Sarabi had gone down and laid next to Sarafina's grave, which had been taken up the month prior, and passed peacefully with the setting sun that had blessed her every night's rest. Leone and Simba had been the ones to lower both of them into their final resting places.

We stood back as Simba and the rest of her pride said their final words.

Dirt was kicked into the grave, gradually covering Sarabi's still form. I stood at the place near her head, scooping up a handful of dirt before placing it down and pressing it into the mound. A handprint was left behind.

"Go, and be with your mate, who has been eagerly awaiting your reunion." The words were carried on a breeze.

Leone pressed his paw into the dirt next to mine, easily dwarfing my print with his own. After a moment, Simba did the same, then encouraged Kiara and Nala to follow.

Sarabi's grave was covered by the paw prints of her pride, led by two once-strangers.

I stayed by the graveside with Nala to help Simba and Kiara grieve. Despite Kiara's anger at me - completely justified in her eyes, as I had broken my promise - She couldn't help but find comfort in my arms. Not a word was said until the sun reached its peak.

"Nala," I whispered. She peeked an eye over Simba's shoulder. "I'll help patrol today." Her brow pinched and her eyes moved down to my side. I shook my head. "I'll be riding Leone. I'll be okay." She nodded after a moment before letting out a heavy sigh. After a silent launch, having picked his Bey up earlier, Leone helped me on his back and we headed back to Pride Rock.

Once we informed Zazu, we headed out on patrol. It had been long enough that even without Leone's nose I could follow the invisible border.

"Leone, James! Wait up!" We looked back to see Bisa loping up to us. "You guys shouldn't be alone."

"Fair enough." She fell in step with Leone.

"It's…going to feel different without the oldest generation here, isn't it?" She asked after a while. I glanced down at her.

"Right, I almost forgot you're younger than Simba."

"Are you saying I look old?" She gave me a look. I shot her a coy grin.

"Just not used to this pride, even after the time that has passed."

"Well, I was born during Scar's rule, so I'm a few years younger than Simba. Don't remember much of it, but I do remember it being nothing but gray."

"Probably felt that way too." She nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, my mother told me it was awful." We continued on, chatting about random things that came to mind. It was easy with her, pretty sure she had some form of hyperactivity.

Leone froze, making me freeze. Bisa looked back at us after a few steps, stopping herself. When she opened her mouth, I threw a hand up, stopping her question.

"…Down!" Leone crouched and I pressed into his back at the same time. A gray lioness flew through the air, soaring over my head. "Bisa, run!" She did so after a moment's hesitation, kicking dirt into the air with her claws. "Leone!" He leaped into action, bum rushing the stranger and bowling her over. He was quick to follow Bisa. I looked back to see more lionesses following. I scowled when I saw a certain one.

"Zira!" Leone snarled at the name. He ran faster, catching up with Bisa.

"James! What do we do?! We can't fight that many!" She'd never been in a fight before. Not a real one.

"This is a repeat of the poachers! Get back to Pride Rock and warn the others! And for the love of the stars, keep them there!" I wasn't going to allow arguments this time. If I found a Pridelander sneaking out to try and help, I'd drag them back by their tail, injured or not.

"On it!" Determination sharpened her expression as she bolted for Pride Rock at full speed. I hopped up so I was crouched on Leone's back. I leaped. Coming out of a roll, my palm slapped the ground, making the Zone form just in time for the first lioness to crash face first into it. I got to my feet and turned around.

First, I get shot.

Then the conversation with Mufasa nearly drives me up a wall.

Sarabi dies.

Now this?!

Pain, frustration, mourning, anger. The heat of all of those intense feelings culminated into my very being, compacting down, tighter and tighter, until the spark of pure rage jumped forward.

"You couldn't have picked a worse time to piss. Us. OFF!" I shouted. Our power exploded as Leone roared to the heavens. I threw my arm forward and my partner charged. Lionesses tried to drag him down, but swats from his claws sent each of them reeling. A few tried to get me through the dome, but it had tanked a hail of bullets before.

After Leone thoroughly smacked each of them into the dirt, some of them groaning in pain, he grabbed Zira by the scruff. He dragged her across the ground before shoving her against the dome. I stepped closer, my voice hauntingly calm.

"Do you remember the night you were banished, I told the hyena if I ever heard that one of them had harmed a lion, they'd be dealing with me?" She snarled and tried to get free. Unfortunately for her, the dome didn't give her any purchase, her claws slid off of it. "The only reasons I don't let Leone kill you all here and now is because I am not going to create orphans, and I'm not a murderer." Leone spun and threw her away. She crumpled to the ground before staggering to her feet.

"Get out of our Pridelands. Before you never have the chance to again."

"Your Pridelands?!" Her eyes bulged with fury.

"Simba made us part of the pride. So yes. Our, Pridelands." At those words, flames began growing around us once more. A few of the lionesses looked to Zira for guidance. She scowled with every fang flashing in the sun.

"Retreat for now. The coward is unwilling to fight us himself." I nearly scoffed.

"Call me what you want. I don't have the blood of a cub on my hands." She roared in anger, but a single step forward was all Leone had to do to dissuade any further action. The exiled lions retreated. Once Leone was certain they were gone, he stepped into the dome and helped me on his back. We rocketed back to Pride Rock, not wanting to give them another chance to attack us.

Bisa was pacing at the base of said rock when we skidded to a halt. I slid off Leone's crouched form. She trotted up to us, looking us over.

"You're okay!"

"Of course we are. The exiled lions were sent packing with their tails between their legs." I winced and put my hand on my side. "Going to need a minute to recover." My abdomen tightened, forcing a wheeze through my teeth. That was one of the faster set ups for the Zone I'd done. "Might have strained myself a little."

"Come lie down." I didn't argue, and caught Leone before going inside. We laid down against the wall, my arm resting on her back as we both sighed in relief. Simba came over with worry in his eyes.

"Bisa told me what happened."

"Before you say anything, we're okay. Tired, but okay." I shifted a little, getting more weight off of my wound.

"You don't look it."

"Just, the gun shot wound flared up a little with the action." Simba's nose twitched twice and his brow furrowed.

"I smell blood." When I went to open my mouth, he cut me off. "Your blood." I rolled my eyes and lifted my shirt. Sure enough, there was a spot of red seeping through the bandages.

"Not surprised," I grunted as I leaned over to my bag and pulled out fresh bandages. Simba and Bisa couldn't help, given that they didn't have thumbs, so they kept an eye on me as I unwrapped the old bandage and put on the new one. I hissed through my teeth a little when the open air hit the wound.

"That doesn't look too bad." I glanced up at Simba. He gave me a sheepish look. "Of course, I've never seen…this type of wound before." My unwavering gaze made him a little uncomfortable and he cleared his throat. Deciding not to torture the king too much, I got back to redressing the wound.

Once finished, I gathered up the old wrap, only for Simba to snatch it from me and take off outside. Unable to find the energy to protest, I leaned back against the wall again. Bisa chuckled.

"You two have this silent battle of wills going on. It's kind of funny to watch." I raised an eyebrow at her.

"What do you mean?"

"You're trying to show Simba you can take care of yourself. While," She gave me a look when I opened my mouth, "Simba is focused on keeping you alive. And though you have proven capable, you are still a human in the savanna."

"I'm not…challenging him in any way, am I?" She shook her head.

"No, you're simply as thick headed." I gave her a flat look, to which she deflected with a cheesy grin.

"Don't let him hear you say that."

"Oh, he knows it," Nala butted into the conversation. She walked over and sat down. I smirked.

"That wouldn't happen to be your doing, would it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." She lifted a paw and licked it, only to glance at me and chuckle. Bisa and I joined her. Simba came back in and raised a brow.

"What's so funny?" He asked. I snorted, having to hold back my laughter to avoid causing myself more pain.

"We'd fit right in with a rhino herd." Nala and Bisa burst out laughing while poor Simba just looked lost.