`Chapter 3, Under the Stars

Jay was standing atop Pride Rock that evening, peering out over the Pridelands. He pondered over the words his father had said to him. This first hunt would be a demonstration of his strength and dominance. The kill he would make would be a dominance display for all the pride. To prove himself worthy of being their future king.

He had always known that any pride member's first hunt was important. When they truly took their place in the pride and to hunt along side the lionesses. With his place being the heir to Mufasa, his hunt would be when he would take his place at his father's side. And while the pride will be relying on him for tomorrows hunt, Jay was still determined to keep his word. While he was quite determined to keep his word, his doubts continued to linger.

Jay peered up at the stars above, remembering what Mufasa had told him that very night. Of the past Kings who watch over them from the stars above. Yet there was someone else who he wished to speak to of this day.

"I don't know if your listening," Jay said to the past kings.

"Maybe I'm just talking to a bunch of stars. But if there's a small chance your are there, I could really use your help."

The stars remain silent as the night itself. As it was whenever he would try speaking to them in the past.

"The Pride will be relying on me to make the first kill on tomorrow's hunt," Jay said.

"Father said the first hunt of a king will be a test of his strength and will. But... what if... What if I can't. What if I can't be the king everyone wants me to be?"

Jay glanced back up at the stars. And though they were silent, Jay remembered that old saying she used to tell him. He smirked, giving a slight chuckle.

"Yeah, I know what you'd probably say," He said.

"Jay, you should always remember: Fanya yaliyo muhimu."

It was an old saying he remembered he saying once. It meant to do what matters. Whenever he didn't know what to do, she would always remind him of that saying. To always do what matters and to make the right decisions.

Jay peered down the hunting dagger he was holding in his hand. Jay reached down and drew the knife from it's sheath. He then held up his dagger, peering at the long silver blade that was his claws and fangs. What he would use to make his first kill.

"Fanya yaliyo muhimu." Jack said to himself.

It was then that he peered up at the stars above, now knowing what he needed to do. Whether it would be a zebra or a gazelle which would feel his blade sink into their throats, he would make the kill. Not just to prove his strength and will to the pride.

But for the pride itself.

That is what a king would do. What mother and father had always taught him. What his real mother would have wanted of him.

It was then he peer forward, gazing back up at the stars.

"Your right," Jay said, lowering his blade to his side.

"I have do what matters for myself and the pride."

Jay peered back up at the stars,

"I'll make you proud, mom," Jay proclaimed to her.

"I promise."

Jay felt the soft evening wing blowing from the west, his long brown mane dancing in the currents. Jay closed his eyes, basking in it's touch. There was a part of him that felt that the wind was his mother's touch, reaching down to him.

As the winds began to settle, Jay opened his eyes and gazed out over the grasslands below. It was then that he peered of toward the east of the Pridelands. The place where Nala and the other lionesses had found him washed up over the banks of the river.

In the years since, he could hardly remember his past. Nor the place where he came from or the people he used to know. Even the night that he was separated from his mother, he could only recall seeing her lying over the ground, telling him to run. But nothing more.

The only thing he remembered was his mother, and that of a village of some kind. Though Jay wondered if there was any point of remembering it at all. It had been years since that day. If he had friends or family out there, they probably had forgotten him and had moved on with their own lives. Believing him to have died along side her.

So now he must do the same.

Leave behind the past he had forgotten. For the pride was now his family and the Pridelands his home.


Kovu was standing under an acacia tree, gazing up at Jay standing over the ledge of Pride Rock. He stared up at Jay in complete contempt. Feeling so torn of his friendship with Jay and the destiny his parents had proclaimed was his and his alone.

"Everything is going according to plan."

Slinking out from behind Kovu, Zira came up next to him. She gazed up at Jay standing atop Pride Rock, grinning so connivingly. Their plan to overthrow Mufasa and reclaim the birthright of which he had been denied so long was all coming together. Kovu had been spending so much time with Jay since they were cubs, building trust and becoming close as brothers.

And now that Kovu had earned the trust of the man-cub, he can use that very trust to take back what he and Mufasa had denied them.

"And now that you have his trust," Zira proclaimed to her son.

"You will soon be able to take back your father's place as the true king of the Pridelands."

Kovu narrowed his eyes. For so long they have told him that this was he was meant to be king. That it was he who would succeed his father once he is king of the Pridelands. However in the years he spent with Nala and Jay, he had grown close to them. Jay especially as she had come to see him not as just a friend.

But as his brother.

Yet now he was standing in the way of him and of him becoming king. Kovu felt so confused. Torn between his destiny and his closest friend.

"Tomorrow is when you truly rid yourself of your rival," Zira claimed to him.

"Jay is to make his first kill. And what better way then to lead him to one not even Mufasa could catch."

Zira turned back to her son.

"You are to lead the buffalo to him." Zira declaimed to him.

Kovu narrowed his head as he pondered.

"I-" he said, glancing to the side.

Hearing that hint of hesitation and contempt in his son's voice, Zira paused for a moment. She glanced back at Kovu, seeing him bowing his head in utter confusion. She growled, turning back to him.

"Kovu," She growled, turning back to him.

"Do not forget, he is not your friend. He is man. Man is lion's enemy."

Kovu narrowed her head. Zira circled around Kovu as she continued preaching to him all that she had taught.

"The time will come when we will cease the chance to claim your right," Zira proclaimed to him.

"And once that time comes..."

Zira raised her paw and slashed the trunk of the tree, leaving four claw marks over it's surface. Kovu of which stared in awe at the sight. Thought he was careful as to not reveal it to his mother. But rather he nodded his head reluctantly to Zira.

"Yes, mother." he said to her.

Zira grinned in satisfaction. She then turned and slinked away into the shadows. Kovu glanced back at his mother as she disappeared into the tall grass. Leaving Kovu to his thoughts. He turned and narrowed his head, pondering his mother's words. It was true that his place was by his father's side and that his loyalties lied with his family. But even still, the notion that he would be forced to kill his own friend. What would Nala think?

Kovu looked back up at Jay, who turned and made his way back toward the den. The mere thought that it was Jay he would be the one who was standing in his way of his birthright was a shock to say the least. The one who had treated him in ways he had never been before and who called him his friend. He narrowed his head, conflicted on what he would have to do.

Though the real question was, would he be able to do it? Could he do what was asked of him?


Kovu walked up over the top of the path. He glanced back down at the tree where he had stood under, continuing to ponder what zira had said. When suddenly he heard a voice coming from the den

"Kovu?"

He glanced up and saw Nala standing at the mouth of the cave. She came out of the den and came up over to him.

"Where have you been?" he asked, curiously.

"Uh..." he said, glancing to the side.

He glanced to the side, pondering. He knew he couldn't tell her about what was going on. Though it was not like he wanted to anyway. He couldn't, not with how much he cared for her.

He shook his head, turning away from her.

"Nowhere." he answered her.

Nala frowned. She could see that something was troubling him. She had seen that same expression before. That look of confusion and despair. It was the same look he had whenever he was with Taka or Zira. She had seen the way they had treated Kovu in the past. Though Kovu would never admit it. Nor did he ever wish to speak of it, even to her.

Though Nala could always tell that he wanted to.

Whether it was the loyalty to them or the feelings he had for her. He could never bring himself to speak of what troubled it. Though Nala never did wish to force him to say. But rather, she wished to show him how much she cared for him.

Nala came up to Kovu and brought her head under her chin, lifting up his head. Kovu glanced back down at her, seeing her nuzzling him as she purred. He smiled as he leaned in to her touch. Slowly any feelings of doubt and contempt that he may have felt faded away. Replaced with his feelings for Nala.

Having to grown up together, Kovu had grown close to both her and Jay. But as they grew older, it was clear to him that his feelings for her had changed. He began to see her not just as a close friend, but something more.

Kovu had grown to love Nala. And it was clear that she felt the same.

The two then parted from one another, gazing into each other's eyes, smiling. Nala then turned and began walking back toward the cave. She then stopped for a moment glancing back at Kovu, who followed after her. The two then came into the cave, unaware that they were being watched from the nearby shadows.

Just as they went inside the den, Taka had stepped out of the shadows. He peered toward the entrance of the den, grinning. Seeing the two together, Taka could already see his successors once he overthrows Mufasa and the man-cub. Once Kovu succeeds him as King after him, Nala would be his devoted queen. The cubs they would have would bear his blood.

His linage will continue on long after he is gone.