Pridelands-Outlands Border, Pridelands Side

While Kion and Kopa were discussing things with their mother at Pride Rock, Kiara, Kovu, and Vitani were also pondering the next steps.

"The most important thing is our cubs," Kiara said, "As long as Kion and Rani are taking them with them to the Tree of Life, they will be safe."

"And I doubt Kopa will seriously cross the Roar," Kovu concurred. "Maybe this time the three of us should just leave and join another pride, wander Africa, anything. The Pridelands really will be safer this time without us."

Kiara nodded and gently nuzzled her face in Kovu's mane until she froze.

"What's wrong?" Her mate asked.

"Dhaifu."

Kovu felt his own heart skip a beat. "We can't leave while he is ruling the Pridelands through Kopa."

"Wait 'till the Lion Guard leaves and then we kill him," Vitani growled. Kiara had not seen her sister-in-law this feral since she was with Zira. Still, Kiara could not entirely blame Vitani for feeling this way. Dhaifu had after all tricked Vitani into killing her own Lion Guard, as well as killing both lionesses' fathers. Then Kiara felt Kovu tense.

"Do you realize who you sound like?" Her mate said, half accusingly to his sister.

Kill him and they really would be monsters like Zira.

"Even if we had another reason besides revenge, it still would be a mistake. He's Swamplands royalty. We would be starting a war." Kovu continued. "I'll hand myself over to Kopa in exchange for his pardoning you."

Kiara lurched upward in shock, bumping into her mate's muzzle, at the sheer lunacy of his suggestion.

"Are you crazy Kovu? He'll kill you!" she said as she moved away from him, eyes widening and mouth quivering.

"But he'll let you live, and you can raise our cubs."

In a fraction of a second Kiara saw Kovu's plan.

"This is how we keep Dhaifu from the next generation," she said almost without feeling, knowing with her head but not yet ready to accept with her heart the sacrifice it would require of her mate.

As Kiara began to let the dark dread of what was required into her heart, Vitani growled defiantly, "Kovu, you can't do this!"

"It is my duty as king, mate, and father!" Kovu shouted back to his sister. Kiara recognized a confidence in Kovu's voice that reminded her of the speech she had given before the assembled animals of the Pridelands less than two days ago. Just as she was ready to fulfill the duties of queen in that moment, Kovu was now ready to fulfill the duties of king. In both cases it had sounded like a newfound wellspring of self-confidence, but Kiara knew that neither she our Kovu felt sure of their abilities—her then or him now. What they were both sure of was that fear was no match for love. Kiara had loved and trusted Kovu when all the evidence pointed against him, and Kovu loved Kiara and their cubs enough to forfeit his own life for their safety. That was their strength.

Vitani growled again, but this time Kiara roared and silenced her.

Both of Zira's looked at Kiara, Kovu being forced to take a few steps back to fully take in his mate's regal posture.

"Kovu is doing what he must. Dhaifu won't be satisfied unless a cub he has raised is ruler of the Pridelands. Being there is the only way to keep Mohatu and Uru around as heirs."

Kiara walked to Kovu saying, "I don't want you to do this..." tears began to form in her eyes, "but I know you have to."

"Kiara..." Kovu began but could find no words to express what was in his heart as Kiara nuzzled the curve of her neck against his. Words were unnecessary for either of them.

They remained in that position until night when they lay next to each other in silence. When the sun rose, they would set off for Pride Rock.

Pride Rock

When the sun rose that morning, the three lions set off for Pride Rock. Anga the eagle, keenest of sight at the Tree of Life, had been given orders by Kion to seek out the renegades and inform him of where they were or were heading. From her vantage point there was no question that the three were heading to Pride Rock. She informed her friend and leader of as much.

Kion stood with Rani, watching the sunrise when Anga returned.

"They're coming here? How many animals are with them?" Kion felt his fur bristle at the thought of yet another battle for Pride Rock.

"No one. Just Kiara, Kovu, and Vitani."

That struck Rani as odd. They couldn't take Pride Rock by themselves, so they were after something other than conquest...but what?

"Kion, this troubles me."

Kion looked to his mate.

"They know they can't take Pride Rock with no support."

Kion nodded toward Rani, then drew back, the pain in his scar throbbing. The golden furred male let out a hiss of pain.

"Your scar?" she said, inquiring of his ability to fight and not of the pain as it was obvious.

"I can manage," he said unconvincingly.

"We should bring the Lion Guard with us,"

"No!" Kion said, the authority in his tone taking Rani aback. "Kiara is my sister," he emphasized. "I will finish this."

Rani, the Queen-Regnant of the Tree of Life was not used to being spoken to in this tone by her Consort, and almost bared her teeth when she remembered just how personal this was to Kion. He'd lost his father, one of his best friends, and to bring an end to this miserable affair he'd have to unleash the Roar on his own sister, as well as her treacherous mate and his sister.

"Ok, this is your home," Rani said, "your side of the family. I know this goes beyond simply being personal, but..." she softened her tone as she nuzzled Kion, "...be careful."

Kion felt the pain in his scar—as well as his heart—subside for a minute. He looked at Rani and offered the faintest hint of a smile. "I will. Keep the twins and Kopa safe. They are in danger as long as these three live."

"I will," Rani vowed, touching her forehead to Kion's. After a gentle purr from both of them, Kion rushed off to face his destiny.

As he hurried down craggy slope and over grass he told himself that the painful ordeal was almost over, but it would not go without a price.

Kiara, he thought as pain shot through his scar once more.

Playmate.

Coconspirator.

Partner in pranks.

Childhood nemesis.

Best friend.

Threat to the Kingdom.

Traitor.

Sister, despite everything.

He knew what action he needed to take. He could push himself through it. He would not think now of the torrent of tears that would follow his actions—a torrent which must come because of the sibling bond he still valued.

The trio saw Kion approaching almost as fast as a cheetah, in stark contrast to the slow but steady pace they were taking to Pride Rock.

Kovu stopped walking and inclined his head behind him to meet Kiara's eyes, "You two, stay behind me," he addressed the two lionesses. Kovu gulped nervously as he saw his destiny approaching rapidly on the grassy plains of the Pridelands in the form of his brother-in-law. He began to speak his final words. He had thought of nothing else except his mate and sister's safety on the long walk to Pride Rock. He had expected to make this speech at the base of Pride Rock, but here in the endless sea of grass was as a good a place as any.

"Kion..." he called out to his brother-in-law who had slowed but was still moving closer. He had wanted to say "I surrender. Do whatever you want to me, but please, I beg you, spare Kiara and Vitani." However, Kovu never got further than the word "I" when Kion loosed the Roar.

Kovu's destiny had come and Kiara's was still uncertain. Would Kion spare her and let her raise the twins? This was Kovu's only thought as a less powerful version of the roar, not intended to kill but merely send flying a short distance, collided with his rib cage. His bones cracked but all he could think of was the unmistakable, unbelievable, sickening truth that he wasn't Kion's main target.

Great Kings...

"Kiara!" Kovu cried.

Kiara stared at Kion in shock. "It's me you want?"

"It must be all of you, and you are the hardest because I love you."

"That is sick, Kion!" Kiara said as Vitani walked between the two siblings. No one noticed Kovu hobble to his paws.

"I'll deal with you later," Kion said, loosing another mini-Roar at Vitani, meeting with the same results as it had against Kovu.

Kiara knew she couldn't escape the range of Kion's fully powered roar, so she stood motionless, realizing that as with her grandfather Mufasa, her own younger brother would be her end.

Kion sucked as much air as he could into his lungs to loose the Roar at its full power. He was about to commit premeditated murder. It was necessary to protect the kingdom so he could not dwell on the victim being his sister, no matter how much it would hurt him later.

Kiara closed her eyes only to open them a split second later after hearing four paws jump from the ground. For a moment time stood still as an airborne Kovu blocked the Roar's path to Kiara.

Kion stood still, mouth agape, as the Roar dissipated before it even reached Kiara and Kovu.

Kovu fell to the ground, surprised to be alive. His lungs were burning from the effort it taken him to jump in front of Kiara in his injured state, but by all rights, both he and his mate should be dead.

Kiara bolted to Kovu's prone form, desperately hoping that since there was no sound, the Roar hadn't reached him. She nuzzled her cheek against his.

Kovu smiled and rasped the words, "You're safe?"

"For the moment," Kiara said, relieved that her mate still lived, She looked to Kion with steely determination. What happened next was up to him.

Kion could not believe his eyes and ears. The Roar of the Elders had failed?! Then Kion felt a searing pain on his shoulder. The mark of the Lion Guard had faded!

"No!" Kion shouted at this dreadful reality in which he found himself. "No!" A memory of Scar's ghost in the volcano, smiling menacingly, flashed through his head. Then it dawned on him: he may have had purer motives, but he was just the same as Scar. He had tried to kill his older sibling, not because he wanted to rule, but because he thought the kingdom would be safer...better off. Scar had taken the throne, but he had probably thought the kingdom would be better of with himself in charge. They had both thought that they knew best, and that that justified unspeakable acts.

Tears began to flow from Kion's eyes. After everything that had happened to his father, to Ono...the only result had been his completing Scar's posthumous plan all on his own.

"What have I done!?" Kion yelled to the Great Kings of the past as his scar throbbed, not really expecting an answer in his agitated state.

"Kion..." Kovu struggled to say.

"No," Kiara said gently, nuzzling her mate. "I will speak."

Kion met his sister's gaze, his vision blurred from the still streaming tears.

"Kovu would never endanger our father let alone kill him. Simba was the closest thing to a father of his own that Kovu has ever known. Still, he would accept the blame and even let you kill him if you would only spare Vitani and me. These are not the actions of someone who values power over love!"

Kion shifted his gaze to the battered lion on the ground. "What have I done?" He did not know if he really heard this or if he imagined it but, he heard his Granduncle's demonic cackle in his head at the very least.