower of the New Way, like the one your Pride Lands follow." Wraith said.

"Do you even know what the Old Way is Wraith?" Sarabi asked.

"Yes, I understand it entirely and it's what I want, what I've always wanted. Scar, I used him, from the very first moment, I used him. He was to help me gather a large pride, big enough to help me in my quest. I was going to let him rule it until he died, then I would take over. That day came sooner as you saw earlier." Wraith said.

"You used lies and manipulation to make Scar see you as the good guy. You said using those traits are a sign of weakness, yet you used them. So, doesn't that make you a hypocrite Wraith?" Sarabi asked.

Wraith walked towards the mouth of the cave, looking out at the sky. Wraith soon turned around with a creepy smile on his face.

"Yes, it does." Wraith admitted. "But it doesn't matter. Whatever… feelings I had towards that old dead lion are gone now. Now, there is only the future. I could kill you as I killed these two and send your bodies as a message but no. Think I'll keep you alive and send you to find the resistance pride to deliver my message."

Wraith roughly shoved Sarabi aside and walked towards Sarafina's corpse. Wraith dug his claws deep into her neck and roughly tore it off. Sarabi looked on with her paws over her mouth in shock. Sarabi wondered how a lion, even one like Wraith could be so disrespectful towards the dead. Wraith threw Sarafina's head to Sarabi.

"Take her head with you, the others will stay here. Oh, and don't bother telling the others I'm in this cave, I plan to be long gone and waiting somewhere else by the time they get here, and I know how to cover my tracks. Go tell them what happened here but leave our conversations about my life to yourself." Wraith said.

"Fine, those secrets about your life are yours to keep and tell as you see fit and unlike you, I respect the privacy and secrets of others." Sarabi said, wiping tears from her eyes and picking up Sarafina's head.

"I'll also do you a favor. Sarafina and Mheetu, I think their names were. I won't eat their bodies yet. I'll leave them here for you to take back to the Pride Lands to burry in case you win this war, which you wont." Wraith said.

"Thank you, Wraith." Sarabi growled.

Sarabi began to walk off.

"Oh, and Sarabi." Wraith said.

Sarabi turned back to Wraith.

"If you think this story is going to have a happy ending, then you clearly haven't been paying attention." Wraith said.

END OF FLASHBACK:

Sarabi had just finished telling the others what happened at Wraith's cave. She kept Wraith's story and goals to herself like she promised though. Kiara and Kion looked around at everyone, in shock about the story they just heard.

"Mom is going to be so devastated when she hears what happened." Kion said.

"That's even if she ever gets up again." Kiara said.

"Kiara, don't say that. Of course, she will." Kovu gently said.

Kiara turned towards her father and grandmother.

"We should send someone to get their bodies." Kiara said.

"Ni already took care of that. After we heard what happened, he told me that he would send some lions and hyenas to get their bodies." Simba said in a miserable voice.

Simba turned towards everybody else.

"Alright everyone, let's turn in for the night. We all got a big day ahead of us tomorrow." Simba said.

Everyone began to go their separate ways. Simba helped his mother up and the two of them walked off to some other part of the cave. Kiara walked over to Kovu and Taka. Kiara laid down and leaned her head against Kovu's mane.

"I was beginning to worry about you after I heard what happened. Are you okay… physically?" Kovu asked.

"Yes, me and the others are fine. Vitani's injured though." Kiara said.

"Is she okay?" Kovu asked with concern for his sister.

"Rune, Andika, and Dalia said they'll take as good care of her as they can. And Zira's dead." Kiara said.

"You'll have to tell me everything that happened tomorrow." Kovu said.

Just as Kovu laid his head down to go to sleep Kiara said something that made him jump.

"Siri is Kopa." Kiara said.

Kovu's head shot strait up and looked at Kiara. Kovu was about to barrage Kiara with questions but Kiara placed a paw on his lips.

"I'll tell you tomorrow, just go to sleep for now." Kiara said as she yawned.

Kiara and Kovu began to go to sleep. Kiara was glad to finally be sleeping by Kovu's side again but she didn't feel happy about it either. One of her grandmothers were dead along with her uncle. They were pretty much trapped in a land not their own, her son had a scar over his eye, her mother's throat was slit open and even though she was doing somewhat okay so far, she was still at risk of dying, Vitani's belly and chest was bleeding, even through her wound wasn't as bad as Nala's, she was still at risk if her wounds were infected, and her other son and daughter were probably worried to death about them back in the Pride Lands.

"Tomorrow we're ending this." Kiara thought to herself with determination before she drifted off into dreamless sleep.

Chapter 33: Hyenas VS the World

Kiara woke up early the next day. Kiara looked towards Kovu and their son. Kiara wondered how they could look so peaceful when their current situations weren't so peaceful. Kiara carefully got up to go look at her mother and Vitani. She walked up to Dalia, who was snoring.

Kiara placed a paw on the elderly hyena's shoulder and gently shook her. The elderly hyena yawned at woke up.

"How are they doing?" Kiara asked.

"Your mother is do better than we hoped but nothing has changed either." Dalia said.

"And Vitani, how are the wounds Zira gave her doing?" Kiara questioned.

"It appears that Zira did Vitani favor." Dalia repled.

"What's that?" Kovu asked.

"If her claws dug any deeper she would of torn Vitani's stomach lining." Dalia said.

Kiara shuddered and growled. Kiara was thinking back to almost a year ago when she tried to save Zira. Kiara almost wanted to say that she regretted even thinking of helping Zira. Zira was more than just a horrible person or abusive mother. In truth Zira was just a waste of life.

From everything Kiara knew, Zira had only ever had one goal: to worship Scar as if he was a god and when Scar died, she devoted her whole life to avenging him. She had used her sons and daughter as tools of war that she would happily dispose of if they proved useless to her. Zira had even tried to kill Kopa when he was a cub who had no part to play with anything that happened with Scar supposedly dying years ago. Zira was just a person who was better off dead for the safety of everyone. Kiara didn't want to admit that, but she couldn't deny the truth.

"I wish I didn't try to save her you know." Kiara admitted to Dalia.

"Who?" Dalia asked.

"Zira. She was a terrible person. I found out something about Siri the other day." Kiara said.

"What about Siri?" Dalia questioned.

"I had an older brother once named Kopa." Kiara stated.

"What does he have to do with Siri?" Dalia questioned.

"Siri remembered who he is, he's my older brother, he's Kopa." Kiara replied.

Dalia stared at Kiara in shock, then looked towards Kopa, who was off drinking from the lake.

"He's your brother?" Dalia asked.

"Yes, and Zira, she took him away from me and Kion before we were even born, she took him away from my parents, and she took him away Vitani. She nearly killed him in the process." Kiara said.

"And Zira, you want to hurt her don't you? You want to hurt her as bad as she did your brother and everyone else she's ever hurt or hurt her even worse than that?" Dalia guessed.

Kiara sighed.

"That's true. I didn't want to admit it but I'd be lying if I said that I didn't feel that way. I know it's wrong to think like that but I can't help it." Kiara admitted, her head lowering.

Dalia took Kiara's chin in her paw and had her eyes meet hers.

"That just shows you have a soul Kiara. Feeling anger, wanting revenge. It's not wrong to feel emotions like that, it's wrong to act on them." Dalia said with wisdom in her old voice.

"I've never acted out of revenge before but I have been acting out of anger a lot lately. When my dad first told me about Kopa, I said some pretty mean things to him just like I did when he unfairly banished Kovu about a year ago. Also, back in the jungle, I yelled at Zuri when she said she was scared. I didn't take her feelings into account when in truth while traveling here, I felt exactly as scared as she did." Kiara said.

"The acting out of revenge part is the easy one to avoid, the acting out of anger is harder to avoid but tell me, have you always tried to atone for those times you've acted out in anger and hurt others close to you while doing so?" Dalia asked.

"Yes, I don't like being angry with my family and my friends. That's not who I am." Kiara said.

"Everything isn't always black and white Kiara, sometimes it's just best to be grey." Dalia said.

"Yeah, I suppose so." Kiara said.

Dalia stared at Kiara for a minute, smiling at her, which Kiara found very comforting,

"Kiara, would you like to know what my puphood was like?" Dalia asked.

Kiara looked at Dalia and nodded.

"Well, you see, my parents were the exact polar opposite of me. They were mean, savage, murderous, unforgiving. They were verbally and physically abusive towards everything and everyone, including each other and me." Dalia said.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Kiara said.

"Yeah. They once killed a lion cub when I was still a young pup and forced me to eat it. When I refused, they force fed it to me and sorry to say but your kind tastes dreadfully awful. So much so in fact that I'm surprised that it didn't kill me." Dalia said, trying to make the story a little lighthearted.

Kiara giggled a little bit.

"None taken but please continue." Kiara urged.

"Yes. We always traveled around the lands, they pushed the boundaries with many lion prides. They nearly got us killed more times than I'd like to remember because of it. Whenever I asked them why they acted the way they did, they said it was life. They said that it was always a survival game." Dalia said.

"They were wrong." Kiara firmly said.

"I told them the same thing all the time but when I did they said that it was and I was stupid to think otherwise. Anyways, when I was about three months away from reaching maturity, I ran away from home. I couldn't take their disrespectful lifestyles anymore. I survived out there without being savage like them. I promised myself to never be like them and I've lived up to that promise I made myself to this very day." Dalia said.

"I wish there were more hyenas like you Dalia." Kiara wished out loud.

"And so do I. Hyenas are most of the time put into a bad light. Others judge us before they even get to know us, they don't look at things from a hyena's point of view. If you ask me, most hyenas act like my parents did because they were never shown any kindness by any other animals or lions, who are usually the ones ruling over everybody else, who respect they're judgements and see hyenas exactly like they do because of it." Dalia said.

"Yeah." Kiara agreed in a quiet voice.

"I'm glad you see it that way Kiara." Dalia said.

Dalia looked Kiara and saw some uneasiness in her eyes and it wasn't just about Nala, Vitani, or Taka.

"Is there something else troubling you Kiara? If there is, you can talk to me about it, whatever it is." Dalia offered.

Kiara looked at Dalia, wondering if she could tell her about Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed saying last night that they wanted to talk to her. Kiara decided to tell her.

"You know, Shenzi and her clan members fought against the Scarred Pride with us yesterday." Kiara said.

"Oh, they did, did they?" Dalia asked, a smile edging across her face.

"Yes, and she told me and my son to meet her, what should I do? I think they want to be on our side but I don't even know if I should trust them. They gave my son a permanent scar, do they even deserve my forgiveness for it and me saying they can be on our side?" Kiara asked.

Dalia thought about it for a second. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed had just given a scar to Taka yesterday and not even a day later, they're suddenly changing sides. Dalia wondered what would cause them to have such a sudden change of heart. Also, Did they deserve forgiveness for what they did to Taka? Probably not but they could be useful allies in defeating the Scarred Pride and maybe there was a logical explanation for they're sudden change of heart.

Dalia looked up to Kiara, who was waiting for an answer.

"I've heard about what Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed did back when your grandfather, Mufasa was king, as well as Scar. Now, I can't deny they've done some horrible things and deserve to be punished for them but like I said, maybe they act the way they do because they were never shown any kindness by anyone other than their own kind and any kindness that Scar might have shown them was just an act for him to use them as tools and maybe there's a logical explanation for they're sudden change of heart." Dalia said.

"So, you're saying I should hear them out?" Kiara guessed.

"Yes, hear them out and show them kindness, try to understand them by looking from they're perspective and maybe you'll learn why they decided to help us." Dalia advised.

"I will." Kiara replied before walking off.

When Kiara turned around, she saw Taka standing a couple feet away. Kiara walked over to him.

"How much of that did you hear?" Kiara asked.

"I heard Dalia's thoughts on hyenas." Taka replied. "So, are you and me going to talk to Shenzi later?"

Kiara lowered her head down to her son's level.

"Yes." Kiara replied.

Taka placed a paw over his bandaged eye before going to sit down next to Dalia so that she could check his eye soon. Kiara watched as Dalia smiled down at the young cub before nuzzling his cheek with her big, red nose. Kiara smile at the two, she couldn't wait to get back home and show Dalia the Pride Lands. Kiara continued her walk about the cave. Kiara came to Kopa drinking from the cave's lake.

Kiara walked up beside him.

"Hay." Kiara greeted, feeling awkward.

Kopa pulled his head up from the river looked down at Kiara.

"Hay." Kopa greeted back, feeling just as awkward.

Brother and sister stayed silent for a few moments before Kiara broke the silence.

"So, uhh… you know who you are, you getting anymore memories back?" Kiara, not know what to say, asked.

"I'm starting to remember some, slowly though." Kopa replied.

"Yeah. Do you feel awkward?" Kiara asked.

"Yeah, I don't know what to really say or ask now that I know you're my sister." Kopa said.

"Same here." Kiara replied.

"Well, how about just 'I'm glad to be meeting you for real this time?" Kopa asked.

"I'm glad to be meeting you for real this time." Kiara said, trying to give a small smile without slightly laughing.

The two stood there in silence for a few more moments.

"So, you picked my name for me huh?" Kiara asked.

Kopa looked in surprise at his sister.

"You mumbled that when we dragged you out of the cave yesterday." Kiara confirmed.

"Did Zira escape?" Kopa asked.

"Zira's dead." Kiara replied.

"Good." Kopa said.

Kopa wrapped a paw around Kiara and pulled her against him.

"From the stories I've heard of you and from what I've seen you do, I'd like to say you've done well for yourself." Kopa said.

"Sometimes I surprise myself." Kiara said, burying her face into Kopa's mane.

The two went into another moment of awkward silence. Kiara soon tilted her head back to look up towards Kopa.

"Today we end this." Kiara said.

Kopa looked down at Kiara with a determined look on his face. Kopa placed a paw on Kiara's shoulder and squeezed it.

"You scared?" Kopa asked.

"Terrified." Kiara replied.

"We should talk to S… Dad than." Kopa said, remembering to call Simba dad.

Kiara sighed as soon as Kopa said that.

"There's something you need to know, something has happened." Kiara said.

Kopa immediately looked towards where Nala was.

"No, it isn't mom. Grandma Sarafina and Uncle Mheetu, they're… they're dead." Kiara said.

Kopa looked at Kiara in shock.

"What?" Kopa said in shock.

Kiara filled him in on the story that Sarabi had told them last night. When Kiara finished, Kopa looked towards the cave entrance and growled.

"Before the sun sets on this day, I'm going to kill that lion." Kopa stated.

Kiara gave Kopa a few seconds to let out all his steam before the both of them gathered everyone. Kiara and Kopa gathered Simba, Sarabi, Kovu, Taka, Bluu, Kion, Jasiri, Tiifu, Zuri, Dalia, the Pride Landers and former Outlanders, and Nuka, which everyone was surprised but glad to find out he was on their side.

"Believe me, he saved my life and Vitani's." Zuri said.

"Well, believe it or not, I'm glad you're with us Nuka." Kovu said.

"Yeah, I am to… I think?" Nuka said, unsure of himself and his new alliance with his brother and everyone else.

Simba took a moment to walk over to Nuka and stare him down. Nuka looked visibly scared but he was able to stay brave enough to look Simba straight in the eyes.

"Is it to late to say sorry for the log incident about a year ago and for all the other stuff I've done?" Nuka asked.

Simba continued to stare at Nuka for a bit. He turned and looked at everyone else, wanting to know they're thoughts. Everyone knew what Simba was thinking, they all took a moment to look at Nuka before nodding their heads, even Taka and Bluu. Simba turned back towards Nuka and shot out a paw. Nuka took Simba's paw and shook it lightly.

"You saved your sister's life and Zuri's life by attacking your mother when you always held her in high praise." Simba said.

"Guess I finally got some sense knocked into me, I just don't have any bump to prove it." Nuka said with a shrug.

Simba gave a silent laugh, remembering having said a similar line long ago. When Simba was done with Nuka, he went back to where he was originally sitting. Simba sat down and looked towards Kiara.

"What is it you wanted to tell us Kiara?" Simba asked.

Kiara, Kovu, Kion, Dalia and Zuri looked at everybody else, knowing what was about to happened.

"I hope this will make dad happier." Kiara thought to herself before speaking. "You all know Siri has amnesia, right?"

"Right." Tiifu said for everyone.

"Well, he got his memories back yesterday when we went after Zira." Kiara said.

"You went after!?" Simba exclaimed.

"Yes, and she's dead. When Kion used the Roar of the Elders on her, the cave started to collapse." Siri said.

"Did you see her die?" Sarabi asked.

"No, a single rock fell on one of her legs pinning her down but if the rocks didn't get her and she doesn't bite her own leg off either starvation and/or dehydration will get her if her old age doesn't first." Zuri said.

"Yes, well, back to the topic. Siri got his memories back and he his real name." Kiara said.

"Really, what is it?" Bluu asked.

"My name is Kopa." Kopa said.

Everyone jumped for a quick sec.

"Oh, your named after Kiara and Kion's brother?" Tiifu asked.

Kopa laughed a little slightly.

"No." Kopa said.

Everyone was about to ask Kopa if he was joking before thinking more about it. Everyone stared at Kopa and tried envisioning him as cub and looking at his scars. Everyone than stared at Kopa in shock.

"Kopa?" Sarabi asked.

"Uncle Kopa?" Taka asked.

"It's good to see you all again and to be meeting some of you for the first time and we've got a lot of lost years to make up for and we've got to give Dalia a big thanks for saving me and taking care of me for all these years." Kopa stated, giving Dalia's big, red nose a playful pinch.

Everyone walked closer to Kopa to gaze at him before throwing a single paw around him. Kiara, Kovu, Kion, Dalia and Zuri joined in. There was however one missing from the group. Simba was staring on in shock. He should have been overjoyed that his son was alive, nearly tackling him to the ground with a hug, saying how glad he was alive and all the other stuff like that but it just filled him with more grief than he already had.

Simba had secretly been hoping beyond hope for years that Kopa was alive and it was now happening. However, it was not happening the way he wanted it. His mate was close to dying, his mother-in-law and brother-in-law were dead, the lion who did all that was out there somewhere, his daughter-in-law was also grievously injured, and his grandson had a permanent scar over his eye. It was too much for him.

"No, no, no. It wasn't supposed to happen like this!" Simba yelled.

Simba looked at Nala and Vitani. Simba than roared in anger, causing everyone to gather around him. Simba stood there for a minute or two, breathing heavily.

"I'm going to end this!" Simba shouted.

"Good, because Wraith wants to end it as well." a voice said.

Everyone looked to see a hyena, one of Wraith's hyenas walking into the cave. Everyone immediately got into their battle positions.

"How the heck did they find us?" Timon asked.

Simba shouldered his way through the crowd and up to the hyena.

"Where is Wraith!?" Simba demanded.

"At the Great Watering Hole, waiti…" the hyena began to say but he didn't get to finish.

Simba grabbed the hyena by the back of the neck and began to shake it wildly.

"Isn't there a rule about killing the messenger?" Timon asked while he stared at Simba and the hyena in fear.

"Yeah, when it comes to the Scarred Pride, always kill the messenger." a hyena standing next to Timon and Pumbaa said.

When the hyena was dead, Simba dropped it and looked towards Ni.

"Where's the Great Watering Hole?" Simba asked Ni.

"It's Northeast of…" Ni began to say, but Simba ran off before letting him finish.

"Man, I hate it when he does stuff like that." Timon groaned.

"Someone should go after him. We can't let him face Wraith or any others alone." Zuri said.

"We should send a small taskforce with Simba and have everyone else stay here to search for any remaining Scarred Priders." Ni suggested.

Without another word, Kovu, Kopa, Kion and Jasiri walked forward, volunteering themselves for the suggested taskforce.

"We'll go, we'll help Simba end this." Kovu said bravely.

"If you'll allow us to Ni." Kopa said.

Ni looked over the three lions and one hyena. They were all strong and young and Simba may have been old but Ni could tell the old king still had some fight in him and the fire he currently saw light up in his gut. Ni gave a nod of approval.

"Very well but I'll not send any more than you five until we hunt down and kill all the Scarred Priders in this part of the Scarred Lands." Ni said.

"Understood sir." Kion replied.

"Only five of them, are you sure Ni?" Kiara asked.

"Wraith is the best fighter in the Scarred Lands but I doubt even he could stand up to five good fighters, especially ones with Pride Lander spirit." Ni said.

"Thank you, Ni." Kopa said.

"Your welcome… Kopa isn't it?" Ni asked.

Kopa gave a nod of affirmance. Kiara came up to them.

"Came back safe." Kiara said.

"Don't worry, we will." Kopa assured his sister.

They all embraced each other before walking off to catch up with Simba.

"And now it ends." Ni whispered. "When we finish off the rest of the Scarred Pride here, we'll come and help you with Wraith if needed!" Ni shouted towards Kopa and the others.

"Thanks Ni." Kopa said.

Ni gave everyone a time limit of one hour before search parties began. Kiara went over to Taka, who was being given a new leaf bandage by Dalia.

"You're going to meet up with Shenzi and her clan?" Dalia asked.

Kiara nodded.

"Remember what I said. Try to show them some kindness." Dalia said.

Kiara nodded in understanding before she and Taka began to walk off. As they did, Timon and Pumbaa came over to Dalia.

"So, uh, Dalia isn't it?" Pumbaa asked.

"Yes." Dalia replied.

"Welcome to the club, lady." Timon said.

Dalia laughed slightly.

"Would that be the Misplaced Snack Platters Club?" Dalia asked sarcastically.

"No, the Saving Cute Fluffy Lion Cub Princes of the Pride Lands Club." Timon corrected.

"Now that name is a mouth full." Pumbaa said.

Just as Kiara and Taka exited the cave a voice spoke to them from the right.

"Kiara, Taka!" the voice shouted.

Kiara and Taka looked to see Kion standing behind them.

"Kion, aren't you supposed to be with the other going to takedown Wraith?" Kiara asked.

"I need to talk to you first." Kion said.

Kiara felt nervous.

"About what?" Kiara asked.

"You're going to talk to Shenzi, and her clan, aren't you?" Kion said.

Kiara knew what was going on. Kion somehow overheard her talk with Dalia.

"Kion, they helped us yesterday." Kiara pointed out.

"Do you know what Jasiri talked to me about before we followed Kopa?" Kion asked.

"No." Kiara said.

"Jasiri told me that Shenzi and Banzai told her that they were her parents." Kion said.

"They are?" Kiara exclaimed in surprise.

Kiara had been wondering why Shenzi and her friends had had such a sudden change of heart but this was totally unexpected to her.

"No, they're not. They have no resemblance to each other." Kion said.

"So, your saying they tried to manipulate her?" Kiara asked.

"Yes." Kion said as if it was obvious.

"And your basing this on what, the fact that they have no resemblance to each other like you just mentioned?" Kiara asked.

"Yes." Kion replied.

Kiara picked up Taka by his scruff and held him in front of Kion.

"Who is this Kion?" Kiara asked through her teeth.

"Taka." Kion answered.

"Wrong answer." Kiara replied.

"Your son." Kion said.

"What resemblance do see in him from me and Kovu?" Kiara asked.

"He has none." Kion stated.

"Exactly and you know I gave birth to him. With how he looks, he could have been Scar's son but he's mine and Kovu's. Looks can be deceiving you know and Taka is a living example." Kiara pointed out.

Kion was taken back by Kiara's explanation. He looked at his oldest nephew for a good long minute. Kion was now starting to question his thoughts on Shenzi and Banzai trying to manipulate Jasiri. Jasiri hadn't gotten any physical traits from Shenzi and Banzai. Maybe she got them from her grandparents, his nephew Mufasa II back home had and so had Taka here. Kion looked to Kiara, now won over.

"Where were they all this time than?" Kion wondered out loud.

"I intend to find that out." Kiara said.

"Okay, well, still be careful around them, we still don't know they're full motives." Kion said.

"Don't worry, I will." Kiara promised.

Within minutes Kiara and Taka made it to the rocky outcrop where the first battle with the Scarred Pride had taken place yesterday. Some of the bodies there looked like they were eaten by hyenas, vultures, other scavengers, or Wraith.

"Where's Shenzi and her clan?" Taka asked, not seeing Shenzi's clan anywhere.

"I don't know. Shenzi!" Kiara shouted out.

Kiara saw some movement behind some rocks. Kiara felt nervous for a minute before she saw that it was just Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed walking towards them. Still shaken by his encounter with them, Taka hid behind his mother's legs like a shy cub.

"Don't worry Taka, if something does happen, I'll keep you safe." Kiara reassured her son.

As they walked over, Shenzi looked at Taka.

"I would guess an apology is in order, though I guess I don't get to be sorry for what I did to his face." Shenzi said.

Kiara sighed.

"You giving my son a scar is something I can never forget... but it is something I can try to forgive if he can try to forgive you." Kiara said looking down at Taka.

Shenzi looked down at Taka. Shenzi and her two friends got down on the ground and exposed their bellies to Kiara and Taka as a sign of submission and respect.

"You may rise." Kiara said curtiously to them.

Taka, knowing it was safe by the sign of submission came out and walked up to Shenzi. Taka placed a paw on his left eye and shot a paw out to Shenzi. The two shook each other's paw as a sign of forgiveness.

"To be honest I'm surprised you would actually forgive us... or at least try to. Me giving you that scar is something no one would usually forgive." Shenzi said.

"Yeah, well, I am a prince of the Pride Lands and am going to be king one day, I've got to learn not to hold grudges and forgive." Taka said.

"Yeah, which is something a hyena wouldn't do, as your kind would say." Banzai said.

"Huh?" Kiara exclaimed.

"You lions say that your pretty reasonable but you aren't when it comes to us hyenas." Banzai said.

"Well, then maybe you've just met the wrong lions, like we've mostly met the wrong hyenas." Kiara stated.

"Isn't that the truth." Ed replied in his own language.

"Except it's always all of us meeting the wrong opposite species." Shenzi said.

"Unless you count Jasiri and her clan." Taka said.

Kiara saw a shiver go through Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed's bodies as Taka said Jasiri's name. Kiara thought that talking about her would get Shenzi and her friends to open up a little bit more.

"It's almost impossible to think of Jasiri as your daughter when you share very little resemblance to her." Kiara said.

"That's our girl. We always said she was unique." Shenzi said.

"And she lives with lions. It's strange how lions look down on most of us, yet are kind to some like her." Banzai said.

"Yeah, she can be an exception but other hyenas can't I guess." Shenzi said.

"I've never looked down on hyenas like my pride has. I've always given them some chances. Tried to show them kindness" Kiara said.

"Have you tried approaching them willingly though, not have them brought up to you?" Shenzi asked.

"And have you tried to let them into the Pride Lands before Jasiri and after her?" Banzai asked.

"No, but…" Kiara tried to say before getting interrupted.

"Oh, so you let some hyenas in once, yet you build a ten-foot wall around your land to keep others out?" Shenzi said.

Kiara was confused. When she came here, she was expecting talks of an alliance. Instead she and her son were just getting insulted and were being asked questions that seemed focused on incriminating them.

"Why are you talking to me and my son like this when you want to talk about peace with us?" Kiara asked.

"We want to let you know how we feel, how hyenas feel. You know how you have layers of yourself. Layers of your kindness, bravery, anger, sensitivity, sadness, and other layers of your personality like that?" Shenzi asked.

"Yes." Kiara said.

"Well, for your information, there's a lot more to hyenas than people think. All hyenas, even us have layers like you do. We can be like you, we could build a ten-foot wall around our land to keep you out to and let one of your kind in because they except us, yet it's alright for those who don't except us to always come into our lands whenever they want and we can't come into yours whenever we want, but why do you care anyway." Banzai said.

Kiara knew what Banzai meant by that. Hyenas were banished and not allowed to come into the Pride Lands but whenever Kion and the Lion Guard had to go into the Outlands for a mission, they were also crossing the borders to the hyenas lands. There was also the time that her mother and father went into the elephant graveyard as cubs. They basically were respecting borders and trespassing into hyena lands and in return the hyenas disrespected borders to and traveled into lion lands. Both sides always found cracks in the walls and squeezed through them to get to the other sides. Kiara looked to Taka and could see in his eyes that he was thinking the same thing she was.

They both looked back towards the hyenas.

"Well, in the Pride Lands, we tared those walls down a while ago when my Uncle Kion, brought Jasiri into the Pride Lands and we actually have given other hyenas chances, we just haven't met any others like Jasiri and her clan. The only others ones we've met are the ones who have been terrorizing us for years. Also, maybe you want to so the same as we did. Tare your walls down and let others in to give 'em a chance but what about your personal ones up around your individual person being torn down first. Tell us how you exactly feel. You all are just trying to keep something in aren't you?" Taka questioned.

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed were slightly taken back by this. Taka was right about the personal, individual walls keeping something in that he was talking about.

"No. You think?" Shenzi asked.

"You're just trying to hide something, aren't you?" Taka continued.

Shenzi groaned and she waved a paw at Taka.

"Kid, that conversation in not an open up and talk about it thing. It's one of those drop it and leave it alone things." Shenzi said, her voice raising.

Kiara knew that Shenzi wanted to talk about peace and what is whole individual walls hiding something thing was but she was being stubborn, second guessing herself, and thinking about her past encounters with all lions.

"I know you want some alliance, why don't you want to talk about it?" Kiara asked.

"Why do you want to talk about it?" Banzai snapped.

"Why are you asking us to talk to you and then suddenly blocking us?" Taka asked.

"We're not blocking." Shenzi said.

"Yes, you are." Kiara said.

"Little princess and prince we're warning you!" Shenzi growled, getting ready to pounce.

"You know that both our kind can come together in peace, we've shown that with Jasiri and her clan and we showed that yesterday. You want to admit that, but you can't, because you say you want us to know how you hyenas feel yet you're afraid of your own feelings to fully tell us." Kiara.

"Yes, that's what your hiding being those walls around your individual person but just tell us who exactly your trying to block it from, who?" Taka asked.

"EVERYONE! Okay!" Shenzi snapped.

"Okay, now we're getting somewhere." Kiara said with a small smile on her face.

"Oh, for the love of Pete." Shenzi said.

Shenzi and her friends stomped off to the edge of the battlefield and sat on their hunches. Kiara and Taka looked towards the three, old hyenas.

"Shenzi, you wanted to talk to me earlier yesterday but now you're trying to get out of it. You're verbally attacking me, my son, and everyone else in the world. Just talk to us, tell us about it and what you got against the whole world exactly anyway." Kiara encouraged.

Shenzi and her friends looked at Kiara and Taka with anger.

"Look, we hyenas aren't the ones with the problem okay, it's the world that seems to have a problem with us!" Shenzi snapped.

"Yeah, any other animals take one look at any of us and go 'AHH! Help, run! A big, stupid, ugly hyena." Banzai said.

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed than sighed sadly, their ears going flat against their heads.

"They judge us before they even know us. That's why we're all better off alone." Banzai sadly said.

Kiara and Taka looked at each other after Banzai said that, each now feeling guilty about how most hyenas acted like many others described them: stupid, dumb, mean, poachers, scavengers, and many other horrible things. They understood now. Taka placed his paw on the leaf covering his left eye where Shenzi clawed him. Taka walked towards the three hyenas and sat in between them.

"You know something you three?" Taka asked.

"What?" Banzai asked.

"A wise hyena told me something once. That most hyenas act the way they do because they're never shown any kindness, that no one tries to look at thins from their point of view. I think I understand know and I'd like to say that I'm sorry that you three have gone through that. You must have had horrible childhood I bet?" Taka guessed.

"No, our puphoods were actually pretty good ones, considering our living conditions." Banzai said.

"Except for part of mine. My mother was kind but my father was abusive." Shenzi said. "He was so aggressive in fact that even though he was male, he ran the clan." Shenzi said.

"Oh, I'm sorry, truly." Kiara said.

"You know princess, our clan was part of your Pride Lands before." Shenzi said.

"Yes, during the reign of King Mohatu. Some power hungry hyena started a rebellion and it led to the exile of your clan. I don't agree that the whole clan was banished, dooming the other generations to starvation. Just the ones who started the rebellion should have been banished." Kiara said.

"The thing is though that the ones who started the rebellion were my ancestors." Shenzi said. "And it hurts, it pains me every day to know that my bloodline doomed our clan to all that has happened to us."

"I'm so sorry Shenzi." Kiara said.

"Thank you." Shenzi said. "Have you ever thought of being somebody else, other than a princess?"

"I only ever wanted to be just myself, not a princess, a royal. I didn't want to be treated like royalty, I didn't want special treatment, I wanted to be treated as an equal to everyone." Kiara explained.

"I never knew of anyone who didn't want to be treated like royalty." Banzai said. "But still the thing is, you lions always think your kind is in the right all the time and that we hyenas are always in the wrong and you never even bother to think about looking at it from our perspective."

"Yeah, we don't get the chance to pick who we'd want to be, because of our kind being exiled." Shenzi said.

"Then who'd you be other than starving exiles if you could choose?" Kiara asked.

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed looked onto the still rising sun. Banzai began to sing.

"I guess I'd be a hero with sword and armor clashing. Looking semi dashing. A shield within my grip, or else I'd be a Viking and live a life of daring, while smelling like a herring, upon a Viking ship. I'd sail away, I'd see the world, I'd reach the farthest reaches, I'd feel the wind, I'd taste the salt and sea and maybe storm some beaches. That's who I'd be." Banzai sang.

"That's who I'd be. Or I could be a poet and write a different story. One that tells of glory and wipes away the lies and to the skies I'd throw it. The Stars would do the telling, the moon would help with spelling, and night would dot the 'I's. I write a verse, recite a joke with wit and perfect timing. I'd share my heart, confess the things I yearn, and do it all while rhyming. But we all learn" Shenzi sang.

"But we all learn." Banzai sang.

"A hyena always hides, a hyena's fate is known, a hyena always stays in the dark and all alone." Shenzi sang.

"So yes, I'd be a hero, and if my wish were granted, life would be enchanted, or so the stories say. Of course, I'd be a hero, and I would scale a tower to save a hot-house flower, and carry her away, but standing guard would be a beast. I'd somehow over whelm it. I'd get the girl, I'd take a breath, and I'd remove my helmet." Banzai sang.

"We'd stand and stare, we'd speak of love, we'd feel the start ascending." Shenzi sang.

"We'd share a kiss, I'd find my destiny. I'd have a hero's ending." Banzai sang.

"A perfect, happy ending. That's how it would be. A big bright beautiful world." Shenzi and Banzai sang.

"But not for me." Banzai sang.

"But not for me." Shenzi sang.

Shenzi and Banzai stopped singing and looked at Kiara and Taka.

"You see, it's just not in the stars for us Kiara." Shenzi said.

"Yeah, and do you know the thing we truly want to be?" Banzai asked.

"What?" Kiara asked.

"To be there for our daughter but we can't, because she won't let us." Banzai said.

"You should have seen what Jasiri was like when we met up with her yesterday." Shenzi said.

"How did you all get separated from each other?" Kiara asked.

"Zira." Shenzi answered.

"Zira?" Kiara exclaimed.

"Yeah, she found out we were still around and she attacked us. Claiming that she was punishing us for failing to protect Scar." Shenzi said.

"Yeah, and make a long story short, we lost Jasiri in the struggle. We looked all over for her after Zira retreated by to the Outlands but we couldn't find her, we thought she died. Now here we are finding her alive years later and we know she won't come with us and we can't come to the Pride Lands to try and connect with her because of your dad's prejudice against hyenas, especially us." Banzai said.

"And don't you think you can destroy prejudice, that goes back to the phrase that they judge us before they even know us and Simba has his mind set on who WE are even through in truth, we've changed a bit since our last meeting with him, though we may not have shown exactly how." Shenzi said.

"Of course, you can come to the Pride Lands, you helped and saved us yesterday." Taka said.

"Yeah, I'm sure if we tell him, my dad will let you in." Kiara said.

"We can't return to the Pride Lands. It was decided generations ago with the prejudice that my ancestors caused on King Mohatu and it went all the way to even the 'great king, Mufasa,' all to your daddy. You won't be able to get rid of your daddy's prejudice princess." Shenzi said.

"I got my dad to lose his prejudice against the Outlanders, I can do the same with all of you." Kiara said.

That got the Shenzi, Banzai and Ed's attentions. Shenzi was starting to get swayed by Kiara's words.

"Maybe you can and maybe us helping you could increase our chances but King Mohatu's generation…" Shenzi tried to say.

"A different time, a different king." Taka interrupted.

"But what about our past with your father, princess?" Shenzi asked.

"Same thing that happened with the Outlanders; they wronged him greatly but he eventually forgave them and the same can be said for you three and your clan. If I talk to him, I'm sure I can't get him to change his mind. He just needs to hear a few words of reason and realize you all were manipulated by Scar and that your all part of the circle of life as much as he and everyone else is." Kiara said.

A roar suddenly ran out.

"That came from the resistance cave." Taka said.

"That sounded like a Scarred Prider." Ed said in his own language.

Shenzi and Kiara looked at each other. Kiara shot a paw towards Shenzi.

"Forgive and forget?" Kiara asked.

Shenzi looked at Kiara's paw.

"Could we really return to the Pride Lands and start over with our clan, redeem ourselves after everything we done?" Shenzi thought.

Could she, Banzai, Ed, and their clan be given a second chance and did Shenzi believe they could? Shenzi's paw raised.

Chapter 34: The Old Way and the New Way

Simba, Kovu, Kopa, Kion, and Jasiri took weary steps as they walked on to go and fight Wraith. They had been walking for hours since early morning and the sun would soon be setting over the horizon. Simba looked at his two sons, his son-in-law, and Jasiri.

"You four shouldn't be here. Especially you." Simba said, looking at Kopa.

Kopa looked towards his father.

"I know what your thinking, your trying to be overprotective of me like you were with Kiara, aren't you?" Kopa asked.

Simba got wrapped up in his own words as he tried to respond. Kopa came up placed a paw on his father's shoulder, which calmed him.

"Don't you dare." Kopa said.

Simba gave a single nod, signaling he understood. He knew that was an argument he couldn't win.

"You're right, sorry." Simba sighed. "And I'm sorry for how I acted back at the cave, it's just after everything that's happened since Kovu, Taka, and Bluu got captured, I didn't know how to really react."

"It's alright. I probably would have done the same if I was in your position." Kopa said.

Simba looked up to his son.

"I'm so happy to see you alive though. I know I haven't showed it properly since I found out back at the cave, but I am." Simba said.

"I know, you don't have to explain yourself. When this is all over we'll all have a proper reunion and make up for lost time." Kopa said.

"Yeah and I'll have to thank Dalia for saving your life." Simba said.

"She deserves more than thanks, I think she deserves to basically be considered a part of the royal family and a place next to us in the den. While I was away, she was the best mother I could ever ask for." Kopa said.

"A hyena as a family member of a royal family of lions. How amusing." Simba said with a slight laugh.

"About as amusing as a meerkat and warthog basically being considered part of a royal family of lions?" Kopa asked.

"I guess you got a point." Simba laughed.

Finished with his talk with his father, Kopa walked back to Kion. Kion was eyeing Jasiri about something.

"Hay, Jasiri, can you give us a moment?" Kopa asked.

Jasiri nodded and walked up next to Simba. Kopa walked by his brother's side for a few minutes before breaking the silence.

"Why are you looking at Jasiri like that?" Kopa asked.

Kion looked at his older brother, unsure about what to say.

"Uh, you know Shenzi and Banzai from dad's stories?" Kion asked.

"Yeah." Kopa responded.

"Well, you see, they're her parents." Kion flat out said.

Kopa looked to Jasiri and thought back to Shenzi and Banzai's appearance. They looked too different to be related but he then thought back to his nephew, Taka. Taka looked like as if he should be Scar's son, yet he was 100% Kiara and Kovu's son.

"Why do you look so worried about Jasiri then?" Kopa asked.

"Jasiri doesn't believe that they're her parents. Kiara went to talk to them about some alliance and you're going to think I'm crazy but I think I want to bring them into the Pride Lands." Kion said.

"But what about what they did to Taka?" Kopa asked.

"Yes, they'll have to answer for that in some way but I think with Jasiri's help, we could change them for the better because I know they'll want to for her. I overheard Dalia and Kiara talking about hyenas and how they're viewed, and I think they deserve a second chance like Kiara thinks they do." Kion said.

Kopa looked back at Jasiri and thought about it for a minute.

"To be honest, I don't know if I share the same mind as you and Kiara do with Shenzi and her clan after what they did to Taka but I trust Kiara's judgement, whatever she picks." Kopa said.

"Thanks, Kopa. The only thing I'm worried about though is dad. He's in a dark place right now and he hates Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, and their entire clan. I don't even think Kiara's words will work on him this time." Kion said.

Kopa looked to Kion more closely.

"Jasiri, you care about her, don't you?" Kopa asked.

"Of course, she's probably my best friend after Bunga. I use to have prejudice thoughts against hyenas before she opened my mind to see that hyenas are just like us. Sisi Ni Sawa, as she said. We're the same, at the end of the day, it's like water and rain. We've got to look past what we see and learn not to judge so easily, the Circle of Life should be what's guiding us all. For example, don't judge a hyena by it's spots." Kion explained with a slight singing tone in his voice and the hint of a smile on his face.

"I might be crazy but you seem to care for her more than you let on." Kopa said.

"Huh?" Kion exclaimed.

"There's just something about the way you look at her that's funny for some reason." Kopa said.

Kion looked at Kopa confused for a second before he got what he was saying.

"Your saying that I love her, like love, love her? Kopa, that's gross." Kion said.

"Love is gross." Kopa said.

Kion unable to take this talk anymore, walked away from Kopa and up to Simba and Jasiri.

"Oh, come on. I was just teasing." Kopa called over to Kion.

Kovu came up to Kopa.

"I heard the final bits of that talk, whatever it was, and I've got to agree. Your speculation is a weird one." Kovu said.

"Hay, I said I was just teasing but you know something?" Kopa asked.

"What?" Kovu questioned.

"I remember a memory from my cubhood when Timon told me he proposed to Shenzi to stall the hyenas for some plan he and his family had to help fight against the hyenas." Kopa said.

"Wow, I didn't think Timon had it in him, plus even if he did mean it and it did happen, I don't think the marriage between them would end well. A Timon chew toy anyone?" Kovu asked.

Kopa laughed at Kovu's joke.

"Even though it would probably be cute, those two will just never work out. I don't even think Rafiki's Upendi treatment would work on them?" Kovu said.

"They say that true love is blind." Kopa joked.

"Tell me about it." Kovu replied.

Kopa looked at Jasiri and thought of Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. Kopa looked to Kovu and thought about telling him about Kiara talking with Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. Kiara had positive feelings about talking to Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed about peace and maybe forgiveness, Kion had sort of mixed, so was he. Kopa however did know how Kovu would feel.

"Hay Kovu." Kopa said.

Kovu looked to Kopa, waiting for what he wanted to say.

"Yesterday, just after your mother died and some of the others found out who I was, we got attacked by Scarred Priders." Kopa said.

"Well, it's a good thing you escaped or were able to fight them off at least." Kovu said.

"No, we didn't fight them off or escape." Kopa admitted.

Kovu looked at Kopa with a quizzical look.

"Well, what do you mean." Kovu asked suspiciously.

"We were hopelessly outnumbered and Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, and they're clan came to help us. We wouldn't have made back to the cave alive without them." Kopa explained.

Kovu growled angrily at the mention of Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed.

"Whose side are they on anyway than?" Kovu growled.

"Ours I think?" Kopa said.

Kovu stopped dead in his tracks and looked towards Kopa.

"What are you talking about?" Kovu asked.

"You see, they told Kiara to meet her today last night. Kion just told me that she went to do just that along with Taka." Kopa explained.

"And he let them go!?" Kovu exclaimed.

"That's not all." Kopa said. "Jasiri is they're daughter."

"They're daughter but that's not possible, Liwa and Baba, back in the Pride Lands are her parents." Kovu said.

"I don't get it either Kopa but I don't know why they would lie to us and I don't see how that would benefit the Scarred Pride or seem like a good manipulation tactic to them. So, all I can say is that I think I believe them." Kopa said.

Kovu sat there for a moment, silent as the stars on a starless night. Kovu glanced over towards Jasiri who was walking with Kion and Simba.

"So they switched sides for they're daughter?" Kovu asked.

"I guess so, but would you let them into the Pride Lands?" Kopa asked.

"Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, and their clan?" Kovu asked.

"Yeah." Kopa said.

Kovu went into deep thought.

"I don't know, they're kinda going through the same thing that I did about a year ago. There's more than enough reason to not let them into the Pride Lands, even if they were willing to change but if there's one thing I learned over a year ago, it's that everyone deserves a second chance." Kovu stated.

"But the question is, do they deserve one, isn't it?" Kopa asked.

"Also, there's the fact that they gave my son a scar and will Simba even allow them one more chance even if they do deserve one, or will I?" Kovu stated.

"Well, once we deal with Wraith we'll all talk about Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, and there clan and what to do with them." Kopa said.

"Yeah." Kovu agreed.

Kovu and Kopa ran to catch up with Simba, Kion, and Jasiri. Within minutes the four lions and one hyena smelt something they'd never smelt before. It was the smell of the sea. Once they rounded some tall, high hills and rocks, they came face to face with the sea. They all stared on in awe of it's beauty.

They all had heard of the big, giant lake called the Great Watering Hole by animals before but never had they seen it.

"It's amazing." Kovu stated in awe.

"And beautiful." Kopa gasped in just as much awe.

"Beshte would love this." Kion said.

"I've been told of the Great Watering Hole before. You see, Liwa and Baba... I mean, mom and dad back home have told be stories about it before. Before my family came to the Pride Lands, when my great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather was young, he traveled across Africa before finding his wife and settling down. His stories of the Great Watering Hole have been passed down to us." Jasiri said.

"What were the stories?" Kopa asked, intrigued to hear them.

"We, he was captured by some species called humans, they captured him but he escaped during a storm. From what he heard the humans talk about. They call it the 'sea' and that there are other lands across the Great Watering Hole." Jasiri said.

As Jasriri said that, everyone looked across the Great Watering Hole with wonder. The talk of other lands across it was exciting to them because as far as they knew, the world ended where the Great Watering Hole began.

"Fascinating Jasiri but come on now, we got a job to do." Simba said.

"You're right Simba. Come everybody, let's go find Wraith." Jasiri said.

"Let's." Kion said with determination.

The five of them skidded down the hill and walked across the sandy beach, over to where the shoreline met the sea. Kovu bent down to take a drink from the sea but he immediately spit it out.

"Ugh, dirty water mixed up with the dung of other animals is delicious compared to this water." Kovu said as he shook his head, letting his tongue wave around in the air as he did.

"When I was talking with Rune after he finished sewing Nala's throat shut, he told me about the Great Watering Hole. He said it has something in it called salt, and it makes the water impossible to drink from." Simba said.

"Yeah, my great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather's stories said that to." Jasiri added in.

"Great, so if all the good water in Africa ever dries up for good, we'll know of a nearly endless supply of water, yet, we won't even be able to drink from it." Kovu said.

"That's is unless we find out a way to remove our sense of taste or we just grin and bear it." Jasiri laughed.

"Jasiri, this is no time for jokes. We gotta find Wraith." Kion said.

"Yeah, that hyena said he would be here but where is he?" Kopa said as he looked around.

Everyone than heard a low, deep, ghostly evil laugh. They all looked and saw the mouth of a cave in the side of one of the hills behind them. Wraith slowly walked out of the darkness of the mouth of the cave, laughing. Wraith had a look of insanity on his face with blood on his muzzle formed into a red smile from ear to ear. Wraith raised a single paw and used one of his toes/fingers to beckon the five forward.

"Come little children, I'll take thee away into a land of enchantment. Come little children, the time's come to play, here is my garden of magic." Wraith rhymed.

Everyone looked at each other as they shuddered at Wraith's rhyme. Wraith began to slowly back away into the darkness, still beckoning everyone to follow.

"Come little children so I can show you my wrath. Come little children and meet King Wraith!" Wraith rhymed before disappearing like a ghost into the darkness and laughing.

The five looked at each other before moving towards the cave and into it's darkness.

EARLIER THAT DAY:

Kiara, Taka, Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, and their clan raced as fast as their legs could carry them towards Ni's resistance's cave. After that Scarred Pride hyena found the cave, she had a feeling that Wraith would send the rest of the Scarred Pride soon. Thinking back to the calculations that she and Shenzi discussed back after she found out that Siri was Kopa, Kiara guessed that there was at least forty Scarred Priders left. Kiara thought to how many resistance fighters, Pride Landers, and members of Shenzi's clan. There were eighteen Pride Landers, seventy-six resistance fighters, and the twenty members of Shenzi's clan.

If Kiara's calculations were correct and if she included her friends, they would outnumber the Scarred Pride by almost triple of what they had. However the Scarred Priders fought with both heart and their soul, which made each individual worth five of themselves, so might as well be fighting at least two hundred Scarred Priders.

"Oh, I hope everyone is alright." Taka said as he ran by his mother's side.

"You know, if you told me earlier yesterday that I'd be racing to save Simba's pride and the resistance pride, I would have told you, you're crazy." Shenzi said.

"Trust me, so would I." Kiara replied.

When they got to the cave Kiara looked down and saw a large battle going on. Kiara looked down to her son. She couldn't bring him down there but couldn't leave him up here alone either with the risk of there being Scarred Priders around. Ed walked up next to Taka and sat down.

"I'll watch him." Ed said in his own language.

"He said he'll watch him." Shenzi translated, knowing Kiara couldn't understand him.

"You know, when you come to the Pride Lands, you're going to have to teach us all how to understand him." Kiara said.

"Yeah, but enough goofing off. I wanna kill some Scarred Priders!" Banzai shouted, ready for a fight like he always was.

Kiara looked to Ed before she and the others entered the cave.

"Keep him safe." Kiara said.

"I promise, I won't let another cub or pup disappear on my watch." Ed said in his own language.

Kiara of course didn't understand what he said but whatever he said was good enough for her. Kiara and the rest of the hyenas rushed into the cave, as they did, Banzai was yelling and laughing into battle as they did. Kiara could tell that Banzai was a hyena who was always ready to go into a fight. When Kiara and Shenzi's clan entered the cave, they saw a massacre happening. There was many Scarred Priders lying on the ground dead, and twice as many resistance fighters.

Kiara looked to Shenzi and her clan.

"Go help the resistance and try to keep any cubs you find safe. I'm going to keep Bluu, Vitani and my mom safe." Kiara said.

"You have a good heart in that chest of yours little princess. Make sure you keep it from getting ripped out like Scar's." Shenzi said.

"I don't intend to meet the same fate as him." Kiara stated before running Rune part of the cave.

When Kiara got there she Dalia and Rune in front fighting some hyenas, Andika acting as a last line of defense for Vitani and Nala, and Bluu was cowering and peeking out from behind Vitani who was glaring into the battle. Dalia was getting flanked by two hyenas while Rune was struggling with one. Andika seemed torn between staying where he was like he had been instructed and trying to help. Kiara had to move quick. Kiara rushed towards Rune's hyena and tackled it to the ground.

Rune seeing that the hyena he was fighting was being taken care of, he turned on one of Dalia's hyenas. He sunk his teeth into its neck, snapping it. Dalia had her teeth on the throat of her other hyena and suffocated it. The two looked to Kiara. She hadn't killed the hyena but she had sent it off with it's tail between it's legs.

Kiara looked towards Rune, Andika and Dalia.

"How's Bluu, Vitani, and my mother doing?" Kiara asked.

"All three are fine and Nala woke up earlier before the battle and asked for you and your father." Dalia said.

Kiara immediately walked over to her mother, who was only slightly conscious.

"Mom?" Kiara asked, shaking her shoulder.

Nala weakly opened her eyes and looked at Kiara.

"Kiara, are you, your father, and everyone else alright." Nala asked in a weak voice.

Rune came over to Nala.

"I told you not to talk with your throat like that." Rune hissed.

"Do as he says, mom but yes, we're alright. It's you we're worried about. Just leave everything to us" Kiara said.

Nala nodded in understanding.

"We also have some very important things to talk about when this is all over." Kiara said.

Nala nodded again. Kiara than turned to Bluu.

"Are you alright Bluu?" Kiara asked.

"A little shaken up but all together fine. Vitani is alright to." Bluu said.

"Be doing better if I could help you all fight though." Vitani mumbled.

Kiara looked to Dalia.

"Where are Timon and Pumbaa, I don't see them in the battle?" Kiara asked, worried for her meerkat and warthog uncles.

"They took the cubs and pups into one of the other cave system. Some adult lions and hyenas went with them as well. So, they should be find." Dalia answered.

"Good. I talked to Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. They're clan is helping us fight. Ed is guarding Taka outside. Take Bluu there." Kiara said.

Dalia did as Kiara told her. Dalia grabbed Bluu by her scruff and ran towards the cave entrance. When Dalia excited the cave, Bluu saw Ed and screamed.

"What's he doing here and what's he doing with Taka?" Bluu exclaimed.

"Explain later, just stay here with him and Taka. He'll keep you safe." Dalia said.

Dalia set Bluu down, who reluctantly sat next to Ed and Taka.

"You okay Bluu?" Taka asked.

"With how much trouble your family gets into, I don't think I want to be betrothed to you anymore." Bluu said.

Dalia ran back into the den to help Rune and Andika keep Nala and Vitani safe. As soon as she entered, a lion pounced on her. Dalia immediately started snapping at the lion's face, who edged his neck back. The lion sunk his teeth into Dalia's neck. Dalia screamed in pain before she scratched at the lion's eye.

The lion screamed in pain and threw Dalia against the wall of the cave. Dalia quickly shook the stars from her eyes just in time to see the lion swipe his claws at her. Dalia ducked just in time, the lion's claws cutting away some of her hyena's mane. Dalia clamped onto the lion's lower jaw and crushed the bones with her bone shattering teeth. The lion roared in pain and brought a paw down on top of Dalia's head.

Dalia feel to the ground, groaning. The lion turned Dalia over and placed a paw on her chest, digging his claws into it. Dalia tried to bite the lion's leg but he used his other forepaw to pin her head to the ground. The lion growled and leaned his head done towards Dalia. Dalia felt the lion's angrily clenched teeth against her throat.

She may have shattered his lower jaw but he was still able to use it to rip her throat out.

"I hate hyenas." the lion said.

The lion reared his head back to go for the killing blow. As he did, Dalia kept clawing at his fore leg. The lion was about to strike but something jumped onto his back and he roared in pain, stepping off Dalia. Dalia looked to see that Nuka had jumped onto the lion's back. Dalia saw Nuka pressing a thick stick into the back of the lion's neck, it must have been sharp and that's why the lion roared in pain.

Dalia saw Zuri come up and dog pile on Nuka and the lion. The lion they were on began gurgling as he chocked on his own blood and coughed it up. Nuka and Zuri got off the lion and looked towards Dalia.

"Dalia, you're hurt." Zuri said, pointing at the bite wound on Dalia's neck.

"Don't worry dear. I scratched his eye before he could do any real damage. It might need some medicine and a leaf bandage though." Dalia said.

Dalia looked towards Nuka.

"You seem to be earning your keep." Dalia said.

"Yeah, I feel braver ever since I stood up to mother, even if just a teeny, tiny, little bit and I still suck at proper fighting." Nuka admitted.

Dalia smiled up at the scraggly lion.

"I'm not the best fighter either and not just because of my age. Maybe when we get back to the Pride Lands, we can have Kovu and Vitani teach us some moves." Dalia suggested.

Nuka looked at Dalia.

"Yeah… maybe." Nuka agreed.

Kiara ran through the battle. She was looking for her friends and grandmother. Kiara saw Tiifu with her grandmother. Tiifu was standing in front of Sarabi while four hyenas advanced on them. Kiara roared and ran towards them.

Kiara tackled a hyena, pinning it to the ground while she horse kicked a second one. Tiifu rammed into the third hyena while it and the fourth looked towards Kiara. The fourth Kiara jumped around Tiifu and ran towards Sarabi. The hyena snapped at her but Sarabi jumped back and sunk her teeth into the back of its neck. The hyena made a sharp jerk to the right, causing Sarabi to lose her grip and fall to the ground.

The hyena went for a killing blow, but Ni came from behind and threw it deep into the cave's lake. Ni offered a paw to help Sarabi back onto her paws.

"A gentleman as always." Sarabi said, smiling up at the leader of the resistance.

"You're too kind." Ni said, playing along.

Kiara and Tiifu hustled up with them, having taken care of the hyenas they were fighting.

"Grandma Sarabi, are you alright?" Kiara asked, rubbing her head against Sarabi's neck.

"I'm fine Kiara, don't worry." Sarabi said, embracing Kiara.

When the two lionesses pulled away from each other, Kiara looked to Ni.

"Kiara, was that Shenzi and her clan I saw run in with you?" Ni asked.

Kiara looked at Ni, a little intimidated by him.

"This might be hard to hear but trust me. She and her clan are on our side." Kiara said.

Ni scowled as Kiara said that.

"They're Scar's pets or were. Why are they helping us, I don't trust 'em." Ni demanded.

"You know that hyena that was with us when you rescued me, Kion, Vitani, and our friends in the jungle?" Kiara asked.

Ni nodded.

"Well, her name is Jasiri and they're her parents. When they saw she was on our side, they switched sides." Kiara explained.

Ni laughed.

"Shenzi and her clan never had any love for the Scarred Pride that much I know but they never had any love for any resistance they thought might be going on neither. This Jasiri friend of yours being there daughter, do you really believe that?" Ni asked.

"I do, they explained the whole story. Zira attacked them in the elephant graveyard, they lost her in the struggle, Liwa and Baba, who we all thought were her parents found her after that somehow, and they got captured by the Scarred Pride years later without learning of Jasiri being alive. They changed to our side because they love her." Kiara explained.

Ni scowled once again and looked around the battle, spotting Shenzi, Banzai, and members of they're clan. Ni looked back at Kiara with a slightly softer face.

"I don't trust Shenzi or anyone in her clan but they're fighting against the Scarred Pride and none of my resistance, so I'll forgive anything they've ever done to us for now but if they cause just one hair on the back my neck to stand up, I'll not hesitate to rip they're throats out whether they be your friend's parents or not." Ni said.

"Fine but just know that I won't allow you to do that." Kiara stated.

A group of lions and hyenas suddenly tackled Ni to the ground. Kiara and Tiifu tried to go and help but a few lionesses surrounded them, preventing them from helping Ni. Ni tried to struggle against the lions and hyenas, but they were just too strong. Some lions dragged Ni over to a jagged rock. The lions slammed Ni's lower back hard against the rock.

Ni roared in pain and fell to the ground as the lions let him go. Ni looked up at the lions and hyenas that tackled him and growled. Ni tried to stand up, but he couldn't.

"Oh, a hurt back old man?" a lion asked mockingly.

Ni glared at the lion that said that.

"May Kifo take you." Ni said.

The lions laughed darkly.

"But may Kifo take you first." the lion said.

Some of the lions raised their claws, ready to strike Ni while some got their jaws ready along with the hyenas. Ni closed his eyes, accepting death with dignity. The lions and hyenas were about to strike until some hyenas tackled them away from Ni. Ni looked and saw that Shenzi, Banzai and some of their clan members had saved him.

"They saved me, out of all members of my resistance?" Ni said in disbelief.

Kiara and Tiifu having defeated the lionesses that had blocked them from trying to save Ni, came up to him along with Sarabi.

"Ni, are you alright?" Sarabi asked.

"Yes." Ni responded.

Ni tried to get up now that he was free to do so but he couldn't. Ni gasped in shock and looked at his legs and the rock he was slammed against. Kiara, Tiifu, and Sarabi noticed Ni's shocked expression.

"Ni, what's wrong?" Kiara asked.

"My legs, I can't feel anything." Ni said.

"That's good, now come on Ni, get up." Tiifu said.

"No, my legs, I can't feel... ANYTHING." Ni said.

Kiara and Tiffu got what Ni meant by 'anything' and looked at his legs in just as much shock as he was.

"Oh no, oh no, no, no, no." Kiara said as she looked around the battle.

She knew that Ni was an easy target while paralyzed. They needed to get him to Rune or outside the cave, but they wouldn't be able to carry him all the way through the battlefield. Kiara looked to Shenzi and Banzai, who had killed or scared off the lions and hyenas who paralyzed Ni. Shenzi felt Kiara's eyes on the back of her head and ordered Banzai and her other clan mates to come with her. They all went over to them.

Shenzi glimpsed at Ni.

"I always had a feeling that this rumored resistance leader was you." Shenzi said.

"Well who else?" Ni asked sarcastically.

"That lioness, Imepigwa, I think her name is? Your second-in-command." Shenzi responded.

"Not anymore, she's dead. Wraith killed her along with one of Kiara's grandmothers and her uncle." Ni growled.

"Sorry to hear that on both ends." Shenzi sympathized.

Kiara shook Shenzi's shoulder and she looked to her.

"Those lions that you and Banzai took care of, paralyzed Ni. We need you to defend us as we get him outside the den." Kiara said.

Shenzi nodded in understanding. Kiara and Tiifu carried Ni while Sarabi walked next to them, Shenzi and her clan mates forming a protective circle around them. Shenzi glanced at Sarabi as they all walked.

"Long time, no see queenie." Shenzi said.

Sarabi gave a small growl and just continued to walk.

"A little thank you would go a long way." Shenzi said.

Sarabi leaned towards Kiara.

"Why is she here and her clan?" Sarabi hissed.

"I'll tell you later but for now, let's get Ni out of here. We've detracted each other during battle long enough already." Kiara said.

"Alright Kiara, I'll trust you." Sarabi reluctantly agreed.

Everyone was luckily able to get Ni outside with Taka, Bluu, and Ed. They set Ni down and Taka and Bluu came up to him.

"Mom, Grandma Sarabi, what's wrong with Ni?" Taka asked.

"He was paralyzed during the fight. We need you two and Ed to watch over him while we continue to help everyone with the fight." Sarabi said.

"No grandma, you're staying out here." Kiara said.

"Very well." Sarabi agreed.

Sarabi walked over to Taka and Bluu and laid down next to them. As she laid down, she noticed that Shenzi had a scratch on her neck.

"Shenzi, you've got a scratch on your neck." Sarabi said.

Shenzi waved a paw.

"Just a scratch, I can handle it. Trust me, Mufasa's anger is worse than this." Shenzi said.

"Indeed, it was." Sarabi said, forcing a small smile.

Shenzi than looked towards Kiara.

"This might be a question brought up at the worst time little princess but where's your father? I haven't seen him." Shenzi asked.

"Neither have I seen him, or Jasiri, Kovu, and those two other lions." Banzai added in.

"He, Kovu, Kion, Kopa, and Jasiri went to fight Wraith." Tiifu answered for Kiara.

"And you let Jasiri go to!?" Banzai shouted in fear after hearing Jasiri went to fight Wraith.

"Yeah, I mean it's five against one and other than Nala and Vitani, they're the Pride Lands' five best fighters." Tiifu said.

"So, they'll take him down easy, right?" Bluu asked.

"No, they won't." Banzai said.

"Yeah, we've seen Wraith fight. He can take on the five of them easily without even trying. I think he can take of five times that many number, maybe even more." Shenzi said.

"Yeah, Shenzi, Ed, and I have seen it happen and Wraith never even broke a sweat when he did." Banzai added in again.

"You'd need the entire resistance to take him down." Shenzi said.

"Is Wraith really that dangerous?" Sarabi asked.

"That and then some." Shenzi answered.

"What do you mean by 'and then some?" Kiara asked.

Shenzi looked around at everyone.

"You all know about how he was so high and mighty about Scar when he was alive about his goal right?" Shenzi asked.

Everyone nodded.

"Well, Wraith was devoted to that goal, but it was only part of what he truly wanted." Shenzi said.

"What do you mean?" Sarabi asked.

"Back when we first met him many months ago and up to this day we would sometimes come across him all alone and talking to himself. So, the entire time we knew him, he only ever had one goal." Shenzi said.

"What was that?" Kiara asked.

"To bring back the lion's old way and he thought that if he went along with Scar's goal of bringing all lions and hyenas together into one giant unified pride and clan he could succeed in that." Shenzi said.

"The old way?" Kiara questioned.

"You've never been taught about the old way of lions?" Banzai asked.

"No." Kiara said.

"Neither have I or any of my friends back in the Pride Lands." Tiifu said.

"I know the old way." Sarabi said.

Everyone looked towards Sarabi.

"What is the old way?" Kiara asked.

"It's how lions use to live, before one of the Great Lion Gods, Mpya overwrote her brother, Zamani's old way with her new way. In the old way, a single lion pride use to be made up of only related individuals and had little tolerance for outsiders not related. Males mated with any of the lionesses they wanted to, even ones that weren't their personal mates. They could mate with all of them if they wanted. A pride averagely consisted of only one male, rarely more for their fear of competition. Male cubs always being forced out when they reach two or three years old when the current ruling male thinks they could be a possible threat to their rule." Sarabi explained.

"That's horrible." Bluu said.

"It was the way my birth pride lived before I met Nala." Ni added.

"And when it came to males, there was no 'may I please join your pride.' If a male wanted to be part of a pride, he would have to kill the current king or scare them off. Once that was done, the male would kill the cubs, so he could have his own genes pass on to the next generation instead of the previous males' and the lionesses of that pride were forced and suspected to submit to that male's new rule." Sarabi said as she looked towards Taka and Bluu.

Taka and Bluu shuddered as Sarabi mentioned that.

"And we use to scavenge like hyenas more than hunt." Sarabi went on.

"We use to hunt just as much as you lions. Your new way just forced us to become scavengers and you the hunters." Shenzi mumbled.

Sarabi ignored Shenzi's minor insult and continued.

"Yes, unfortunately Shenzi is right. Most of our food also came from kills that we stole from hyenas and other predators, and when it came to food it was all about the 'lion's share,' males getting a majority of it, with little thought of the cubs or females. Also, when it came to cubs, some mothers lost interest in them very quickly, so the cubs had to rely on the other lionesses for their milk, and there are still many lions and lionesses who follow the old way of the bygone age today. Not all of us but still a large amount still." Sarabi finished.

Kiara, her children, and her friends all looked at each other. Apparently, their kind weren't the fully pure species they had been taught all their life.

"It is said that Mpya's battle with her brother in the heavens took place a thousand generations ago, while our pride was still known as the Red Mane Pride before we became the Pride Lands Pride." Sarabi said.

"And that battle was witnessed?" Taka questioned.

"Yes, and they aren't just stories if you're thinking that, they actually did happen." Sarabi confirmed.

"And Wraith wants to bring the old way back by going through with the Scarred Pride's goal?" Kiara asked.

"Yes, Wraith told me that last night after he killed Sarafina and Mheetu. Wraith knows perfectly well that the old way is basically genocide against other males and young cubs, and turning an entire pride of lionesses into sex slaves." Sarabi said.

"Yes. Scar and Zira were in some ways, lions of the old way of lions but not fully really. Wraith however is a hundred percent a lion of the old way and he's a cannibal. So, if you ask me, he's worse than Scar or Zira ever were." Shenzi ranted.

"But Wraith is also bringing in males and keeping them alive." Kiara said.

"He wants to be the supreme, evil, overlord of all the pride in the world and he says he'll pass on his genes to each pride by mating with each lioness just to show his power as a herald and prophet for the 'golden age of lions." Shenzi said.

"What about hyenas than, is be bringing us the 'golden age of hyenas' as well?" Kiara asked.

"Somehow, I doubt it." Ni said.

"Yeah, me to. Wraith hates hyenas just as much as the average lion. So, my guess is that he plans to gather all hyenas in one place just so that he can kill all of us off at the same time easily." Shenzi guessed, and she was unknowingly correct about Wraith's intention with gathering all hyenas.

"Wraith's insane!" Kiara shouted.

"He is, which is why we have to kill him and the rest of the Scarred Pride here." Shenzi said.

Kiara looked towards the entrance of the resistance cave. They had to finish the battle inside the cave first and then go help her father and the others. Kiara looked at everyone.

"Let's finish this battle and then go help my dad and the others finish off Wraith." Kiara said.

Chapter 35: Now it Ends

"Come little children so I can show you my wrath. Come little children and meet King Wraith!" Wraith rhymed before disappearing like a ghost into the darkness of a cave, laughing.

Simba, Kovu, Kopa, Kion and Jasiri looked at each other in fear.

"What a creep." Jasiri said.

"He looks completely insane." Kopa said.

"That's because I think he is." Jasiri commented.

"Come on everyone, we got to take him out." Kion said in a voice that sounded braver than he actually was.

Simba began to lead everyone into the cave that Wraith beckoned them in. As soon as they entered, the world became pitch black. It was so dark in fact that they couldn't see, even with the built-in night vision that lions and hyenas had. They heard a laugh, Wraith's laugh echo through the cave. The echo that the cave caused, made the laugh sound demonic.

"It appears that I have one advantage you all don't and do you know what that it? I'll give you a hint. It cannot be seen whenever it's there, it fills up a cave, it's much like air, it cannot be touched, there's nothing to hear, it is quite harmless, there's nothing to fear. What am I?" Wraith said.

"We're not playing riddles with you Wraith. Come out!" Simba shouted.

"Wrong Simba. The answer is the dark and there is something to fear." Wraith said. "It is more feared than fear itself and no one can escape it, it takes no side. They try to beat me, they try in vain and when I win I end the pain. Some try to hide, some try to cheat, but time will show we always will meet. What am I?" Wraith said.

"Shut up and face us you coward!" Kovu shouted.

Wraith's laughed echoed through the cave once again.

"Wrong Kovu, the answer is death. Which I am to all of you." Wraith said.

"I wanted to shut this guy up before but now I really want to even more." Kovu said.

"Hay, get in line." Kopa said.

Everybody heard Wraith's laugh once again echo throughout the cave. Everyone looked around, trying to spot Wraith. They all continued on, staying shoulder to shoulder. As they searched thought the cave, they saw a long tunnel with an ominous light shining around the corner. Everyone looked at each other, all thinking the same thing.

Everyone began to move slowly towards the light, getting their claws ready. When they got to the corner, each of them peeked around and saw a chamber with a hole in the roof for light. What they saw in the light was horrifying. Wraith was in the middle of a bloody massacre of the cubs and pups of the Scarred Pride's lions and hyenas who weren't in Ni's resistance cave. Simba correctly guessed that Wraith must have brought them all here, claiming he would protect them, which was obviously a lie.

Wraith was standing over the dead body of what looked like the youngest lion cub. Wraith sniffed at the cub and bit into it and slowly chewed it's meat. Kion gaged in disgust and Jasiri covered his mouth before he could throw up. When Wraith finished his bite, he bent down and took another bite. Jasiri gaged and Kion covered her mouth before she could throw up.

Wraith dug into the cub's belly and dug into it, slurping out one of it's intestines like a noodle. Kopa gaged and Simba covered his mouth before he could throw up. When Wraith fully slurped up the cub's intestines, he belched loudly. Simba gaged and Kopa covered his mouth before he could throw up. Kovu had his own mouth covered, preventing himself from throwing up.

"That's something you can never un-see." Kovu whispered to everyone.

"You think?" Jasir exclaimed in a muffled whisper due to Kion's paw still on her mouth.

Everyone saw Wraith pick up something and hold it to the light. They looked closer and saw that it was the head of a teenage lion cub that kinda looked like Simba when he was that age. Wraith gasped as he looked at the head.

"Simba, what have they done to you?" Wraith asked the head before laughing like a maniac.

Everyone looked at Wraith's laughing shadow of the wall that the light in the cave's ceiling caused. Just looking at Wraith's laughing shadow horrified all of them for some reason. Wraith turned around and began to dig into a hyena pup's belly for it's intestines.

"His back is turned, come on. Let's get the jump on him." Jasiri whispered.

Kopa began to try and move towards Wraith, but as he did he accidently kicked a rock. Everyone saw Wraith's ear twitch to the sound. They all gasped and quickly hid behind the corner. When they all got the courage to look around the corner again they saw they that Wraith wasn't there.

"If he's not there please tell me that we only imagined him eating cubs and pups?" Kion pleaded.

Kion suddenly felt something around his throat and dragging him away from the others. Everyone looked to see Wraith standing on his back legs with Kion held in his front ones, his wide, shaky, ghostly blue eyes glowing brightly in the dark.

"No, you didn't imagine it and after this is all over, I'll suck out the eyes from each of your skulls." Wraith said.

"Let my son go Wraith!" Simba demanded.

Wraith twisted his body and threw Kion into everyone. After everyone was on the ground, Wraith dragged Kion off everyone by his leg. Kopa and Jasiri tried to attack Wraith from his sides. Wraith quickly grabbed Jasiri by her neck with his paw and used her to hit Kopa in the head with her body. Wraith than threw Jasiri at Kovu, who caught her.

"Are you okay Jasiri?" Kovu asked.

"I think so." Jasiri said as she tried to stand as Kovu set her down.

Everyone looked to Wraith, who still had Kion's leg in his jaws and a paw on Kopa's head. Kovu ran towards Wraith and tried to claw at him. Wraith made a dirty move and tried using Kopa as a living shield. Kovu quickly stopped his attack, not wanting to hurt Kopa. Wraith than moved Kopa away and punched Kovu square in the face.

Kovu skidded across the ground and clutched his face. Kovu glared at Wraith angrily.

"Using someone as a living shield. That's low, even for you Wraith." Kovu growled.

Wraith just laughed after Kovu said that. Kion used the claws on one of his back paws to claw the leg that Wraith was using to hold Kopa down. Wraith winced slightly but still let go of Kopa. Kopa quickly rolled away from under Wraith's paw and punched him in the side of the head, causing him to also let go of Kion. Kion and Kopa retreated back to Simba, Kovu and Jasiri.

Wraith laughed as he clutched his face.

"I never knew Pride Landers were dirty fighters. After all, you Pride Landers are many things: Overgrown cubs, chosen ones, lost princes, hyena lovers, hyena scum… lions and hyenas who are about to be dead." Wraith said, turning his head sideways and showing everyone the blood on his mouth forming into a red smile and smiling creepily.

Wraith than ran past them and into the chamber where the corpses of young lions and hyenas were. Simba and everyone else ran into the chamber, backing Wraith up into a wall, who laughed in maniacal delight despite being outnumbered.

"Wraith, in less than one day, you have greatly hurt my pride and deserve to be punish to the fullest extent of Pride Lands law, but surrender and we will spare you." Simba said.

Wraith laughed in maniacal delight once more.

"Brave words for a king about to die." Wraith said.

Wraith than did the most unexpected thing everyone thought he could do, he unleashed a Roar of the Elders at Simba and the others. Wraith's roar broke the ceiling of the caves and sent Simba and the other flying out towards the edge of the sea. Everyone fought back against the unconscious trying to take over them. Wraith's laugh echoed though out the sea coast. Everyone looked to see Wraith slowly walking out of the cave.

"But, how is that possible. How can you have the Roar of the Elders when your evil?" Kion asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, when Scar had it and used it for evil he lost it." Simba said.

Wraith laughed once again.

"It appears than that your uncle didn't have the same will power as me, didn't fully understand what the Roar of Elders could do, and he wasn't exactly what I am." Wraith said.

"What do you mean?" Kion asked.

"You see, I was born the second son of my father's kingdom, these lands. Me and my brother were born in the same litter but my brother crawled out of my mother before me still, so I was still second born. I've forgotten my brother's name, but not mine. She named me Moyo and I always hated her for it. I was so glad that she was the first lion or lioness that I ever ate." Wraith said.

At the mention of Wraith eating his own mother, Kovu threw up, followed by Jasiri.

"You ate your own mother and these lands were ruled by your family" Simba yelled in shock.

"Yes." Wraith answered.

"Then you're not just a cannibal but you are also a terrible king by letting Scar run your kingdom into the ground, just like he did with the Pride Lands." Simba said.

"These lands were already dying. When my father ruled them. So what does it matter really? After I killed my brother, the vegetation started dying and the water was drying up, causing herds to move out to find better pastures. He decided that we must leave them. The day before we left however, the pride was attacked by humans and when we tried to escape, my mother and I were way ahead of the rest of the pride. I used my Roar of the Elders to send the pride towards the rest of the humans to be killed because I knew that if they came with us, they would slow us down and we'd be killed as well, but I mostly did it because I knew it would end the nightmares." Wraith explained.

"But why do you have the Roar of the Elders still if you used it for evil and what nightmares are you talking about?" Kion asked.

"Those nightmares are none of your concern but maybe I'll tell you about them right before your hearts stop beating forever. You see, soon after I used my roar for that action, the great spirits and my ancestors descended down and I knew their intention was to take my roar away. Right when I thought I was going to lose the only thing that could secure my rise to power, I remembered one of the stories that the old lioness told me about the Roar of Elders, its origins, and white lions." Wraith said.

Everyone looked at Wraith, confused and filled with wonder. Wraith saw their looks and began to explain the story.

"You all know about the Great Spirit, the Lion in the Moon, Mwezi is his name. He who made us all?" Wraith asked.

"Yes, my mother told me about him and sung me a song about it after my father saved me and Nala in the elephant graveyard." Simba said.

"Yes, well you see. Many generations ago, during the founding of the New Way, Mwezi looked down and saw a singular pride. It was a small pride and it's king and queen were old, they had tried many times to have cubs, but they always ended up as stillborns. They also had many problems with many other animals competing for territory, food, water, and any other resources they needed. The king and queen knew they couldn't take care of it on their own and the pride and it's cubs were too fearful of the more dangerous animals to do anything. Mwezi took great pity on the pride, so one night, he focused and shone all his light on the old queen. When the queen woke up the next day, she realized that she was with cub. She and the old king rejoiced but were fearful that they would lose this child like all the rest but no. The cub was born and it grew up strong and healthy. The legend also says that when this cub turned one year old, it produced a roar, a magical roar. The old king than saw that this cub was no ordinary cub but a gift from Mwezi himself. The cub saw this to and decided to fight against the dangerous animals endangering his pride." Wraith said.

Kion gasped as he knew what Wraith was going to say next.

"The cub however knew that even with this roar, he could not do it alone, so he assembled a team of the pride's other young lion cubs, who lost all their fear of the other animals due to seeing the power of this cub's roar and his bravery. This cub dubbed his team as the Lion Guard and their members as the fiercest, bravest, strongest, fastest, and keenest of sight. Together they drove back the animals endangering their home. Mwezi looked on at his gift to this pride with immense pride. He however knew that there were other prides in the world suffering as much trouble as this pride, maybe even worse. So, he made his decision, he would bless every noble lion bloodline to have a single cub with this magical roar." Wraith said.

"But then how does that explain why the second born son or daughter get the roar if that cub was the only cub they had?" Kopa asked.

Wraith laughed in amusement before he blasted at everyone with a precision roar but purposely missed just to scare them.

"Mwezi saw to that. He knew that if the future king or queen had a roar of that power, it could easily corrupt them and lead to them tyrannically ruling they're pride and possibly encourage them to take over other prides and rule them at the same way. So, he made it to where the second born son or daughter for some reason gets the roar instead of just the second born." Wraith said.

"Does this story have any point to why it relates to you still having your roar after using it for evil?" Kovu asked impatiently.

Wraith growled towards Kovu and made a purposely missed precision shot at him, warning him to be quiet.

"Yes, it does. You see, legend says that cub was born with fur that was as beautifully white as the moon, making him a white lion, the first white lion ever according to what the legend says. So, because of that, white lions like myself have a very special connection to the roar and it's supposed to be more powerful than non-white lions, like yourself Kion, because of that. The fact that my mother and father were pureblood white lions as well also helps. So, when the spirits and my ancestors came to take my roar, I used it on them and as I did, I put all of my will power into it, along with all my emotions of fear, hatred, and anger towards my family, allowing it to fully consume me and add to the power of my roar, which was already more powerful than others. I destroyed the spirits of my ancestors and scared the great spirits away with it, nearly destroying them as well, preventing them from ever stealing my power." Wraith explained.

Kion and everyone else was shocked. Wraith had accomplished something with his roar that Scar couldn't. Using his Roar of the Elders for evil but not losing it because of him being a pureblood white lion and having a special connection to it's origin, putting his will power into it, allowing his negative emotions that he had for his family for some reason to fully take control of him and produce a very powerful roar that could destroy spirits. Wraith began to explain the rest of his story.

"Me and my mother wandered the desert for weeks. She eventually died of thirst and hunger. I met your uncle minutes after she died, Simba. We came back and killed the humans, and Scar told me his plan for the Scarred Pride. I never told him of my exact connections to the land or show him my roar. So, I decided to loan him my lands until he died or was killed. He watched over my lands for me like he was always meant to, now that he's dead, I take back control of my lands and now I'm going to use my roar to kill you." Wraith said.

"A white lion with a roar or no roar, you're not going to win this war Wraith." Simba said.

Wraith made precision roar, directed at Simba. Simba was sent flying a couple dozen feet into the sea. Simba tried to swim back to shore but the water was clogging into his mane kept dragging him down, making it near impossible to swim.

"Dad!" Kion shouted.

"We gotta to help him." Kopa said.

"No, we can't. Water will clog our manes to if we go into the water to help him." Kion said.

"Damn you." Kopa growled towards Wraith.

"Ugh, where's Beshte when you need him?" Kovu groaned.

Jasiri suddenly began walking into the sea. Being a hyena meant that she had no mane to get water clogged and drag her down.

"I'll go help him." Jasiri said as she jumped into the water.

As everyone watched Jasiri jump into the water to go help Simba, they heard Wraith produce another Roar of the Elders. Everyone looked up as fierce storm clouds suddenly appeared, beginning to slightly rain and strong winds began to blowing. The beautiful red and yellow sky of the setting Sun during grey and black.

"This is no natural storm." Kovu said.

Kovu, Kion and Kopa looked to see Wraith had just used a Roar of the Elders on the sea, causing small tidal waves. The sea began to roar angrily.

"A non-white lion with the roar can create rain clouds with the roar but a white lion can create storms like this with it if they focus." Wraith laughed.

Kion looked back to Jasir and his dad in the sea.

"Jasiri, dad be careful!" Kion shouted out towards the sea.

Kovu, Kion, and Kopa than faced Wraith. Wraith made a precision shot at Kion, who did the same. Their roars made a blinding white light as they collided. Kion and Wraith put all their will power into their roars. Wraith's roar however was so much more powerful than his that it was pushing Kion back.

Kovu quietly walked over to Kion and whispered to him.

"Just hang on for a little bit longer, me and Kopa are gonna flank him." Kovu whispered.

"Just hurry, I don't know how much longer I can keep this up." Kion thought to himself, feeling like his head was about to explode from the strain of trying to push Wraith's roar back with his own.

Kovu and Kopa quickly and quietly snuck up to Wraith. When the two got on Wraith's sides they pounced. Unfortunately, Wraith made a risky move that worked for him. Wraith let himself drop to the ground and as Kovu and Kopa were about to land on him, they were caught in Kion's precision roar. The both of them were thrown against the hills and fell to the ground unconscious.

"Guys!" Kion shouted with concern.

Wraith took his chance with a precision roar, which hit Kion, sending him skidding across the ground. Kion tried to rise but he was too weak from the hit of that precision roar to do so. He couldn't help but think of the irony. He had used the roar on Janja and his crew, and many of their other enemies for years and now he knew what it felt like to feel the Roar of Elders' wrath. Jasiri and Simba had just gotten to the shore, having made it through the wild waves.

Simba shook his mane, trying to get as much water out of it as he could. Simba looked around at Kovu, Kion and Kopa. Simba and Jasiri ran over to Kion.

"Kion, are you alright?" Jasiri asked with concern.

Kion looked up at his father and Jasiri.

"I can't beat him with my Roar of Elders, his is more powerful than mine." Kion weakly said.

Simba and Jasiri glared at Wraith, who was laughing.

"You think this is funny!" Simba growled.

"Fun really isn't something one considers when balancing the world, but this does put a smile on my face." Wraith said.

"You will never win Wraith." Simba said.

"Wrong Simba, it'll all be just like I told your dear wife Nala." Wraith said.

"Don't you dare talk about her!" Simba screamed.

"You Pride Landers have always won but in time, you will know what it is like to lose. To feel so desperately your right, yet to fail all the same. Dread it, run from it, destiny still arrives, and it is here. And I hope they remember you." Wraith said.

"I told you not to talk about Nala!" Simba shouted.

Wraith tried to blast Simba and Jasiri was a precision Roar of the Elders but both of them narrowly dodged it in time. Simba ran at Wraith, dodging any Roar of the Elders precision shot that he made. Simba pounced on Wraith. The two lions rolled around in the sand, clawing and biting at each other. Simba ended up on top of Wraith and tried to bite at his neck, but he kept Simba's gaping jaws away with his paws.

Jasiri came up and bit at Wraith's back legs.

"I'll kill you!" Simba angrily shouted at Wraith.

Wraith hit Simba in the face with a precision roar to send him off of him. The force of the roar was so strong that it almost blasted Simba's head off. Wraith than used his other back leg to kick Jasiri on the top of the head, dazing her. Wraith tried to grab for her, but Simba rammed into Wraith, pushing him away from her. Simba and Wraith stood apart from each other, glaring.

"Your worse than my uncle, or Zira, or Janja, or any other enemy the Pride Lands have ever faced. There is no purity in you." Simba growled.

Wraith laughed as thunder and the ocean roared and lightning cracked the sky.

"I am no saint, Simba, I admit, but even I know an evil person when I see one, and your uncle was one." Wraith laughed.

"Don't change the subject Wraith!" Simba demanded.

"Oh Simba, admit it. Your uncle deserved what he got. If you ask anyone, they'll say I did you a favor in saving your energy and not making you have to deal with him yourself." Wraith said.

"My uncle didn't deserve to live, be shown mercy or any form of compassion, but that didn't take away the fact that even he deserved a trial according to Pride Lands law." Simba said.

"So, you would have let him go off easy like many can in a trial?" Wraith asked.

"No, he would have been sentenced to death like he deserved." Simba said.

"So why would you waste time with a trial?' Wraith asked.

"Because it is the right thing to do." Simba said.

"Because it's the right thing." Wraith laughed.

Wraith looked at the sky and over the sea for a second

"Tell me, Simba. Do I look like a monster to you?" Wraith asked.

"Yes, your nothing but just a savage, impulsive animal who kills anyone he wants and does evil things just 'cause he can do them, and has nothing to be pitied about." Simba asked.

Wraith laughed.

"You know, it's sad to hear you say that really. Makes me think you don't care to hear why I'm like this. Maybe if I told you, you might learn something about me, ou might learn we're not so different, you and I. You might even learn something about yourself." Wraith said.

"You need to learn to shut up!" Simba growled.

"You think I want to do evil and kill others just because I can? Hahaha! No. You see, I'm not just some cannibal, Simba. Some killer out in the jungle. Some villain. I'm a lion who knows exactly what he wants. A lion with a plan." Wraith said.

"What do you want Wraith?" Simba asked curiously.

"I want what Scar wanted, to bring all lions and hyenas into one large pride and clan. In doing so I can bring back Zamani's way, the old way." Wraith said.

Simba stared at Wraith is shock.

"You want to bring back the old way?" Simba exclaimed.

"Yes, the lioness told me stories about it and it intrigued me to the point where I love what it's about and want it. With it, I can erase the nightmares." Wraith said.

"What do you mean by nightmares?" Simba asked, horrified at just what type of lion Wraith was and curious about the nightmares he mentioned

"Oh, so now he want to know about me. Ask your mother about that if you somehow win this battle, I told her last night. The point is though Simba, you can't take care of anyone. When I march out to start my conquest to bring back the old way, I'll take over your pride first, so to do that I have to kill you along with these three other lions, the hyena will be collateral damage. I'll also take care of all the males of the resistance pride, especially that traitor Ni, I'll also finish off your wife, your mother, and every other family member you might have back home. Your daughter however." Wraith said.

Simba growled in white hot fury.

"Before I had her eat disgusting lion meat, I had her tell me about herself. She told me that she had an older brother and you kept him secret from her for years, until you recently decided to tell her. She also told me how you banished the Outsiders. They may have deserved it from almost killing your son, but to banish innocent cubs. Like I said, I'm no saint, but I do know evil when I see and hear it, and for you keeping Kopa a secret from her and her dear brother and deciding to never tell her and forcing everyone else to keep him a secret and sending innocent cubs to their deaths… you are a monster." Wraith said.

"I wouldn't do that again." Simba said.

"Yet, we'll never know if you wouldn't do it again will we? She also told me about everything else you did to her with Kovu, her first solo hunt, and everything else. You hurt her so bad. Also, weather she likes it or not, she pushed me to realizing that Scar was a weak leader, that he would destroy my chances to bring back the old way, and that it would be a better if I took my lands and the Scarred Pride back now and I did. I must thank her for that. So, I'll take her for myself once I finish off the resistance pride and you all, after all she is the most beautiful lioness in the world. I know that I won't be able to live forever, I'll need a son to carry on the Scarred Pride's, my legacy and keep the old way from dying out again. Kiara, unlike you, I can take care of her. We can have a family." Wraith said.

Simba angrily clenched his teeth together so hard that he could have sworn that he was going to either shatter them or push them deeper into his gums.

"As for Vitani, I don't like her looks, but I'll spare her. Only to force her to live with the fact that she failed your foolish first-born son again." Wraith said.

"You bastard!" Simba shouted.

"I will bring a new age for lion, I will bring back Zamani's way, I will bring lions back to their golden age, I will make lions great again!" Wraith shouted.

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Simba growled.

Somebody suddenly pounced on Wraith. Wraith looked behind himself and saw that Kopa pounced on him.

"You'll die here today Wraith." Kopa said.

Wraith was able to shake Kopa off of him. Wraith tried to pound Kopa's head into the ground but Kovu rammed into his side. Wraith tried to rise but Kion, who got his strength back, blasted him with a precision Roar of the Elders. Kovu, Kopa, Kion, and Jasiri, who had also regained consciousness all tackled Wraith and held him.

"Release me, you miserable cowards! King Wraith demands it!" Wraith shouted.

Simba slowly walked up to Wraith and glared down at him.

"I, King Simba of the Pride Lands sentence you to die." Simba said.

Wraith tried to use a precision Roar of the Elders, but Kion covered his mouth before he could.

"Your done Wraith, it's over." Kovu said.

Simba raised his right paw with their claws extended, ready to strike. Wraith struggled against Kopa, Kovu, Kion, and Jasiri violently. Simba brought his claws down and as he did, Wraith was able to get Kion's paw away from his mouth. Before Simba's claws connected with Wraith's face, Wraith bit down on Simba's paw and as he did, a crunch sound was heard. Simba screamed in pain and fell back, clutching his right paw

"Simba!" Kovu and Jasiri shouted.

"Dad!" Kopa and Kion shouted.

The four let go of Wraith and ran over to Simba. Kovu took a look at Simba's paw and saw two bloody stumps where some of his toes were supposed to be.

"Oh man, dad." Kion said.

"At least it was nothing worse." Kovu said, trying to look on the bright side, if there was one.

When Simba stopped winching in pain, he had everyone help him stand up. Everyone looked over to Wraith after he roared.

"No more stalling, no more talk. The only thing that matters now is your deaths." Wraith proclaimed.

Everyone readied themselves for the final stage of the fight. Kion gave a precision roar at Wraith, who rolled out of the way. Wraith charged at the group and swiped at each one of them, but they all dodged the swipes. Wraith made another swipe at Simba, but Simba caught Wraith's leg and uppercut him. Jasiri came up bit at Wraith's legs.

Wraith glared down at Jasiri angrily. He was able to tare her off before she could shatter his leg with her bite force. Wraith took Jasiri in his front legs, stood up on his back legs, and he began bear hugging Jasiri with the intent to break her spine. Kion quickly rushed towards them and rammed into Wraith's legs, sending him to the ground and freeing Jasiri. The two tried to strike down at Wraith but he tried to hit them with a precision roar, forcing them to make a small tactical retreat.

Kovu came up and swiped at Wraith, giving him four bloody gashes along his cheek. Kopa charged at Wraith, who jumped out of the way and shoulder slammed him into Kovu.

"I'll bury all of you." Wraith said.

Wraith made a precision roar at Kopa and Kovu but Kion intercepted it with his own. Simba than rammed into Wraith's side, sending him to the ground. Kion tried to make another precision roar at Wraith while he was on the ground. Wraith rolled out of the way and made his own precision roar at Kion, sending him into the shallows of the sea, which was now making small tidal waves from Wraith's magical roar. Wraith made another precision roar at Kion, who narrowly dodged it in time, causing Wraith to just send up ocean water.

Wraith charged at Jasiri, slamming into her. Jasiri clung onto Wraith's face and mane. Jasiri bit onto one of Wraith's ear, tearing it off. Wraith tried to slam Jasiri into the ground, but the young adult hyena jumped of, causing Wraith to slam his own face into the ground. Wraith tried to claw at Jasiri, who was just beside him.

Jasiri leaped over Wraith's paw and threw sand into his eyes irritating them. Wraith forced his eyes to stay open, even with the sand in them irritating them and telling him to close his eyes and rub them free. Wraith backpawed Jasiri. Wraith tried to make another precision roar but Kopa came up and punched Wraith in the side of the head. Kovu came up and punched the other side of Wriath's head.

Wraith jumped in between the two and twisted in the air. Wraith kicked both lions with his front and back paws, sending them tripping backwards. Simba came up to Wraith and tried to lunge at him but Wraith jumped back. Wraith made his own lunged at Simba and grabbed him behind the front legs. Wraith rolled and threw Simba a few feet away from him.

Wraith made a precision roar at Simba, but he ran away from the blast range just in time. Kion suddenly came to Wraith's side and knocked his legs out from under him. Wraith quickly rolled and use his back legs to kick Kion in the face. Wraith got up and tried to claw at Kion but Kovu came up and bit onto his paw, intending to do the same thing to Wraith that he did to Simba. Wraith dug his claws into Kovu's tongue before he could, causing the him to let go.

Wraith grabbed Kovu by the shoulders and headbutted him in the face a dozen times before Kopa came to his brother-in-law's rescue. Kopa socked Wraith in the jaw, sending the white lion to the sandy ground.

"It's through Wraith." Kopa said.

"Never!" Wraith stubbornly shouted.

Wraith and Kopa made a punch at each other. Kopa was able to narrowly move his head to avoid Wraith's punch, Wraith however met Kopa's punch and got several teeth knocked out. Wraith staggered back, clutching his bleeding jaw. Wraith shook away his pain and tried to make one more precision roar, but Simba came up and clawed at the left side of his face, his claws digging into and destroying Wraith's left eye. Everyone regrouped for a finale charge at Wraith.

They were all breathing heavily, their lungs feeling like they were on fire, the muscles in their legs barely being able to support them. Even Wraith was feeling the same and it showed despite his trying to hide it.

"We've got to keep it up a little longer, he's getting tired." Kovu observed.

"So are we." Jasiri said.

Wraith glared at Simba and everyone else, forcing his destroyed eye open, showing the blood pouring out of its socket.

"God speed your majesty." Wraith said.

Wraith made a full Roar of the Elders. The roar made the sea roar as loud as some godly lion. A large tidal wave washed over Simba and everyone else, nearly dragging them out to sea. Kion made a roar at a second, larger tidal wave that came at them.

"You all and all your pride mates belong in this place. Lost, forgotten, buried. And no one will mourn. The sins of Mpya's new way ends here!" Wraith proclaimed.

Wraith made a wide precision roar at the entire group of five. Kion stood in front of the group and made one of his own, him and Wraith getting locked into another battle of wills as well as roars. As their roar blasts connected to form a blinding white, Wraith's voice seemed to be channeled thought his roar

"You cannot defeat me, I am King Wraith of the Scarred Pride!" Wraith's voice seemed to say.

Wraith's roar was beginning to overpower Kion's.

"Don't let him defeat you Kion, you can do… brother." Kopa said.

Being called brother filled Kion with a greater sense of purpose than he'd ever felt before. Even more than when he was told that he had to become leader of the Lion Guard.

"It's till Pride Lands end, Lion Guard defend. The rest of the guard may not be here but I am, and we may not be in the Pride Lands but this is still to defend my home… and I'll not let some savage like Wraith take it away from me or anyone else!" Kion thought to himself.

Kion channeled his voice though his roar and it shouted towards Wraith.

"Do you know the Lion Guard motto Wraith? It's till Pride Lands end, Lion Guard defend!" the voice in Kion's roar said.

"Well you won't need to say your motto anymore or worry about defending the Pride Lands since I'll destroy it and your fellow guard members will be the first ones I kill. The only question is which one do I kill first? The honey badger, the hippo, the cheetah, the egret that Zira had told me about?" Wraith's voice seemed to ask through his roar.

"You keep jabbering on about how much better the old ways of Zamani are and how much you need to have the Scarred Pride conquer the world. I don't understand anything about that stuff, but I know what can beat you. Someone who has something better worth living for. To protect their home, friends, family, and everything that they care about! Not try to enslave all lions and hyenas with some old way of Zamani with his Scarred Pride!" Kion's voice shouted through his roar.

Wraith felt himself get pushed back by Kion's roar.

"You fool, the Scarred Pride cannot be brought down by some resistance pride. Especially not by some hyena loving freak like YOU!" Wraith's voice shouted through his roar.

Wraith's roar began to overpower Kion's before something magical happened. The silhouettes of lions and lionesses suddenly appeared from the sky.

"What is this?" Wraith's voice asked through his roar.

The lion and lioness silhouettes roared, sending white, magical beams into Kion's own roar beam. It suddenly hit Wraith, these were Kion's ancestors who were former leaders of the Lion Guard and the great spirits coming back to try and take Wraith's roar away. The lion spirits strengthened Kion's roar, which overpowered Wraith's and sent him flying into the top of the mouth of the cave everyone had followed Wraith into a while ago. Wraith fell to the ground, his white fur covered in blood. Wraith tried to rise on shaky legs.

The mouth of the cave suddenly began to collapse. Wraith screamed in defeat as rocks fell on him, burying him. As soon as they did, the tidal waves stopped, the sea and thunder stopped roaring, and the lightning stopped streaking across the sky, but the rain clouds stayed. Simba, Kopa, Kovu, Kion and Jasiri looked at each other with relief. Wraith was dead.

Chapter 36: Torn Apart

Soon after Kion sent Wraith flying into one of the hills to have rocks fall on top of him, Kion blacked out from exhaustion. Everyone dragged Kion back onto the beach and set him down. The rest of them laid down from exhaustion. Kovu looked towards Simba, who was inspecting where Wraith bit two of his toes off.

"Next time you decide to go on a family vacation, remind me to punch you in the mouth." Kovu said as he panted.

"No problem." Simba agreed as he panted. "My jaw still hurts from when you first punched me back in the jungle."

"That fight was intense. I thought we weren't going to win there for a second." Jasiri said.

"Yeah, I've fought against my uncle and his hyenas, Zira and her Outlanders, and many other things but this one was the by far toughest." Simba said.

Everyone voiced their agreements as they waited for Kion to wake back up. Kion soon began to regain consciousness.

"What happened, where am I?" Kion asked.

"Shhh. Don't worry about it, we'll tell you later. Just lay down." Jasiri said.

"Did I get him, is Wraith dead?" Kion asked, not listening to Jasiri.

"He is, you did good." Kopa said.

Kion looked towards the rocks where Wraith was buried. Kion sighed with relief.

"You truly are an amazing lion Kion, you know that?" Jasiri asked.

"Coming from someone like you, I guess I can say with confidence that I am." Kion said.

Jasiri laughed.

"You know everyone, the only thing I regret is…" Jasiri began to say before she was suddenly cut off.

A precision Roar of the Elders suddenly hit Jasiri from out of nowhere.

"Jasiri!" everyone yelled as she was shot several dozens of feet away from them.

Everyone looked to see where the blast came from. To everyone's horrific shock, Wraith was dragging himself out of the rocks he was buried in. He was still alive and he still had his Roar of the Elders.

"I thought Kion killed him!" Kopa shouted.

"Apparently not. He doesn't go down easy it seems." Simba said.

"How many times do we gotta get rid of this guy?" Kovu asked.

"I'll freaking tare him apart!" Kion angrily shouted.

Wraith had now fully dragged himself out of the rocks and everyone was able to get a fully look of his appearance. Everyone wondered how he was still alive. Wraith's head was caved in on the left, all his legs were bent in awkward angles, his mane and body were covered in cuts and gashes from the rocks and his fight with everyone, and he screamed in pain with every step he took.

"You fools! You cannot beat me, no one can! King Wraith of the Scarred Pride does not go down easily" Wraith shouted.

The four lions got ready for another battle.

"Is there a problem here?" a voice suddenly asked.

The five lions looked to see Shenzi and her clan standing on the hills, looking down at all of them, especially at Wraith.

"Shenzi, Banzai, Ed?" Simba exclaimed.

"Nice to see you as well." Shenzi said to Simba.

Wraith stared at up at the group of hyenas.

"Shenzi, Banzai, Ed? It is now our time, it is time to end this. You betrayed the Scarred Pride, but however, you can redeem yourselves. Kill Simba and his entire family here!" Wraith commanded.

Kiara suddenly came up and stood beside Shenzi.

"No Wraith." Kiara said.

"Kiara?" Simba exclaimed, confused to see his daughter standing by Shenzi's side.

Suddenly Nala came up and stood by Kiara. Nala's still had her vine stitches on her throat and she had to walk carefully with a paw holding her neck, but she still looked as strong and majestic as ever. Vitani also came up. She had some vines stitches and bandages on her belly where Zira scratched her, so she also had to walk slowly and carefully without stretching out needlessly if possible. Soon enough Simba's pride and Ni's resistance also came and stood with Shenzi and her clan.

"What is this?" Wraith asked.

"Wraith, ten years ago my Great Uncle Scar promised a new era where lions and hyenas came together for the future. It didn't happen with him back then but it's happening today, because both of our species now share something with one another we didn't have back then." Kiara announced, glancing towards Shenzi.

"Understanding, respect, and unity!" Kiara and Shenzi shouted in unison.

"And together we'll take you down. From today, never again shall you harm a single lion, hyena, or any other animal, including those of your own pride. Your reign of tyranny is done!" Kiara shouted.

"And don't bother calling to your Scarred Pride lions and hyenas for help. They won't be coming." Nala said, holding her throat closed so she could talk well enough for everyone to hear despite Kiara glaring at her for talking when she shouldn't be.

Wraith stared on in shock. He wasn't scared, just shocked. Wraith was a strong fighter but with how broken his body was along with the slight beating and Roar of Elders blast he took, he knew that he wouldn't be able to fight everyone off. Wraith stared around angrily at everyone.

"You all talk about being together, well you can all die together!" Wraith shouted.

Wraith tried to make a precision roar at everyone but Kion hit him with his own before he could.

"Now!" Kiara shouted towards Shenzi and her clan, seeing that they had their chance.

Shenzi and her clan went straight to work on Wraith. All twenty-three hyenas along with the Scarred Pride hyenas ran down the hill and began to tare Wraith apart. They pulled on his legs and his tail. Wraith tried to swipe at them as they mauled him but was unable to do any real damage to them.

"Get off me, I'm King Wrath, your king!" Wraith shouted.

"Shut up!" Banzai shouted before he tore Wraith's lower jaw off.

"Ha! Roar now!" a hyena dared.

"Strangle him with his own guts!" another hyena shouted.

Shenzi and Ed did as the hyena suggested and dug into Wraith's stomach. They grabbed his intestines and tied them around his neck to strangle him with them.

"Deck the halls with Wraith's intestines. Falalalalalalala!" a hyena sang as the two did so.

Wraith screamed in pain as he was continued to be torn apart. His legs and tail were soon ripped off and the hyenas began to devour the rest of his body. A hyena tore a bunch of fur, skin, and meat off Wraith's face, exposing the skull of half his face while the hyenas took care of the other side of his face. Wraith's screams turned into the best maniacal laughs he could muster with only his upper jaw. He looked through the hyenas at everyone else

"Remember me when you try to sleep at night!" Wraith tried to shout out but couldn't sense he didn't have a lower jaw to do so.

Wraith screams and maniacal laughs soon died along with him as the hyenas ate the rest of him. When the hyenas backed off, all that was left of Wraith was a lot of blood, some patches of fur and hide, tiny chunks of his organs, and many bones pulled mostly clean. After Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed pulled away, they ran towards Jasiri, not bothering to lick Wraith's blood of their muzzles. When the three got to Jasiri, she was still laying on the ground where she landed after Wraith hit her with his roar. The three rolled her over and looked down at her..

"Oh my god, is she dead?" Shenzi asked fearfully.

Kion came up to the four hyenas. Kion placed his ear on Jasiri's chest.

"No, just knocked out thankfully." Kion assured them, hearing a heartbeat.

Shenzi took Jasiri and cradled her body in her front legs and paws. Shenzi smiled down at the young adult hyena.

"It feels good to hold her again." Shenzi said.

Banzai rubbed a paw over Jasiri's cheek.

"She's still that bold little pup we lost." Banzai said.

Ed bent down and happily gave Jasiri's other cheek a lick. Jasiri suddenly began to stir. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up with blurry vision.

"Kion, is that you?" Jasiri asked.

"Partly." Kion said.

Jasiri's vision unblurred and saw Shenzi was cradling her in her front legs and paws.

"You?" Jasiri exclaimed in shock.

"It feels good to hold you again." Shenzi said.

"Let go of me!" Jasiri demanded, squirming out of Shenzi's grip.

Shenzi looked at her daughter with a hurt expression.

"But Jas…" Banzai began to say.

"Save it! I know what you're going to say and I'm not falling for it! You're not my parents, we look nothing alike, how could you two be my parents? Even if you were, I don't want you and I don't want to know you, because I know what you three are like." Jasiri shouted.

Jasiri retreated over to the Pride Landers, with Kion following behind her, trying to reason with her. The rest of Shenzi's clan walked over to her and Banzai, and stood behind her. Shenzi and Banzai looked to Jasiri. The two looked at eachother.

"There's no way I'm giving up on her." Banzai said.

"Yes, I know she doesn't mean that and she knows it to. She's just shocked." Shenzi said.

"We just need to give her, her space to process it and then try to spend time with her." Banzai.

After Banzai said that, Shenzi looked towards Kiara, Nala, and Sarabi, who were inspecting Simba's paw. Kiara said that they could come into the Pride Lands to bond with Jasiri and be with her, but they had to convince Simba first. Kiara had explained everything to Nala. Nala was obviously not for giving them a chance, but after thinking about what Kiara accomplished about a year ago and knowing that parents could change for the better for their children, she said she would give them one last chance, but only if Simba would. Shenzi and Banzai walked up to Simba.

Simba was introducing Nala to Kopa. Nala noticeably seemed overjoyed but wasn't able to say anything or make any big movements because of her throat wound. Nala noticed Shenzi and Banzai walking over to them and looked at them with a slight glare and growl. Simba noticed this and looked towards Shenzi and Banzai who had just sat down in front of him and the others. Simba glared down at the two hyenas who had tried to eat him, Nala, and some of his other friends when they were cubs.

"Simba." Shenzi said.

"Shenzi." Simba said calmly though is face wasn't calm.

Shenzi took a deep breath before she continued to speak.

"For Jasiri." Shenzi told herself in her head. "Me, Banzai, and the rest of the clan wish to humbly ask for your forgiveness."

"No!" Simba immediately said.

"Simba please, Jasiri is our daughter. We lost her years ago and we've only just found her again. She won't accept us, so we know she won't come with us or leave the Pride Lands and any friends she might have. Please allow us your forgiveness and allow us into the Pride Lands. We don't want to lose her again." Banzai said.

A look of surprise spread across Simba's face at the mention of Jasiri being their daughter. He looked towards Jasiri before going back to glare down at Shenzi and Banzai.

"Uh huh, like I'm going to believe that you two are related to a hyena that looks almost nothing like you." Simba said sarcastically.

"Gee, that sounds familiar." Ed frustrated, said in his own language to himself back where he was sitting.

Simba ignored whatever he thought Ed said and continued to glare down at Shenzi and Banzai.

"I will not allow hyenas into the Pride Lands." Simba said.

"Dad, Jasiri, her sister, the rest of her small clan, and Dalia are hyenas, yet you've allowed them into the Pride Lands." Kion said.

"They're different Kion. They're good-hearted hyenas, unlike these two and the rest of they're clan. They supported Scar, nearly ate me and my friends multiple times, helped in my father's murder, and not to mention they nearly destroyed the Pride Lands years ago by forcing the lionesses to overhunt. Plus they kept most of the food for themselves, nearly causing the rest of the pride to starve to death along with my mother's sisters." Simba said.

"Naanda, Diku, and Dwala." Sarabi whispered softly.

Kion looked at his grandmother for a quick moment before turning back towards his father.

"But dad, they just killed Wraith to help us and try to make amends for all they've done." Kion said.

"And fought against the Scarred Pride lions and hyenas while you and the others went to fight Wraith." Tiifu added.

"They did it just to try and get Jasiri back not to help us out of the 'goodness of their hearts' or try to make an amends." Simba argued back.

"Alright, I'll admit that we did basically destroy the Pride Lands and cause starvation and not to play the blame game, but that was just as much your stupid uncle's fault as it was ours. If he had been a better king, none of that wouldn't have happened. Also, my mother had just died back than, forcing me to run my clan before I was ready. I was two back then, I was just reaching maturity for a hyena and I had to find out how to feed everyone when I didn't have any wisdom to guide me at still a very young age. That was before I even first met you. I and the rest of my clan have learned since then. It may not seem it, but we really have, honestly." Shenzi said.

"Yes, unlike Scar, we take responsibility for our actions and admit when we've done wrong." Banzai explained.

"There's no promise you make that I can trust." Simba said.

"Daddy, I know your history with them isn't a too fond one and like I've been told, I can't deny that they did horrible things to you and the Pride Lands and deserve to be punished for it, but everyone deserves a second chance." Kiara said.

"Yes, but this would be their millionth chance, and have you forgotten what they did to Taka?" Simba asked.

"They've apologized and Taka has decided to try and forgiven them, so have I." Kiara said.

"You forgive too easily Kiara and maybe Taka does to." Simba said.

"But dad…" Kiara began to say, but was interrupted by Simba.

"And you heard them. Jasiri doesn't even want them. Right Jasiri?" Simba asked.

Everyone looked to Jasiri. Jasiri was confident about not want Shenzi and Banzai at first, but she was now starting to look unsure. Jasiri had told her parents that she didn't want them, but with what was happening now, seeing Shenzi and Banzai fighting so desperately for her, she suddenly didn't know what to think anymore. Jasiri adverted her eyes away from the confrontation between them and Simba.

"What about Nuka then, does he not deserve a second chance for what he's done even after helping us fight against the Scarred Pride?" Zuri, who was standing next to Nuka, suddenly asked.

Simba looked back at Nuka. Simba remembered how Nuka had come close to killing him a year ago when the Outlanders ambushed him and tricked him into believing that Kovu had willingly led him into the ambush. Nuka was also there when Zira apparently murdered Kopa, but he only watched Zira attack Kopa and nothing more. Simba was about to say that he wouldn't give Nuka another chance either even though he helped kill Zira, but he remembered that he was still basically a cub when he banished him to the Outlands, besides, his crimes were more forgivable than Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed's.

"Nuka can have a second chance but not Shenzi, Banzai, and the rest of their clan." Simba said.

"Just because he's a lion and Shenzi, Banzai, and the rest of their clan are hyenas?" Zuri correctly guessed.

"That's not true." Simba half lied.

Simba turned back to Shenzi, and Banzai.

"I'm warning you two and your clan. Get out of my sight before I decide to do something drastic." Simba said with venom in his voice and his claws beginning to unsheathe more than they already were.

Kopa saw that he had to step in before things got too heated, and he did so. Kopa at first when he heard about Jasiri's relationship to Shenzi and Banzai, was mixed about forgiving them. However, now seeing it in person, he saw in Shenzi and Banzai's eyes that they were being genuine in wanting forgiveness and wanting to change. Kopa made his move.

"Dad how long have I been gone?" Kopa asked.

"About five years." Simba said.

"And Jasiri and her parents. They've been separated since Jasiri was only a couple months old. They lost her and thought they might never see her again but now the three of them have found each other again." Kopa said.

"What happened with them is not my problem." Simba said.

"Dad think about it. They've gone through basically the same thing you, me, and mom have and your tearing them apart again. You only just found me again, how would you feel if you and me were being torn away from each other again as well?" Kopa asked.

This caught Simba off guard.

"But you and me aren't being torn apart again, we're going back home." Simba said.

"No, we're not." Kopa said.

"What?" Simba exclaimed looking at his son.

"You're not the father I remember. The father I remember would never tare a family apart who was torn apart once before than found each other again. The father, I knew believed in second chances, he cared about everybody, was just with all criminals, and because of you, Dalia, and from what Kiara accomplished over year ago, so do I. Vitani, Dalia come." Kopa said.

Dalia helped Vitani walk so that she wouldn't open the wounds on her belly.

"What are you doing?" Simba asked.

"If there's no place for Shenzi, Banzai, and their clan in the Pride Lands to be with their daughter again after years of thinking she was dead, then there's no place for us." Kopa said as he, Vitani, and Dalia stood beside Shenzi and Banzai.

"No" Kiara protested.

Kiara couldn't believe it, she had just learned about her older brother a couple weeks ago, she had just met him in person, and now it was looking like she was probably going to lose him again. Trying to get Shenzi and her clan a second chance and into the Pride Lands wasn't going the way she'd hoped.

"You can't." Kion said.

"Unless our father gives Shenzi, Banzai, and the rest of their clan a last chance and lets them into the Pride Lands, me, and Vitani are not coming home." Kopa said firmly.

All of the Pride lander lionesses cast the royal family sad glances. They all had missed Kopa as much as they did and even though they didn't really trust Shenzi's clan either, they understood why Kopa was making his decision and wanting them to have a final chance. The former Outlanders cast the royal family looks of pity also because they had been part of Kopa's supposed death and they all felt that it was their fault that this scene was happening right now. Simba looked to Kopa.

"You want me to just forgive and forget what they did?" Simba asked.

"No, they still need to be punished for what they've done. If you want, banish them from the Pride Lands for just a week, a month, a year, somewhere within that timeframe, as long as they get a second chance." Kopa said.

Simba looked around him, everyone was waiting to hear his decision.

"We promise to be good and respect the circle of life in your." Shenzi said.

The rest of the hyena clan voiced their promise to respect the circle of life as well.

"Dad." Kiara said.

Simba looked at Kiara.

"The Outlanders didn't deserve a second chance for being part of Zira supposedly killing Kopa but you still gave them a second chance and they changed. The same ca be said for Shenzi and her clan." Kiara said.

Simba looked at Shenzi and her clan.

"All hyenas, even them are all part of the circle of life to Simba." Dalia said with a wise voice.

"She right." Nala admitted.

"Mom." Kiara slightly scolded, reminding Nala that she shouldn't be talking because of her throat wound.

Simba looked to the sky, hoping that his father or any of his other ancestors would guide him, but no answer came. Simba looked back to his son and the rest of the hyena clan. Simba sighed and made his decision.

"I told Kiara once that we are one, that we're all one family under the sun. I thought I understood it myself back then, but Kiara showed me that there was more to it. After she showed me that there was more to it I thought, I finally understood it, but it appears that I still don't understand it." Simba said.

Simba took once last look at the hyenas.

"I'd like the Pride Lands and have lions and hyenas to come together in a great, glorious future we're we all will truly understand what we are one fully means. I'll give you all a second chance." Simba said.

"So, we can come into the Pride Lands?" Banzai asked.

Simba gave a nod.

"And no temporary banishments." Simba said.

"Alright!" Banzai shouted.

"But remember, this is a your very last chance. I'll still be keeping my eyes on you all for a while, and if you misuse your last chance, you won't get anymore." Simba said, with a firm voice.

Shenzi walked up to Simba and reached out a paw. Simba took Shenzi's paw in his and shook it.

"We will not misuse our last chance." Shenzi promised.

Kiara sighed in relief.

"That went quick and easy." Kiara said.

"It's all about the power of words my dear." Sarabi told her granddaughter.

Ed suddenly said something in his own language.

"What did he say?" Simba asked.

"We'll have to teach you all how to understand him. He said that we won't over hunt either and only hunt for food, not sport, or anything else you think is 'normal' hyena behavior. Oh, and he says that he believes that when Taka made his own offer to get us out of the Scarred Lands and into the Pride Lands, he believes that he mentioned a check." Shenzi said.

"No, I didn't." Taka said.

Chapter 37: It's Not What's on the Outside That Counts, It's What's on the Inside

In the Pride Lands, Mufasa II and Talia were at the border separating the Pride Lands and Outlands. They were staring off into the afternoon sun. It had been over a month since Simba and half the pride left, and the long rainy season had just begun. Mufasa and Talia were sick with worry for their family members. Worried about their brother, mother, father, grandparents, aunt and uncles, and friends.

The Lion Guard were standing a long, but not too long distance away from the two cubs.

"The poor guys." Beshte said with sympathy for the brother and sister.

"You know, I expect them at any time to just run off and go looking for them all, themselves." Fuli said.

"Yeah, I've noticed that the both of them sleep outside of Pride Rock's den at night. Hoping to be there when everyone comes back." Ono said.

The three friends suddenly heard a loud crunch. They looked to see Bunga eating a bunch of bugs rudely loud. Fuli began slapping Bunga on the back of his head.

"Will you stop eating!" Fuli said between slaps.

"Whoa, Fuli, easy." Beshte said, pulling Fuli away from Bunga by her scruff.

"Thanks, Big B." Bunga said, rubbing the back of his head before glaring at Fuli. "What was that for?"

"Your best friend has been missing for over a month along with the rest of the royal family, other than Mufasa and Talia. Both of them are sick with worry, and you're eating, very loudly!" Fuli snapped.

"I'm hungry." Bunga replied back, shrugging his shoulders.

"You're hungry!? Look at Mufasa and Talia. They're so worried for everyone that they haven't eaten for a week, and they're starting to look malnourished!" Fuli snapped.

"Oh, I haven't noticed." Bunga said.

Fuli facepawed herself. Griffin and Grey suddenly came up to the Lion Guard, with no adults accompanying them.

"Griffin, Grey, what are you doing here, with the possibility of the Scarred Pride being around it's dangerous to be alone. Especially if you're a cub." Beshte said.

"Sorry guys, we just wanted to see how Mufasa and Talia were doing, and if my sister and the others are back." Griffin said.

"No unfortunately." Ono sighed.

Griffin, Grey, and the Lion Guard watched both brother and sister for a while.

"I bet he's never going to come back." a voice said.

"Well good riddance I say." another voice said.

Griffin and the Lion Guard looked to see three lion cubs off playing near Mufasa and Talia.

"Mkaidi, Punda, and Mashimo." Grey hissed, seeing the three cubs.

Mkaidi, Punda, and Mashimo were three bullies. Mkaidi was the leader of the group, Punda and Mashimo were brothers, and Mkaidi's mindless lackies. The three liked to bully Taka because of resemblance to Scar. Mkaidi looked to Punda and Mashimo.

"Hay Mashimo, hang yourself off this rock like King Mufasa from King Simba's stories." Mkaidi said.

"You got it palio." Mashimo said.

Mashimo hung himself from the rock and pretended to be slipping off it.

"Oh, hey everybody, I'm Prince Mufasa II, hanging off a cliff like King Mufasa I was. You see I was chosen to be king instead of my brother Scar II even though he's older. Now he wants to kill me like Scar I did." Mashimo mocked.

"Yeah!" Punda said.

Mashimo looked up at Mkaidi.

"Scar, brother! Help Me!" Mashimo struggled to say as he laughed.

Mkaidi took a second to laugh before grabbing onto Mashimo's paws.

"Long live the king." Mkaidi said slow and evilly before throwing Mashimo off the rock like Scar did to Mufasa years ago.

Mashimo climbed back on the rock to his brother and their friend and the three of them all laughed. Griffin, Grey, and the Lion Guard glared over at the three cubs.

"What a bunch of a-holes." Griffin said.

"Griffin!" the Lion Guard scolded, looking at Griffin.

"I only said 'a' guys." Griffin said.

"They may deserve it, but that language is inappropriate for cub your age." Ono said.

Griffin caught a sight of Mufasa jumping off the rock and marching over to where Mkaidi, Punda and Mashimo were.

"Uh oh. It looks like Mufasa heard them." Griffin said.

"Yeah, now they're going to get it." Grey agreed.

The Lion Guard looked and saw the angry look on Mufasa's face as he walked over to the three bully cubs.

"He looks pretty peeved." Bunga observed.

"You think." Fuli said.

"It looks like we're about to have another Unastahili." Griffin said.

"A what?" Beshte asked.

Griffin looked up at the Lion Guard.

"You don't remember that time Mufasa beat up Unastahili for mocking Taka?" Griffin asked.

The Lion Guard shook their heads. Griffin began to explain the story.

"Do guys remember back when Taka was four months old, tripped over his own tail and nearly broke his front legs?" Griffin asked.

Everybody nodded in acknowledgment.

"Well, a lion from Malka's pride came and said that Malka's aunt had died and that he wanted Simba to come to her funeral. Well, me, Bluu, and our parents were part of the lions that went with him and the rest of the royal family. I was talking with Kiara and Kovu while Malka's grandson, Unastahili tormented Taka on looking exactly like Scar." Griffin explained

"Oh yeah, I remember now." Beshte said.

"Well, Kiara wanted to intervene, but Kovu, who still had some 'you have to take care of yourself' personality that the Outlanders had, said that Taka must learn to fight his own battles. But when Unastahili started to physically assault Taka and Mufasa saw it, he didn't take a breath. He acted on his first instinct. He grabbed Unastahili by the neck and knocked out half of his baby teeth. Of course, Kovu and Kiara were furious, but Taka was in danger and there was nothing else Mufasa needed to know." Griffin said.

The Lion Guard looked towards Mufasa. They were there at the funeral when that happened. They couldn't believe they had forgotten that moment.

"Mufasa doesn't hesitate when his siblings are tormented, he acts. Like Sarabi and Sarafina have told us, Mufasa has many qualities that Mufasa I had. His looks, some of his wisdom, a strong yet gentle voice, and even that fierce temper he could have, but… he doesn't have that restraint inside him that Mufasa I had." Griffin said, looking over at Mufasa worriedly.

"Then come on, we should stop him before he hurts them." Bunga said, beginning to run towards Mufasa.

When Mufasa got onto the rock that Mkaidi and his thugs were on, they were singing some song about how much they thought Taka would be a terrible king. Mufasa made a whistle as he walked up to them.

"Hay, Mkaidi." Mufasa said.

Mkaidi turned towards Mufasa.

"Well, if it isn't…" Mkaidi began to say before Mufasa punched him square int eh face.

Mkaidi clutched his nose, which was now bleeding.

"Your foul little fu…" Mkaidi began to curse before Mufasa threw another punch.

Punda and Mashimo came running at Mufasa from different sides. Mufasa jumped to the right and brought both his clenched paws down in the middle of Punda's back, sending him to the ground. Mufasa than put his clenched paw in front of Mashimo, making the bully cub run into it. Mkaidi wrapped his paws around Mufasa's neck from behind. Mufasa hit Mkaidi on the nose with the back of his head, causing him to let go of him.

Mufasa hit both sides of Mkaidi's head with his paws at the same time. Mashimo tried to lunge at Mufasa, but he jumped back, making Mashimo collide with Mkaidi. Punda was just getting up, but Mufasa shoulder charged him off the rock, causing the other cub to fall on his rump.

"Oww! I think he broke my butt bone?" Punda said.

Mufasa grabbed Mashimo's front legs and threw him down on top of his brother.

"Hay bro." Mashimo moaned.

"Man, that lousy Mufasa. I won't be able to sit for a week." Punda said.

"Don't worry, Mkaidi will take care of him." Mashimo said.

"Or Mufasa will break Mkaidi's butt as well." Punda said.

Mkaidi had just gotten up and swiped his claws at Mufasa. Mufasa dodged the attack and punched Mkaidi in the throat. Mkaidi croaked and clutched his throat. Mufasa went for another punch but Fuli had just jumped onto the rock and picked Mufasa up by his scruff.

"Fuli? Put me down!" Mufasa said.

Fuli ignored Mufasa and just jumped off the rock while Bunga and Beshte gathered up Mkaidi, Punda, and Mashimo. The two gave the three bullies a stern lecture before Beshte volunteered to escort them back to Pride Rock. When that was done, Bunga walked over to Fuli and Ono, who were also giving Mufasa a stern lecture while Griffin, Grey, and Talia stood by the sidelines.

"Mufasa, we know they made you angry, but picking a fight with them isn't going to solve anything." Ono lectured.

"But the three of them started it and they have no right to talk about my brother like that, or me, or any other members of my family." Mufasa argued.

"We know that Mufasa, but you might be able to win a fight with violence, but you can never win an argument with violence." Fuli said.

"If you want to convince someone that their wrong, try to use your mouth instead of you paws, claws, or teeth. Do you understand Mufasa?" Ono asked.

"Yes." Mufasa said in a voice that sounded forced.

"Alright, good." Fuli said.

The Lion Guard began to walk away to give Mufasa some space.

"But what about the traitorous way the three cubs were talking?" Bunga asked.

"They're only cubs Bunga, they'll grow out of it as they get older and more mature." Ono said.

"But what if they don't?" Bunga asked.

"Then we'll deal with it then." Fuli said.

Mufasa walked over to his sister with Grey and Griffin.

"You okay?" Talia asked her brother.

"No, of course I'm not alright. Everyone has been gone for over a month and those three dare to talk trash about Taka." Mufasa replied.

"Forget Mkaidi, Punda, and Mashimo, they're creeps, they have no life." Talia said.

Mufasa walked back over to the rock he and Talia were sitting on a little bit ago. As soon as Mufasa sat down his stomach roared. Mufasa groaned a little bit from his hunger pain. He and Talia hadn't eaten for a week and knew that they should, but they felt so worried for the rest of their family that they felt like they would throw up any food they ate. Mufasa felt someone pull him close.

Mufasa looked and saw that Griffin was the one who pulled him close. He smiled at her.

"You know, if Jamey has a daughter, she should name her Sarabi and I'll be a complete replica of my great grandfather." Mufasa joked.

Griffin laughed a little.

"Actually, I think heard Jamey earlier talking about what she would name her cub if it was a girl." Griffin said.

"Really, what is it?" Mufasa asked.

"Jua." Griffin answered.

"That means sun." Mufasa said.

"Maybe when she's born and your old enough, the both of you can get married." Griffin said.

"I'll be like a year older than her when she's born." Mufasa pointed out.

"Kovu is at most a year older than Kiara, and they got married still." Griffin stated.

"What if it's a boy?" Mufasa asked.

"Then maybe Talia can get betrothed to him." Griffin said.

"Yeah, that could happen." Talia said.

"But then how would we find out who me or Talia are going to get married to later in life whichever way it goes?" Mufasa asked.

Grey came up with his tongue stuck out.

"Come on guys, all three of us are like ten months old only. Isn't it a bit early to be thinking about that?" Grey asked.

Griffin gave a loud laugh.

"You're one to talk Mr. Hay Everybody, I Was Originally Betrothed To Talia But Now I Plan To Marry Griffin Later In Life Because I Grew More Romantically Attracted To Her Even Though I'm Still A Very Young Cub And I'm A Ladies Man." Griffin teased.

Mufasa and Talia laughed while Grey just glared and stuck his tongue out at Griffin.

"Maybe one of us could go for a dashing rogue." Talia suggested.

"Hay, I think I see something." Ono suddenly shouted out.

"What is it?" Talia asked.

Ono flew a closer to what he saw in the distance. When he got close enough, he looked with his keen eyesight and saw the Pride Lander lionesses coming towards the border.

"Wait, what's that entire group in the back?" Ono exclaimed.

Ono flew a little closer and saw what it was. What he saw shocked him so much that he almost stopped flapping his wings.

"Hapana, those are hyenas!" Ono exclaimed. "Oh, I should let everyone else know. We could be in danger."

After the death of Wraith and Simba making peace with Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, and the rest of their clan, they all rested up for a few nights for everyone to heal up, before heading back towards the Pride Lands. Ni's rebellion pride accompanied them along the way to make sure their allies and liberators got home safely. They all stopped at night and woke up right when the sun peeked over the horizon. They were all now in the jungle oasis and had decided to rest up there for a few more days before continuing on towards the Pride Lands.

"You know Pumbaa, we should pay my mom and uncle a visit while we're here. They missed out on all the crazy, thrilling, death defying excitement we've all been going through for the past few weeks." Timon suggested while they were in the oasis.

On their last day of rest in the jungle oasis, Simba found Ni laying on the edge of the highest waterfall. During most of their stay in the oasis, Ni had spent his time up here. Some either carried up here since he could use his back to legs or he dragged himself up here. Since he spent most of his days up here, someone usually brought him food and to give him some company. Nala had done most of that to catch up on lost time with her old friend.

Her throat was healing well, so she was able to talk a little more. Ni was currently watching the beautiful colors that the setting sun cast on the coming night sky. The purples and the blues of night, and the fading red and oranges of the setting sun, and the starlight and moon light coming out to wisha all of them a good night.

"Hay Ni, you doing okay up here?" Simba asked the old lion.

"Three years." Ni said without looking to Simba.

"Pardon?" Simba asked.

"Three years, for three years, almost four years, I've been part of the Scarred Pride. I only survived its cruelty and savage way because every night dreamt of this day. Of being free. Feeling the wind blow through my mane without it carrying the dying stench that the Scarred Lands had. To see beautiful vegetation like this jungle and not being forced to look at the black and greyness of the Scarred Lands. Watching a sun set or sunrise, not having to thinking 'will this be the last one I ever see?' I should be happy that I can finally see it all, but I'm not." Ni said sadly. "I feel strangely… empty inside." Ni said.

Simba understood what Ni meant. He walked over to Ni and stood beside him.

"I get it. The Scarred Pride is all you've known for years and you've wanted to be free. You've been a part of it for so long that you've gotten use to it, to be a resistance leader fighting for freedom, and have forgotten what freedom feels like. That's why you feel empty now." Simba said.

"Exactly." Ni agreed.

"Give it time Ni, you'll soon grow adjusted to being free again and it will be like nothing ever happened with the Scarred Pride." Simba said.

"Your wrong about it being like it never happened Simba." Ni said.

Simba looked to Ni and saw him looking at his legs. Simba knew what Ni meant. Ni was finally free from the Scarred Pride, but he had lost the use of his legs before he got that freedom. So, in a way, he was only partly free from the Scarred Pride.

"Oh, I get it." Simba said.

Simba turned back to the sunset for a few more minutes.

"What are you and your resistance pride going to do when you get us back to the Pride Lands?" Simba asked.

"Your pride is already large enough, perhaps too large. So, they're not going to stay. Some will probably go back to their homelands, or whatever is left of them. Some might stay together, some might decide to leave nomadic lives." Ni said.

"You say 'they,' what about you?" Simba asked.

Ni crawled over to a large pile of leaves and laid there.

"I'm not going to go anywhere else, but here. This oasis is my last stop." Ni said.

"You mean, you want to stay here in your condition by yourself. With your legs the way they are now, you couldn't defend yourself properly. You'd be as good a hyena bait." Simba said.

Ni laid his head between his front paws and closed his eyes.

"I know that, but you don't have to worry about me. I'm fully content with this jungle being the last place I ever see." Ni said.

Simba walked over to Ni and looked down at him.

"You may be an old lion, but you still got a good year or two left in you. So, you'd starve to death before you die naturally." Simba said.

Ni said nothing and just continued to lay there with his eyes closed. Simba looked at the old lion with pity. Ni was talking as if he'd given up on life after fulfilling his purpose on getting his resistance pride's freedom back and with the fact that his legs were now paralyzed.

"Why not come to the Pride Lands? Live out the rest of your life there." Simba offered.

This caused Ni to open his eyes and look up at Simba. Ni seemed to think about for a quick second before giving his answer.

"Thank you, Simba, but I can't except your offer. With my current condition, I'd just be dead weight to your pride, just another mouth to feed." Ni said.

"Nonsense. You helped us back in the Scarred Lands, you were a friend of Nala when she was still a cub, you're a Pride Lander and we take care of our own. You wouldn't be dead weight to us, everyone would welcome you to the Pride Lands as a war hero." Simba said.

Ni looked at Simba, seeming to reconsider Simba's offer.

"Very well, if your pride wants, I'll allow you to take me to the Pride Lands." Ni said.

"We'd all be honored to have you as a pride mate." Simba said.

Ni laid his head back down between his paws, closed his eyes, and smiled.

"You've got a good family Simba, you know. They've got everything a good family and good people need. Unlike Wraith or your uncle, they don't value supremacy, or power, or anything of the sort. If there were more people like them, people that valued their family and home above power, this world would be a happier place." Ni said.

Ni turned his head to take another look at the setting sun before looking back at Simba.

"Do you know how my family died, Simba?" Ni asked.

"A group Scarred Pride lions and hyenas. Kiara told me that" Simba said.

"No, I lied. It was just Wraith. No one in my entire family or pride got recruited into the Scarred Pride, I alone was, and Wraith killed them all on his own. He didn't even have any backup to call on." Ni said.

"Because of his Roar of the Elders?" Simba asked.

"No, he didn't use his roar on them once. He killed them because he was just a better fighter, who could take on all of them at once without his roar. The thing is though, I beat him in a fight." Ni said. "When I had him down, he mocked me and encouraged me to kill him."

"So, why didn't you?" Simba asked.

"He killed my entire family and pride. So I had every right to kill him, but I wasn't going to let myself fall to his level. I turned my back on him and he used his roar on me, knocking me out." Ni explained.

"You knew he had the roar?" Simba asked.

"No, I didn't know that he used some magical roar on me, I thought he just attacked me from behind and knocked me out. I only learned of the roar after Kion told me what it is. Anyway, after he used the roar to knock me out, he took me to the Scarred Lands to be a Scarred Prider. In my act of giving mercy to a lion that didn't deserve it, I failed." Ni explained.

Simba laid down in front of Ni.

"Yeah, I've failed to, I failed Kiara and Kion. When I thought Kopa was dead, I decided to keep him a complete secret from them. I kept them in the dark because I thought that they did not need to know. I didn't want them to share my, Nala, and everyone else's pain when they never even knew Kopa. I wanted to give them the perfect life that they deserved." Simba explained.

"I agree that deciding to keep him a complete secret them was not the best choice, but still, you were only doing what any father would want to do. Protect their children." Ni said.

"Yes, this was a secret they deserved to know about, I just wished that I had realized it sooner." Simba said.

"What matters is that they know now, and that your all together again." Ni said.

"I wonder that if I had told her sooner that everything that's happened, wouldn't have happened? Kiara's friendship and love for Kovu and bringing the Outlanders and Pride Landers together" Simba wondered out loud.

"Even the smallest decision can change the course of the future." Ni said.

"If I could change the past I would." Simba said.

"The past should be left alone, we learn from it. Even from the darkest memories of our past. Think of Taka and Bluu for example. They'll learn from this experience, because one day they'll remember. Remember everything that happened, the good, the bad, and how lucky they are that they made it home." Ni said.

Simba walked back over to the edge of the waterfall and looked down where the whole pride was staying with the hyena clans. He couldn't see where every single one of them were, but he knew that Taka was at the edge of a lake, looking down at his reflection.

"Yes, but I'm still worried about my grandson. Getting a scar like he has now was always his greatest fear. He may not act it, but he's insecure about his appearance when it comes to his brother." Simba said.

"Because his brother looks exactly like your father and Taka looks exactly like your uncle?" Ni asked.

"Yeah." Simba confirmed.

"Taka should know that it's not what's on the outside that counts, it's what's on the inside that counts." Ni said.

Simba looked at the old lion.

"You're a wise lion Ni. I'm glad to have met you, you know." Simba said.

"So am I and thank you for saving me and my pride. Is there a way that I may repay you?" Ni asked.

"You helped save us from the Scarred Pride to, so, we're even." Simba said.

"Very well, just continue to keep that first born son of yours safe." Ni said.

"I intend to, and I'm still dumfounded that Siri was Kopa this whole time. Back before Kovu, Taka, and Bluu were taken, Rafiki had a hunch that Siri was Kopa for some reason, but me, Kiara, and not even he himself believed it." Simba said.

"I'm glad you two found each other again, and you made a right choice in giving the hyenas a second chance for their daughter." Ni said.

"Thank you. Need help getting back down to everyone else?" Simba asked.

"No, let me sleep up here for our last night in the jungle." Ni said.

Simba nodded in respect for Ni's wish and began to walk back down towards where everyone else was.

The next day, Ni announced to his resistance pride that he was going to go live in the Pride Lands. Ni's resistance pride said farewell to their leader, saying that it was time for them all to part ways. Simba told Ni's resistance pride that they were all welcome to visit the Pride Lands anytime they wished, lions and hyenas both. They all said that hopefully they will come to visit someday. Everyone than began to go their separate ways.

When the Pride Landers, former Outlanders, and Shenzi's clan finally got to the borders of the Pride Lands, they saw Tojo with the entire pride and Lion Guard behind him. They were all staring directly at Shenzi and her clan. Tojo demanded to know what the Shenzi's hyena clan was doing with Simba and the others. Simba stopped everything before a fight could break out. Tojo stared at Simba in confusion.

"Simba, what's going on? Why are you defending all these hyenas and is that… Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed?" Tojo asked, spotting the three said hyenas.

"We've got a lot of explaining to do." Simba said with a slight laugh.

When everyone returned to Pride Rock, everyone happily reunited with each other; Taka and his siblings along with their parents, Bluu with her sister Griffin and their parents Tojo and Tama, and many others. Simba than gathered a meeting of all Pride Lands animals. Everyone weary of Shenzi's hyena clan and were amazed that she and her friends were still alive. Simba explained everything from Scar and Zira being alive and the rulers of the Scarred Pride, Wraith and his evil deeds, especially with what he did to Sarafina and Mheetu, to the truce with Shenzi's clan, to Ni, and to Siri being Kopa. When everyone heard that the long thought dead prince had returned alive, everyone looked at the lion in shock a disbelief.

"Hay everyone, it's no joke, it's me and it's great to be back." Kopa said cheesily.

Everyone cheered and welcome the long thought dead prince back.

"Yeah, that's right, your prince is back now." Banzai said to the entire crowed.

"And also, us the hyenas you all know and hate but will soon know and love are good guys now to. Alright Simba now write us the check." Shenzi said.

"There's no check; whatever a check is." Simba said.

"Also, we have more important business to do." Sarabi said.

Everyone looked towards what the old lioness was talking about. Sarafina and Mheetu's bodies. They were rotting and smelt deathly awful. Some lionesses carried their bodies to the back of Pride Rock while everyone else followed. They came to a lion burial ground where the pride's dead were buried.

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed dug a hole big enough for both Sarafina and Mheetu. Sarabi and Nala both placed them gently in the hole and the three hyenas buried them. Everyone stayed in silence for a few moments.

"Finally, it's done with." Sarabi sighed.

"Yeah, finally." Kopa agreed.

Everyone stayed in a few more minutes of silence.

"This might not be the best time to bring it up, but now that Kopa's back, who's going to be king one day, him or Kovu?" some random animal suddenly asked.

Everyone looked at each other. They hadn't thought about that, they all had just been too glad to have Kopa back and were focused on beating the Scarred Pride at the time. Kopa, Kiara, and Kovu all looked at each other. Neither of them really cared which of them got to rule but decided to get it settled with.

"The rules state that it's the first born who becomes king, so it should go to Kopa." Zazu immaturely said, being the strict to the book rule follower that he was.

"But Kiara has had more training that I've had, is married and she's got three heirs to succeed her already." Kopa stated.

"But Zazu is right. Rules are rules." Kiara said.

Kopa looked towards his sister and thought about what she's done compared to him. She brought two prides at war together in peace when it should never have happened and brought peace between the Pride Land lion and hyenas. As for Kopa, all he's done for the past nearly five years is lay around in a den with an old hyena, getting fat.

"Kiara had accomplished so much more than I have and she's earned the love and respect of all Pride Landers more than I have. So, quite frankly, I think she'd make a better ruler along with Kovu than me." Kopa said.

"But the line of succession…" Zazu began to say.

"This isn't about the line of succession, it's what's best for the kingdom and the people they rule. You all know exactly what Kiara and Kovu are, they've done so much more and know so much about everything that's going on in the kingdom than I can do. Me and everyone knows that they'd be better king than me." Kopa said.

Everyone took the time to process what Kopa just said. Simba and Nala looked at each other. There was the line of succession to think about, but Kopa did make valid points. Kiara had everything that Kopa didn't have for the future generations and everyone did know about how she would prefer to rule more than Kopa. Simba looked towards Kiara and Kovu.

"Up until minutes ago, you were still the heir to Pride Rocks throne Kiara. If you and Kovu still want it, you can have it if Kopa is willing to allow it." Simba said.

Kiara and Kovu looked at each other. Each thinking about it.

"Let me and Kovu sleep on it for a night or two." Kiara finally said.

"Very well." Simba understood.

Vitani came up to Kopa.

"That was one good short speech and also, I'm glad your back." Vitani said, rubbing her head against Kopa mane.

Kopa looked at Vitani. He would have to explain their current situation to her later. Though everyone was enjoying welcoming back Kopa, and giving a warm welcome to Dalia, and even Nuka, and trying to give Shenzi's clan a chance seeing as they were going to be staying for at least a while, there was one who wasn't enjoying it; Taka. Taka stayed in the back of the crowd, avoiding his brother and family. He had a paw placed over his bandaged eye.

"How can I face them; how can I face him?" Taka said to himself.

Later that night, everyone gathered in the cave where they celebrated the Unification day feast about a two months ago. Only this time, they were celebrating most of the pride's return from fighting the Scarred Pride, but most importantly Kopa's return. They had invited Jasiri and Shenzi's clan to join them in the feast, along with Dalia. Kopa and Dalia were watching as everyone was entering the cave.

"I still can't believe it. You're a royal Sir… I mean Kopa." Dalia said.

Kopa smiled down at the elderly hyena.

"We're going to have to start getting use to that." Kopa said.

Once everyone was in, they all laid down, ready to eat. However, someone wasn't among them.

"Where's Taka?" Grey asked.

Everyone looked at each other, guessing what was going on. With his scar and his physical appearance, his secret insecurity about it was showing by him avoiding the pride. Without letting anyone know, or asking for permission, Mufasa got up and walked outside.

"Should we stop him? It's dangerous out there at night" Tiifu asked.

"No, this is brother to brother talk." Simba said.

Mufasa first checked the den, then the top of Pride Rock, then Scar's old cave. Taka was in neither of those places. Mufasa made his way to the watering hole, which was his next guess of where Taka was. Thankfully Taka was there when he got there, and he didn't have on his leaf bandage. Mufasa took in a deep breath before walking up to his brother.

Taka had a strong will, but with now having a scar like Scar had put him in his vulnerable position.

"You know, we haven't seen you since you got back earlier this morning." Mufasa said from behind his brother.

Taka's body jumped when he heard his brother's voice. Taka covered his eye with a paw a look towards his brother.

"How's grandma and everyone else doing back at Pride Rock?" Taka asked.

"They're all doing fine, but please don't go off topic. How's your eye?" Mufasa asked.

Taka turned around so that we wouldn't have to face his brother.

"It's fine, it won't go milky white like Uncle Kopa's." Taka said.

"You know, it's funny to think that a while back we saw him as a friend, but he was actually our uncle. As for Dalia, she's like the most famous hyena in the Pride Lands right now for saving him as a cub." Mufasa said.

"Yeah, I guess." Taka agreed in a quiet voice.

Mufasa walked up closer to his brother. He placed his paws on his brother's shoulders and turned him around to face him. He grabbed his brother's paw and pulled it away from his eye. Mufasa sighed after he looked at his brother's scar. When he was told that his brother got a scar, he didn't believe it at first, but he couldn't deny it, seeing it now.

"How did this happen?" Mufasa asked.

"Shenzi gave it to me." Taka answered.

"And grandpa just let them come to the Pride Lands and forgave them?" Mufasa asked.

"It's kinda complicated, you weren't exactly with everyone when grandpa told everyone what happened since he told all cubs to go and play while he debriefed. Me and mom will give you the full details of the story… or on second thought, she will." Taka said before pulling away and walking off.

Mufasa watched his brother as he walked off.

"You know, I don't see you any differently with that scar." Mufasa said, getting straight to the point.

"I look exactly like Scar, more so now that I have a matching scar like he did. Think about what other cubs are going to say about me. They're going to start referring me to Scar." Taka said.

"That doesn't matter to me or anyone else." Mufasa said.

"What about grandpa? He's suffered from Scar more than anyone else. I know that he already looks at me strange, but when I grow into an adult and I look exactly like his uncle did, just think about what he'll think of me. He might start looking at me suspiciously and other things." Taka said.

"No, he doesn't, and he won't. You're his grandson and he loves you for who you are, not what you look like. It's not what's on the outside that counts, it's what's on the inside you know." Mufasa said.

"You say nice things to me, you treat me with brotherly love, and you protect me from others who judge me based on my appearance… but admit it." Taka said.

"Admit what?" Mufasa asked.

"You looking exactly like what our great grandfather looked like, me looking exactly like what our great-great uncle looked like, and us knowing their story. Admit it, it bothers you, don't try to deny it." Taka said.

Mufasa looked into his brother's eyes and couldn't afford to lie to him.

"Okay, I'll admit it. Maybe it did bother me when we were younger, but it doesn't anymore, or at least not as much anymore, and neither should it bother you." Mufasa said.

"Why?" Taka asked.

Mufasa took his brother's paw in his hand and turned it over. Taka looked and saw the small scar on his main paw pad. Mufasa than overturned his paw, showing the scar on his main paw mad.

"You and I made a promise to each other when we were younger. We made a promise to see and treat each other as brother's first and royal princes second, …" Mufasa said.

"We promise to be brothers forever." Taka finished.

Both brothers looked at each other. Taka finally understood. His scar didn't matter, it didn't make him who he was, his appearance didn't make him who he was. Both brothers embraced each other for a couple minutes before pulling away.

"Come on, everyone's probably worrying about us." Mufasa said.

"Yeah, and we got a lot of lost years to make up with Uncle Kopa, and I won't to get to know Dalia better now that we're not right under the Scarred Pride's noses." Taka said.

"It's Aunt Dalia now." Mufasa said.

The two brothers began to walk towards Pride Rock, ready for the feast that was to welcome the return of their long thought dead uncle home and the new members of the Pride Lands. As they got closer to Pride Rock, Mufasa broke the silence.

"And you know, I don't think you'll look exactly like Scar when your older." Mufasa said.

"What do you mean by that?" Taka asked.

"Well, your face is far more soft expression-ed than his was, your eyes are more emerald green like dad's, and speaking of dad, maybe your mane will be more shaped like his than Scar's." Mufasa explained.

Taka smiled at the image of his adult self with Kovu's mane shape. Kovu's mane may not have been as luscious red and majestic looking like his grandfather and Uncle Kion's or bird filled like Tojo's, but Kovu's mane was the coolest looking in the Pride Lands. Some even said that Kovu's charm came from his mane.

"I may have to start messing with may mane tuft to make sure it will look like dad's when it grows fully in." Taka said, beginning to fiddle with his mane tuft.

Chapter 38: The Truth and Pathetic Like You

During the feast welcoming Kopa and the rest of the pride back to the Pride Lands, Jasiri was staying as far away from Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed in the cave as possible. She was glaring at them from the other side of the cave. Jasiri may have been a kind hyena who believed in second chances, but Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed were different. They gave her best friend's nephew a permanent scar, which she noticed was depressing him. She also didn't trust them because of their history.

The one thing that was keeping her from trusting them and giving them a second chance was the fact that they said they were her parents and surrogate uncle. Jasiri looked over to Liwa and Baba, the hyenas who she has believed all of her life to be her parents. She also looked to her sister Madoa, her Aunt Mrithi, and her cousins Tunu and Wema. Jasiri now looked at Madoa, Tunu, and Wema with a tiny hint of envy. Jasiri had two pairs of parents now, the one's she's believed to be her parents all her life, but actually weren't, and the ones who supposedly lost her long ago.

So, in Jasiri's mind, she didn't know her parents, but Madoa, Tunu, and Wema did. Tunu and Wema's father, Dawa had died over a year ago during a fight with an enemy that threatened to destroy the Pride Landers and Outlanders, but at least they knew him and their mother. As Jasiri continued to look at the family she grew up with, she observed how she looked like them so much. It was visually impossible to see her being related to any other hyenas.

"I look nothing like Shenzi and Banzai, how could I be related to them?" Jasiri thought to herself.

Jasiri than thought about the times her parents talked about the one they referred to as 'her.' Those thoughts had been plaguing Jasiri's mind ever since Shenzi and Banzai told her that they were her parents. She had been trying to shake them away, but they always came back to haunt her. Jasiri than thought of the possibility that maybe the genes of her true grandparents skipped over to the next generation right to her, so she looked like them like instead of her true parents, like how it happened with Taka and Mufasa II. The possibility of that kind of genetic mutation was slim, but it could be true.

Jasiri looked over to her 'parents,' the only way to clear her mind and know for sure was to ask them. She decided that she would ask them after the feast. Out of the corner of Jasiri's eyes, she saw Taka and Mufasa walk into the center of the entire pride. They each had a snail in they're paws. The two brothers raised them into the air.

"Here's to our Uncle Kopa, new aunt, Dalia, and to Ni." Taka said.

"As well as our newfound friendship with the hyenas of the elephant graveyard and our brotherhood." Mufasa said.

The brothers than crossed their front legs with each other and slurped the snail out of the shell from the other's paw. Everyone gave a growl or paw clap of approval.

After the feast was done, everyone said farewell and headed for their homes. Kion sensed that Jasiri didn't want to sleep in the same den as Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, so he offered them a place to sleep in the Lair of the Lion Guard. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed also sensing Jasiri's feelings accepted, saying they we're going to give her some space until she decided to come and talk to them. When Jasiri and her clan got to their den Tunu and Wema fell asleep immediately. Madoa along with her and Jasiri's aunt bid everyone else goodnight before going to sleep as well.

Jasiri eyed her parents from the corner of her eyes. She wanted to talk to them alone, without her 'aunt,' 'cousins,' and 'sister' knowing. Jasiri laid down for a bit to make sure everyone else was asleep before going over to her parents, who were still awake. Liwa and Baba looked up at Jasiri. Unknown to Jasiri, Liwa and Baba had talked to Shenzi and Banzai earlier and knew that they were Jasiri's real parents.

Jasiri sensed that Liwa and Baba knew what she wanted. Jasiri sighed as her ears went flat.

"We need to talk." Jasiri said calmly.

Liwa and Baba got up and looked at Jasiri.

"Walk with us." Baba said.

Jasiri did as her 'father' bided her and followed him and her 'mother.' Jasiri followed them through the Pride Lands and into the elephant graveyard. Jasiri thought the place looked ugly, but unknown to her, she use to call this place home. Soon after they entered, Liwa and Baba sat down in front of Jasiri. Jasiri sat down as well, ready to finally figure out who she truly was, and who she's always been.

Jasiri didn't want to drag everything out, so she went straight to the point

"Mom, Dad. Was I adopted?" Jasiri asked her 'parents.'

Liwa and Baba turned their gases away from Jasiri, unable to look their 'daughter' in the eyes.

"Yes." Liwa admitted.

Jasiri's body jerked as soon as her 'mother' said that. She had so wanted it to not be true.

"Your mother and I always knew this day would come. The day when we would have to tell you the truth." Baba said.

"But, how?" Jasiri asked.

"You were three months old when we took you in. A lioness that looked like Princess Kiara, except with blue eyes brought you to us." Baba said.

"She said that she witnessed Zira and her lionesses attack the elephant graveyard. She saw that hyena named Ed running off with you, so she guessed you were Shenzi and Banzai cub because of that." Liwa explained.

"She said that she tried to help, but the Outlanders stopped her from doing so. She said that she came back later, hoping to save you if you somehow survived the attack. She said she found you at the bottom of a hill, near one of the elephant graveyard's geysers." Baba said.

"She knew that not all of the hyenas of the elephant graveyard were killed during the attacked. So, she looked all over for survivors, but couldn't find any. She saw that her only option was to find some other hyenas who would take you in, and she found us." Liwa explained.

Tears began to form in Jasiri's eyes.

"The lioness told us all about what happened, so we decided that we would take you in. When we asked her if you had a name, she said she overheard the hyena named Banzai say your name was Jasiri." Liwa added.

"We always wanted to tell you who you truly were sooner, but we saw how happy you were with your life that we couldn't bear to shatter it for you. I hope that you can forgive us." Baba said.

Baba walked up to Jasiri and gently wiped away her tears. Jasiri looked around at the elephant graveyard. Even though she had just heard the truth, she couldn't believe it. She was once a hyena of the clan of the elephant graveyard, the most uninhabitable place in the Pride Lands. She was part of the Pride Lands' worst enemy, other than Scar, Zira and the Outlanders, and Wraith and the Scarred Pride.

Jasiri stared off into space, shaking her head in disbelief.

"But, you two, my aunt, Madoa, Tunu, and Wema. I look so much like all of you. It's not true, none of it is true." Jasiri said, in denial.

"Yes, all seven of us look so much alike, so much to where we can be related, but I'm afraid we aren't." Liwa explained.

"I fear that like with Taka and Mufasa II, you might have gotten physical characteristic traits from your ancestors." Baba said.

Jasiri just continued to stare of into space. Baba wrapped his forelegs around Jasiri, pulling her tight hug.

"When we took you in Jasiri, I kept my distance because I knew you weren't our daughter and feared I wouldn't be able to love you like one even if I tried, but I was wrong to fear that." Baba explained. "It's said that you don't know what it's truly like to love someone until you get a mate and have children and I felt that when Madoa was born, but it turns out there was even more to learn about what it truly means to love someone, and that is learning to love a child that is not your own as your own."

Baba began sobbing a little as he finished. He had always been so close to Jasiri and very protective of her, nowhere near the point Simba had been with Kiara, but protective none the less and even watched and waited for her to return whenever she left the clan and now Jasiri knew why. Liwa came up and placed a paw on Baba's shoulder. He let go of Jasiri and he and Liwa began to leave to give her some space.

"You don't have to right now, but you should really talk to your parents, to Shenzi and Banzai." Baba said before he and Liwa left. "But also, know this Jasiri. You will always be our daughter."

"Oh man, why did I have to be born a termite magnet?" Nuka complained as he stood on a rock near the watering hole, itching himself.

Ever since he came to the Pride Lands with everyone else, he had been welcomed, mostly warmly, mostly by the former Outlanders. Nuka had even tried to talk the Pride Lander lionesses, but there was one problem though. They all ran away from him when he tried walking up to them, because of the smell of his fur. Whenever he walked up to a lioness, or any of the other lions of the Pride Lands, their noses would scrunch up and they would quickly say 'welcome to the Pride Lands' before running off. Nuka didn't really blame them though, 'cause he knew how bad his own stench was.

Nuka had tried to give himself a tongue bath, but there was only so many places he could reach, and it didn't take his stench away. Nuka caught the sight of some teenage lions of the pride coming near the watering hole. Nuka guessed they had come to get a drink because of the heat of the sun. The dry season was over, but it could still get very hot during the day and today, the rain had chosen not to fall. Nuka wanted to take a drink from the watering hole to, but he couldn't.

Most probably wouldn't know it, but even though Nuka believed in 'it's every lion for himself,' he also believed in, and valued fair share when he wasn't in the conditions of the Outlands, which forced aniamls to follow the former rule weather they liked it or not. Only, Nuka hadn't once tried take a drink from the watering hole for his right to a fair share, because he thought that someone would come up and say, 'why should we waste good water on Outlander scum like you?' Nuka somewhat nervously and shyly waved at approaching teenage lions.

"Uh, hay." Nuka greeted.

"Hay." one of the teenage lions said.

When the teenage lions got closer to Nuka, their noses scrunched up and they sniffed the air before looking at Nuka.

"Welcome to the Pride Lands, dude." one of the teenage lions said before he, and his friends ran off.

"Wait, aren't you guys going to get that drink you came for?" Nuka called out to them.

The teenage lions however were out of earshot of Nuka's voice. Nuka sighed and went back to giving himself a tongue bath. As he did, Nuka was beginning to wonder why he even came to the Pride Lands and not go off with one the groups from Ni's resistance pride. Nuka than however thought that none of them would take him.

"Oh, who am I kidding. I don't belong anywhere. None of those guys would want me, mother didn't want me, I just finally realized that. This pride doesn't even want me. I mean, they think I'm dead for about a year, they find out I'm alive, and they don't spend time with me. Well, I don't' want to spend time with them either anyway, I mean there's no one who will ever spend time with me. And Aunt Shenzi, Uncle Banza, and Uncle Ed are paying all their attention to that one hyena girl now more than me." Nuka thought to himself.

"Hello." a beautiful voice said to Nuka.

Nuka turned around, his tongue hanging out from a midlick to his foreleg. Nuka saw a beautiful lioness with burnt orange fur, a small tuft of fur on her head, a creamish orange underbelly, and beautiful blue eyes with spots on them. It was the lioness that saved him from being struck by his mother, and he saved her in return.

"Uhh, it's Zuri, right?" Nuka asked as he stared at the lioness.

"Yes." Zuri said, with a look on her face that looked weird to Nuka.

"Uhh, what are you doing with your face?" Nuka asked.

"Smiling at you, it's kinda what you do to make people like you and to give new comers a warm welcome." Zuri answered.

Nuka looked at Zuri weirdly.

"Not if you do it like that." Nuka said, visually looking uneasy about Zuri smiling at him.

Zuri's face slightly dropped, but she brushed Nuka's comment off and walked up to him.

"Sorry, I guess with how your life was in the Outlands, and how everyone treated you, I guess you're not use to people smiling at you genuinely instead of mockingly, or something like that." Zuri said.

"It's okay, it feels good to get smiled at in that way for once." Nuka said.

Nuka than noticed that Zuri was sitting directly next to him.

"Uhh, aren't you going to run away?" Nuka asked.

"Why?" Zuri asked, confused.

"I smell bad, and not just bad, bad. Like, really, really bad, bad." Nuka explained.

Zuri laughed slightly.

"Oh, you don't smell that bad." Zuri said.

"Hay, I may not be the smartest lion in the world, I'll admit that for once, but I know a lie when I hear one." Nuka said.

"Okay, I'll admit that you smell really, really bad, but I'm not going to let that stop me from welcoming you to the Pride Lands and spending time with my new pride mate." Zuri said.

Nuka looked at Zuri with a confused look.

"You really view me as a member of your pride?" Nuka asked.

Nuka had never been called 'pride mate' by anybody, not even the Outlanders. Even though Aina always treated him with great kindness when he was still young, she never called him pride mate.

"Of course, I view you as a pride mate." Zuri said.

Nuka was about to thank Zuri for her kind words, but as he did, he coughed. Nuka tried to moisten his mouth and lips, but he was so dehydrated that he couldn't produce any saliva to do so, and his tongue was dry as a bone. Zuri noticed this.

"You look and sound thirsty, you should take a drink." Zuri suggested.

"But it would be a waste of water, why would you want to waste perfectly good water on me?" Nuka asked.

Nuka's comment shocked Zuri greatly.

"It's not the dry season anymore, and why would you think that you taking a drink would be a waste of water?" Zuri asked.

"Look at my past, I'm an Outlander and Scarred Prider scum, and during those times, I tried to kill your king, and other pride members." Nuka explained.

Zuri placed a paw on Nuka's shoulder.

"Simba forgave you in giving you a second chance. I know it might be hard to believe and accept with how quickly everything has gone recently, but you are a Pride Lander now. That means you have as much right to drink from the watering hole as any other animal." Zuri said.

This immediately set off Nuka's happy spark. The smelly, mangy, termite infested lion jumped off the rock he and Zuri were sitting on and rushed over to the edge of the watering hole and drank deeply but was careful on making sure he drank his fair share. Nuka drank a little too quickly that he choked on his water and coughed to the point that water flew out his nose. Zuri came up and pounded his back a few times. Nuka rubbed his throat and took some deep, slow breathes.

"You okay?" Zuri asked.

"Oh man, that chocking on the water part was so bad. Yet, at the same time it was so good that I just wanted more!" Nuka said.

"Hay there Zuri!" a voice shouted.

Zuri and Nuka looked in the direction of the voice.

"Hay Timon, hay Pumbaa." Zuri greeted when she saw the meerkat and warthog duo trotting towards them.

"Hay, how's the new guy doing?" Pumbaa asked.

"Well, he's doing…" Zuri began to say, but she didn't get the chance.

"Oh my Hakuna Matata God, Pumaa!" Timon shouted.

"It wasn't me." Pumbaa protested, defending himself.

Timon's eyes than fell on Nuka and he realized it was him.

"Oh man, Pumbaa, your right, it wasn't you. It was that guy." Timon said, pointing at Nuka. "Well what are you waiting for you big lug, get me and yourself out of here!"

Pumbaa immediately did as Timon suggested and ran off to get himself and Timon away from Nuka's smell. Zuri saw Nuka's hurt expression and felt bad. An idea than came to Zuri's head, and she smiled at Nuka.

"So, you want more water, do you?" Zuri asked.

"Ugh, you know, compared to how the Outlands were back then, dying wasn't so bad." Nuka said as he and Zuri walked through a desert land Outlands.

"Well, the Outlands aren't what they use to be as you can see. Sure, there's still some dessert areas with termite mounds, but about half of it has become livable again with lush grasses." Zuri said.

"Yeah, it's like magic." Nuka commented.

After Nuka scared Timon and Pumbaa away with his stench, Zuri had decided to give him a water bath. Nuka had previously declined, saying that if he jumped in the watering hole for a water bath, any animal that drank from it would die from his stench toughing the water. Zuri had laughed at Nuka's statement, but said that it wouldn't be in this watering hole. She said that there was a watering hole in the Outlands that Jasiri's clan used before they came to live in the Pride Lands. Nuka said that he knew of that watering hole since he and the other former Outlanders stole it from Jasiri's clan years ago.

Zuri told Nuka that the watering hole in the Outlands was now commonly used by Janja and his hyenas. Nuka questioned if it would be wise to go there after hearing about Janja, but Zuri said that they would quickly be in and out before Janja even found them. Zuri and Nuka had just arrived at the watering hole and were at the edge.

"Well, in you go." Zuri said as she set some flowers down on a rock.

"What are the flowers for?" Nuka asked.

"After your all nice and wet, I'm go to rub them on you, to make you smell more like flower than everything you smell like. Also, you need to scrub yourself with them." Zuri explained.

"But I want to smell clean, not pretty." Nuka protested.

Just than, Nuka and Zuri heard that horrible laugh. They looked behind to see Janja, Cheezi, Nne, and Tano had just entered the area. As the four advanced, Janja looked towards Cheezi.

"Cheezi, stop me if you've heard this one. Two stupid lions walk into the Outlands." Janja said.

"And?" Cheezi excitedly asked.

"And, and we eat them of course!" Janja laughed.

Cheezi, Nne, and Tano laughed in delight. Nuka, without thinking about what he was doing, took a step in front of Zuri.

"Oh, looks like we gots us a hero in our midst's boys." Janja mockingly said, referring to Nuka.

Janja ran at Nuka, who had now lost his moment of unusual bravery after looking at Janja's sinister face and creepy evil smile, and covered his head with his paws in fear. Janja got up to Nuka and was about to bite his head off, but he stopping in mid attack and his nostrils suddenly flared. Janja looked more thoughtfully at Nuka and took another sniff. Janja suddenly than began to gag and cough. Within seconds, Janja's eyes went wide before they turned into black x's and he fell flat on his back.

"Janja!" Cheezi shouted with worry.

Cheezi quickly ran up to Janja, grabbed his tail in his mouth, dragged him towards Nne and Tano, and began to run off with them while dragging Janja's unconscious body.

"Hay, is it just me, or have we recently been getting our tails kicked more easily and more embarrassingly than usual?" Nne asked.

"Why are we so lame now Nne?" Cheezi asked.

Zuri and Nuka watched in disbelief as Janja's clan ran off. Zuri and Nuka looked at each other and laughed.

"Nuka, you're a freakin' smelly savior!" Zuri laughed.

Zuri kissed Nuka on his cheek, but immeditedly stuck her tongue out and blecked, having accidently tasting Nuka's dirty, mangy fur.

"Yeah. Well, we were here to give me a bath, so, why don't we get on with it." Nuka said as he jumped into the water. "Oh, It may be as hot as a volcano out, but the water is as cold as the snow in the mountains."

Nuka brushed his small complaint away and began to scrub himself with the flowers that Zuri had brought. Zuri watched as Nuka scrubbed himself with the flowers, his fur getting stained with pollen. Nuka still stank and the water around him was getting darker with his filth, but a few more water baths later and Nuka would be a brand-new lion. Zuri decided that now would be the best time to ask Nuka something that she'd been wondering.

"Hay Nuka is it okay if I ask you something personal?" Zuri asked.

"What kind of personal?" Nuka asked.

"Well, why did you do it" Zuri asked.

"Do what?" Nuka asked as he scrubbed his front legs/arm pits with the flowers.

"Why did you defect to us, why did you betray the Scarred Pride and join us. I've been told all about you. You've always tried to get your mother's attention by making her proud, and when you betrayed the Scarred Pride, you betrayed her. Why did you have a sudden change of heart?" Zuri asked.

Nuka looked at Zuri for a few moments after she said that. Nuka sighed before he began to tell his story.

"You see, my mother told me that I'm as big of a disappointment to her as I am a coward. She also mentioned my always trying to impress her, she said that I could impress her by going and dying in battle so that she didn't have to deal with looking at me or hearing me speak any longer." Nuka explained.

"I don't understand how someone can be so cruel." Zuri said.

"Yeah, and she said that I look almost exactly like my father, and trust me, my father was not a good guy. Don't even try asking about him." Nuka said. "She also said that nobody cares about me, not even her."

"After hearing all that, I say you made the right choice in joining our side, even if it was difficult for you to after hearing all that your mother said." Zuri said.

"Yeah, she never really cared about me, she only cared about Scar, herself, and her revenge. I just can't believe it took me this long to finally really get it. Not even Kovu and Vitani care about me." Nuka said.

"Why on Earth would you think that? They're your brother and sister." Zuri said.

"You see, I get the part of them probably being too surprised that I'm alive to spend time with me, the fact that Kopa is back and it has to be decided who will now be the heir to Pride Rock but the trust is that they don't care about me. Vitani has a heart that's as cold as stone, just as much as my mother's is, and Kovu… he's a menacing, ruthless, savage, wild, untamed beast." Nuka said.

Zuri looked slightly shocked. She knew about the strained relationship that Nuka had with Vitani and Kovu, but she never would of thought that he'd describe them like that. Vitani could be a little rough and kind of cold at times, but her heart wasn't cold like Nuka described. When you peeled back Vitani's layers and she grew fond of you, she was a funny and inspiring lioness to be around. As for Kovu, he was what Nuka described him as once, but that was far from what he was now.

Kovu was friendly, kind, gentle, caring, and protective of his family and those he called friends. He was a wonderful father to Taka, Mufasa, and Talia, and played a little bit of a big brother role for the younger lionesses of the pride, like Zuri herself, Tiffu, and Jamey, and everyone looked forward to him being king.

"I'll admit, maybe Kovu and Vitani were like that before, but now they're not. Vitani talked about you a lot. She said that you were completely foolish, rudely sarcastic, clumsy, weird, and had a big, goofy, dumb guy smile." Zuri said.

"Oh, of course she would call all those things." Nuka scoffed.

"She said that she always adored those about." Zuri said.

That caught Nuka by surprise and he looked at Zuri. He wanted to call her a liar, but something about the look on her face told him that she was telling the truth.

"Yeah, well I bet Kovu was a very different story. I bet he didn't even mention me." Nuka said.

"Your wrong." Zuri said.

Nuka looked at Zuri with a questioning look on his face.

"Tell me how I'm wrong?" Nuka asked.

"I'll tell you why your wrong. He cried for you." Zuri said.

Nuka looked at Zuri, completely shocked about what she just said about his brother.

"Your mother may have dug you out of those logs, but Kovu was the one who started to dig for you first. His scar, your mother gave it to him, because she blamed him for your supposed death, and he cried for you. The day after the prides united, he cried for you, because even after all the jealousy, resentfulness, and neglect you showed him, he wanted you there with him, as part of the pride, so did Vitani." Zuri said.

Nuka stared off into space. No one had ever shown so much concern for him to where they cried in fear or grief for him.

"And he cried for you a second time. He cried for you a couple days after Taka, Mufasa, and Talia were born, because he thought back than that you would never get a chance to meet them, that they would never get a chance to meet they're other uncle, even if you probably wouldn't have shown any care for them back then. He mourned you and he missed you, Vitani as well" Zuri stated.

Nuka sat completely still in the water of the Outlands' watering hole, deeply shocked.

"I didn't know, I didn't know that he cared about me so much in that way, or even Vitani." Nuka said.

"Well now you know." Zuri said.

Nuka felt some fuzzy feeling inside his chest that he had never felt before. He placed his paw on the part of his chest where the feeling was. He felt as if his heart had just become not so heavy or as black. In fact, it felt lighter and brighter. He had never felt this way before.

"My chest feels... funny from the way I'm feeling. Should I stop?" Nuka asked.

Zuri smiled at the cleaner, but still smelly and mangy lion.

"No, the way your chest feels, just let it flow, just let it in." Zuri encouraged.

Nuka looked and saw that the sun was setting in the horizon. The sky was beginning to look red and golden and Nuka for the first time in all his life, thought it looked beautiful. He felt that the sun was setting on something else, something dark, and that a new sun would rise to let something lighter in on the next day. Nuka realized what was going on about everything: his brother, his sister, the fuzzy feeling in his chest, his whole life, and Zuri. Nuka looked over at Zuri.

The rays of the setting sun shone beautifully on her fur and eyes. It made him… happy.

"Thanks for telling me that, and you know what else? My mom said that if I ever found a lioness, uhhh… friend that she would have to be pathetic like me, but I think she was wrong." Nuka said.

Zuri smiled down at Nuka. She had originally just come out to welcome Nuka to the Pride Lands properly and give him his water bath, but she realized that in doing so, she had also maybe started something… something more.

"Oh really, well that's too bad, because when I still had my eyes on Kopa when he was still known to us as Siri, a resistance hyena said that if I was ever to find a 'friend' who was a male lion like you, that lion would have to be pathetic like me." Zuri said.

"You just need to find a lion who is pathetic, like you." Zuri heard the hyena's voice say in her mind.

That suddenly hit. Zuri looked down at Nuka, who was truly a pathetic lion when it came to having bravery. Nuka was no Prince Charming, but he was handsome… in his own way. Zuri went into final deep thoughts for a minute. Soon, Zuri found her head bending down towards Nuka, and Nuka's head reach up to hers.

Both lion's noses touched.

"I'm a pathetic lion." Nuka said with a laugh.

"So am I, I'm a pathetic lioness." Zuri said.

Both lions pulled away and looked at each other.

"So, uh… what to spend a couple days together so we can have some fun and get to know each other a little more. Uh, are those the right words to use?" Nuka asked.

"Yes, and yes." Zuri said.

"You know, I like you Zuri and you look very beautiful." Nuka said.

"Thanks Nuka and maybe after a few more water baths, you'll look like a proper lion. Maybe a handsome one at that." Zuri said.

"Handsome? Ha! Don't make me laugh." Nuka said.

Zuri giggled and pushed Nuka face first into the water. Nuka looked to Zuri and spat water that he collected in his mouth as he fell into her face. Zuri laughed and shook the water away before smiling at the mangy lion.

"You know, how about I show you around the Pride Lands after we're done here?" Zuri suggested.

"Uhh, but it'll be getting dark soon." Nuka said.

"Oh, the moon will have all the light, including mood lighting that we'll need. Now get over here so we can continue." Zuri said.

"Alright!" Nuka shouted enthusiastically as he sat in front of Zuri with his back facing her.

Zuri began to continue giving Nuka a water bath.

"You know, Nuka isn't that bad when you spend time with him and really try to get to know him." Zuri thought.

"I like her. Beauty and the mangy beast." Nuka thought to himself, giggling.

Chapter 39: A Forbidden Love

It was the day after Zuri and Nuka had somehow fell in love. They hadn't told anyone yet though, wanting to keep it a secret. Nuka had decided to spend some time with Kovu, having been encouraged by his conversation with Zuri. The two brothers were miraculously getting along, and had never felt better. However, while the two brothers were getting reacquainted for the better, there were two others who weren't.

Kopa had been doing his best to avoid Vitani since they left the Scarred Lands. He was happy to see her again, but he couldn't get close to her right now with his feelings. Vitani was his friend, his best friend, his closest friend, perhaps his close friendship with her was too close. When Kopa was still Siri, he had developed feelings for her and expressed them to her, right now he couldn't however. When he was still Siri, he was going to ask for Simba's, his father's permission to marry her after the Scarred Pride had been dealt with, he couldn't do that however either.

Back when he was a cub, Zira had attacked and nearly killed him the day they got betrothed. When He found out that he was Kopa, he felt excited about it, because he knew that would mean that he would get to marry Vitani anyway. But that was before he realized the hard truth however. There was one thing keeping him from doing so, he had a sister, and Vitani had a brother, and they were married to each other, making Vitani, his sister-in-law. Kopa hadn't thought about that fact until before he went after Zira after Timon, Pumbaa, and Jasiri brought Taka into the resistance cave after saving him from Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed.

He had even thought about it more after seeing Kiara's strength as a leader when standing up to Wraith along with Shenzi's clan, Ni's resistance pride, Pride Landers, and former Outlanders standing behind her. Though seeing his sister like that had filled him with pride, it had also crushed him, making him focus on his new family ties to Vitani. Since he and Vitani were now brother and sister-in-laws they couldn't marry without causing incest, one of the worst and most disgusting crimes imaginable, maybe even worse than cold-blooded murder. The thing that pained him the most though was that he had realized it, and Vitani didn't. She had been sticking close to him and made the moves that only a lioness would make to her lover.

Right at the moment, Vitani was walking around the Pride Lands, looking for Kopa. When Vitani woke up this morning, Kopa's spot between him and Dalia was empty. Vitani had guessed that he might have gotten up for an early woke, so she had fallen back to sleep, hoping Kopa would be there when she woke up, but he wasn't. Vitani had waited in the den until a little bit past midday and Kopa had still not come back to Pride Rock. Vitani had decided to go out and look for Kopa, so she had Dalia check the wounds on her belly before she did.

Dalia said that Vitani's wounds had healed well, but said not to over extend herself, or in other words, don't run or sprint too much because your wounds have not completely healed yet and you could reopen them. Vitani paid attention to what the wise, old hyena said and went looking for Kopa. She checked the river, the watering hole, Scar's old cave, the Lair of the Lion Guard, even her and Kopa's secret getaway cave, but he wasn't in any of those places.

"Where could he be?" Vitani said to herself as she sat down in a grassy area near the river.

Vitani stared at the river with a dark look. This was the river that Zira had thrown Kopa into years ago after she attacked him. Vitani was incredibly grate that Kopa had survived that river and been found by someone friendly instead of scavengers who would peck at his body weather if he was alive or not. Vitani went back to thinking of where Kopa could be. As she did, she heard laughter behind her.

Vitani looked back, hoping it was Kopa. To her slight disappointment, it was only Taka playing with his brother, sister, and all they friends, Bluu, Griffin, Grey, Wema, and Tunu. The six cubs and two hyena pups trapped in young adult bodies ran past her laugh.

"Excuse us Aunt Vitani." Talia shouted as she and the other ran past Vitani.

Vitani watched as the friends and siblings continued to run off.

"Come on kids, wait up!" a voice that sounded out of breath shouted.

Vitani looked to see Timon and Pumbaa were chasing after the children. The only thing was, they looked completely out of breath, both were sweating, standing on shaky legs, and looked ready to pass out. Both took a moment to catch their breath before continuing their chase for the cubs. However, after Pumbaa took the first step, he and Timon fell flat on their faces to the ground. In concern, Vitani trotted over to the two and helped them up.

"Are you guys alright?" Vitani asked as she helped them up.

Vitani was able to lift Pumbaa back onto his hooves, but he once again fell down. This time, Vitani went over to the river, scooped up some water in her mouth, walked over to Timon and Pumbba and poured the water onto both of their faces.

"Oh, I think I just got heat stroke?" Timon moaned as he got back to his senses.

"Tell me about it." Pumbaa said as he stood back up.

As the two began to catch their breath, Vitani looked over to her nephews and niece, playing by the river. Taka was no longer wearing the leaf bandage he'd been wearing when they came to the Pride Lands, so his scar was visible for everyone to see. His siblings and friends however were acting like he didn't even have it and things were just like it used to be before Wraith and his Scarred Pride showed they're ugly heads. Vitani turned back to Timon and Pumbaa, guessing why they had collapsed from heat and exhaustion.

"Wild cubs?" Vitani asked.

"Gee, what clue made you figure it out." Timon replied sarcastically.

"I forgot how much energy a young lion cub or young hyena could have." Pumbaa said.

Vitani took another moment to look at the cubs by the river. They were so full of energy and there were eight of them when Timon and Pumbaa were used to looking after just one or two, even than it could be hard for them to handle it/them. Vitani turned back to the two friends.

"Sorry guys, but you two are getting too old for cub watching." Vitani said.

Timon jumped down to the ground and walked over to Vitani.

"Oh, nonsense Vitani. Pumbaa and I are still young enough to…" Timon began to say before a cracking sound was heard.

Timon shot his hands to one of his hips.

"Oh, my hip!" Timon shouted.

Vitani held back her urge to laugh.

"Okay, yes. You're right, me and Pumbaa here are getting too old for cub watching. Especially with how wild, fiery, and feisty this generation has been." Timon said.

"Yeah, but whose gonna watch them if me and Timon aren't?" Pumbaa asked.

Vitani thought for a second on who could watch the cubs. She thought back to talking with Kopa about a certain someone since they first met and thought that someone could make a great cub sitter.

"How about Dalia. She can watch them or at least help you?" Vitani suggested.

Timon and Pumbaa looked at Vitani, pondering over the idea. They had seen her interact with Taka, Bluu, and any other lion cubs or hyena pups of Ni's resistance group while they were traveling to the Pride Lands. From what they could tell, Dalia was great with children, and the children weren't afraid of her over the fact that she was a hyena.

"That sounds perfect to us, but can she handle it. She is younger than us, but I think she's about Simba's age, so that's still old." Timon said.

"Trust me when I say trust Kopa. She may be old, but she's got tons of energy inside her. She can handle a couple of wild cubs and pups." Vitani said.

Timon and Pumbaa looked at each other and nodded.

"Good, we'll interview here on the rest later to make sure she's perfect for the job. Like she's friendly and great with children, check. She's part of the SCFLCPOTPLC, check." Timon listed.

"We just need to know if she's a Hakuna Matata loving girl, can memorize and sing the whole song on her own, and is willing to sing it every day to the children so she can pass the phrase on to them and they can do the same one day to their children." Pumbaa said.

"Hakuna Matatanity, what a wonderful religion my porky friend." Timon said.

"You might have trouble getting Dalia to sing. Kopa has told me she has a beautiful singing voice, yet she's kinda shy about singing in front of others or when anyone's around to hear her." Vitani said.

"Oh, poppycock, children love singing. So, she would have no reason to be shy or embarrassed about it." Timon said.

"Yeah, I want to hear her singing voice." Pumbaa said.

"Here's your chance." Vitani said with a smirk on her face.

Timon and Pumbaa looked to see Dalia was running up to them and Vitani.

"Hi Dalia, why are you in such a hurry?" Vitani asked.

"Simba sent me to search for you all. Kiara and Kovu have decided who's going to be the official heir of Pride Rock and the Pride Lands." Dalia said as she tried to catch her breath.

With that said, Vitani gathered up Taka, his siblings, and friends, and everyone began to move towards Pride Rock. Vitani noticed that Dalia wasn't following them however.

"Dalia, aren't you coming?" Vitani asked.

"I am, I just gotta find Siri. He hasn't come back to Pride Rock since whenever he got up this morning." Dalia said.

"Don't you mean Kopa?" Pumbaa asked.

"Oh, I'm never going to get use to his real name being Kopa." Dalia said, realizing her mistake.

"Hay, when you see him, tell him I'd like to see him after Kiara and Kovu announce whoever's going to be named the official heir. I've been looking for him, but I can't find him. Also, I might be wrong, but I think he's been avoiding me." Vitani said.

"Now why would he do that?" Dalia asked even though she knew why Kopa might be avoiding Vitani.

"I don't know why?" Vitani admitted.

"I don't know why he might be avoiding you, but I know the solution on how to not make him avoid you anymore when you get your chance alone with him." Timon said.

"Yeah, he and I got Nala together and married accidently. No one knows love advice and getting two lions together like us Timon." Pumbaa said.

"That's right amazing P. Up top." Timon said, signaling Pumbaa for a fist/hoof bump.

"Boom!" both said as they fist/hoof bumped.

"Alright Vitani, sit back and listen to my and Pumbaa's love expertise." Timon said.

"Oh, this will be good." Vitani whispered to herself.

"When trying to woo your man, give him an evil-flirty look and flash your eyelashes at him while flirtiously licking your lips." Timon said.

"And shake your hips back and forth slowly while swaying your tail." Pumbaa added.

"Yeah, and say that you're hungry and thirsty for him, the hunks love that romantic, seductive crap!" Timon shouted.

Vitani, Dalia, and the children looked at Timon and Pumbaa strangly.

"What?" Timon asked.

"Somebody please get Rafiki for some love expert advice." Vitani thought to herself.

Meanwhile, somewhere else in the Pride Lands, Kopa was walking around. He was thinking about Vitani and his complecated relationship with her.

"She wouldn't understand." Kopa sighed.

Kopa wanted to tell Vitani about their relationship probably not working, but he couldn't. He knew that Vitani wouldn't care about their new family ties and say that they should get married anyway. Vitani was just too stubborn when it came to things like this. Kopa was currently looking for Zuri. Kopa had noticed that Zuri had been jealous of the relationship he had with Vitani as Siri and wanted him for herself.

"Well, what can I say?" Kopa asked himself. "She's going to get what she wanted."

Kopa came up a hill and found Zuri within a field of yellow flowers.

"It's the perfect romantic scenery." Kopa said to himself before walking down towards Zuri.

Kopa entered the field of flowers and walked up to Zuri. Zuri noticed and turned around.

"Hi Kopa. Oh man, after knowing you as Siri for so long, it's hard to call you by another name, even if it's your real one." Zuri said.

"Well, maybe if Kiara and Kovu ever decide to have another cub one day, maybe they can name him or her Siri." Kopa said.

"Yes, but maybe it's best suited for a girl, since Siri does sound like a girl's name." Zuri pointed out.

"I told Dalia something like that when she gave me the name." Kopa said with a laugh and smile on his face.

"Speaking of which, how's Dalia doing?" Zuri asked.

"She's doing fine actually. Thankfully she told me that she decided to live here instead of going back to her original home." Kopa said.

"Well, that's good news. I've actually grown to like her over the few conversations I've had with her, but I'm pretty sure she'll still miss her old home." Zuri said.

"When I said the same thing to her, she said that where ever I go is home to her." Kopa said.

"Home is family, not where you live." Zuri said.

"Yeah, it is." Kopa agreed.

Zuri plucked a flower from the ground and set it in Kopa's mane, behind his left ear.

"Remember, it never hurts to look your best." Zuri said.

"I'll need to keep that advice in mind for you." Kopa said.

"You said for me, don't you mean for Vitani?" Zuri asked.

Kopa sighed, this was where he told her.

"I can't be with her." Kopa said.

Zuri looked shocked. She had been jealous of them from almost day one, she stays jealous for about a week or two, and here she finds her jealousy was for nothing.

"Why can't you be with her?" Zuri asked.

"You mean you haven't realized the painful truth either?" Kopa asked.

"No." Zuri answered.

"My sister, Kiara. Who is she married to exactly?" Kopa asked.

Zuri thought about it for a moment. Zuri was about to give up and ask before she realized.

"Kiara is married to Vitani's brother." Zuri answered.

"Yes, and to marry her wouldn't be right. It would cause incest between me and Vitani." Kopa said.

"Oh, I'm sorry Kopa, I know how much she meant to you." Zuri sympathized.

"It's alright, it's not all bad. I get to see her again and be her friend still at least, and…" Kopa said, trailing off.

"And?" Zuri asked.

Kopa wrapped a foreleg around Zuri and embraced her. Zuri was shocked at first and almost pulled away but didn't. Zuri buried her face into Kopa's mane and sniffed, taking in his scent

"How would you like to be a princess, maybe even queen one day if Kovu and Kiara decide they want be to be the official heir to Pride Rock and the Pride Lands?" Kopa asked.

This made Zuri pull away.

"What are you talking about?" Zuri asked.

"I know you were making moves towards me the first day I came to the Pride Lands. After I spent time with Vitani, I ignored you, barley paid you any mind, I acted like you didn't even exist, and I'm so sorry I did so." Kopa apologized.

"Kopa…" Zuri tried to say.

"I considered you as a friend that day, but I wasn't a very good one with me ignoring you, but I'm going to make it up to you now. I can't be with Vitani, but I can be with you. Just say the word and I am yours and you are mine." Kopa offered.

Zuri looked into Kopa's eyes. Zuri had wanted a mate for so long. When Kion saved her from those crocodiles when they were still cubs, she had showed him great affection for saving her and giving off a tiny hint of a crush. That affection she showed however was just her showing how grateful she was that Kion saved her when she always treated him with a snobby attitude and disrespected his title as a prince and leader of the Lion Guard in protecting the Pride Lands from many dangers that she herself didn't have the courage to face. As Zuri grew up she lost those parts of her personality and became a much more humble lioness.

Her gratefulness towards Kion for saving her on that day even did develop to the edge of true love. Kion was a handsome, strong, caring, and humble lion, and was a great leader. Zuri never mentioned it to anyone, not even her family, but in a way, she always did want to be part of the royal family and have a closer relationship to Kiara. However, Kion didn't share the same feelings towards Zuri. Though he had turned her down gently, it still hurt her very much, and somewhat depressed her.

There were a few other lions in the pride other than Simba, but those other lions were either too old, too young, or weren't her type. When rogues passed by sometimes and Simba allowed them a place to say for a few days, sometimes a lioness would get close to them and mate with them. Sometimes the lioness and lion went off together as a pair of traveling rogues, but most of the times the rogue traveled off alone, but still sometimes stayed close. Also, there was the possibility of having a gene pass cub, in which a lioness willingly mated with a willing rogue to pass they're genes on to the next generation and keep lions from going into extinction. Gene pass cubs were very common to where most of the lionesses in the Pride Lands were gene pass cubs, including Zuri herself.

It was a strange way for a lioness to have cubs and help start the next generation, but it was the only way that lion kind knew how to avoid incest within a pride or forcing a king to mate with multiple lionesses, to keep lion kind from slowly dying out, and all lions of the new way accepted it. In the old way of lion kind, a pride's lions could mate with every lioness if they wanted, but it eventually came to be seen as barbaric, disturbing, and disgusting, which was why it was cast aside for the new way. The old way also made to were there could only be a certain number of lions in one pride. The new way however made it to where there could be just as many lions in the pride as lioness, but there was one other problem, numbers. The Pride Land's pride was a large pride and they couldn't take in much more members, and some of the former Outlanders for while have even been talking about possibly leaving to reduce the pride to a smaller number to prevent overhunting.

For all those reasons, Zuri's friend, Jamey had decided to mate with a wandering rogue to pass their genes onto the next generation with her cub, which was due any day now. Sometimes lionesses could even temporarily leave the pride to find a mate, have cubs, and then come back if they wished. Zuri didn't want any of those relationships however, she wanted a full-on relationship with a family, and without leaving home to find a mate. When Kopa came to the Pride Lands as Siri, she thought that she would finally get that, but didn't. Kopa not falling in love with Zuri, but Vitani had convinced her that she would never get a mate or have cubs.

However, that had changed yesterday. She had spent time with Nuka, and that day spent with him, mixed with him saving her back in the Scarred Lands and the time together they spent there made her fall in love with him, even if he was probably the ugliest and smelliest lion in the world. Zuri now felt that she had to let Kopa down gently like Kion had done her.

"I'm sorry Kopa, but you and me can't be together either." Zuri said.

"What, but isn't this what you wanted?" Kopa asked.

"I do, but I'm in the same situation that you are." Zuri said.

"What?" Kopa asked, confused.

"Hay Zuri!" Nuka's voice came.

Kopa and Zuri looked to see Nuka running towards them. Kopa getting the message, looked towards Zuri.

"With him?" Kopa asked, flabbergasted that a beautiful lioness like Zuri would fall for an ugly lion like Nuka.

"Who would 'a thunk it?" Zuri said with a small laugh.

Zuri began to walk over to Nuka. Zuri stopped after the first few steps and turned towards Kopa.

"Talk to Dalia about this, I think she'll know how to make you feel better." Zuri said.

Kopa took Zuri's advice and turned to begin towards Pride Rock. As Kopa turned around however, something rammed into his front legs, nearly knocking him over. Kopa looked down to see Dalia laying on her back with a dazed look on her face.

"Dalia, are you okay?" Kopa asked, helping the old hyena back to her paws.

"Yes Kopa, I'm alright. I might have a headache and maybe a bump now, but I'm good." Dalia said as she rubbed her head. "Oh, and your father wants you at Pride Rock. Kiara and Kovu have decided who they want to be the official heir to Pride Rock as the Pride Lands. He wants you two there to."

Kopa wasted no time and ran in the direction of Pride Rock, Dalia following behind him, telling him to wait up. Nuka came up beside Zuri.

"What was that all about?" Nuka asked curiously.

"I'll tell you later. Come on for right now, let's find out who's going to be our king one day" Zuri said.

Kopa, Dalia, Zuri, and Nuka got to Pride Rock within minutes. The entire pride was there along with, Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, Makini, Zazu and his nephew Zaza, Tojo's blue birds, the Lion Guard, Jasiri's clan, and Shenzi's clan. Kiara and Kovu were standing next to Simba and Nala, eagerly waiting for Kopa to arrive. Kopa breathed in a cold breath when he saw Vitani next to them. Instead of standing next to Vitani, Kopa squeezed in between Kiara and Simba, not noticing the slightly hurt look on Vitani's face.

"Sorry if I kept everybody waiting, I was just spending time with Zuri and Nuka." Kopa somewhat lied.

"It's okay, Vitani, Timon, Pumbaa, and the cubs they were watching got her not too long before you, so your just in time." Simba said.

"Thank goodness." Kopa breathed out.

Simba and Nala turned towards everyone.

"Alright, pride brothers and sister, and friends to the pride. As you all know, a couple days ago, Me, Nala, and half of the rest of the pride returned from our battle with the Scarred Pride. We suffered very few, but very heavy losses, and received scars, both emotional, and… physical." Simba said glancing down at his right paw where two of his toes were supposed to be and towards Taka's eye. "But there was some light from our return. We learned that my first-born son, Kopa survived Zira's attack on him years ago, but he got amnesia in the process and forgot who he was and where he lived, but during those years, this hyena, Dalia looked after him and deserves our thanks and to basically be considered a member of the royal family despite her being a hyena. There has been one important detail that has had to be discussed. Who will be the official heir to Pride Rock for when the my and Nala's time as king and queen must be passed on." Simba said.

"Our daughter Kiara has been the official heir for a long time, but Kopa still has the right to the throne as first born, but he argues that Kiara should keep it since she has had more training and has heir to secure the next generation. So, we have left it up to Kiara and Kovu to decide whether they'll keep the title as official next king and queen of the Pride Lands or if they'll let Kopa keep his right to be king as first born." Nala announced.

Everyone turned towards Kovu and Kiara, waiting for their answer. Kiara and Kovu stepped up a little bit, ready to give the big announcement.

"Well everyone, it wasn't easy deciding who will be the next rulers of the Pride Lands, me and Kovu along with our children or Kopa." Kiara said.

"Me and Kiara stayed up late for two nights debating, and we've made our decision." Kovu said.

Everyone leaned in to hear their answer.

"Kopa is the first born and should be the official heir, but he's right about what he said about me. I have more training to rule, I know more about problems that the Pride Lands has today, me and Kovu have earned the love and respect of all Pride Lands residence, and we have children to ensure that the next generation can continue the royal line. So, even though me and Kovu think Kopa deserves it more than us, we'll keep the title of future king and queen and we're more ready, willing, and able for that task than we ever have been before now that Kopa is here." Kiara announced.

Everyone gave a roar, growl, bark, or any other sound of understanding and agreement that they could. Rafiki and Makini walked up to Kiara and Kovu.

"Very well, so everyone, Kiara and Kovu are still future queen and king of the Pride Lands, and long may they reign when they're time comes." Rafiki said as he and Makini shook their staffs over they're heads.

"You go girl." Makini said as she shook her staff above Kiara's head.

When the two stepped back, Kopa came up to them.

"When you ask me personally, I think you made the right choice." Kopa said.

"Only because you gave good reasoning." Kovu said.

"And I'm pretty sure you could be like an advisor of some sort or a step-in leader of the Lion Guard if Kion ever wants to take a day of or if he can't for some other reasons some days." Kiara suggested.

"Yeah, Kion deserves a week or two off, especially after that battle with Wraith, but how does Kiara's suggestions sound Kopa?" Kovu asked.

"Yeah, that sounds good, but remember this: if you make any dumb decisions as queen, in a humorous way I'm gonna hold them over your head for the rest of your miserable life." Kopa joked, succeeding in getting a laugh out of Kiara.

Timon and Pumbaa than ran up to them and took Kiara's paw without asking and shook.

"Yeah, that's out girl. Me and Uncle P here know you'll do grea…" Timon said before bones were heard cracking again.

"Timon, was that your back?" Kovu asked.

"I can't figure out if something just broke or snapped back into place." Timon said.

Everyone, seeing that this little pride meeting was over, went back to their daily routines. Dalia came up and stood with Kopa, Kiara, and Kovu.

"So, what happens now?" Dalia asked.

Kovu looked and saw a certain lioness walking towards the four of them.

"I think I know." Kovu said.

Kopa quickly looked out of the corner of his good eye. Vitani was walking towards them. As she did, she was shaking her hips back and forth and flashing her eyelashes at Kopa. She had a slight cringed look on her face as she did those things.

"Vitani just naturally looks scary, but she looks scarier by doing… whatever it is she's doing. I need to get out of here, I can't talk to her, not yet." Kopa thought.

Kopa looked to Dalia, Kiara, and Kovu.

"Excuse me you three, but I think I hear nature calling." Kopa said before running down Pride Rock's steps.

Vitani looked at Kopa's running form in shock. She was about to chase after him, but he was already very far ahead. Vitani instead walked over to Dalia, Kiara, and Kovu.

"What's up with him?" Vitani asked the three with a worried voice.

"Nature calling, he said." Kovu answered.

"Okay, that's gross, but I mean why is he avoiding me. He's been doing so since we left the Scarred Lands a little over a month ago." Vitani said.

Dalia looked at Vitani with sympathy. She could see that Vitani didn't understand the situation she and Kopa were in. Dalia was about to tell Vitani what she wanted to know, but Zuri and Nuka beat when they came up to the group.

"It's because of serious complications Vitani." Zuri said as she and Nuka came up.

Everyone looked to Zuri and Nuka.

"What do you mean by complications Zuri?" Vitani asked.

"You see, before Dalia got the three of us, Kopa came to me and talked to me. You see, you all know I had some feelings for him when he first arrived as Siri. So, he came to me and offered himself to me." Zuri said.

Vitani immediately looked hurt when she heard of what Kopa did.

"But why would he do that?" Vitani asked in a hurt voice.

Zuri looked at Vitani with sympathy.

"Vitani, you and Kopa are brother and sister now." Zuri said.

"What?" Vitani asked.

"You're the sister of Kovu and Kovu is married to Kiara, Kopa's sister, so that makes you and Kopa brother and sister-in-laws." Zuri explained.

Vitani gasped when Zuri finished her explanation. Vitani had never felt so stupid in all her life. She had been so excited about Kopa actually surviving Zira's ambush and now having the chance to marry him that she had thought about what Kiara and Kovu's marriage caused between the her and Kopa.

"But, if me and him marry each other, it would cause…" Vitani began to say.

"Incest." Dalia finished for Vitani.

Vitani stared off into the horizon for a few minutes before walking off without a word.

"Where is she going, what is she doing?" Kovu asked, worried about his sister.

"I'll go after her." Kiara volunteered.

"And I'll go look for Kopa." Dalia said.

Kiara and Dalia went down Pride Rocks stone steps and in the direction of the lion each were going to find. As the two went off, Kovu turned to Zuri.

"So, did you take it, Kopa's offer to marry you?" Kovu asked.

"No Kovu, I actually think I found a mate yesterday." Zuri said.

"Really, who?" Kovu asked.

"Part termite, part scabby skin and mangy fur, all lion." Zuri said, glancing towards Nuka who waved with his big, dumb smile on his face.

Kovu looked in surprise. Kovu loved his brother very much, but he had to admit that Nuka was an ugly lion and that a beautiful lioness like Zuri would go for him. Kovu looked at Zuri with surprise.

"Who would 'a thunk it?" Zuri said.

Kiara found Vitani sitting in front of a river. She was staring into it and her paws were just grazing the tip of the water. Seeing how close she was worried Kiara.

"Vitani, please don't do anything rash now." Kiara said, trying to reason Vitani.

Kiara heard Vitani scoff.

"Oh please, don't be stupid. If I was going to drown myself, I would have done so nearly five years ago." Vitani said.

Kiara walked up to Vitani and sat down next to her for a while. Silence went on for many minutes with no one saying a word. Kiara finally broke the silence.

"It must feel terrible to have someone you really care about taken away from you only to find them again years ago and in some way have them taken from you again." Kiara said.

"Yeah, something similar to that happened to you over a year ago if I remember. Why couldn't I have just refused Kopa's offer to eat breakfast with his family that day? It would have been better for everybody." Vitani sighed.

"Yeah, maybe it would have been, but you didn't because deep down, you wanted a friend, didn't you?" Kiara asked.

"Yeah. You know, I don't know why I even followed her after she did it, my mother." Vitani said.

"Yep, there's no way someone would follow someone after they did something like that. So why did you?" Kiara asked.

"I don't know, I just did." Vitani said.

"That's not an answer." Kiara said.

Vitani sighed, knowing she wouldn't get out of this.

"I was broken at the time, I was weak, completely exposed to manipulation, and my mother saw it. She said many things that I called her out on trying to tell me lies, but with each passing day, they sounded like truth. She said that it was truly Simba's fault that Kopa died for not protecting him better. She said that if Simba truly did care about me, that he wouldn't have sent me into exile in the Outlands, and other things like that for example. Those lies and manipulation tactics turned me into the demon of war that my mother wanted me to be." Vitani said.

"Yeah, I guess that can happen to anybody who went through the same experience you did." Kiara said.

"Yeah. You know, I snuck out of the Outlands a few times after you were born and came to see you." Vitani said.

"You did?" Kiara asked.

Vitani nodded.

"Each time I did, Simba and Nala offered me a place to stay at Pride Rock. However, I refused the offer every time because I felt like I didn't belong at Pride Rock for not being able to save Kopa from my mother. She found me sneaking out once had had me watched twenty-four-seven so that I wouldn't do so again. To be honest, if Kopa hadn't shown back up while he was still Siri, I might have left the Pride Lands forever." Vitani admitted truthfully.

"Well, I'm glad you didn't leave." Kiara said.

"Kopa wasn't the only reason though. You were part of the reason I wanted to leave." Vitani said.

"Me?" Kiara exclaimed I shock.

"Yes, because of your personality. Everything you were and are in personality, is who I've always wanted. That giggle in your voice and that skip in your step. When I became friends with Kopa, I became more care free, but I didn't have your exact personality, and I wanted to be like that for Kopa, but I couldn't. Because I was forever tethered into what my mother made me, and I don't like being tethered. Your personality always brought back those memories that were happy, yet painful at the same time in the early days of the unification, and in a way, I hated you for it because you were better at expressing who you truly are deep down more than me." Vitani said.

Kiara stared at Vitani in shock. She didn't know whether to be insulted for Vitani somewhat hating her for her personality because that was the personality she wanted to be grateful that Vitani liked Kiara's personality.

"Uh, thank you than, I guess." Kiara said.

"Sorry if that offended you in a way. I don't really hate you, it's just I want to be more like you, not like what… I am." Vitani said.

"Honestly Vitani, I like your personality and that's what Kopa likes about you to." Kiara said.

"Thanks. Everything is just a mess right now with him and me being sister now." Vitani said.

Kiara and Vitani sat in silence for a few more minutes.

"You know Vitani. I know it isn't right, but if you want to marry him, you still can if you want." Kiara said.

Vitani looked at Kiara in surprise.

"But Kiara, I can't, we can't. That type of love is forbidden by the gods, by the spirits of our ancestors, by kingdoms, and by everybody." Vitani said.

"Well, as they say, true love in blind I guess, and we can't help who we fall in love with." Kiara shrugged.

"So, your telling me to commit incest?" Vitani asked.

"No, I'm telling you to do what your heart tells you, to do whatever makes you happy, and if you want to be with Kopa, you can ask for forgiveness from the spirits of our ancestors and our gods later, because they can forgive and can understand that the choices we make in life are hard and sometimes we have to go with the choices that might not seem right and may seem selfish morally like this, but you gotta think about if it'll make you happy with for the rest of your life as well. That's how the spirits of them all made us, and if there's one thing I learned a year ago, it's that love finds a way. Also, maybe for some reason, this was all part of their plan for you and Kopa." Kiara said.

Vitani thought about what Kiara said. She guessed she was right, it could be done that way, she was willing, but would Kopa be okay with it as well.

When Dalia got to the bottom of Pride Rock with Kiara, she immediately began sniff at the ground to pick up Kopa's scent. She got a scent and began tracking him. She came to a cave with a mouth that looked like a lion's face. Kopa's scent became stronger when she sniffed at the mouth of the cave. Dalia descended into the mouth of the cave and came into a large chamber that sparkled with diamonds and shreds of light from many small holes in the roof.

It was a beautiful cave, but Dalia still wondered why Kopa came here.

"So, you found the cave." a voice said.

Dalia jumped in fright and looked where the voice came from. It came from Kopa, who was laying down and staring at the wall of the cave. Dalia took a moment to regain her composure and walked over to Kopa and laid down next to him. She looked at the section of wall he was staring at and saw a heart with a V + K inside it. Dalia immediately knew what it symbolized.

"This was made by you and Vitani wasn't it?" Dalia asked.

"Yeah, just the day before you know what happened." Kopa answered.

"I can tell you two were made for each other." Dalia said.

"Yeah, and we were so close to doing so until, you know." Kopa said.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Dalia asked.

"Find someone else. I can't be with Vitani and I can't be with Zuri because she apparently fell in love with Nuka yesterday. Which is stange when you think about what a beautiful lioness that Zuri is and what an ugly lion that Nuka is." Kopa said.

"Huh, to each their own and love is blind, as the sayings go." Dalia said.

"Yeah, and in being blind, love apparently made the wrong choice of putting me and Vitani together. I won't say it got it wrong with Kiara and Kovu, because I can't do that to them." Kopa said.

Dalia took a moment to turn away and look throughout the cave. The holes in the roof and lights shining through them was like the gods and spirits shining their light through to reflect on the diamonds so that they could watch her and Kopa. Dalia turned back around and at the carving Kopa and Vitani made.

"You know what I think Kopa, I don't think love made a mistake, and I don't think you and me running into the Scarred Pride back at the jungle and you happening to run directly to the Pride Lands for help was an accident." Dalia said.

Kopa looked at the chubby, old hyena.

"What do you mean by that Dalia?" Kopa asked.

Dalia looked up at the scarred lion and smiled at him.

"What I'm saying is that maybe the spirits of your ancestors and your gods somehow saw this as a chance to get you home and you and Vitani back together. Maybe because they still want you to be together." Dalia said.

Kopa thought about that with an open mind.

"Yes, but it's forbidden love, and I want to tell Vitani about it, but I can't." Kopa said.

"If you tell her that you two can't be together, what do you think she'll do, bite you?" Dalia asked.

"Yes." Kopa said truthfully.

"Than we should get some vines, some wood, and write on it 'be careful, I bite,' and hang it around Vitani's neck." Dalia joked.

Kopa couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Oh, her naturally scary face already says that enough." Kopa said.

"Yes, she's got her mom's face, but her's is beautiful and not ugly." Dalia said.

"Yeah, but still Dalia, I can't marry her, even if our gods and spirits of my ancestors allowed it. I doubt even my father and mother would allow it." Kopa said.

"Actually, they would, they talked to me about it while we were traveling to the Pride Lands. They told me that they knew of your and Vitani's new relationship as brother and sister-in-laws and knew it would cause incest, but they said that if you wanted to still marry Vitani they would allow it and stand by your side against any nay sayers. Your grandmother Sarabi and the former Outlanders that were with us said that they would do the same as well." Dalia said.

Kopa looked surprised. He had no idea that his parents, grandmother, and the others who helped in his supposed murder would be on his side for marrying Vitani. In fact, he thought they would be against it as well. Kopa looked deep into Dalia's star blue eyes.

"Is what your saying true Dalia?" Kopa asked.

The old hyena just smiled at him, which was enough for Kopa to tell that she wasn't lying.

"I have never found a mate and experienced true love, but I know it's ways. Love is a tricky thing, it works in mysterious ways. Some think they understand it, but in truth they don't. Because love is one of those things we will never understand, and with that so, we can't choose who we fall in love with, and who you get to fall in love with can't be chosen for you." Dalia said.

"My dad always did hate the betrothal tradition." Kopa said.

"Then he realized what I just told you about love, and Taka and Bluu's betrothal is only because they've shown some slight feelings for each other and the betrothal is only a temporary thing for them now." Dalia said.

Kopa thought for a minute. Everything Dalia said to him did make a point. Love was a tricky thing and it did work in mysterious ways, Kiara and Kovu for instance were living examples. Kopa stood up and looked towards the entrance of the cave.

"So you really gonna go through with this?" Dalia asked, knowing what Kopa was thinking.

"I feel disgusting." Kopa said.

"It's like he said, we can't choose who we fall in love with and you should also think about your happiness, as well as Vitani's, and the gods and spirits of your ancestors will forgive you and Vitani, because like I said, everything that's happened to get you here is in some way their doing." Dalia said.

"I know, I'll just have to pray every day that they will forgive and thank them for getting me and her here if I was their doing." Kopa said.

Later that night, Kopa had walked up to Vitani. He explained to her everything, his feelings, his talk with Dalia. Vitani listened to and understood everything. Vitani than explained her talk with Kiara. Vitani swallowed her pride for a moment and said that if Kopa didn't want to go through with marrying her because them being brother and sister-in-law made him feel too uncomfortable, they didn't have to.

Kopa refused Vitani's offer and said that he didn't care about anything else and still wanted to be with her like they were always meant to. Vitani agreed and suggested that they get married tomorrow before sunset, and Kopa agreed. So, the next day, right before sunset, Vitani and Kopa's wedding went underway. Every single animal came to witness it and congratulated the two weather they were yay sayers or nay sayers on their marriage. Kopa and Vitani walked to the edge of Pride Rock, in the light of the setting sun and began to say the vows of a lion's marriage.

"By the grace of Mwezi, the lion in the moon, the all father who made us all. By the grace of Jua, the lioness in the sun, the all mother from whose belly we are all born. By the merciful grace of Lord Kifo, who grants us the blessing and curse of death to balance the circle of life. By the merciful grace of all three." Kopa and Vitani said together.

"I am hers and she is mine." Kopa said

"I am his and he is mine." Vitani said.

"From this day, until the last of our days." Kopa and Vitani said together, completing the traditional marriage vow of lions.

Kopa and Vitani than roared from the edge of Pride Rock. Everyone else roared with them, Nala's roar wasn't as strong since her throat wound wasn't completely healed yet, but it was still a strong roar.

"I don't care if those two are basically brother and sister, it's still such a beautiful marriage I tell ya'." Timon said, on the verge of tears.

"Yes, disgusting, but beautiful. I've been waiting for this marriage for so very long." Pumbaa said, also on the verge of tears.

"Yeah, me to buddy." Timon said.

"Ohh, don't cry, don't cry, don't cry." Zazu, who was standing next to the two,, mumbled to himself.

While everyone was happy, even Kopa, there was one who wasn't. Jasiri was attending the wedding and was happy for Kopa and Vitani even though their wedding was a very odd one, but she wasn't happy for herself. She stayed in the very back of the large crowd that had gathered. She was peeking through all the animals, looking where her true parents were sitting.

"I want to talk to them, but I, I can't. I, I just can't." Jasiri said to herself.

Chapter 40: Jasiri's Family

The week after the wedding of Kopa and Vitani, everything was going fine. Kopa was happy to finally be with Vitani, and it seemed that his marriage to her wasn't bothering him anymore. The hyenas of Shenzi's clan had kept their promise and showed respect to the Pride Lands, and only hunted for what they needed, not for sport. The rest of the Pride Land animals, skeptical at first began to trust and become close with the hyenas, but still stayed weary. Jasiri was by a river, looking down at her reflection.

It had been nearly two weeks since the pride had returned to the Pride Lands with her mother, father, and clan in tow, yet she still hadn't tried to get to know them and become close. Her friends and other 'family members' had taken the time to spend time with them and get to know them and they all grew closer. They all have asked her why she hadn't tried to spend time and grow closer to them as well. Jasiri always lied to them and herself by saying that she just wasn't ready yet. She had tried going up to them to talk to them, but each time she found them and walked up to them, she always ran away before they could see her, or she could get close.

Jasiri just couldn't figure things out, she'd never felt this way before. It was just that each time she tried to face them, there was one emotion she felt that she didn't understand. Was that emotion that she felt, fear? That was something Jasiri didn't fully understand. Jasiri could face Janja and his entire clan easily, as well as any other hostile in the Outlands, and do so without fear.

Jasiri had felt fear before of course. A couple years ago, the Pride Lands were in danger of a terrible threat that Janja had aligned himself with, he and tried to get rid of her permanently. He had attacked her while she was with a younger Tunu and Wema and pushed them into a steam vent that was ready to blow any minute, and she felt fear for Tunu and Wema's safety. Thankfully Madoa was with her and went to get the Lion Guard to help them. Now in that situation, it was normal for her to feel fear.

Not only were Tunu and Wema's lives in danger, but so was hers. Her situation now however and the fear it made her feel, she didn't understand it. It was just her trying to talk to a few people, yet at the same time, those few people were her parents, her true parents who she's never met from what she could remember, and they were enemies of the Pride Lands, well, ex-enemies now. That for some reason that she couldn't understand, was scarier than facing Janja and his clan or any other situations she been in where she's been afraid, and she wasn't able to think straight because of it. One side of her wanted to talk to them, yet the other side was too afraid to.

Jasiri's name meant brave and she has always lived true to the meaning of that name, until now.

"Oh, I just don't know what to do." Jasiri said to herself as she stared down at her reflection in the water. Kion, who had been looking for Jasiri, suddenly came up to her.

"There you are Jasiri, I've been looking everywhere for you." Kion said as he sat down next to his friend.

Jasiri looked up at Kion.

"Sorry if I worried anyone." Jasiri said.

"Oh, don't worry about, but Jasiri, I won't drag this out. I came to talk to you about your parents." Kion said.

"You mean Shenzi and Banzai?" Jasiri asked.

"Yes. Look Jasiri, I know you aren't fond of them because of what they were like in the past, but they're your parents Jasiri. They're not bad anymore, me, the rest of the guard, and your adoptive clan have spent enough time with them to know, and they're always talking about you." Kion said.

"I know, but…" Jasiri tried to say, but Kion interrupted her.

"Jasiri, they haven't seen you in years, and when they finally find you, you were almost torn away from each other again, but when there allowed to come into the Pride Lands, you avoid them." Kion said.

"It's not that I'm avoiding them Kion. I have tried to walk up to them, but every time I do, I, I, I get…" Jasiri gulped before she swallowed her pride and exposed herself in a way she never has before. "Every time try to walk up them, I get scared, like, like I never have before and run away before they get a chance to see me. Woo, it felt good to get that off my chest."

"Good to hear." Kion said.

"Yeah, I've tried, but I'm just not brave enough to face them alone." Jasir admitted.

Jasiri admitting that immediately gave Kion the solution to help her.

"Hay, you're my friend and if you want I'll go with you to talk to them." Kion offered.

"Ugh. I know better than to try to refuse advice from you, because of how stubborn you are, so fine. Meet me here tomorrow, we'll find my parents and I'll talk to them." Jasiri said.

"You've got a deal." Kion said as he got up. "Oh, and one more thing."

"What?" Jasiri asked.

Kion gave Jasiri a strong, yet gentle push with his paw, sending her falling on her side.

"Never call me stubborn again." Kion joked.

Jasiri smiled at her friend and took his paw when he offered to help her back up.

The next day Jasiri was walking around the Pride Lands looking for her parents. Kion had offered to help her yesterday, but as she woke up this morning, Jasiri decided that facing her parents and finding out how they never found her was something she had to do on her own. So, when she woke up, she went on a small quick hunt, ate, and was now looking for Shenzi and Banzai, Ed to if he was with them.

"I wonder where they could be?" Jasiri thought out loud as she searched.

Jasiri checked a couple places but couldn't find her parents. Jasiri decided to check and see if they were by the watering hole. Jasiri headed towards the watering hole in hopes of finding her parents, and she did. Jasiri hid herself behind some boulders and peeked over them to watch them. Shenzi and Banzai looked depressed while Ed just looked at them worriedly.

Ed looked to the water and got a goofy, mischievous grin on his face. Ed got up, walked towards the water, and jumped in, causing a huge splash that washed over Shenzi and Banzai. Ed laughed in delight, thinking that he lightened up his two friends' moods, but he just made them angry.

"Ed!" Banzai growled.

Ed got the message and went back to his spot near the watering hole. Jasiri couldn't help but giggle a little at the sight of what Ed just did. She may not remember, but she could tell that any moments she spent with Ed during the first three months of her life were filled with a lot of fun and giggles. Jasiri decided to stop gawking at her parents and surrogate uncle and talk to them. Jasiri licked her lips, which had gone dry from anxiety and stepped from behind the boulders.

Jasiri's legs shook violently as she walked towards the three hyenas. A voice inside her head was telling her to run, but an even stronger voice deep in her chest told her to be brave, to live up to what her real parents named her. When Jasiri came within six feet of the three old hyenas, she gulped before calling out to them while reminding herself to be braver than she ever has been before.

"Hay." Jasiri called out softly, but loud enough for the three to hear

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed jumped in fright before they saw Jasiri. All fright was washed away from their faces and they rushed over to their daughter and surrogate niece. Shenzi and Banzai threw their forelegs around Jasiri and rubbed their foreheads against her cheeks while Ed stretched his neck up and lick Jasiri's face with his slobbering tongue. Jasiri didn't hold back her childish giggling as Ed's tongue and Shenzi's bangs, which had grown back from when Taka clawed them off, tickled her nose. The three hyenas soon pulled away and looked at the young adult hyena.

"You look beautiful." Shenzi said as she pressed her forehead against her daughter's while staring into her eyes, smiling at her.

Banzai stroked his claws through Jasiri's hair/mane, across her cheek, and from under her chin.

"Daddy's little girl." Banzai said, smiling at his daughter. "Boop." Banzai said as he playfully tapped Jasiri's nose with a claw.

Jasiri grabbed her nose with a paw in surprise before once again, started giggling. Jasiri looked at her parent's and surrogate uncle.

"My par… I mean, Liwa and Baba told me what happened. That Zira attacked you all in the graveyard and that I was lost." Jasiri said.

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed sighed, knowing Jasiri would soon be asking for their perspective of the story.

"Yes, we're so sorry that we couldn't find you." Shenzi apologized.

"And I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you like I was supposed to." Ed also apologized in his own language.

Jasiri sat down, like her parents and surrogate uncle guessed, she wanted the story told to her from her parent's perspectives.

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed sat down as well.

"What would you like to know?" Shenzi asked her daughter.

"Start from the beginning." Jasiri replied.

FLASHBACK:

"Jasiri come out, come out wherever you are." Banzai said as he searched among the bones of the Elephant Graveyard for his daughter.

A two-month-old hyena watched Banzai from behind some rib bones, giggling.

"Jasiri come on, Daddy's looking for you." Banzai shouted.

The two-month-old hyena snuck towards Banzai and grabbed onto his tail with its teeth. Banzai screamed in pain and looked back to see Jasiri's jaws clamped onto his tail.

"There you are Jasiri." Banzai said, unfazed by the fact that his daughter was painfully biting his tail

Jasiri let go of her father's tail and gave him a few barks. Banzai gave Jasiri a small bark in response. Jasiri got into a fighting position, her backside shaking back in forth in the air as she growled.

"Oh, so that's how you want to play it." Banzai said as he got into the same fighting position.

Everyone always saw Banzai as the typical greediest of the greediest, lazy, poddy mouthed, unfortunate hot-head that he was but Jasiri brought out the soft side that no one would have guessed he had. Everyone thought that if he ever had any children, he would be an abusive, uncaring father but Banzai was the best father any hyena pup could ask for. Banzai spent most of his time with Jasiri, he and Shenzi almost never asked Ed to watch over her while they did their clan duties, and kept her safe from any other hyena pups who thought it would be funny to harass the princess. Banzai gave a small growl and Jasiri bolted in the other direction.

"Oh, no you don't." Banzai said as he ran after his daughter.

Banzai chased after his daughter. Jasiri was fast, but Banzai was faster and easily caught her.

"Got ya!" Banzai shouted as he grabbed Jasiri around her midsection.

Banzai began to mock shake her like some ragdoll. When he was finished, Banzai set Jasiri down, and booped her on her nose with a claw. As Banzai pulled his paw back, Jasiri shot out and bit onto his paw.

"OW! Jasiri come on, daddy's not a chew toy." Banzai said.

Jasiri let go and ran off again.

"Oh come on, Jasiri wait up, I'm not as young as I use to be." Banzai shouted as he ran after his daughter.

Jasiri having learned from being caught her first time, ran over and under bones to slow her father down. Jasiri even climbed up a mountain of bones and slid down the spine of a long dead elephant like to certain cubs did years ago when running from her father. Banzai struggled to catch up with Jasiri this time.

"That little girl may be a sweet cake, but she's also a package of trouble." Banzai said to himself.

Banzai climbed up the mountain of bones and slid down the spine after Jasiri. When the slide ended however, Banzai found himself falling down a small drop. Banzai gave a small shout of fright. The fall ended with Banzai landing miraculously unhurt.

"Woo, I'm safe, I'm not hurt, but where's Jasiri, and why does my butt feel so hot?" Banzai wondered outloud.

Banzai looked and saw that he had gotten his butt stuck in a red geyser. Banzai tried to pull himself out, but his butt was wedge in, so he was stuck.

"Oh great. Jasiri, where are you sweet cake, I need help!" Banzai shouted out for his daughter.

Banzai heard a small familiar bark and looked just in time to see Jasiri jump onto his belly. Jasiri climbed onto Banzai's chest and licked his muzzle a few time, causing him to laugh in delight.

"Alright sweet cake, now lets get out of here and go home before…" Banzai began to say before the geyser began rumbling.

Banzai gasped in fright while looking around at the red geysers. Her young mind not being able to process the danger, Jasiri just laughed in delight as the geysers rumbled and erupted and jump excitedly on top of Banzai's belly while barking. Jasiri couldn't talk yet, but Banzai could just tell what she was saying in her barks, 'big daddy Banzai hippity-hopped all the way to the hyena boiler.' Banzai gasped when he thought that.

"Oh no, not the hyena boiler!" Banzai shouted in fright.

Banzai used all four of his paws to try and push himself out of the geyser. It wasn't working however; the geyser's mouth was too small, and his butt was too big.

"Shenzi! Ed!" Banzai shouted for help.

Within a minute, the geyser erupted, shooting him and Jasiri into the sky.

"NOOOOOT COOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLL!" Banzai shouted as he held onto to Jasiri and they were shot somewhere else in the graveyard.

CRASH!

Banzai and Jasiri landed safely into a pile of bones. The landing wasn't soft for Banzai, but at least it wasn't to hard, and Jasiri wasn't hurt.

"The hyena boiler, for all your culinary, catering, and butt scalding needs, and an upgraded karmatic version of the birdie boiler." Banzai said dazed.

Jasiri just giggled as she squirmed in Banzai's paws. Banzai looked down at his daughter and glared at her. Jasiri saw this and just gave her father an opened mouth smile, showing all her tiny, but still sharp teeth. Banzai couldn't help but smile back at her.

"Alright, that's enough excitement for one day. Let's get you home to mommy, it's almost milk time from you." Banzai said.

Banzai turned Jasiri in his paws, took her by her scruff, and carefully climbed down the mountain of bones. The bones however were piled up on top of the large rib cage of an elephant. Banzai didn't see the rib sticking out from under all the other bones and tripped on it, sending him and Jasiri rolling down the mountain of bones. When they rolled down to the bottom, Jasiri rolled from Banzai's grip.

"Oh, why am I so unfortunate?" Banzai complained.

Banzai shook everything else away and looked towards Jasiri. Jasiri walked for a couple paces, stopping at the edge of the elephant graveyard and looking into the Pride Lands. Banzai quickly ran over to his daughter.

"No Jasiri, that's the Pride Lands, Jasiri. A very beautiful, yet very dangerous place, there's lions there." Banzai said.

Jasiri looked up at her father with a frightened look on her face. Banzai looked and saw lionesses in the distance, hunting. Jasiri threw herself against Banzai's legs in fear. Banzai put of protective paw over Jasiri.

"Don't worry Jasiri, if any lion ever tries to harm you, I'll simply say…" Banzai said before he barked, growled, and snarled the scariest he ever has.

The tiny hyena pup finding Banzai's scary face funny laughed. Banzai saw that it made his daughter happy, so he made the scary face again, which made his daughter laugh even more. Banzai decided that the fun was over, so he picked Jasiri up by her scruff and began to walk to their den home. Shenzi was waiting for them by the entrance of their den when they got home. Shenzi walked up to them and gave Banzai's muzzle a lick.

Jasiri laughed in delight at the sight of her mother and barked at her. Shenzi looked at her daughter and smiled at her. Shenzi's rubbed her nose against Jasiri's tiny belly.

"How's a brave little princess?" Shenzi asked in a honeyed voice that only a mother can have.

Jasiri pawed at Shenzi's nose and gave it a squeeze.

"Honk!" Shenzi jokingly said as he nose was squeezed.

Banzai set Jasiri down and looked towards Shenzi.

"Was she giving you trouble?" Shenzi asked.

"Just enough." Banzai said.

"Nothing dangerous? Nothing like getting shot into the sky like a geyser?" Shenzi asked, with a smirk on her face.

"How'd you know about that?" Banzai asked, shocked.

Shenzi gave a small laugh.

"Maybe that was just a bird I saw sailing through the sky earlier with a smoke trail behind it then." Shenzi said.

"We landed on a large pile of bones, tripped and fell down near the border of the Pride Lands. She walked over, but she was no match for Banzai the quick baby." Banzai, puffing out his chest, trying to show off.

Shenzi couldn't help but chuckle at that.

"She grows braver each passing day. She's living up to what her name means." Shenzi said as she sat down on her hunches.

As soon as she sat down, Shenzi felt something hit her rump. She and Banzai looked to see Jasiri, who kept on ramming head first into Shenzi's rump, trying to knock her over. On one of her rams, Jasiri ending up tripping over Shenzi's tail, and falling flat on her belly. Jasiri sneezed from the dust caught in her nose and just resumed to ramming into Shenzi's rump to knock her over.

"She's spunky." Shenzi said with a proud voice.

"A lot like you were when you were her age." Banzai said.

Jasiri turned around as Jasiri did another ram and caught her in her paws.

"Alright spunky pants, it's milk time, so hold off for now." Shenzi said.

Shenzi laid down on her side and exposed her breasts, which were heavy with milk to Jasiri. Jasiri knowing what to do, ran up and began to suck for her milk. Shenzi giggled a little as Jasiri's tiny paws stroaked against her belly while she sucked for milk. Banzai noticed this.

"Her paws kinda tickling your belly?" Banzai asked.

Shenzi only nodded in conformation. Shenzi and Banzai watched Jasiri with smiles as she got her milk. Within a minute or two, Jasiri stopped sucking and pulled back. Her face and muzzle were wet from stray milk. Shenzi bent her head down and licked Jasiri's face dry.

When Shenzi pulled her head back, Jasiri reached up and licked Shenzi's muzzle. Banzai smiled at his two girls when and idea came to his head.

"Hay Shenzi, I found out how to tickle Jasiri's giggle box." Banzai said.

Shenzi looked at Banzai.

"How?" Shenzi curiously asked.

Banzai looked towards his daughter.

"Hay Jasiri, look over towards daddy for a sec." Banzai said.

Jasiri did as Banzai said, giving him another opened mouth smile. Banzai made the same scary face he did earlier at Jasiri, his face coming within only a couple inches of hers. Jasiri laughed and tried to replicate it. Shenzi also got a laugh out of this and got an idea as well. Shenzi dragged Banzai over to a pile of bones, whispering her idea to him.

Jasiri ran up to her parents, wondering what they were up to. When Jasiri got close to her parents, they turned around wearing the same skull helmets they wore years ago when Scar sung his song about his rise of power to the clan.

"Ooga-booga-booga!" Shenzi and Banzai both shouted.

Jasiri playfully screamed in mock fright and laughed as she ran away from her parents, who chased after her. Jasiri was about to round a pile of bones, but Ed suddenly jumped out at Jasiri, laughing like a manic. Jasiri screamed in pure shock and landed flat on her back. Ed laughed as he looked down at Jasiri with an evil look on his face.

"Hold still, this won't hurt at all." Ed said.

Ed shot his head down towards Jasiri, with his mouth open. Ed's mouth reached it's target and he began blowing raspberries on Jasiri's belly. The tiny hyena squealed with laughter and squirmed as her surrogate uncle continued tickling her.

"Got your tummy!" Ed said in his own language between blows.

Shenzi and Banzai watched the scene between surrogate uncle and niece.

"Good ol' Ed." Banzai said.

"A good enough punishment." Shenzi said.

Banzai looked towards Shenzi after she said that.

"What do you mean by that?" Banzai asked.

"Well, like you said, she was giving you some trouble while you two were spending time together, like the geyser situation and her walking towards the Pride Lands. She always dose that kind of stuff when you two go out. Even though you try, you can't control her and she basically owns you, and she needs to learn that that's not true and that she can't try to go into the Pride Lands. So, she needs some sort of punishment for it, and that punishment is either getting her butt spanked or tickling her 'till she wets her fur." Shenzi explained, all in a joking way.

"I'll go with tickling her 'till she wets her fur. Because we get to hear her laugh, and it's doing the worst thing imaginable to a pup." Banzai said.

"You want to know something else; I don't get how can she live in the most inhospitable place in all of Africa, yet we're still able to give her the best life that any young hyena pup like her could ever wish for?" Shenzi asked.

"Why, because of you of course. That spunkiness that you mentioned she had, it came from you. You're a strong leader and your able to provide for her and everyone else because of that." Banzai said.

Shenzi smiled at Banzai. Shenzi let herself fall, dragging Banzai with her. Banzai rolled himself so that Shenzi was on top of him. Shenzi placed her paws on Banzai's chest and nuzzled her face into it while at the same time, she was rubbing her fat belly against Banzai's also fat belly.

"And Jasiri has a big strong hyena like you for a father. You're my second in command you know, even above the females along with Ed. With a father and uncle like that, how can she not have a life like this?" Shenzi stated.

"And she's got that lovable idiot, Ed." Banzai added.

Shenzi and Banzai looked over at the two hyenas. Ed had stopped tickling Jasiri and was now playing a new game with the young hyena pup. Ed had himself laid flat on the ground and was covering his eyes with his paws. Ed took them away and looked at Jasiri.

"Peek-A-Boo, Uncle Ed sees you!" Ed said in his language.

The young hyena pup giggled and copied Ed. Shenzi and Banzai walked over to their daughter and best friend.

"Alright Ed that's enough of that, it's time for Jasiri to take her nap." Shenzi said.

The little hyena pup groaned. Shenzi bent down to pick her up, but Jasiri ran away, easily avoiding her and Banzai. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed laughed and chased after her. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed were able to maneuver Jasiri's running and get her into their den home. They had the young hyena pup up against a wall with nowhere to run.

"Will she learn that she'll never evade us?" Banzai asked.

The three hyenas looked and saw Jasiri lower herself to the ground and growled. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed looked at each other with smirks on their faces.

"She's trying to pull a Simba on us." Shenzi said.

Banzai and Ed got what she was saying and put on the same faces they made when they had Simba and Nala cornered years ago before Mufasa saved them. The three began to advance on the young hyena pup.

"Here princess, princess, princess." Banzai growled mockingly.

Jasiri growled a little more and barked at her parents, which could be considered just a squeak.

"Oo-hoo. That was it?" Shenzi said, giving Jasiri the same mocking smile she gave Simba years ago when he tried to do something similar. "Do it again, come on."

Jasiri did as her mother said and barked again to get her, her father, and Ed to back off. It didn't work. The three hyenas slowly walked towards jasiri to make sure she didn't get away. Shenzi picked Jasiri up by her scruff. Jasiri looked towards her father.

Banzai had a mischievous smile on his face and his eyebrows were furrowed. He leaned towards Jasiri.

"You are such a naughty girl." Banzai said.

Shenzi walked Jasiri over to a pile of large leaves that Banzai and Ed stole out of the Pride Lands to use to make a bed for her. Shenzi laid Jasiri down on the bed and she and Banzai wrapped her up in the leaves.

"There we go, all nice and comfy." Shenzi said.

Jasiri looked up at her mother with her big purple/blue eyes. Shenzi smiled sweetly at Jasiri. She then leaned down close to Jasiri's ear and hummed to her. Shenzi's gentle humming made Jasiri's eyes grow heavy. The young hyena pup yawned and was soon lulled to sleep by Shenzi's humming with a smile on her face that reached from ear to ear.

Shenzi sighed and turned to Banzai.

"Now that she's asleep, you and me can spend some quality time." Shenzi said.

Ed left the den giggling as soon as Shenzi said that.

"What should we do for some quality time?" Shenzi asked.

"Count each other's spots." Banzai answered.

"Count our spots, are you serious?" Shenzi asked, thinking the idea was completely boring.

Banzai ignored Shenzi and began counting.

"One, two, THREE!" Banzai counted.

On 'THREE' Banzai slapped one of Shenzi's spots that was on her rump. Shenzi jumped back in shock but then looked at Banzai with a mischievous smirk on her face.

"Oh ho ho. You're a bad boy aren't ya?" Shenzi said.

"Mufasa." Banzai said, causing Shenzi to shudder.

"Oh, that was great. Do it again." Shenzi said.

"Mufasa." Banzai said over and over.

Shenzi's whole body shuddered and she began to snort like a pig with laughter from the tingling feeling that hearing the old dead lion's name being spoken caused her.

"It tickles." Shenzi said.

Banzai continued to torture/pleasure Shenzi for many minutes by saying Mufasa's name over and over. Shenzi clenched her teeth together, trying to stop the ticklish tingling feeling she got from hearing the name Mufasa. She could barely even stop herself from banging her head against the ground. A scream was suddenly heard. Banzai and Shenzi looked towards the entrance of the den.

"What was that?" Banzai asked.

"What do you mean what was that, it was a scream." Shenzi said.

"I know what a scream is, but who screamed is what I mean." Banzai replied.

Ed came running into the den saying in his own language that they were being attack.

"Who are we being attacked by Ed?" Shenzi asked Ed.

"Zira and her followers." Ed answered in his own language.

"Zira!?" Shenzi exclaimed.

Shenzi knew immediately why Zira was here and what that scream was for. She and Banzai looked towards Jasiri, who was still wrapped up in the leaves asleep despite the loud screams coming from outside. Shenzi immediately took action and looked towards Ed.

"Ed, grab Jasiri, get her out of here, and keep her safe while me, Banzai, and the rest of the clan hold Zira off." Shenzi commanded Ed.

Ed did as he was commanded, he grabbed Jasiri around her mid-half and walked out of the den with Shenzi and Banzai. Jasiri had immediately woken up after Ed grabbed her and she looked at her parents with worry.

"Jasiri, don't be afraid. Be brave like your name says you are." Shenzi reassured her two-month-old daughter.

"Yes, Uncle Ed won't let anyone hurt you." Banzai said. "You keep her and yourself safe out there Eddie."

That was all the encouragement Ed needed before running off with Jasiri. Jasiri looked up at her surrogate uncle as he ran off with her. Jasiri made a worried growling noise.

"Don't worry Jasiri, Uncle Ed isn't going to let anything happen to you." Ed promised her in his own language.

Ed ran around for a few minutes, determined to escape the graveyard and keep Jasiri safe. If the clan was ever attacked by an enemy they couldn't beat, they escaped into the gorge, to a river a few miles outside of it where they regrouped to fight back or just to lay low for a while. If Ed could get Jasiri there, she would be safe. Ed wouldn't get there with Jasiri however. Two lionesses jumped from behind some bones.

Ed skidded to a halt as soon as he saw the lionesses.

"Well, well, well Kisasi, what have we got here?" one of the lionesses asked the other.

"Hmm, I don't know Hasira, but it looks like a hyena, and what's this horrid creature he's carrying, a lion mutant?" the lioness named Kisasi said

Ed looked at 'Hasira' and 'Kisasi' in fright. Despite being the second high ranking male hyena, just below Banzai, Ed wasn't a very good fighter, so much so that he ran away from a fight if he was able to. However, this was a fight that Ed couldn't run from. Ed sat Jasiri down somewhere, where she would hopefully be safe and turned back towards the two lionesses and growled. Ed lunged at Hasira, but Kisasi brought her paw down on his head.

"Hasira, grab that little lion mutant while I take care of the hyena." Kisasi said.

Hasira looked menacingly at Jasiri, who was scared out of her mind. Hasira stalked towards Jasiri, ravenously licking her lips.

"What a tasty looking treat." Hasira menacingly hissed.

Hasira lunged at Jasiri. The little hyena pup trusted her first instinct and ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

"Hay, my tasty looking treat, get back here! I'm hungry and I've always wanted to try lion mutant!" Hasira shouted as she ran after Jasiri.

Jasiri continued to run, somehow evading the faster, ravenous lioness. The little pup had rounded a corner, tripped over a bone and fell down a hill. The little pup hit her head on something and was knocked out cold.

END OF FLASHBACK:

"…And so, some hyenas came running by, encountering this Hasira that chased you." Banzai explained.

"Yes, they chased her off as they ran to escape the graveyard. They all came across this Kisasi, who had injured Ed pretty bad to the point he became unconscious, he was lucky to have survived the attack." Shenzi explained.

"We soon met up with them and Ed told us what happened. So, we quickly looked for you, but we couldn't find you." Banzai explained.

"We also called out to you, but you didn't answer." Shenzi said.

The fur on Jasiri's face was saturated with her tears as her parents were finishing the story.

"We wanted to keep looking for you, but Zira and her lionesses were hot on our tails like fire, so we couldn't continue the search." Banzai continued.

"We all headed to that river outside the gorge. Not all of us escaped, but at least half of the entire clan did. Zira had given up the chase, and after we got to the river I wanted to head back to look for you." Shenzi said.

"But I couldn't let her with Zira in between us and the graveyard and our clan cut in half. We stayed there for the night and all of the next day to make sure that Zira was gone and that it was safe to return." Banzai said.

"We searched for you for days, but we couldn't find you. We thought you died." Shenzi said.

Jasiri looked at her parents and surrogate uncle. They had lost so much in their lives and when she was born, she was their broken world repaired, and that world was destroyed within a matter of minutes in one day.

"Luckily that lioness Liwa and Baba told us about found you and took you to them." Banzai said.

Shenzi stood up and lifted Jasiri's chin so that her eyes met with hers.

"We're sorry we couldn't find you before." Shenzi apologized.

Jasiri wiped her tears away and stood up to hug her mother.

"It's alright, we're together again and I'm sorry for the way I've been acting towards you three." Jasiri apologized.

Banzai and Ed joined in the hug.

"It's alright sweet cake, we probably would have been the same way as you. All that matters is that the four of us are together again" Banzai said.

"I guess this is a bad time to mention that I rented out Jasiri's part of the den back than before we found Nuka." Ed said in his own language.

Shenzi and Banzai immediately pulled away from the hug after Ed said that.

"You rented out Jasiri's part of the den!" Shenzi angrily exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's just that, the place felt so empty without her back then." Ed said, defending himself.

Thurston suddenly came up to the watering hole. When he saw Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, he neighed in blind panic and ran.

"It's those hyenas from that den I tried to rent years ago!" Thurston said as he ran.

"We're not always like that!" Banzai shouted towards the running zebra.

"Usually we're lots of fun!" Ed shouted in his own language.

Jasiri couldn't help but giggle at the scene. The three hyenas smiled at their long-lost pup, happy to hear her giggle and laugh again.

"Hay, want to go have a family fun day?" Banzai asked his daughter.

"Yeah, daddy can make those scary faces he makes that you love so much, try to knock mommy over, have Ed get your tummy, or play peek-a-boo with him again?" Shenzi asked.

"And we can invite Madoa, Tunu, Wema and all those other hyenas in that clan that raised you." Banzai said.

"And we all can have dinner together later tonight." Shenzi said.

"Yeah, you like wildebeest burritos?" Banzai asked.

Jasiri smiled at her parents.

"Typical, food jokes from hyenas who aren't in my adoptive clan." Jasiri thought.

"I should let Kion know that I've talked to you first. He was going to come along with me to talk to you, but I decided to come myself." Jasiri said.

"Go get your lion." Shenzi said.

"And while your at it, you can invite him and your other Lion Guard members to." Banzai added.

Jasiri turned around to go find Kion. As Jasiri did, Shenzi nudged her along with her nose. Jasiri smiled at her parents before going off to find Kion. Jasiri passed the rocks, not noticing the lion behind them.

"You did good." the lion said.

Jasiri jolted and looked to see Kion behind the rocks.

"How long have you been there?" Jasiri asked.

"Just as they began to tell you the story and I didn't want to ruin your moment alone with them." Kion said.

Jasiri threw her forearms around Kion's neck. Kion immediately returned the gesture.

"Thank you for helping me muster up the bravery to talk to them." Jasiri said.

"Hay, I've known you for years and I've seen your bravery in action. From what I've observed I should replace Bunga with you as the bravest in the Lion Guard and he can replace you as the most spirited or the purest, we still need to find a good title for your position in the Lion Guard. Also, like I said, your my friend, and I'd do anything to help you." Kion said.

"You know, I never thought a lion would help a hyena." Jasiri said.

Jasiri than tried to shoulder shove Kion, but he wasn't a cub anymore, so she just ended up hurting her shoulder against this rock-hard side. Kion smiled at his hyena friend. She wanted reenactment of their first meeting, well she would get one.

"Well, not all lions are alike." Kion said.

Jasiri smiled at Kion and nuzzled her face into his mane.

"You know something else, I have only one regret from the day we met Kion." Jasiri said.

"What's that?" Kion asked.

"That we didn't try to get me and my adoptive clan into the Pride Lands sooner so that I could have fun with and help you and the rest of the guard with all the troubles and danger's you faced, but it was still one of my best days ever." Jasiri said.

"You know, I agree with you there. Even if our meeting each other was an accident in the first place because of Janja sticking his big nose in where it doesn't belong, and speaking of bravery, I didn't have enough to face my father about you." Kion said.

"Well, I'm glad you did eventually or well, this." Jasiri said peeking behind the rocks where her parents and surrogate uncle were waiting.

"I just wonder how we didn't come across them if they still lived in the graveyard before they were captured by the Scarred Pride yet?" Kion wondered out loud.

"Like you said, they were always in the graveyard and maybe they only came out to hunt at night to avoid attention." Jasiri said.

Kion thought back to old reports before the Outlanders attacked the Pride Lands. Herds had reported their members sometimes disappeared in the night without trace and Kion and his friends were never able to find out what happened to them.

"I guess we know what happened to them now." Kion said.

"Yeah, we do. Many things have been happening so fast and unexpected lately." Jasiri said.

"Yeah, what's the next thing to happen? Janja shows up and we find out that he's your brother and your parents also lost him at some point to?" Kion joked.

"Your going into one of those foolish moments that you males sometimes have again. Oh, and don't take this too seriously but if you ever got the chance I think you would make a great king Kion." Jasiri said.

"I may be able to lead the Lion Guard, but I don't think I'm king material." Kion said.

Jasiri couldn't help but laugh. Jasiri took a moment to look over Kion's features. Bright red fluffy mane, his muscles looking like they were going to break through his skin and fur, and his kind smile. He was still very handsome for a lion, very handsome Jasiri thought. Jasiri walked closer to Kion and without even thinking, gave him a lick on his lips.

Kion's body jolted after Jasiri licked him. Jasiri realized what she had just done and looked at Kion with an apologetic look.

"Oh, sorry about that." Jasiri said.

It was Kion's turn to look at Jasiri's features. Her grey fur had a slight purplish hue to it, her black and purple hyena's mane turning into hair made her unique amongst most hyenas, and her beautiful purple/blue eyes.

"Uh, no it's alright. I heard your dad offering me and the Lion Guard to come with you on your family day. So, why don't we go find them and get on with it?' Kion asked.

Jasiri responded by running ahead to find the rest of the Lion Guard. Kion watched Jasiri run for a few seconds before following after her.

"Best hyena we know." Kion said with the small hint of a smile on his face.

OVER 4 YEARS AGO:

A lioness with peach-ish fur, light beige underbelly, and pure blue eyes walked among the bones of the elephant graveyard. She looked around at the bodies of the many hyenas lying on the ground that were dead or seconds from dying. Most of them were adults, but there were many who were cubs as well. Thankfully not all of the bodies were hyenas, there was at least three dead Outlanders as well.

"Stupid Zira. Only someone like her would go so low as to murder innocent young pups and cubs." the lioness said she walked among the bodies.

The lioness was looking among the bones for something. When the attack started, she had tried to convince Zira to stop her butchery, but stubborn Zira wouldn't listen. The lioness came to an area where Hasira and Kisasi said they fought against a hyena, who was carrying what they referred to as a 'lion mutant.' Kisasi said that she had come close to killing the hyena but was interrupted when some of the other clan members had come her way when Zira and the others were pursuing them. Hasira commented on how surprised she was that a hyena cub of about two or three months old could run from her so fast.

"Be careful there Hasira, or you might find yourself complementing your and Kisasi's 'lion mutant." the lioness had said, which angered Hasira.

Zira and the rest of the Outlanders had pursued the hyenas halfway into the gorge before going back to the Outlands. The lioness had waited late into the night to make sure everyone was asleep and went back to the graveyard. She couldn't help but hope that the 'lion mutant' who escaped Hasira was still alive. She had overheard the hyena leaders Shenzi and Banzai, talking to the hyena that was carrying the 'lion mutant,' and that her name was Jasiri. The lioness soon got to the elephant graveyard and began her search.

"Alright, now where are you Jasiri?" the lioness wondered out loud.

The lioness searched around the graveyard for an hour but couldn't find the hyena pup she was searching for. The lioness was about to leave but stopped when she heard a sudden tiny bark. The lioness followed the sound an began to dig among some bones where the bark was coming from. She uncovered a hyena pup of two months.

"You must be Jasiri?" the lioness said, smiling down at the pup.

Jasiri looked up at the lioness and cowered in fear. The lioness tried to reach out towards the pup, but Jasiri bit the lioness' paw in fright. The lioness gasped and pulled her paw back. The lioness looked down at the pup, she wanted to get her somewhere safe, but she just wouldn't let her. The lioness had to figure out how to get this pup to trust her.

"Hay, what's that over there?" the lioness shouted, looking off into the distance.

Jasiri looked off to where the lioness was looking at. The lioness took her chance. She flipped the pup over onto her back and started to tickle her belly with the tip of her paw, causing the pup to squeal with laughter.

"Got your tummy." the lioness said.

When she stopped, Jasiri looked up at the lioness and smiled at her. The lioness now seeing that Jasiri trusted her, picked her up by her scruff. The lioness looked around at the graveyard and thought that there was no way that the hyenas were going to come back here.

"Don't worry little one, I know of someone who will take good care of you." the lioness said before walking off into the Outlands, away from where Zira and the rest of the Outlanders lived.

After walking in the Outlands for half an hour, the lioness came to her destination. The Outlanders knew that other animals lived in the Outlands, such as jackals and hyenas. The lioness heard of a hyena family that lived in the Outlands, a couple miles from Flat Ridge Rock.

"Hello!" the lioness called out.

Within a minute, four hyenas came into view, two male, two female.

"Who's there?" one of the females called out.

The lioness came into view, still carrying Jasiri, who had fallen asleep. The hyena looked surprised at first, but then became defensive.

"An Outlander lioness of Zira." one of the males growled.

"What is she doing with that pup, and where did it come from?" the other male wondered out loud.

The lioness raised a peaceful paw.

"It's alright, I'm not here to hurt anyone." the lioness said.

"Then why are you here?" the last female asked

"To save a life." the lioness said.

"What do you mean by that?" the female asked.

"The Outlander lionesses lead by Zira attacked the elephant graveyard. We pursued them, and I don't think they're coming back." the lioness said.

"And you were part of it." the first female growled.

"No, I wanted to stop the butchery, but I was unable to, and took no part in it." the lioness said. "I came back hours later and found this cub still alive among the dead."

"Oh, the poor dear." one of the females said, eyeing Jasiri.

"She was the princess of the clan of the elephant graveyard." the lioness said.

"Of the hyena leaders who supported Scar, Shenzi and Banzai?" the first male asked.

"The very same ones." the lioness said.

The lioness walked slowly closer to the four hyenas and handed Jasiri to one of the females.

"She's only two months old at least." one of the male hyenas observed.

A tiny bark was suddenly heard. The five looked to see a young hyena pup Jasiri's age, maybe a couple months older, with brown eyes rush up to them. The young pup saw Jasiri and jumped up at her excitedly, waking her up. Jasiri looked down at the other hyena pup and began to laugh in delight at the sight of another pup close to her age. The female hyena holding Jasiri, put her down and she immediately started playing with the brown-eyed hyena.

"The two look like they can be sisters, they look so much alike." the lioness observed.

The four hyenas looked at the lioness.

"You're not like the rest of Zira's lionesses." the second male said.

The lioness just shook her head, saying that she wasn't like the other Outlanders.

"Then why are you a part of them?" the male asked.

"Because I hope to keep Zira from turning her children into ruthless, cold-blooded, murderous, manipulative monsters like she is." the lioness said.

The four hyenas looked as Jasiri played with the brown-eyed hyena.

"Madoa, take her into the den." one of the females said.

The young hyena nodded with understanding despite her young age and she led Jasiri into the den.

"Does she have a name?" the female asked.

"Her name is Jasiri, and she's very brave, just like her name says she is." the lioness said.

"Why bring her to us?" the other female asked.

"Because I've heard of your clan from other Outlands animals, I know you respect the circle of life, and I know Jasiri will be safe with you and that you'll take care of her, and that you'll raise her to be better than her parents were." the lioness said before walking off.

"Wait, what's your name?" one of the males asked.

"Aina." the lioness said.

Chapter 41: Names and Scared of Girls

It has been six weeks after Jasiri finally talked to her parents. She had been spending most of her time with them, taking temporary leave off her Lion Guard duties to do so, which all agreed she needed. Jamey had finally given birth to her cub, a girl she named Jua. Jamey, Kiara, Kovu, and their son Mufasa came to an agreement saying that if they fell in love with each other, they would get betrothed officially and married.

"But with Mufasa being almost a year older than her, wouldn't that make the marriage a bit creepy?" some other cub asked.

"I'm almost year older than Kiara and our marriage isn't creepy. Now when two lions marry each other and there's a two-year age difference, that's when it gets creepy." Kovu told the cub.

For Taka, Mufasa, and Talia, they were getting ready for their first birthday in about three weeks. Zuri and Nuka had finally decided to fully come clean about their relationship, because Zuri said that she was pregnant, and had been for three days. Everyone saw it all strange at first, since they thought that a beautiful lioness like Zuri would never go for an ugly lion like Nuka. They all however cheered for her in the end and Kiara congratulated her on her future cub or cubs, and eagerly welcomed Zuri into her family as her new sister-in-law.

"Now I'm in some way related to you, like I've always wanted to be." Zuri had said with enough enthusiasm to rival Kiara's.

"So, what's his or her name going to be?" Tiifu asked.

"Doesn't matter if my cub or first born is a boy of girl, it's going to be named Safi. It goes with Nuka's name. His name means stink and smell, and Safi means clean, since Nuka's now clean lion." Zuri said.

"Yeah, my fur still doesn't shine like all of yours though, but soon with a few more water baths, it will, and Safi sounds like it could be more of a girl's name." Nuka said in a hyper voice.

Kopa and Vitani watched the scene. Vitani smiled up at Kopa.

"Zuri, a beautiful lioness falls in love with my older brother, where a warthog's butt is handsome compared to him." Vitani joked.

"Oh, come on, Nuka isn't that bad." Kopa said.

Kopa smiled down at Vitani, looking into her blue eyes before looking at her belly, which was slightly bigger than usual.

"Should we tell 'em?" Kopa asked.

Vitani took a look at Zuri and Nuka.

"No, let those two have the spot light for a few days before we tell everyone. Besides, Nuka seems to be enjoying the spotlights like he's always wanted right now." Vitani said.

"Fair enough." Kopa replied.

The both looked back to see Simba, who was embracing Zuri, and simply giving Nuka a pat on the shoulder, because he still stank.

"DADDY-IN-LAW!" Nuka yelled in his hyper voice before bear hugging Simba.

"Ugh, a hug of death." Simba said through clenched teeth, feeling his ribs starting to crack from Nuka's sudden surge of strength.

"Alright, new rule: never allow Nuka to hug anybody." Kopa said.

"Yeah, now come on. Let's go and do something like harass Janja again like we did that day we spent together when you were still Siri?" Vitani suggested. "Or just walk?"

"We should go up and congratulated Nuka and Zuri on their cub, it would be rude if we just left." Kopa said.

Vitani agreed and began to walk up towards the two with Kopa. Zuri and Nuka noticed and walked over to them.

"Hay guys." Zuri said.

"it looks like the pride is going to be getting some other members who are ugly." Vitani said, looking at Nuka.

"Hay!" Nuka exclaimed.

"Relax you idiot, I was just messing with you, but really, it's exciting news to hear that you and Nuka are going to have a cub or cubs." Vitani said.

"Looks like you finally got that family you wanted Zuri." Kopa said.

Zuri placed a paw on her slightly swollen belly.

"Yeah, the only thing I don't like about it though is that they won't be born in time to see Taka, Mufasa, and Talia's first birthday." Zuri said.

"Ah, they'll be here for the next one." Kopa said.

"Hay, you two got any plans?" Nuka asked.

"Yes, we were going to go for a walk, you can join us if you want." Kopa offered.

"Sure, let's have some fun. I may be pregnant, but I'm still allowed to walk around the Pride Lands as long as I have you three with me." Zuri said.

"Alright, let's go." Vitani said.

The four walked out of the den, down the stone steps, and through the savanna. Each of them looked at everything as they passed. The grass and dirt they walked on, the wind blowing through their manes of just normal fur on their heads, and the gurgling of the river. To them these were just ordinary, unimportant, mundane everyday things, but soon all four of them would have cubs who will find all these things the opposite of what they thought of it currently. They would want to explore everything that they could explore and even things that they couldn't because of the dangers.

Even though the Pride Lands was a relatively safe place, there were also dangers inside and out. There were poisonous snakes and scorpions, crocodiles, leopards, cheetahs not as friendly as Fuli, jackals like Reirei and her pack, Janja and his clan of course, and many other dangers. It felt strange to them, mostly Zuri and Kopa that they were going to be stepping in their parent's paws at making sure their cubs didn't accidently get themselves killed by those dangers.

"You know, it'll feel weird." Zuri said.

"What'll feel weird?" Vitani asked.

"That when we were all cubs, our parents gave us boundary restrictions to keep us from accidently getting ourselves killed, and in a few months Nuka and I will be doing that, so will you two whenever you decide to have cubs." Zuri said.

Vitani turned her gaze away from Zuri and Nuka with the smallest hint of a smile on her face.

"So, Safi huh?" Vitani asked.

"Yes, and I can't wait for her or him to be born." Zuri said.

"Safi still really sounds like a girl's name." Nuka said.

"Then what will we call it if it's a boy?" Zuri asked.

"Well, you two have one-hundred-and-seven days to come up with a boy's name just in case." Vitani said.

"What do you mean by one-hundred-and-seven days?" Nuka asked.

"It usually takes one-hundred-and-ten days till a lioness gives birth to cubs. Zuri's been pregnant for three days, so that means she has one-hundred-and-seven days left until her and your cub or cubs are born." Kopa said.

"Or there's the possibility that her cubs can be born a couple days early or late." Vitani added in.

"Yes, that's true." Zuri agreed.

"Hay, Kopa, Vitani. When are you two going to decide to have cubs?" Nuka asked.

At the mention of that, Kopa and Vitani looked at each other, Vitani telepathically asking Kopa if she should tell them. Kopa glanced at the two and gave a slight nod of approval. Vitani knowing it was okay to tell the truth, turned towards Zuri and Nuka. Vitani dropped herself to the ground and rolled on her back, revealing her belly, which had fully healed of it's wounds, to them. Zuri and Nuka looked confused for a moment before suddenly realizing what Vitani was saying.

Both quickly dropped themselves to the ground and placed their ears against Vitani's belly. Within seconds, they heard a small kick of something inside Vitani's belly. Zuri and Nuka stood back up and looked at both of them.

"When?" Nuka asked

"Six weeks ago, the week after our wedding, and no, we didn't think it was too early in the marriage to have cubs since our marriage is long overdue." Vitani said.

"So, it's sixty-eight days for us; just a month and about three weeks after Taka, Mufasa, and Talia's first birthday." Kopa said.

"Okay, so what are you two going to call him or her?" Nuka asked.

Kopa and Vitani got caught off guard after Nuka said that. Vitani has been pregnant for six weeks and they haven't thought of a name for their cub or possible cubs.

"We don't know, we haven't thought of any names at all." Kopa said.

"Oh, I know, I know!" Nuka began shouting excitedly. "You can name it as combinations of your names. If it's a boy, you can call it Vitopa. If it's a girl, you can call it Kotani."

"No, no, no, no, no. We are not naming our cub any of those names, and we're not doing anything like what Kiara and Kovu did with Taka and Mufasa." Vitani immediately said.

"Then how about Fluffy?" Nuka suggested.

"Too cute." Vitani said, shaking her head.

"How about Aisha or Shani if it's a girl?" Zuri asked.

"Hay, when mom and dad decided to let me pick Kiara's name those were some names I thought of, and they sound like good names, but that doesn't sound exactly what we want." Kopa said.

"How about Chaka than, that was one of the names Simba and Nala thought about calling Kion before settling with Kion?" Zuri asked.

"Good, but I'm not really feeling that name either." Kopa said.

"How about Moyo, it's another meaning for heart?" Nuka asked.

"No stinkin' way. That was Wraith's real name, and we're not giving our cub a name that will remind us of that cannibal bastard every day." Kopa said.

"How about Umoja than, it means unity and it'd be a good homage to the unification of the Pride Landers and Outlanders?" Nuka suggested.

"Or Amani, it means peace, which when you think about it colorfully, it could also mean unity in a way?" Zuri asked.

"Good, but not feeling any of those either, sorry." Vitani said.

"Hay, what's that one Outlander Nuka told me about that was always nice and tried to protect you, Nuka, and Kovu from Zira, Aina was her name. How about that, you three obviously liked her and this could be a way to show how much you cared for her." Zuri suggested

"It sounds perfect, but It's not that we don't like it or any of these other names, except the Moyo one, but none of them seem to fit exactly right." Vitani said.

"Yeah, they're not just the names we exactly want." Kopa said.

"Than what do you two exactly want for your cub's name?" Zuri asked.

That was a good question. What did Kopa and Vitani exactly want for their cub's name, or at least their first born's name. Weather they had a litter of cubs or more in the future, this name they were talking about was for their first cub and picking its name was crucial. They had to name it something that they liked, but also meant something to them and would mean something to the cub, for it to have a name that it and they could be proud of.

"Wait a minute, that's it, that's exactly what we want." Kopa and Vitani both thought at the same time.

Both turned to Nuka and Zuri.

"To have a name that means something to us and would mean something to it, for it to have a name to be proud of. That's exactly what we want for our cub's name, or at least our first born." Kopa said.

Zuri and Nuka smiled as they mentioned that.

"You know what then, I think I might have the perfect name for your two's little fluffy bundle of joy." Zuri said.

Vitani and Kopa perked up their ears and leaned in. Zuri also leaned in closer and whispered the name to them. Vitani and Kopa's mouths went wide at Zuri's name suggestion.

"Oh my God, it's absolutely perfect." Kopa said.

"Yeah, it is. It has so much more meaning than all those names combined." Vitani said.

"Glad we could help." Zuri said with a smile on her face. "Oh, and not to be too pushy, but exactly how many cubs do you two want?"

"I'll be happy with however many we get, but personally I want just one for right now. Reason number one being, one cub will be easier to handle and take care of. Reason two being that the birthing process will be shorter and less painful." Vitani said.

"Painful. Oh, come on Vitani, I thought you were tougher than that. What's a little birthing process pain to you?" Zuri teased.

"Ha! And I'll laugh my head off when you give birth to your cub or cubs and scream even more and even louder than I probably will, which I won't." Vitani teased back.

Vitani, Kopa, and Nuka laughed while Zuri growled a little.

"But hay, if we have more than one cub, or decide to have another cub in the future, we'll use the names you suggested to us. I personally like the Umoja name." Kopa said.

"Oh, because other than the name Zuri gave us, I like the Amani name the best." Vitani said.

"Well, me and Nuka are going to head off before you two decide to kill each other on deciding what you're going to name your second cub if you have a full litter or decide to have another cub one day." Zuri said, dragging Nuka off.

Vitani and Kopa gave the two a small wave, saying they'd see them later tonight. Kopa looked to Vitani.

"You still up for going to scare Jolly Grey Janja out of his fur?" Kopa asked.

"Please lead the way." Vitani said sarcastically.

Kopa lead the way.

"You know, I don't know why we didn't think of that name before." Kopa said.

"Yeah, but I kinda thought of a name about a year ago. I know I promised myself to never go into another relationship after you… died, but when we all also thought Nuka died, I said that if I ever do get into a relationship again and have cubs, I'd name my first male cub Nuka in remembrance of Nuka." Vitani said.

"But know it's scrapped since he's actually alive and that Zuri gave us a totally better name?" Kopa guessed.

"Gold star." Vitani replied.

"And also, now that Zuri is part of the royal family, Tiifu just needs to find a way to get into the royal family." Kopa said.

"Maybe a rogue will pass through one day and he and Tiifu will be willing to have a gene pass cub, and it will be male so we can try to get Talia to fall in love with him so that Tiifu can be a sister-in-law to Kiara like Zuri is now." Vitani said.

"Careful what you wish for." Kopa warned.

It was the week after Zuri and Nuka, revealed that they were going to have a cub. They didn't tell the pride that Vitani and Kopa told them they were also going to have a cub. Vitani was now starting to show obvious signs of a pregnancy, so she and Kopa decided that it was about time that they told the pride. So, that night, they told Simba and the rest of the pride that they wanted to talk about something important to all of them the next day at the watering hole. Vitani informed Kion that he could invite Jasiri, her parents, adoptive parents, and both their respective clans and the rest of the Lion Guard if they wanted.

Kion said that he would tell them, just after the guard did their daily border patrol to watch for any of their enemies. Later that night, Simba heard a sound that woke him up. Simba immediately shot up and looked around. The entire den was empty, and the full white moon was shining in, right at Simba. It hurt Simba's eyes to look at the moon's bright, white glow.

Simba guessed that it was well past midnight, but still hours away from the sun rising. Simba stood up and looked around the empty den one more time.

"Where is everybody, it's late?" Simba thought out loud.

Simba walked out of the den, over to Pride Rocks ledge and looked over the lands. There was no one in sight. Simba walked down Pride Rock's stone-steps and into the savanna. As he was walking away from Pride Rock, he felt strange. Simba felt like he was being watched.

Simba looked behind him and saw the glow of someone's eyes looking at him from inside the mouth of the feast den. When the eyes saw Simba looking at them, they moved away into the darkness.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Simba asked himself.

Every feeling that Simba had in his gut was telling him to ignore the eyes and just continue to look for everyone, but those eyes could be the eyes of someone dangerous. Simba took quick, but slow steps towards the den. When Simba got there, he was about to demand who was in there, but decided to approach quietly. Simba took nervous, shaky steps into the den. When he round the corner that led into the main chamber of the den, he nearly screamed in horror.

In front of him was a bloody massacre, a bloody massacre of his pride, as well as Shenzi's clan, and Jasiri's adoptive clan. Simba walked around the bodies. He found Kovu, who had gotten his eyes savagely gouged out. Kiara had her heart ripped out of her chest. Nala had her head savagely ripped off her neck like Wraith did to her mother's corpse.

Kion had his jaws open so wide that his cheeks were ripped. Jasiri, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed also had their hearts ripped out like Kiara. He then came across Vitani. Vitani where her wounds were healed on her belly, there were savage, deep gashes. The word 'incest' was also carved on her side.

Simba looked around the whole den.

"Who, who could have done this?" Simba asked out loud.

"Simba." two separate elderly and weak voices followed by a cough said.

"Dad." another voice said.

Simba turned around to see something that shocked and horrified him. Wraith, Scar, and Zira was standing in front of the massacre. Scar looked exactly like he did when he did in the Scarred Lands, the only deference being is that a forked tongue was constantly sliding in and out of his mouth to emphasize the always lying serpent that he was. Zira had Scar's name carved into her head and chest as well as a heart surrounding the names to emphasize her loyalty and love for him. Wraith looked normal, but when he opened his mouth, Simba saw that Wraith had no tongue to emphasize that he didn't eat other animals because he hated all their tastes and that lion meat was the only thing that tasted good to him.

The three of them were also dragging someone along with them. Scar had his mother, Sarabi under his paws, Zira had Dalia under hers, and Wraith had Kopa.

"What is this?" Simba asked, completely horrified.

"You lose." Scar, Zira, and Wraith all said in unison.

Scar struck his head down at Sarabi, sinking his teeth into her neck and snapping it. Zira also went for Dalia's neck, but instead of snapping it, she ripped her throat out. Wraith dug his claws into Kopa's back and tore out his spine. The three then turned to Simba.

"Now… it's your turn." all three said in unison.

The three began to laugh demonically as they began to advance. Simba overwhelmed with fear, backed up to the end of the den, his body going flat against the wall. He looked around the cave, noticing that Taka, Mufasa, Talia, Bluu, Griffin, Grey, their friends, any of the pride's other cubs weren't there. Simba was about to demand where they were.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about them, and don't bother calling for anyone like those meerkat, warthog, and jumpy monkey friends of yours, or the Lion Guard. We took care of all of them to." Scar, Zira, and Wraith said in unison, knowing what Simba was thinking.

Simba shut his eyes tightly and put his front paws on his head.

"No, this isn't real, none of this is real. It isn't happening, it isn't happening. This is a nightmare or something!" Simba screamed.

Scar, Zira, and Wraith pounced. Simba got the courage to open his eyes and he saw that Scar, Zira, and Wraith weren't there, but the bloody massacre still was. Simba began to walk out of the den, determined to find help, but he stubbed his paw on something soft. Simba nervously looked down to see what it was. It was his father's body, except, there was something in his paws.

Simba looked and saw himself as a cub in his father's paws. His cub self's side wasn't moving to emphasize his lost full childhood. Simba of course still had a happy childhood when he lived with Timon and Pumbaa, but knowing the events that led him to them, Simba didn't fully consider his childhood happy thanks to those traumas. Simba closed his eyes in emotional pain and turned his head away from his father's body, his cub self, and the massacre.

"Such a happy little pride with a wonderful king." a familiar voice said.

Simba's eyes shot opened and he saw his uncle come into view, not deformed like he was back in the Scarred Lands. Simba wanted to let out a sigh of relief, knowing now for sure this was just a dream, but couldn't. The dream just felt so real like it was actually happening that it didn't allow him to.

"A shame about the kid though. Poor little Simba never quite got over it now did he? Well, there's no point crying over spilt blood." Scar said.

Simba and Scar than locked eyes with each other.

"It's time to move on kiddo. Let go, take a load off, join your father." Scar said before shoulder shoving Simba to the ground. "Uncle Scar will take it from here.

Simba looked around and saw dozens of Scars swarming him. Simba was about to get up and attack but was too overwhelmed. Simba felt every single's Scar's paws wrap around his neck, choking the life out of him. Every single Scar began to sadistically sing.

"Hush little Simba, listen to me sing. When Uncle takes over, you won't feel a thing, and once this dream has set me free, I'm going on a Simba's family killing spree." each Scar sadistically sang before laughing.

As Scar continued to laugh, Simba saw the others disappearing and the real Scar standing over him with the left side of his face beginning to melt and burn until he looked like he did back in the Scarred Lands. Zira and Wraith also stood over him, chocking him along with Scar, the left sides of their faces deformed just like Scar's. Scar and Wraith than opened their mouth and unleashed a Roar of Elders that sounded like the screaming of a thousand lions.

END OF SIMBA'S NIGHTMARE:

Simba jolted up awake, out of his nightmare. He looked around and saw that he was still in the den along with everybody else. Simba looked and saw Nala next to him. Simba got up and walked over to where Kiara, Kovu, Taka, Mufasa, and Talia were. They were all there and safe.

They all looked more peaceful than ever now that they were together again. He looked over to where Kopa and Vitani were. Vitani was laid flat out with her head resting in her paws while Kopa was on his back with Dalia, who was snoring, wrapped in his forelegs like a human child does with a teddy bear. Kion was sleeping in front of the whole royal family, ready to defend them if something came in to attack them. Everyone was here in the den, everyone was safe.

Now at ease, Simba went and laid back down to get a couple more hours of sleep before the sun rose. As Simba laid back down, he looked towards Kopa and Vitani. Vitani rolled over onto her side in her sleep. Simba didn't fully know what they wanted to talk to him and everyone else about tomorrow, but he had a good guess from Vitani's slightly swollen belly.

Later the following day, everyone gathered at the watering hole. Kion and the Lion Guard had arrived a few minutes ago, and Jasiri went to get her parents along with their clan and her adoptive clan. They had been waiting for over twenty minutes and they still hadn't shown up.

"Oh, where are they?" Vitani asked impatiently as she tapped one of her front paws.

"Ono, go look for them." Kopa asked.

"No need, there they are." Kiara said as she spotted about thirty hyenas coming their way.

Everyone looked to see that Kiara was right. As they got closer, everyone was able to see Jasiri, Shenzi, and Ed guiding Banzai towards them. When they got close enough, they heard Banzai moaning.

"Is he okay?" Tiifu asked with concern.

"Yeah, he's just a food freak, that let's nothing go to waste. He, Ed, and I caught a gazelle earlier. Me and and Ed ate our fill, but Banzai, being Banzai just continued to gorge himself." Shenzi said.

"On the bright side, I've got so much belly fat at the moment, you can punch me in the stomach as hard as you can, and I won't feel it." Banzai said.

Grey walked up and did as Banzai said.

"You feel anything?" Grey asked.

"Not a thing." Banzai laughed.

"And the pride calls me a food freak." Kula whispered to herself.

"Hay guys come on. Kopa and Vitani got something they need to tell us, and I wanna hear it" Bunga said while doing backflips.

Knowing that Bunga was right, everybody gathered around, ready to hear what they all thought they were going to tell them. Vitani looked towards Kopa.

"Should we just flat out tell them since they probably already know?" Vitani asked.

"Have a little fun with how you tell 'em." Kopa said.

Vitani exposed her belly to everyone.

"Do these cubs make me look fat?" Vitani asked.

Everyone jerked after Vitani said that.

"Knew it!" everyone thought in unison.

"Your pregnant?" Kiara asked, excitedly.

"Yep." Vitani confirmed.

"How long?" Sarabi asked

"Seven weeks." Vitani said.

"Wow, first Zuri and Nuka, now you two." Kovu said, walking over to Vitani.

Vitani looked up at Kovu and smirked.

"You know, they may not be born yet, but we still gotta start building relationships with them or it. So, Kovu get down on your knees and show your soon to be born nephews and probably nieces some love." Vitani said.

Kovu laid down and nuzzled his face into Vitani's belly. Vitani held in her laughs from the slight ticklish sensation that Kovu was causing her.

"Oh, isn't that sweet." Timon said, watching the scene.

Timon glanced at a female hyena of Shenzi's clan that was standing next to him, and whose belly was also swollen like it had a pup in it.

"Oh, I see someone else also has a little cake in the oven." Timon said eyeing and pointing at the hyena's belly.

"I'm not pregnant!" the hyena snapped.

The hyena smacked Timon with her paw, sending him flying hard into a rock on the edge of the watering hole. Timon painfully pushed himself back up onto his feet.

"Ugh, too bad, you'd make a wonderful mother." Timon said.

"So, what is its name going to be or they're names?" Kovu asked, standing back up.

"Zuri and Nuka gave us a bunch of suggestions, most of them were great names, but it was the last one that we liked the most." Kopa said.

"And neither of them is going to tell you, right?" Vitani said, looking over to Zuri and Nuka.

Zuri and Nuka made the zipped lips symbol. Zuri saw Bunga counting with his fingers.

"What you doing over there Bunga?" Zuri asked.

"Trying to figure out how many more days we got until their cub or cubs are born. One-hundred-and-ten days, seven days in a week, so seven times seven…" Bunga slowly said thoroughly.

"Seven times seven is forty-nine, subtract that from one-hundred-and-ten, and it means they got sixty-one days left, two months basically." Fuli interrupted with a smirk.

"Hay, I was going to get it." Bunga said irritably.

"Oh, it would have been so great if Sarafina and Mheetu were here to hear this." Sarabi said.

"And Afua as well." Pumbaa said.

"Yes, and Afua." Kopa said.

Afua was a lion who was a friend of Kopa's during their cubhoods. Kopa had had a falling out with Afua because he befriended and was playing with a cheetah cub that he said was better at some things than Kopa was. Thanks to a story from Timon and Pumbaa though, they made up. Kopa looked forward to seeing his old friend again and many of his other friends from his cubhood, but when he got home, he couldn't find them anywhere. When Kopa asked his mom and dad where they were or what happened to them, they said that his supposed death hit everyone pretty hard in some way, especially Kopa's friends.

They said that when they were old enough, they left the Pride Lands on their own. Afua didn't even take part in the King's Day ritual, he just left without letting anyone know or even saying good-bye, and they haven't heard anything of him since. Kopa than found himself thinking of another friend and looking at Jasiri while he thought of that friend.

"You know, out of all my friends, other than Afua. I wish Asante was here for this." Kopa said.

"Whose Asante?" Simba asked.

Kopa looked at his father and his brother Kion and laughed a little nervously.

"Asante was my friend as a cub, she was a hyena pup." Kopa said.

"What!?" Simba exclaimed.

"Jasiri and I aren't the only lion and hyena to become friends during our cub and puphoods?" Kion also exclaimed.

"No lie." Kopa said.

"Its story time isn't it?" Kiara asked.

"Yeah, it is. I met her, I think two months after I met Vitani. She was hunting for snake eggs and got a little stuck while doing so. I also saved her from a constrictor snake who was attacking her while she was stuck." Kopa said.

"You attacked a snake while you were still a young cub!?" Nala yelled.

"You can yell at me if you want later, but on with the story right now. Well, we met and played with each other for a couple weeks, and one day I fell into a river, but she got a crocodile friend of hers to save me." Kopa explained before looking over to his parents. "I almost told you guys about her at that point, but I chickened out before I could."

Shenzi's face suddenly had a look of curiosity on it.

"Asante? I think I know who you're talking about." Shenzi said.

Kopa looked over to Shenzi.

"You know Asante?" Kopa asked.

"Know her, I was related to her. She was my cousin Binamu's daughter. She was born the day that Simba overthrew Scar." Shenzi explained.

"Cousin? I never knew you had a cousin." Nuka exclaimed.

"Me and her had a good relationship, but we never really hung out much." Shenzi explained. "She also had a son a year before having Asante. Banagi, his name was Banagi, I think."

"Well, where is she, Asante, and her brother now then?" Dalia asked.

"Binamu died within days from her wounds from the battle after we escaped the Pride Lands, despite our best efforts to heal her. Banagi left the clan sometime after Zira's ambush because he wanted to get retribution on her for attacking and killing many of us. As for Asante, I saw her get personally mauled by Zira herself." Shenzi explained.

A look of emotional pain spread across Kopa's face as he heard of his first hyena friend's fate.

"Poor Asante." Kopa mumbled.

"Did you have any other cousin that me or anyone else doesn't know about?" Nuka asked.

"Yes, a male cousin named Kiamu, he died during Zira's ambush. He also had a pup during the final few months of Scar's reign." Shenzi said.

"What was the pup's name?" Vitani asked.

"His pup's name was C…" Shenzi began to say before she got cut off by something.

The thing that cut Shenzi off was a laugh that was familiar to most everybody. Everyone looked to see Janja and his clan coming towards them. Even Chungu, who was walking slow and wrong because of his broken back from Kion, was with them.

"Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise. Me and my boys come into the Pride Lands to cause some mischief with the royal family, especially Kion, after Chungu's back heals enough to accompany us, but we also find the rest of the pride. They also still have that new arrival with them, what's his name, Siri?" Janja asked mockingly.

"It's Kopa now." Kopa said.

"Hmm, very well… Kopa." Janja sneered.

Kion growled at the sight of his lifelong enemy. Janja looked and saw Vitani and Zuri's appearances.

"Oh, and there's not one, but two lionesses with bellies that are all nice and fat with cubs." Janja said.

"They're a two for one sale meal." Cheezi joked.

"You're right Cheezi, they are." Janja laughed.

Janja than looked towards Kiara.

"Hay Kiara, remember when I captured you about a year ago when you were still pregnant and I threatened to raise your cub as my own, thinking that I could use him to get me and my boys some easy tasty meals. How's my Janja Junior doing?" Janja asked.

Taka glared at Janja from where he was standing with his mother. Taka had seen his Uncle Kion fight Janja on a couple of occasions. Taka was even dared by Mkaidi, Punda, and Mashimo to go into Janja's den to steal a tail hair from him at one point and barley escaped and ran into Jasiri before they could catch him.

"He's right here and he was doing just fine until your ugly face showed up." Taka said.

Janja growled angrily in Taka's direction.

"Oh, you just made Papa Janja angry." Janja growled angrily.

"Give that brat a spanking Janja! Ow!" Chungu shouted before his back got a small spasm of pain.

"Oh, don't worry Chungu, I'll do much more than spank him." Janja promised.

Kion looked towards the Lion Guard.

"Alright guys, help keep Vitani, Zuri, and the cubs safe." Kion said.

Tunu and Wema ran over to their friends to keep them safe along with Madoa, Kiara, and Dalia. Beshte and Bunga stood in front of Vitani. Fuli and Ono stood in front of Zuri. Kion, Jasiri, Simba, Nala, Kopa, Kovu, even Nuka got in front of everyone else to protect them as a first line of defense from Janja's clan. Tano looked towards Janja nervously.

"Uh, Janja." Tano said.

"What?" Janja asked.

"There's like only seven of us since we lost some of our clan back when you know what happened and the whole pride is here." Tano said nervously.

"And I've got a feeling that all those other hyenas are on their side since they didn't seem to be at each other's throats when we came over here. So, we have much more to fight." Nne added.

"Uh, they're right Janja." Cheezi agreed nervously.

Janja just gave his clan mates a cocky grin.

"Good, I love good fi-i-i-i-i-i-ight." Janja began to say before stuttering after he saw someone join the front line to fight against him.

Janja spotted Shenzi in the front-line protective group.

"Mom?" Janja said with noticeable fear in his voice.

"Mom?" Kion exclaimed, shocked.

In shock, surprise, and wanting answers, everyone looked towards Shenzi, who was being joined by Banzai and Ed. Shenzi looked towards Janja with just as much shock and surprise. She than started walking towards Janja with a curious look on her face. Janja whimpered slightly as he backed up a little bit and lowered himself in submission.

"Janja?" Shenzi said.

"Mom, what, what are you doing here? I didn't even know you survived the fire or the battle." Janja said fearfully. "Are you some sort of ghost or is this my imagination?"

Shenzi looked closer at Janja and the rest of his clan. She leaned in towards Janja and sniffed a few times. She gasped when she got a familiar scent.

"No, it's neither and you aren't either." Shenzi said happily.

Shenzi flew a forearm around Janja's neck and pulled the hyena into a hug. She than pulled away and looked at his clan again.

"Well, for a matriarchless clan, you've done... mostly well for yourself." Shenzi said.

"What are you doing in the Pride Lands with Simba's pride and Jasiri's clan?" Janja asked.

"Ha, after all this time, instead of greeting your mother, you just ask a question." Shenzi scoffed.

Janja backed away a little bit, his ears flat against his head.

"Oh, don't back away like that Janja, it's not like I'm going to hit you or anything." Shenzi said.

"Where have you been all this time?" Janja asked.

"Didn't you ever check the graveyard?" Shenzi asked.

"W-well, no." Janja said.

Shenzi just shook her head with a slight grin on her face.

"You always did say that you'd never step paw into that place no matter what." Shenzi said. "And I see you have some of the pups that were born towards the end of Scar's reign and that it appears you're the chief, but have no matriarch."

A playful smirk suddenly appeared on Shenzi's face.

"Tell me Janja, are you still scared of girls?" Shenzi teased.

"No." Janja said.

Shenzi gave a slight chuckle. She looked back towards everyone, who was still staring in shock, before looking back towards Janja and his clan.

"We have a lot to talk about. You and your boys come with me." Shenzi said.

"Yes mommy." Janja said submissively.

Shenzi led Janja and his clan back towards everyone. Banzai came up to Janja and gave him a sniff like Shenzi.

"Janja, your alive! I always knew you were out there somewhere." Banzai happily said.

"Uh, hay." Janja said, still in shock at seeing Shenzi.

Ed looked at Janja's clan and spotted a certain red nosed hyena that looked an awful lot like him.

"Cheezi!" Ed said happily in his own language.

Cheezi spotted Ed and walked straight over to him. Excited to see him since he hadn't since he was just a couple months old

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" Cheezi excitedly shouted, jumping left to right in front of Ed, who was laughing in delight.

"Daddy?" Madoa exclaimed.

"Yes, Cheezi there is Ed's son. Ed had a mate named Scarlet once, who had a cute little red nose like him. She unfortunately was another casualty of Zira's ambush." Shenzi said.

Shenzi took a moment of respectful silence for the mentioned hyena.

"Uh, sorry to interrupt, but what the heck is going on!?" Bunga asked.

Shenzi grabbed Janja by the shoulders and brought him shoulder-to-shoulder with her as she stood in front of everyone.

"Well, when Jasiri finally came up to me, Banzai, and Ed seven weeks ago. We spent some time with her, her adoptive clan, and the Lion Guard. They all told us about Janja and his clan. Well, this is my and Banzai's son, Janja, Jasiri's older brother." Shenzi said.

"Older brother!?" Kion and Jasiri both exclaimed in unison.

"Janja is your brother Jasiri!" Bunga yelled in shock, literally pulling out chucks of his white hair in disbelief.

"She is?" Janja exclaimed himself, looking towards Jasiri.

"Yes, she is." Banzai said.

"Alright, Now I'll explain the rest. Janja was born about half a year before Simba returned and kicked Scar's butt to curve. Banzai and I treated him love as any parent would and tried to take care of him as much as we could during that time. The Pride Lands were however… not doing very well at the time you all know. So, raising him was difficult and it was hardening him and it caused him to at most times act selfish and ungrateful, but me and Banzai still tried to do our best with Ed's help while Scar didn't bother to lift a paw to help us like a true friend was supposed to do. Anyway, we were separated during the battle of Pride Rock and the fire. We went back to the graveyard, hoping we would find them there or that they would find us since we told them to run there if things ever went south. We snuck into the Pride Lands and even the Outlands for a full-on month to try and find him, but we never did. We thought he and the rest of the pups died." Shenzi explained.

"I didn't look for you because I thought you guys were holding me back and that you didn't have the guts to lead a clan since you always submitted to Scar and let him run all over us hyenas." Janja said in a quiet, scared voice.

"Janja!" Shenzi scolded.

"Sorry mommy." Janja apologized.

Shenzi sighed and shook her head. She was excited to see her son again so her family could be whole, but couldn't deny that Janja still had issues that needed sorting out. She just put on a smile and looked towards Jasiri.

"Sorry me and your father didn't tell you when we had the chance. We just wanted to make up for lost times at the moment and we wanted to see who this Janja was first to see if it was a coincidence or not." Shenzi said.

"Uh, it's okay I guess." Jasiri said still in shock.

Banzai gave a small laugh towards his shocked daughter.

"We know this must be quite another shock to you after finding out who we were my little giggly princess, but don't worry, we'll sort everything out." Banzai promised.

Shenzi turned towards Janja after Banzai said that. She looked at Janja with a serious look.

"Yes, we will. Like I said Janja, we heard about all the things you've done over the years, especially when it comes to Jasiri herself. Now, I can't really scold you for it since we never set up a good example for you when you were a pup, and you didn't know Jasiri was your sister to begin with either, and simply saying sorry doesn't wash away everything you've done to her, but it's a good place to start. So please, apologize to your sister and hug it out." Shenzi said.

Shenzi gave Janja a little push towards Jasiri.

"And call her sister." Shenzi added.

Janja looked around all nervous and confused before facing Jasiri. He gave a cringy look before he said the words.

"I'm sorry for all the things I've done to you and your clan, especially since your my sister, who I didn't know about." Janja apologized.

Jasiri looked towards her parents, who smiled at her, hoping she would except. She gave Janja a small glare. She didn't think she or her adoptive clan could really forgive him for all the things he'd done to them, intentional or unintentional, but she guessed if she and Janja both knew everything they just learned, he probably wouldn't have done them and Jasiri wasn't one to hold grudges, so decided to at least give him a chance to prove himself.

"Okay, since your family I guess we can try to work something out at least." Jasiri said.

Shenzi and Banzai smiled after hearing that.

"Alright, now come on, hug it out." Shenzi encouraged.

Jasiri and Janja did as they were told and awkwardly hugged each other.

"This feels so weird." Janja whispered to himself.

"Tell me about it." Jasiri whispered, having heard Janja.

When they pulled away, Jasiri looked towards her mother.

"Hay, that Kiamu cousin of yours, you were talking about. What was his son's name?" Jasiri said.

Shenzi looked at a certain muscular hyena in Janja's pride.

"Chungu." Shenzi simply said.

"Chungu! Wait, so I'm related to him as well, as a cousin?" Jasiri asked.

Shenzi nodded in conformation.

"Wait, a sec. If your related to this Kiamu and his son was Chungu, that makes him related to Jasiri, who is related to me, which means that… I'm related to that furbrain!?" Janja shouted out.

"Duh! Well of course you are." Shenzi said.

"But than again, Chungu was born shortly after Janja, and Janja never played with any of the other pups, especially since he was overly rough that mothers didn't want their pups to play with him and Janja never seemed to care about hearing about extended family, because at the time of Scar's reign, everyone only cared about when they would get their next meal or drink." Banzai explained.

Chungu laughed as he walked up to Janja and hugged him.

"Hahaha! Cousin. Oww!" Chungu said.

Shenzi noticed Chungu's scream and saw him clutch his back with one paw.

"What's wrong with his back?" Shenzi asked.

"Uh, I'll tell you later." Kion said.

"Ahhh! I'm related to someone whose even dumber than Uncle Ed and Cheezi!" Janja screamed as he tried to squirm out of Chungu's bone crushing hug.

"Janja!" Shenzi scolded.

Janja whimpered a bit and settled down as Chungu continued to hug him.

"What about those four?" Fuli asked.

Shenzi looked towards the remaining hyenas of Janja's.

"Oh, that's Nne, Tano, Kutana, and Tazaki. They're not related to me, Banzai, or Ed, their parents were also killed during Zira's ambush, but hay, it's great to see all of you boys again as well." Shenzi said.

"Uh, you to Matriarch Shenzi." Nne said.

Shenzi looked towards Simba, who had finally gotten over the shock of the situation and was looking at Janja and his clan.

"You and me along with Banzai will need to talk about Janja's, 'behavior issues,' but first, we need to get his clan a female to lead it and then take him to his volcano home for now." Shenzi Said.

Janja's eyes widened in shock when Shenzi mentioned getting his clan a female to lead it.

"What, a matriarch for my clan?" Janja protested.

"Yes, Janja. One to watch over you for a while for when I talk to Simba about you and your clan." Shenzi said.

Janja wanted to protest further, but knew how his mother got when others argued with her, so he kept his mouth shut. Shenzi looked towards Banzai.

"Banzai, get Mpjuwa. She can run Janja's clan." Shenzi asked.

Banzai did as he was told and got a female hyena out of his and Shenzi's clan.

"Janja, this is Mpjuwa. Your mother's second-in-command female. She'll run your clan good for as long as is needed." Banzai said.

"Uh, thanks." Janja said.

"Alright, let's get you back to your volcano boys." Shenzi said.

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed began to lead Janja's clan back to their volcano. Shenzi looked towards Simba.

"Wait for me at Pride Rock. We'll need to talk." Shenzi said.

"What are you going to talk to him about?" Janja asked.

"I'm going to talk diplomacy with him for your sorry bum." Shenzi said.

"Uh, I'd like to talk about it here right now." Simba offered.

"Alright." Shenzi said.

Shenzi and Banzai walked up to Simba. He issued for them and Nala to follow him. They walked a few dozen feet away from everyone and got to talking about Janja and his clan.

"First off, you don't need to tell us what Janja has done and for that resurrecting an evil spirit thing, we know that he has every right to be given the Pride Lands death sentence for that from how bad Jasiri and Kion made it sound." Shenzi said.

"And that thing with kidnapping Kiara while she was pregnant." Banzai added.

"Yes, he does. Those were the two worst crimes he's ever committed against the Pride Lands and one of Jasiri's clan members died from that 'evil spirit thing', so did others." Simba said.

"Look those were bad things he did, but isn't there any way we can convince you to release him of it?" Shenzi asked.

"Well, he is your son and he seems to respect you Shenzi and him seeing that you're our allies now, I don't think he'd attack us because of that. So, I guess I can absolve him of the Pride Lands' death sentence at least." Simba said.

"Oh man, thank you Simba. We really appreciate that." Banzai said.

"Yes, yes, your welcome, but let's get to the topic I know you want to get to. You want to talk about me letting him into the Pride Lands, right?" Simba asked.

"Yes, we want to talk about that." Shenzi agreed.

"We know you probably have your mind made up already to not let him in, but are you willing to listen to an ultimatum?" Banzai asked.

"That depends, you got one chance to give me one I can agree to." Simba said.

"For all his crimes, as punishment, Janja and his clan stay in their volcano as banishment for the half of the rest of the year under Mpjuwa's supervision and after that he and the clan help the Lion Guard with daily patrols for the rest of the year. If he and the clan show good behavior and don't cause trouble during those times, he can be let into the Pride Lands to live with our clan, having earned enough of your trust." Shenzi suggested.

"And me, Shenzi, Ed, and anyone who wants to come with us can visit him while he's in the eight month exile. We can even have the Lion Guard or you watch to supervise us on those visits. As for food for his clan, me and Shenzi can hunt for them." Banzai added.

"Yeah, we may be old, but we still got mad hunting skills." Shenzi laughed. "Anyway, does that sound fair Simba?" Shenzi asked hopefully.

Simba thought about it for a few moments. He didn't trust Janja and his clan, but he trusted Shenzi and Banzai now, which he thought was still crazy for him to say. He could also tell from the way Janja acted towards Shenzi, he seemed to have great respect for her as his mother, if not a little bit of fear, and he seemed to protest against her very little, along with the rest of his clan. He looked over towards his pride and Jasiri's hyena clan, most looked like they were skeptical over what he was talking about with Shenzi and Banzai, but could tell they would stand behind him and whatever decision he made. He looked towards Shenzi and Banzai.

"Your ultimatum is acceptable." Simba said.

"Alright!" Banzai shouted, doing a single jump in place.

"But one slip up and he stays banished forever, he'll even get exiled further beyond the Outlands. He's lucky he's even getting this chance even though those crimes are unforgivable." Simba said.

"Understood." Shenzi nodded.

The three of them walked back over to everyone and explained their deal. Most everyone muttered that the terms and conditions seemed fair. Kion walked over to his dad to speak with him about it

"Dad, are you sure about this?" Kion asked.

"We've forgiven enemies before and gave them all the same chance even though they probably don't deserve it because of all the terrible things they did. I don't really think Janja and his clan deserve to be forgiven either, but that doesn't really make them any different from the rest. Besides, Janja does seem totally submissive to Shenzi, if somewhat scared of her, and the rest of his clan seems to respect her." Simba said.

"Alright fine, I'll follow their ultimatum down to the letter, but I'll also be keeping my eyes on Janja and his crew." Kion sighed.

"I expect nothing less." Simba said. "Now, why don't we all just get back to Pride Rock while Shenzi takes care of Janja and his clan."

The lions got up and began to walk towards Pride Rock. Shenzi looked at Jasiri and smiled.

"What?" Jasiri asked.

Shenzi laughed before she responded.

"It's just, you know me and Banzai have always wanted to have Ed be an official part of our family through some sort of marriage. So, if we didn't get separated from Janja and his boys, we still had you, and Zira didn't ambush us, so we would be related to Ed, you would have been betrothed to Cheezi." Shenzi explained.

Both Jasiri and Kion gasped at the mention of that.

"I would have had to married Cheezi if some certain things didn't happen the way they did?" Jasiri asked.

"Yeppers." Banzai said.

Janja, Chungu, and the rest of Janja's clan looked towards Cheezi.

"You were basically betrothed to Jasiri, whose been my sister this whole time before any of us, even my parents knew she was going to be born?" Janja exclaimed.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Chungu asked. "Oww!"

"I didn't know." Cheezi said.

Cheezi snickered as he walked up to Jasiri.

"Hahaha! Pucker up buttercup." Cheezi said before putting his lips together and trying to kiss Jasiri on the lips.

Jasiri gasped and quickly moved Bunga in front of her to where Cheezi accidently kissed him instead. Cheezi's eyes quickly shot open and saw exactly who he was kissing. Cheezi and Bunga both pulled away, screaming in disgust.

"Bad hyena lip germs! Eckh!" Bunga shouted.

"Honey badger lip cooties!" Cheezi shouted.

About everyone except Bunga and Cheezi got a laugh out of that.

"Don't worry Jasiri. You don't have to marry Cheezi if you don't want to, but at least try to get along with them all, especially if they go through with this ultimatum." Shenzi asked.

"Okay, I promise to at least try." Jasiri promised.

"Good to hear." Shenzi said before turning towards Janja's clan. "Alright, boys, let's get you back to your volcano."

Kion and the guard began to walk back to Pride Rock while Shenzi and her clan led Janja and his clan back to his volcano. Jasiri stared at the two hyena clans marching away for a second. Kion looked back at her.

"You coming Jasiri?" he asked.

Jasiri nodded and jogged up to him and the rest of the Lion Guard. She, Kion, and their friends looked at each other, still not over the fact that Jasiri was Janja's sister for all these years.

"Wow, that was u…" Bunga said before Beshte cut him off.

"Unbungalievable?" Beshte said.

"Yeah." Bunga said.

"Did you even know Jasiri?" Fuli asked.

"No, of course not." Jasiri answered.

"Do guys honestly think Janja is going to go through with what Shenzi and my dad just agreed on?" Kion asked.

"I don't know, but I'm going to go and fly headfirst into a tree to wake myself up." Ono said, flying off in another direction.

Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, and Mpjuwa were escorting Janja's clan to the Outlands' border where the volcano was. Shenzi looked towards Janja as they neared the volcano.

"Janja, me, your father, and surrogate uncle are going to come over later for dinner tonight to make up for lost times and talk about you respecting the Pride Lands' laws, circle of life, and caring for all the animals, even lions, and the Lion Guard as friends instead of as food as we've learned to." Shenzi said.

"I know." Janja said.

"It is really great seeing you again after all these years Janja. First, we thought Jasiri was dead after the ambush, but she finds us at a time when we needed her most, and it led us back to you so that our family could become whole like it was always meant to be. We know you two have a complicated history. But you know the saying that it's never to late and you two can grow to love each other as brother and sister." Shenzi said.

"I've never been so happy and so sad in all my life." Janja sobbingly said.

"You have a beautiful way with words Janja, and Mpjuwa is going to teach you a lot of what I learned over the years from my past mistakes and it will help you make up for yours. Just remember, be on your best behavior for six months and when you help Kion and the Lion Guard and Simba will let you into the Pride Lands, seeing that you've changed." Shenzi reminded.

Janja growled at the mention of Simba and Kion.

"If they mistreat you…" Janja angrily growled, unable to finish his sentence.

"Oh, don't worry Janja, we're allies with him now, but if Simba ever turns one day and tries to harm us, I won't hesitate to give him a good butt whooping." Shenzi joked.

They all soon got to the Outland borders. Shenzi gave Janja a quick embrace along with Banzai. Janja gave a nervous and scared smile and walked across the border to his volcano home.

"Mom was right, I am still scared of girls." Janja thought to himself as he walked towards the volcano.

Cheezi turned towards Ed.

"See you later tonight daddy!" Cheezi excitedly said.

Ed have Cheezi a quick hug before the later along with Chungu went after Janja. The rest of the clan turned towards Shenzi and bowed nervously.

"Uh, you have our respect and our being intimidated by you miss Shenzi." Nne said nervously.

Shenzi smiled at Janja's clan.

"Such nice boys." Shenzi said.

Janja's clan and Mpjuwa than began to run after Janja, all except Chungu who walked slowly behind them.

"Huh, who knew one fear of girls and his own mother could cause a group of seven mischievous boys to look at the world the circle of life way." Shenzi said, causing everyone to laugh.

Shenzi and Banzai looked at each other and kissed.

"Looks like our whole family will be fully back together by the end of the year." Banzai said.

"I just hope he eventually grows on everyone, especially with Jasiri and her adoptive clan after you know what." Shenzi said.

"Well, they did with the Outlander lionesses, maybe they'll do so with him and look what everyone did with us as well." Banzai said optimistically.

"Hmm, maybe your right." Shenzi said.

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed finally turned around to go find Jasiri and the Lion Guard.

"We going to invite him to Taka, Mufasa, and Talia's birthdays?" Ed asked in his own language

"I'll talk to Simba later to see if he will allow it. Now come on, let's get back to everyone." Shenzi said.

Epilogue

It had been two weeks after the surprising and awkward encounter with Janja and his clan. Mpjuwa, the hyena that Shenzi had sent to be temporary matriarch of his clan had been reporting that Janja was being good, and that there was no evil scheming. Other than that, everyday went on normally, but today, it was Taka, Mufasa and Talia's first birthday. Everyone except Taka, Mufasa, and Talia got up early and snuck out of the den to prepare. Kiara and Kovu looked towards the entire pride and whispered to them.

The entire pride snuck out quietly while Zuri, Nuka, Tiifu, and Jamey stayed behind. The birthday princes and princess soon woke up and saw their parents weren't sleeping next to them, and that the rest of the pride wasn't in the cave.

"Where are mom and dad?" Taka asked.

Taka and his siblings looked around. They found themselves staring at the paws of four lions. The three looked up to see Zuri, Tiifu, Nuka, and Jamey all smiling down at them.

"How are my new nephews and niece doing on such a beautiful day like today?" Zuri asked.

Talia got up and rubbed against her new aunt's forelegs.

"Hay, where is everybody else?" Talia asked.

"That doesn't matter right now, you're going to be spending the day with all of us." Jamey said.

"But Jamey, what about Jua?" Mufasa asked.

"Oh, don't worry about him Fasa. Your mother is taking care of him for me." Jamey assured Mufasa.

"Yes, now come along with us you three." Tiifu said.

"Where are we going?" Talia asked.

"Watering hole." Nuka said.

As they all walked towards the watering hole, Taka and his siblings looked around for the rest of the pride, but couldn't spot them. When they all got to the watering hole, Nuka turned towards the cubs.

"Ever play 'splish plash in a bath?" Nuka asked, going into one of his random moments.

"What?" Taka asked.

Nuka with a big dumb grin on his face, grabbed Taka, jumped on a rocks and began to throw Taka into the watering hole.

"Splish splash, take a bath!" Nuka shouted.

"Uncle Nuka!" Taka shouted in protest before Nuka threw him in.

Taka skidded across the watering hole like a stone before stopping and floating in the water. Taka's brother and sister laughed before they were grabbed by Zuri and Nuka as well.

"Aunt Zuri, Uncle Nuka, what are you doing?" Talia asked

"Cubapult!" Nuka shouted as he and Zuri threw Mufasa and Talia into the watering hole as well.

Nuka, Zuri, Tiifu, and Jamey laughed as the three cubs swam back onto the bank of the watering hole. When the three cubs got back to shore, they glared angrily at the four laughing lions.

"What did you do that for?" Talia asked.

"It's your birthday you three, and your present from all four of us to you is we're giving you all a water bath instead of a tongue bath." Jamey said.

"And now it's time for the next phase of getting you ready for the party." Tiifu said.

Zuri, Tiifu, and Jamey than began to rub mud over the three cubs faces.

"Mud, in our faces!" Taka exclaimed angrily.

"Tiifu, Jamey, Aunt Zuri, what are you doing to us now?" Talia asked.

"We're giving you three a mud facial." Zuri said while giggling.

"And as Aunt Zuri says, it never hurts to look your best, especially when it's you three cuties' first birthday. This is the birthday that defines all your future birthdays." Tiifu said.

"Yes, now don't move, let the mud dry." Jamey said.

"And, put these fruit slices over your eyes." Tiifu said, handing Taka, Mufasa, and Talia two fruit slices each.

Taka, Mufasa and Talia thought this preparing them for their birthday party was all unnecessary and that they looked stupid with mud on their faces and would look even stupider with these fruit slices over their eyes. In the end, they went along with it. They put the fruit slices over their eyes and leaned against Zuri's side.

"Mud facial feels nice, huh?" Tiifu asked.

"Uh, I guess." Mufasa said.

"Ohh yeah, feels nice." Nuka's voice suddenly said.

Talia lifted a fruit slice away from her eye and looked to see Tiifu rubbing mud over Nuka's face. Zuri leaned down towards her nephews and niece.

"And it especially never hurts for Nuka to look somewhat his best," Zuri said.

"You know, this kinda reminds me of one of grandpa's stories from his cubhood." Talia said.

"Which story?" Jamey asked.

"The time he and grandma helped that lost zebra by covering it in mud so they could sneak her past Shenzi and Banzai." Talia.

"Yeah, and they got her home, but Great Grandpa Mufasa I grounded both of them for a week for getting muddy again after he told them not to get muddy again." Taka said.

"Yeah, Great Grandpa Mufasa I may have been a nice lion, but that was so mean of him because he didn't even allow grandpa and grandma to explain why they were muddy again." Talia.

"Yeah, I hate it when parents unfairly ground their children because they think they were part of something they weren't, or they did something that they didn't do." Mufasa said.

Within half an hour, Taka, Mufasa, and Talia took their mud facials off. Jamey rubbed the fur on Taka, Mufasa, and Talia's faces.

"Nice, shiny, soft fur. Just like a couple of birthday royal cubs like you three should have." Jamey said.

A muffled voice was then heard. Everyone looked towards Nuka, who had mud even over his mouth. Zuri walked over to Nuka and got him out of his mud facial mask quickly.

"I said, I'm suffocating in here, and how's my face feel?" Nuka asked.

Zuri rubbed her paw across one of Nuka's cheeks.

"Still a little ruff, but a lot softer." Zuri said.

"Oh, you little, beautiful cupcake." Nuka said, rubbing his nose against Zuri's.

"Alright you two, tell Cupid to go away for now and let us get Taka, Mufasa, and Talia back to Pride Rock. The party is about to start, and I don't want Kiara and Kovu to get mad at us for being late." Tiifu said.

With that, everyone walked off towards Pride Rock. When they got there, they saw Kiara and Kovu standing in the mouth of the feasting cave. Taka, Mufasa, and Talia ran up and embraced them. Kovu pulled away from the hug and looked at all three of his children.

"I can't believe it. With all that's happened, I can't believe you three are one year old." Kovu said.

"And we can't even pick you up anymore, you've gotten so big." Kiara said.

"Well, that didn't stop Uncle Nuka and Aunt Zuri from throwing us into the water." Taka said.

Kiara and Kovu looked towards Zuri and Nuka after Taka said that.

"We'll tell you in a minute." Tiifu said.

Everyone stopped stalling and walked into the feasting den. As they did, Taka and his siblings saw vines painted yellow, red, orange, and many other colors lining the floor of the den and hanging from some rocks.

"Wow, you did all this?" Mufasa asked.

"We had Rafiki and Makini paint those vines for you, hope you like them." Kiara said.

"I think they're great." Talia said.

Taka suddenly thought of something, or somebody, a certain bunch of somebodies.

"Hay, is Janja's here?" Taka asked.

"Yes, apparently yesterday, Shenzi asked your grandfather if Janja and his clan could come to your birthday's since they've been showing good behavior so far and that if they're going to live in the Pride Lands one day due to Shenzi and your grandfather's deal, they should be here for your first birthday's." Kovu said.

"and believe it or not, Janja had a gift for you three." Kaira said.

"He does?" Talia exclaimed.

"Well, not by choice. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed went to his volcano early this morning to make him get you the gift." Kiara said.

"What's the surprise?" Taka asked.

"Come and see." Kiara said.

Everyone fully entered the main den and saw everyone there along with their family. The Pride Landers, the former Outlanders, the Lion Guard, Jasiri's adoptive clan, Shenzi's clan, even Janja's clan, who were smiling nervously at everyone, and even Malka's pride was there, having arrived yesterday, and other close friends of the pride. The cave all also filled with enough food for everyone, be they carnivore or not. Taka, Mufasa and Talia were surprised that the feasting den could hold over a hundred animals. Taka, Mufasa, and Talia looked at their parents.

"Wow, you brought everybody!" Talia shouted.

"Of course, we did. You three will never have another first birthday." Kiara said.

"We wanted to make it the best birthday ever for you three." Kovu said.

"And like I said, this birthday will define what all your future birthdays will be like." Tiifu said.

"Exactly Tiifu, I just don't know how we're going to top it next year." Kovu said.

"Oh, don't worry about it dad, after everything I went through during our time in the Scarred Pride, I'm just glad that I even lived to see my first birthday." Taka said.

"Alright, sounds fair enough." Kovu agreed.

Taka, Mufasa, and Talia looked towards where Janja and his clan was. Janja didn't look too happy, but he didn't look angry either. Janja's face looked more very cringy looking, like he felt uncomfortable being here and being forced to do something nice for someone, he was just too scared of Shenzi to defy her. Shenzi and Banzai noticed the look on Janja's face.

"Janja, this is a party, and not just any party, this is Taka II, Mufasa II, and Talia's first birthday party, and someone's first birthday party, especially when they're triplets, first birthday must always be fantastic." Shenzi said.

"Yeah, so smile ya dud." Banzai said.

Shenzi and Banzai each stuck a claw inside Janja's mouth and pulled against the edges of his mouth, forcing him to smile.

"Now Janjie, give them they're cake." Shenzi said.

"Yes mommy. Cheezi, Chungu!" Janja shouted.

"Uh uh Janja. It's Cousin Chungu now." Chungu said from somewhere in the crowd.

Janja whimpered at the thought of what he was about to say.

"Cheezi, Cousin Chungu!" Janja shouted.

At the mention of their names, Cheezi and Chungu brought out a meat cake with three bird neck 'candles,' on a large slab of tree bark.

"In honor of our oddly new found friendship with the Pride Landers, and hoping we can be a part of you all one day like we've secretly wanted all along, wish you three a happy first birthday, and we show it with a meat cake for you three to share. One bird neck candle for each of ya'." Cheezi excitedly said as he, Chungu, and a forced Janja set it down in front Taka, Mufasa, and Talia.

"Wow guys, it looks great." Mufasa said.

"What's it got in it?" Talia asked.

"60% zebra, just for Taka, 25% water buffalo, 14% antelope, 0.5% of Janja's unshown love for his hopefully new found Pride Lander friends, and I think another 0.5% of his tears, cause I think he cried at some point while he was forced to make this meat cake." Cheezi said.

"No, I didn't!" Janja snapped.

"Janja, don't snap at Cheezi!" Ed snapped.

Taka, Mufasa, and Talia held back their laughs as they looked at Janja. Janja's ears fell flat against his head. Banzai noticed this and threw a small pebble at his head. Janja placed a paw where the rock hit him and looked towards his fater.

"Come on son, quite being stubborn and just try to change. Me and your mom truly don't want to see you forever banished." Banzai said. "And would it kill ya to smile for the three."

"And make the smile genuine love and not a creepy evil one, or something like that." Shenzi said.

Janja looked towards Taka, Mufasa and Talia before painfully giving a genuine smile towards them.

"Ow, my face. Hyenas should be rotten and mean, especially me." Janja said quietly through his teeth.

Shenzi heard him.

"Ehemm." Shenzi exclaimed.

"Sorry mommy." Janja fearfully whispered.

"Alright you three, grab onto your bone candles and make a wish." Kiara said.

The three royal siblings looked at each other, and then at Janja.

"You two thinking what I'm thinking?" Taka asked.

The three cubs bit onto their bird neck 'candles,' all wishing the same things.

"Janja is kind of a creep and we honestly don't think he'll change, but please make him change so that he can spend more time around Shenzi and Banzai since their his parents, and please have everyone warm up to him just a little bit at least. Put him into a position where he has to do something stupidly heroic for example" the three cubs whispered silently.

When the three cubs pulled their bird neck 'candles.' Everyone roared or cheered as Kiara stepped in.

"Alright everyone, it's feasting time, and after that, we continue the party at Hakuna Matata Falls for some birthday vine swinging." Kiara said.

"Birthday vine swinging, huza!" Timon and Pumbaa shouted.

Everyone nodded in agreement and went to eating. When they finished, they began to march towards Hakuna Matata Falls for vine swinging. As they did, Taka and Talia decided to have a conversation with their brother.

"So, Fasa." Taka began to say.

"Yes?" Mufasa asked.

"We're all a year old now." Talia said.

"Uh huh." Mufasa agreed.

"So, um, when do you think your going to get your roar?" Talia asked.

Mufasa put his gaze forward and growled thoughtfully. During his days he spent time with his uncle and the Lion Guard, Kion said he got it when he was a year and couple days old. Rafiki had confirmed this when Mufasa asked him personally about the Lion Guard and the roar. He said the second born son or daughter got the roar when they were at least a year old, it could take a couple days to weeks, but no more than month until the roar suddenly showed up.

"I don't know when I'm going to get my roar. I'm a year old now, so check. We just got to wait a month at most until then." Mufasa said.

"So, you're just going to keep practicing everyday with Uncle Kion?" Taka asked.

"Yeah, he knows how the roar works better than just about everyone." Mufasa said.

"And hay, just out of curiosity, who are you going to use it one first; Reirei and her pack, Mkaidi and his brainless friends, or Janja just for giggles?" Talia asked.

"I'm sure I'll know who to use it on when the time comes." Mufasa said.

"And hay, speaking of when the time comes. Who are you going to choose for your Lion Guard when it's your time to lead, or is Uncle Kion going to pass his guard onto you, or do you become some sorta' co-leader?" Taka asked.

"I'd have to ask Rafiki and Uncle Kion, but if I do need to pick new members, there is that elephant that looks up to Beshte and there's that young hammerkop that Ono looked after while it was still an egg. I've met both them and like them, maybe I could go for them." Mufasa suggested to himself.

"Thanks to Uncle Kion, the Lion Guard is never going to be the same again from his generation, to this generation, and every other generation forward." Talia said.

"Isn't that the truth." Taka said.

Everyone soon got to Hakuna Matata Falls. Timon, Pumbaa, and Bunga had ran ahead to get the vine swings safe. Taka got excited when he saw the vines and ran up to them.

"It's my and both my siblings' birthday and I'm still first born even though we were born together, so I go first." Taka said.

"Kid, wait!" Pumbaa shouted.

Taka didn't listen and jumped at a vine, grabbed it with his teeth and swung through the jungle foliage.

"Yeah, this is fun." Taka shouted through his teeth.

"Kid!" Timon shouted.

"Watch out for that tree!" Mufasa shouted.

"Huh?" Taka exclaimed

Taka looked and saw that he was swinging towards a tree. Taka gave a quick shout of fright, causing him to let go of the vine. Luckily, there was a small lake of water to brake his fall. Taka resurfaced and looked up towards everybody, who looked down where he landed with concern.

"Alright, that was fun. Mufasa, Talia, Bluu, Grffin, Grey, try it out!" Taka shouted up towards everybody.

"Except, unlike you, we'll look before we swing and almost crash face first into a tree!" Grey shouted down.

Timon, Pumbaa, and Bunga stepped aside, allowing Taka's siblings and friends to swing. The five took their vines and swung into the lake like Taka.

"You were right Taka, that was fun." Bluu said.

"Told you five so." Taka said.

The five looked and saw Bunga retrieve the six vines and bring them back for other to swing on. Wema and Tunu immediately grabbed them and swung down towards their friends.

"Hay, this is cub swim, not adult swim!" Talia jokingly shouted.

"Hay, me and Wema are young hyena pups trapped in hyena adult's bodies." Tunu defended.

Another splash was heard. The eight looked and saw water ripples. They looked closely until a head shot out of the water and sprayed them all with water. They looked to see Dalia, and she was looking and Wema and Tunu.

"Oh, you two aren't young hyena pups trapped in adult hyena's bodies. You're just free spirited like me." Dalia explained before she started floating on her back.

Two more splashes were heard. Everyone looked to see that Kopa and Vitani had swung down with them into the water. Kopa grabbed Dalia and set to lay down on his chest.

"Now, the last time you and me were floating down a river like this Dalia, you and me ran into Scarred Priders." Kopa said.

"Oh, shut up you." Dalia said, jokingly flicking Kopa's nose gently.

"Oh, you sassy little dough ball of love." Vitani said.

"Oh, I can beat you in a being sassy contest any day Tani." Dalia said in an eager challenging tone.

"Silly old hyena." Kopa laughed to himself. "You two go easy, let's just swim instead of having a sass fight."

"Yeah, there's nothing like a first birthday with a peaceful swim." Taka said.

A splash was heard right behind Taka. Kiara suddenly shot up, out of the water, grabbed Taka in her paws, and threw him a couple feet away from her. Taka recovered quickly and looked towards his mother.

"It's a free for all water wrestling match everybody!" Kiara shouted.

"Alright!" Kovu shouted as he swung down into the lake with one of the recently reset vines.

Kovu let go of the vine and tackled Kiara as he fell. The two began wrestling. Talia run through the water up to her parents and jumped onto Kovu's back, placing her paws over her eyes.

"Hay, wait for us!" Zuri shouted as she and Nuka swung down to them. "We want a wrestle match to. Come on Vitani, let's gang up on Kovu."

"Oh, I'll take you both and Talia on!" Kovu shouted with confidence.

Kiara looked at her friend, now sister-in-law, as well as Vitani in concern.

"Kovu, Vitani and Zuri are pregnant. Do really think it's okay for them to be wrestling with us?" Kiara asked.

"Alright, alright, no one gang up on Kiara, 'cause she's scared." Kovu teased.

Zuri, Nuka, and Vitani rushed at Kovu, who still had Talia clinging onto his back. Nuka threw himself in front of Nuka. Talia jumped off of Kovu's back and shoved him, causing Nuka's body to trip him. Zuri and Vitani took their chance and pinned Kovu to the ground.

"Team work makes the dream work!" Zuri shouted.

A roar was suddenly heard, a magical roar. Everyone in the water looked to see a tidal wave large enough for a lake about to wash over them. When they looked, they saw Kion laughing down at them. Shenzi and Jasiri looked towards Kion.

"If you like to mess around with the water, why don't you go down there?" Jasiri suggested.

Shenzi shoved Kion, sending him rolling down the hill and into the water.

"Nice of you to drop in Uncle Kion." Taka greeted.

Everyone heard Janja laughing, who was also pointing at Kion as he did. Shenzi looked towards her son and first born. With a smirk on her face, Shenzi shoved Janja as well. Janja rolled down the hill and came into a sudden stop when he rolled into Kion. Kion looked down at Janja and growled.

Meanwhile, Taka, Mufasa, and Talia gathered back up with each other

"Best first birthday ever." Taka said.

"Totally." Mufasa said.

Taka heard someone come behind them. He and his siblings looked to see Fuli sit at the edge of the lake.

"Come on Fuli, jump in." Taka offered even though he knew Fuli hated water.

"Uh, no." Fuli simply said.

"Come on, it's our birthday and a water party, you have to come in. Let's go and attack Janja from under the water." Mufasa suggested.

"Not even for that, even though it does sound like it'd be fun, and he'd probably scream like a girl." Fuli said.

As soon as Fuli said that, Simba landed in the water with a large splash, and Fuli unfortunately got caught in it.

"Oops. Sorry Fuli." Simba apologized.

Fuli gave a sigh of irritation.

"Don't worry your majesty, a little water never killed anyone." Fuli said, noticeably unhappy.

"Up for attacking Janja from under the water now?" Mufasa asked.

"I'm already wet, so what's it matter I guess." Fuli sighed.

Fuli begrudgingly got in the lake and swam under the water with Mufasa towards Janja. When the two got close enough towards Janja, they grabbed the hyena by the ankles and dragged him under. Janja screamed as he resurfaced and ran away from Fuli and Mufasa, whimpering in fright like a dog. Mufasa and Fuli laughed at him as he ran.

"Oh, good one." Shenzi, who had just used a vine to swing down into the river, said.

"Like Taka said, best first birthday ever." Mufasa said.

"And in a few months, plus a few more weeks, you and your siblings have some cousins." Kopa said as he suddenly floated on his back next to the two along with Vitani.

"Let's just get through they're first birthday first." Vitani said.

ABOUT SEVEN WEEKS LATER:

After Taka, Mufasa, and Talia's birthday, the weeks went slow as Vitani and Zuri waited for their cubs to be born. Both eventually had to stay at Pride Rock twenty-four-seven. Zuri was okay with it since it meant keeping her and Nuka's cub safe. Vitnai however, hated it. For the first few days, she bitterly complained about how she was going to get fat from just laying around and eating like to lacking slob.

Everyone said that she wasn't going to fat, but Vitani stilled worried that she would.

"She becomes so overly dramatic when she gets put in a situation that there's a possiblity she might get fat or something like that." Kovu had said to Kopa when Vitani wasn't around.

"Well, I do like physically fit women." Kopa joked.

Vitani may have hated being forced to lie around, but she was happy that she had Zuri, as well as the couple other pregnant lionesses to keep her company around Pride Rock. Ni was also with them most of the time since he couldn't go anywhere since his legs were useless. Nuka also stayed with them most of the time. Dalia had recently been spending most days helping Timon and Pumbaa watch the cubs, but still took her days to look after Vitani, Zuri, and all the other pregnant lionesses if they went into labor early at any time. For Vitani, every day seemed so close, yet so far, until the day finally came.

Kopa was able to get the chance to take Vitani on a walk with him and Dalia. The three of them were walking by the watering hole when Vitani finally went into labor. Kopa and Dalia were quickly able to get her back to Pride Rock and into the main den. When they got her there, Kiara and Dalia went into the cave to help her if needed, Vitani having said she wanted Kiara and Dalia there only, and swallowing her pride and saying she couldn't do this alone. Outside, Kopa peeked in from time to time, but lionesses dragged him back every time, saying Vitani didn't need anyone staring in at her.

Inside, Vitani always having to play the tough girl, was straining not to scream, she had her eyes shut and teeth clenched together tightly. Vitani was trying so hard not to scream that she had both tears of pain and strain in her eyes. Dalia saw this and placed a paw on Vitani's back. Vitani struggled to open her eyes to look up at her.

"It's okay, scream if you have to." Dalia encouraged.

Vitani did as Dalia said and immediately screamed loudly, accidently in Dalia's face. Dalia's ears rang after Vitani screamed and she covered them but managed to smile down at Vitani as she did.

"Better?" Dalia asked.

Vitani was able to nod as conformation before once again, screaming loudly. In pain, Vitani banged her head against the ground.

"Woah, woah! Easy feisty paws, let's not do that." Kiara said.

"I feel something different back there." Vitani said through clenched teeth.

Kiara went over to check what Vitani meant even though she had a good hunch. Kiara's hunch was right, and she saw Vitani and Kopa's cub starting to come out. Kiara looked towards Vitani.

"You've almost got your cub out Vitani. Go for the home stretch." Kiara encouraged.

Vitani did as Kiara said and within a minute or two, she was finally able to push her cub out. When the cub was fully out, Kiara waved Dalia over. Dalia immediately came over, catching a little glimpse of the cub. Dalia took a moment to smile sweetly at it before turning back towards Kiara.

"What now?" Dalia asked.

Kiara took the cub and handed it to Dalia.

"Take care of this one as I keep an eye out for any other cubs." Kiara said.

"No, that's the only one, I'm sure of it." Vitani said as she began deeply breathing and panting.

"Okay." Dalia said.

Dalia and Kiara walked back in front of Vitani and gently placed the cub in her cradling paws.

"You did good." Kiara said.

Vitani said nothing and just began to lick the cub clean.

"Go get Kopa and the others, tell them they can come in." Vitani told Kiara.

"Back in a minute." Kiara said.

Kiara began happily skipping over to the mouth den. Dalia watched Kiara for a few second before turning back towards Vitani. The old hyena smiled down at her, and Vitani took a moment to smile back before returning to cleaning her and Kopa's cub.

"You and Kopa got a name for it yet?" Dalia asked quickly.

Vitani took another moment to smile up at Dalia.

"Oh, you'll find out." Vitani said.

Kiara got to the mouth of the cave, where her children met up with her as she got to the mouth of the den. In the past seven weeks, Talia had looked pretty much the same, except she was a bit taller. Taka and Mufasa however, their mane tufts had grown into full heads of hair and some mane hair had even grown on their chest and would one day connect with their full manes. Thanks to Taka's meddling with his mane, it was starting to look like it would have that some tuft that Kovu's mane had. Taka's scar was also beginning to fade but it was still more visible.

Mufasa's mane was also beginning to look like his great grandfather's mane. Mufasa was however following Taka's lead in making his mane look different. Mufasa's mane still looked like his great grandfather's, but it looked more wild than Mufasa I'st mane was, but it was still fairly well kept.

"How'd Aunt Vitani do?" Taka asked.

"And how many cubs did she have." Talia asked.

"And what do they look like, do they have two different colored eyes like Talia?" Mufasa asked.

Kiara couldn't help but smile at her children.

"We'll let's get everyone else, so you can find out." Kiara said.

"Hay, are we late!" an excited voice suddenly shouted out.

Kiara and her children looked to see Ed and Cheezi ascending up Pride Rock's steps with Janja and the rest of his clan following behind them.

"Nope, your just in time." Kiara said.

"Good, mom would have killed me if I was late." Janja said.

"What's that Janja?" Shenzi asked from a couple feet away.

"Nothing mommy." Janja said in a fearful voice.

A while back, Shenzi had talked to Simba about bringing Janja to see the birth of Vitani and Zuri's cubs when they were born so Janja would know who the new royals were when he one day was able to come into the Pride Lands, and that maybe seeing some newborn lion cubs would warm that cold, icy heart of his.

"Hay, we're also here to." Bunga's voice suddenly shouted out as he and the rest of the Lion Guard ascended Pride Rock's steps as well.

"Good, you guys are here. I was beginning to worry about you." Kion said.

"Sorry, we had to go looking for Beshte." Fuli said.

"Yeah, I spotted Reirei and her pack harassing some animals near the river. I quickly chased them out before coming. Everyone is fine now." Beshte assured.

"Good to hear pal. now come on we got to see Vitani and Kopa's cub." Kion said.

Every quickly walked into the den towards Vitani and Dalia. Vitani had just checked the cub's gender and announced that it was a male. The cub had dark peach fur like Vitani, which was slightly lighter thanks to Kopa's lighter pelt, eyes were violet like Vitani's when she was younger, which she hoped would stay that way instead of going violet-blue like hers, he had a freckled muzzle like her as well, he had an pink Outlander nose, and Kopa couldn't help but dumbly point out that it had large ears like Vitani, who punched him for saying so. The cub obviously took on a lot of Vitani's traits, but the traits he got from Kopa was a brown mane tuft, yellow underbelly, but it was dark instead of light thanks to Vitani, and he had black tipped ears that would most likely fade away as he aged.

"Cute little guy isn't he?" Beshte asked.

"Yeah, because he's got a lot of Vitani in him, especially those big ears he got from her." Kopa explained.

"I said shut up about that!" Vitani snapped.

Shenzi came closer and looked down at the cub.

"Oh, he's going to be a little butt kicker like Jasiri when he grows up." Shenzi said.

"If that's so, I count dibs on baby sitting him." Jasiri laughed.

"And have you teach him how to cause his parents a lot of trouble to the point that they can barely handle him when they're just three months like you did with me and your mom? No, sir." Banzai joked, coming up to Jasiri's side.

Ed came up, looked down at the cub and laughed in delight. Cheezi also came up and looked down at the cub. Vitani growled a little at the sight of Cheezi.

"Hay, why are you growling, I just want to say hi. I couldn't do anything stupid even if I wanted to, my dad is standing next to me." Cheezi said.

Chungu also came up and looked down at the cub.

"Oh, what gender is it?" Chungu dumbly asked. "Oww."

"Vitani already said it was a boy stupid." Kopa mouthed to himself.

Shenzi smiled at Cheezi and Chungu for being good and saying hi to the cub, but there was one hyena in particular that she wanted to say hi to the cub. Shenzi looked towards Janja.

"Janja!" Shenzi shouted.

"Yes mommy?" Janja asked in fear.

"Get your lazy butt over here and say hi to Kopa and Vitani's cub." Shenzi ordered.

"Yes mommy." Janja said, getting down and crawling towards Vitani.

"Just be careful Janja, hahaha, because I'm pretty sure he bites." Jasiri laughed.

As Janja got up to Vitani and Kopa's cub, it opened it's eyes and it looked towards him. Shenzi suddenly smacked Janja lightly on the back of the head.

"What was that for?" Janja asked.

"You're supposed to say 'aww' when a cub looks at you and tickle their paws or belly with a gentle paw." Shenzi said.

Janja unwillingly aww-ed like his mother told him to and went to tickle Vitani and Kopa cub's belly gentle with his paw.

"You see son, that doesn't hurt now, does it?" Banzai asked.

"I guess." Janja groaned.

"You guys are going to make me and Cheezi cry." Chungu said.

A biting sound was suddenly heard

"Yeow! He bit me! He bit me! The cub bit me! The cub bit me!" Janja shouted as he clutched his paw and ran off.

"A starving cub I suppose." Simba laughed. "I couldn't resist."

"Oh man, he is so my Lion Guard material when he's old enough." Mufasa laughed.

Janja was waving his paw in the air to try and get rid of the pain in it. When the pain was gone, Janja glared at Vitani and Kopa's cub. Janja began to angrily stomp towards the cub, but Shenzi stood in between them. Janja stopped in his tracks and looked at his mother with fear.

"Janjie, what did me and your father tell you about practicing good behavior?" Shenzi snapped.

"Mommy, your embarrassing me in front of my new future friend." Janja complained like a child.

"Somebody needs a time out!" Shenzi snapped as she pointed towards of corner of the den.

Janja lowered his head to the ground and walked towards the corner of the den and sat in it like a hyena pup being disciplined. Shenzi than turned back to everyone else.

"Sorry about that, now continue with the saying hi's to Vitani and Kopa's cub." Shenzi said.

Kiara, Kovu, and their children came up to say hi to the cub. Kiara smiled down at the cub.

"He really does look like you a lot Vitani." Kiara said.

"Yeah, especially with his violet eyes. Now, Vitani's eyes are still beautiful violet-blue, but I liked them better when they were full on violet." Kovu said

Taka glanced at Mufasa next to him.

"I guess your job now is to keep him from getting a scar like me, which should be no trouble with that little magic trick you learned a couple weeks ago." Taka said.

"Roar little man." Mufasa said, staring down at his couple minutes old cousin.

Talia reached a paw down towards her cousin, but stopped, keeping her paw a couple inches away.

"You're not going to bite me like you did Janja aren't you?" Talia asked.

"Oh, you'll survive if he does, you're tough than that mean old dog." Kopa said.

"Bite me!" Janja said.

"Sure, but later." Kopa repled.

Talia continued to reach her paw down towards her new cousin. The little cub grabbed onto Talia's paw with both his small paws. Vitani smiled at her niece.

"I think he like you Tally." Vitani said.

"Oh, come on Aunt Tani, you know I hate that nickname." Talia said.

"Not as much as Dalia hates her nickname." Kopa replied.

Zuri and Nuka came up to say hi to the young cub.

"He's going to be the handsome beauty of the Pride Lands when he's older." Zuri said.

"We just gotta make sure he doesn't become as scraggily looking or as bad smelling as I became." Nuka said.

"Oh, don't you worry there." Vitani said, taking a moment to give a small laugh. "We just gotta worry about your and Zuri's cub or cubs when their born about becoming scraggily looking and as bad smelling as you."

"Hay!" Nuka protested.

Everyone, except Zuri, just laughed.

"I hope sassiness isn't going to be the first thing you teach him." Dalia said.

"Oh, don't worry, I promise he'll learn politeness first." Vitani said.

Kion, Simba, Nala, Sarabi, Tiifu, Jamey, the Lion Guard, and everyone else took their turns saying hi to Vitani and Kopa's cub. The cub shifted in Vitani's paws, and as it did, it's eyes locked with Dalia's eyes, the only one who hadn't said hi to him yet. The old hyena smiled down at the cub. The cub gave a small gasp and cowered in Vitani's paws. Vitani couldn't help but laugh at the cub.

"Oh, you silly little cub, don't be scared of her. That hyena is basically your surrogate aunt or grandmother." Vitani said.

"Alright, everyone has said hi to him, what's his name?" Kiara asked.

Kopa and Vitani smiled at each other before looking down at their son. They looked to Zuri and Nuka, then to Dalia

"We've got the perfect name for him." Kopa said.

"Well, what is it? Kiara asked.

Kopa gestured for Dalia to come closer to him. Dalia did as Kopa gestured her to do and came closer to him. Kopa wrapped a forepaw around Dalia, then nuzzled her cheek with his nose before licking it.

"He's going to have name that he can be proud of when he's old enough to understanding the meaning behind it." Kopa said.

"And what name is that?" Dalia asked.

Kopa looked down at his and Vitani's son and smiled at him.

"He's going to be named Siri." Kopa said.

Everyone, especially Dalia looked down at Kopa and Vitani's cub in surprise. Dalia felt so touched that Kopa would name his son after the name she gave him when he was a cub and still had amnesia. Dalia looked and the minutes old cub, then up at Kopa with tears in her blue eyes. The old hyena stood on her hind legs and nuzzled her face into Kopa's chest.

"Oh Kopa, you may have a different name now, but you'll always be my little Siri. I hope you know that." Dalia said.

"And you'll always be a second mother to me, even though you're a hyena and I'm a lion." Kopa said.

Nuka broke down into tears, grabbed something next to him and blew his nose into it.

"Hay!" Kiara shouted, her tail tuft now covered in Nuka's snot.

"Oh, Sorry." Nuka said.

Vitani outstretched her paws and placed Siri in Dalia's paws. Dalia gently cradled the cub in her paws and looked down at him. This time, Siri smiled up at her, and Dalia smiled back. Dalia leaned down and nuzzled the cub's face with her snout. Siri seemed to relax due to Dalia gentle, loving gesture and soon fell asleep in the old hyena's paws.

Vitani and Kopa placed their paws on top of each other's, happy to see their son had quickly bonded with Dalia.

"So, now that Siri's is born, what's next until Zuri and Nuka's cub or cubs are born?" Kiara asked.

"I'm sure I can tell you all that." Simba said, walking up.

"And what is that?" Dalia said, looking up at Simba.

"Siri's presentation for tomorrow." Simba said.

"But he isn't destined to become king." Kopa said.

"Yes, but cubs of the royal family being presented to the Pride Lands isn't something just for the future king or queen, and their children. It can also be held for their nieces, nephews, and cousins." Nala stated.

"Oh, well then it's going to be great to see him get presented to everyone tomorrow." Kiara said.

"I'll go tell Rafiki and Makini to get ready for tomorrow." Ono said.

"Thanks Ono." Kopa said.

"Your welcome Kopa." Ono said as he flew off.

Taka looked towards his siblings.

"I guess tomorrow is another special day for the Pride Lands these past months since grandpa revealed the truth about Uncle Kopa." Taka said.

"Yeah, I guess it is." Mufasa said.

"I guess I should prepare myself for my time tomorrow as well." Taka said.

"Prepare yourself for what?" Talia asked.

"Oh, you'll see." Taka said.

The next day every animal gathered in front of Pride Rock for Siri's presentation. Rafiki and Makini soon arrived. Makini squealed in delight once she saw Kopa and Vitani's.

"Oh my gosh, look at this little guy. He's cute, and he looks a lot like you Vitani." Makini said.

"I'll thank you as long as you don't say he's got big ears like me, which we both don't." Vitani said, glaring at Kopa through the corner of her eye.

"Okay?" Makini said. "Alright Rafiki, work your presenting magic."

"No Makini, I think the privilege of presenting Siri belongs to you." Rafiki said.

"Wow, really?" Makini asked, surprised.

Vitani and Kopa walked over to Makini and handed her Siri.

"Just don't drop him." Vitani said.

Makini picked up a handful of dust off the ground and rubbed her hands together.

"Hands all nice and dry." Makini said.

"Good." Kopa said.

Makini took Siri to the ledge to present him with Vitani, Kopa, and the rest of the royal family following behind. Kopa and Vitani looked at their son with pride. Dalia came up to Siri and nuzzled his face.

"To think a few months ago, you and me were still living in our old home while you were still Siri." Dalia said.

"Yeah, I'm glad to be home, but I also kinda miss our old home still." Kopa said truthfully.

"Oh, don't you worry your pretty little head off. You, me, Vitani, and little Siri can go visit it once a year." Dalia said.

"I just hope that if our den was taken over by some other animal, that they're putting it to good use and treating it with respect." Kopa said.

Dalia smiled, laughed, and licked Kopa's cheek.

"Oh Kopa, like I said yesterday, you'll always be that cute, little cub I saved in that river years ago." Dalia said.

Kopa smiled down at his adoptive hyena mother, wrapped a fore leg around her, and rubbing his nose against her cheek.

"My little Siri." Dalia whispered in Kopa's ear.

Simba came wakling up to everyone and placed a paw on Kopa shoulder.

"I'm glad your back Kopa." Simba said.

"And it's good to be back dad." Kopa said.

After a minute of being presented, Makini brought Siri back to Kopa and Vitani.

"Well, I must say that Siri did good for his presentation, you to with your first solo presentation Makini." Kopa said.

"Thanks Kopa." Makini said.

"And to think, one day my, Talia, Taka and Bluu's children will be presented up there one day." Mufasa said.

"Well, it's still a bit too early for us all to be thinking about that." Bluu said.

The entire royal family walked up to the edge of Pride Rock. From below, Shenzi and her clan looked up at the royal family.

"Wow, it feels good to be humbly watching them on top of Pride Rock instead of sinisterly from the shadows." Shenzi said.

"Your telling me." Banzai said.

"It totally is, even though I've never done the sinister watching from the shadows." Jasiri said.

From the top of Pride Rock. All the Pride Land animals cheered. Taka took a deep breath before he made his next move.

"Everyone, I'd like to say something." Taka said a bit nervously.

Everyone looked towards Taka.

"What is it Taka?" Kiara asked her son.

"Uh, can you all give me a little room first, please?" Taka asked.

Taka's entire family, stepped few paces back to give the young prince and future king some room. Taka stood on the edge of Pride Rock and began to say his speech.

"Everyone, a lot has happened in the past about half year since my grandfather revealed to my mother and Uncle Kion that they had an older brother. Me, my dad, and my best friend get captured by the Scarred Pride, my dad and Dalia are nearly killed for refusing to kill their opponent in the Scarred Pride's fighting pits, my grandpa and grandma are nearly killed my Wraith, I got this scar, we lost a couple of our pride members in the battle, including my Great Grandma, Sarafina, and Great Uncle Mheetu, and many other things happen. So many bad things that if any of you were in my paws, you would wish that the Scarred Pride never existed, or that we never ran into it. However, nothing can change all that happened… but that's okay." Taka said.

"Huh?" everyone exclaimed.

"Because despite everything bad that happened because of the Scarred Pride, many other good things happened. We made peace with the hyenas of the elephant graveyard, we found our friend Jasiri's real parents, we found out my Uncle Nuka was alive, and we redeemed him, but most importantly, we found out my Uncle Kopa was alive and he was able to marry the one lioness he was promised to as a cub. I also learned a lot about myself from this whole experience, because I did what most of you would say a cub my age at the time couldn't do. I fought against hyenas, I helped bring peace between the Pride Land lions and the elephant graveyard hyenas along with my mother, and I was able to negotiate with hyenas. And I'm sure my family and friends learned much about themselves as well, and I'm glad that my Uncle Kopa is alive and here now, and I'm proud to be his nephew." Taka said finishing his speech.

Taka walked away from the ledge of Pride Rock and towards his family.

"Good speech kid." Shenzi said while she, Banzai, Ed, Jasiri, Cheezi, Chungu, and each of their clans clapped.

"I hate all of you." Janja said miserably.

Shenzi flicked Janja's nose after he said that, causing him to begin clapping at Taka's speech. Taka's grandparents, uncles, aunts, siblings, and father looked at him with proud looks. Kiara came up to her son with tears in her eyes. Kiara wrapped a fore leg around Taka, pulling him into a hug.

"I'm proud of you." Kiara said.

"Thanks mom." Taka said.

When Kiara released Taka from the hug, Kopa came walking up to Taka and smiled down at him.

"Hay, I'm proud to be your uncle to." Kopa said.

Taka and Kopa than embraced each other. Soon, Kopa caught sight of a lion that looked like himself in the sky, only it had a red mane instead, and there were no scars on him.

"Grandpa Mufasa." Kopa thought to himself.

Mufasa gave Kopa a wink from above in the heavens. Kopa winked back at his grandfather, then pulled away from his nephew's hug.

"You know, all that's missing right now is a song to wrap everything up." Bunga said.

"Cue the music." Kopa thought.

Listen baby, ain't no mountain high, ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough baby. If you need me call me, no matter where you are, no matter how far; don't worry baby. Just call out my name. I'll be there in a hurry, you don't have to worry, 'cause baby, there ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough, ain't no river wide enough to keep me from getting to you, babe. Remember the day I set you free, I told you, you could always count on me, darling. From that day on I made a vow. I'll be there when you want me, someway, somehow, 'cause baby there there ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough, ain't no river wide enough to keep me from getting to you, babe. Oh, oh darling. No wind, no rain, or Winter's cold can stop me, baby. No, no baby. 'Cause you are my goal. If your ever in trouble, I'll be there on the double, just send for me, oh baby. My love is alive, way down in my heart. Although we are miles apart, if you ever need a helping hand, I'll be there on the double, just as fast as I can. Don't you know there ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough, ain't no river wide enough to keep me from getting to you, babe. Don't you know there ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough, ain't no river wide enough, ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough

Kopa began walking towards the edge of Pride Rock. Kopa felt the wind blow through his mane. He looked back at his lion and hyena family members. Dalia smiled at him, proud that the cub she rescued years ago had found out who he was, his name, his family, his home, his heritage. Dalia licked her lips as she nodded in approval.

She than looked to Timon and Pumbaa next to her.

"Well would you look at that." Dalia said.

Timon and Pumbaa each gave Dalia's cheek a playful nudge with a clenched fist/hoof. Dalia placed a paw on her cheek and softly giggled. She than gave Timon and Pumbaa both a kiss on the cheek, which caused their faces to go red, which Dalia giggled at. Kopa closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he turned his head towards the sky.

"It's good to be home." Kopa said.

THE END