Tojo sat outside the small den that was mostly used to house in laboured lionesses. Now it was a ward for the wounded. Currently his uncle, his deceased mother's older brother.

Rafiki was in there checking Cassiel over. He hoped his uncle would be okay but he can't help but feel emotional. Tojo had lost his mother to the unbearable hardship of Scar's rule, his uncle was his only family and the possibility of losing him for was a bit too much to handle.

Tojo's ears perked at the small sound of sobbing. He originally was the only one waiting on Rafiki's report. Everyone wanted to give him space to cope with the recent events. The tan, light brown mane lion turned his pale blue eyes from the small den entrance to see Starra sitting by the slope with a lot of emotions swirling in her orange eyes.

"Starra..." the tan lion called. "Do you want to talk?"

Starra looked up at her friend and thought about his offer. She sighed before walking over to the bit older lion. She sat quiet for a while before looking up at Tojo when the tan lion began to speak.

"I'm worried about him too." Tojo sighed before smiling gratefully towards the young goldish lioness. "Thank you. If you didn't reach my uncle when you did...I'm sure that the hyenas would of finished him."

Starra looked away causing Tojo to frown before his ears slightly folded forward. He stood and walked over before placing a pale paw on Starra's light beige paw.

Tojo looked deep into his best friend's sister eyes and smiled slightly. "You love him? Don't you?"

Starra wanted to deny the claim but she didn't have the heart. "Yes..."

Tojo moved his paw and smiled a bit brighter but before he could say anything Rafiki exit the den. The Royal Mujzi walked over to the tan furred lion.

"Rafiki, is my uncle going to be okay?"

Rafiki placed a paw on Tojo's shoulder. "Cassiel with live. I gave him some herbs, so he should be wakin' very soon."

Starra sighed in relief before quickly decending down the rocky slope and into the Pridelands.

-TLKTLKTLKTLK-

He couldn't believe the information he had just learned. How can a lion be so soulless? And how did he not see through the lies and hatred?

Simba intended to go to priderock but it seems like his paws had a mind of their own. The gold lion soon found himself at the gorge. He been wanting to come here and properly say his goodbye but he has been a coward.

"It's very brave of you, your Majesty."

Simba shook his head before moving his orange eyes towards the direction of the voice, to see a creamy brown lioness around his age maybe a little older approaching.

"Forgive me," Simba folded his ears backwards as he lowered his head. "I'm afraid I'm at a loss here."

"Arcadia," the creamy brown lioness smiled. "But.. I.. it's alright. Is there something you need help with, sire?"

Simba raised a thick red eyebrow. "Sire? Please, just Simba." the gold lion looked around before turning his orange eyes on Arcadia. "But you're right about me being brave. It took me forever to gather to courage to come back here."

With a smile, Arcadia walked by but not before running her tail under Simba's chin with a sweet purr. "Perhaps you need someone to talk to. You have been busy nonstop since you returned. You should have a walk with me. What do you say?"

Simba felt a lot of emotions and feelings at that moment. But looking into Arcadia's dark brown eyes, for a little while he can forget about the troubles he has to deal with. If only, just for a little while.

-TLKTLKTLKTLK-

The sight of dust rising from the gorge unraveled Cassiel. Since coming to the Pridelands, becoming the King's advisor and shadowing Mufasa on his patrols he never seen the area's resident wildebeest herd stampede.

Then almost instantly he was hit with a feeling that he knew something wasn't right. Cassiel shook his head before rushing towards the gorge. He ran until he reached a edge and gazed down to gasp as he saw Mufasa get hit by a wildebeest, causing him to accidentally throw Simba.

Simba slides along the dusty gorge floor before he had to dodge a few incoming wildebeest.

Mufasa runs by with the herd and grabs Simba. He jumps up to a near rock ledge and sets Simba down, but is immediately struck by a wildebeest and carried off into the stampede.

"Dad!" Simba cried as he helplessly watched his father get pulled back into the stampede.

Cassiel watches along with the young prince in horror as they couldn't find the gold lion in the swirling mass of wildebeest below them.

At the last second, Mufasa leaps out of the herd and starts to climb with great difficulty up the sheer rock slope.

Simba smiles before he turns and starts to climb up to the top of the gorge.

Out of Simba's sight but clearly in Cassiel's, Mufasa reaches a point right below a ledge where he can't climb due to the steepness and his tiredness. His claws are scraping and his back paws have no traction. The golden king sighed in relief when he see Scar standing on the ledge over him.

"Scar! Broth-" Mufasa start to slip and barely hangs on. "Brother! Help me!"

Cassiel felt frozen as he watched Scar latch onto Mufasa's forepaws with claws extended. The golden lion roars, primarily from the sudden pain of his brother's claws, but no doubt also due to the sudden flash of realization. His expression slowly changes to one of horror as he recognizes Scar's intent.

Scar lowers his head as he growled slowly and darkly, "Long live the king."

Cassiel was immediately haunted as all he could do was watch Scar throw his brother backwards.

Mufasa free-falls, back first. All he could do was yell as he fell. Cassiel watches with wide, teary eyes as he heard his friend and his son's screams mingle.

Cassiel felt like the ground he was standing on was going to swallow him whole. He couldn't move, he couldn't remove what he witnessed.

The light brown lion was helpless when a young greyish-tan lioness roughly pounced on him. Tackling the King's advisor hard to the ground.

Out of the tall blades of grass was a all too familiar young dark tan lioness and a young pale grey lioness, that was recently accepted along with his attacker.

"Zira," Cassiel snarled in disgust as he stared into Scar's daughter's dark red eyes. "I see the rotten fruit don't fall far from the tree."

Zira shook her head before growling at the older lion. "I'll watch what you say if I was you. It could be your last."

Zira nodded at the greyish-tan lioness to stand aside, letting Cassiel slowly rise to snarl at the young lionesses.

"No matter, I'm getting the pride!" Cassiel growled.

But as the light brown lion moved to head towards Priderock, his path was blocked by a small group of hyenas.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you."

Cassiel turned to face Zira with a snarl. "Why the hell not!"

The young dark tan lioness laughed. "I'm sure you don't want nothing to happen to your little nephew or you for the matter..."

Cassiel tried to calm his racing heart as he realized it was another dream. Even if it was all true, a feminine voice brought him out of his guilt and sorrow.

"Cassiel, are you alright?"

Cassiel took a deep breath before looking up at the voice to see a familiar young goldish lioness. Confusion filled his pale blue eyes. "Starra..? What are you doing here?""

Cassiel watched as the lioness bashfully lower her head. "Forgive the intrusion but I just had to see for myself if you were alright."

A smile formed as he looked at the younger lioness. "It's alright, I appreciate your concern."

Starra moved some lose pebbles around with her paw. "I was worried about you. I..I thought you died."

Cassiel frowned and grunted before he tried to stand only to collapse on his side with a painful growl.

"Don't do that!" Starra cried out as she ran to the older lion's side.

Cassiel was panting as the pain erupted through his body. "I can't stand to be cooped up when there things that need to be done. Your brother needs some help..."

Starra placed a paw over Cassiel's and quickly removed it when she saw the light brown lion look at her. "I'm sorry. I was trying to console."

Cassiel smiled and it took Starra's breath away. "I appreciate it."

Starra smiled lightly before standing and walked over to the zebra tigh before dragging it over. "My mother told me that you might be hungry."

Cassiel nodded before digging into the carcass. He looked up a few moments later to see Starra heading towards the cave entrance.

"Hey!" Starra stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Don't be afraid to stop by...I...really enjoy your company."

Starra smiled before exiting the cave. Cassiel smiled as a feeling he never felt before came bubbling up. The light brown lion shook his head, that's not possible.

Cassiel closed his eyes and laid his head down, figuring that after a good rest his head will be clear. Only if it was that simple.