Sarabi could not believe what she heard. She thought everything was fine, but apparently she was fooled. There was a fire that ignited in her orange eyes.

"Sarabi?" Sarafina approached but the dark beige lioness had already stormed up pride rock.

So many thoughts rushed in her head but she shook all the thoughts away and focused on her brother who was currently in some kind of council with Avana and Zira.

"How dare you?!" Sarabi roared. "Taka and Eshe may be dead but I am more than capable of ruling still!"

Mufasa chuckled as he approached his sister as a lioness he knew very well entered the cave. The gold lion turned his blazing orange eyes on his fuming sister.

"Oh I don't doubt it," Mufasa began to circle the dark beige lioness like prey as he smirked sinisterly. "That's why you're going to abdicate, little sister."

Sarabi gasped before growling. "The hell I will! And there's nothing you could do to change my mind!"

Zira crackled as she moved to grin at her old friend. "You want to bet?"

"Come now, Sarabi. You're just like our mother. You're too noble and righteous for your own good." Mufasa stopped circling to stand in front of the queen. "So, we're at a agreement? You abdicate and your unborn cubs live?"

Sarabi gasped as her orange eyes widened. "How.. how did you know?"

Avana smiled as she sat with her dark orange eyes gleaming with glee. "Why, Queenie we have our own eyes on the inside."

The dark beige lioness was hurt and confused. "Who?"

"Me!" a familiar voice purred causing everyone to look and see Judith walk further into the cave to sit by Zira.

Sarabi couldn't believe the betrayal. But then as she was forced to think about it, a lot of things made too much sense. Sarabi looked up as though she is seeing the dark grey lioness in a new light.

"Mbamba? He's Mufasa's son, isn't he?"

Judith smiled as she gazed at the gold lion with adoration and love. "Why of course, he is. I was more than happy to be of service, for my king."

Sarabi looked like she was going to be sick, she shook her head trying desperately to understand it all.

"There's only one option or you lose the last reminder of your pitiful mate." Mufasa scoffed before smiling. "The choice is yours, sister."

Sarabi knew that if she gave her brother the throne, there would be terrible times ahead. But that's a sacrifice she will have to make.

With a deep breath, Sarabi looked at Mufasa. "Fine. But not only will my cubs be safe but so will the males that are in the pride. Including Mheetu and Malka."

Mufasa dipped his head as his tail lashed side to side. "Of course,"

Sarabi lowered her head and exited the cave. All the while feeling like she just made a deal with the devil.

~TLQ~

Buzzards were circling the unconscious light brown cub's body. One descends, then all followed. They circle around her. With a yell a pale brown meerkat riding a red warthog appears and dives into the midst of the buzzards. They slap and kick the buzzards all away.

"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaahh! Get out! Get out! Get outta here! Whoo!" the meerkat yelled.

"I love it! Bowling for buzzards!" the warthog exclaimed.

The meerkat laughed while dusting himself off. "Gets 'em every time."

"Uh-oh. Hey Timon. You better come look. I think it's still alive."

Timon turned to see what his friend was looking at. "Ewww..."

Timon walks to the front of the unknown heep of fur, curious about what it was.

"All righty, what have we got here?" Timon smells the cub before he tries to lift the cub's pale paw. He can't. He gets under it and with a great push gets it above his head. When sees the cub's face. "Jeez, it's a lioness!" Jumping up on the warthog. "Run, Pumbaa! Move it!"

Pumbaa shook his head as he looked at the unconscious cub. "Hey, Timon. It's just a little lioness. Look at her. She's so cute, and all alone! Can we keep her?"

Timon's brown eyes widen before yelling into Pumbaa's ear, "Pumbaa, are you nuts? We're talking about a lioness. Lionesses eat guys like us."

Pumbaa frowned and was about to mention their first asset but choose to go against it. "But she's so little."

He leans over to regard the unconscious cub, and accidentally dumps Timon from his head.

Timon glared at the wild pig. "She's gonna get bigger."

Pumbaa smiled, "Then she'll be on our side."

Timon shook his head as he dusted himself off. "She'll be on our side? That's the stupidest thing I have ever heard."

"What are you two doing?"

Timon and Pumbaa looked to see a young adult pale gold lioness with a small tuff on her head walk their way. Pumbaa smiled at the lioness. "Timon doesn't think we should help this cub."

The lioness rolled her gold eyes. "Timon,"

Timon glared at the lioness. "I don't want to hear it, Auri. We raised you and that's enough."

Auri looked at the meerkat for a moment before smiling. "Then if you won't. I will."

Before Timon could protest Auri grabbed the unconscious cub and headed towards a cluster of trees. Timon groaned before jumping on Pumbaa and followed after the pale gold lioness.