The Lion King IV:

Part Three: Darkening Captors

Note: All the characters Kiara, Kovu, Mufasa, Simba, Rafiki, Zazu, Vitani, Timon, Pumbaa, Zira and Scar have been up from Disney. Also from Disney are the movies, The Lion King and The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride. All the characters, Mangel, Singa, Zaraku, Sithuka, Garofé, Shyla, Aurora, Timba, Runu, Kadio, Tanko, Pala and Sekeita have been created by me and are not allowed to be used without my permission, so email me to ask first. If any are the same as other characters in other fan-ficts I apologize and won’t change them unless you email me. Also created from me is the song.

Warning: You won’t understand this if you haven’t read my first stories, The Lion King III: A Clash of Kingdoms, The Lion King IV: Part One: The Cubs, or The Lion King IV: Part Two: Sekeita’s New Cubs.

And it should be obvious that you have to have seen both movies first.

Chapters

1. An Ally (Pridelands)

2. The Second Task (Dusklands)

3. Two Lessons in One (Dusklands)

4. Zazu (Outlands)

5. News from the Wind (Pride Rock)

6. Hyenas Against Lions (Strengthlands to Boulder of Strength)

7. Paintings (Tree of Life, Pridelands)

8 A New Love (Outlands to Boulder of Strength, to the Strengthlands)

9. Shyla’s Fight (Pridelands)

10. Another New Generation (Boulder of Strength)

Characters

Simba- Once King of Pride Rock, father of Kiara, and mate of Nala

Nala- Once Queen of Pride Rock, mother of Kiara, and mate of Simba

Mufasa- Once King of Pride Rock, mate of Sarabi, and Simba’s father

Sarabi- Once Queen of Pride Rock, mate of Mufasa, and Simba’s mother

Rafiki- Shaman of Pride Rock and brother of Garofé

Kiara- Queen of Pride Rock, mother of Mangel and Shyla, and mate of Kovu

Kovu- King of Pride Rock, father of Mangel and Shyla, and mate of Kiara

Vitani- Sister of Kovu and guardian of Shyla

Zira- Kovu’s and Vitani’s mother

Timon- Royal baby-sitter and friend of the prides

Pumbaa- Royal baby-sitter and friend of the prides

Zazu- Royal stooge of Pride Rock

Mangel- King of the Boulder of Strength, father of Aurora, Timba and Runu, older brother of Shyla, and mate of Singa

Singa- Queen of the Boulder of Strength, mother of Aurora, Timba and Runu, and mate of Mangel

Zaraku- Once King of the Boulder of Strength (Gry), father of Singa, and mate of Sithuka

Sithuka- Once Queen of the Boulder of Strength (Cry), mother of Singa, and mate of Zaraku

Garofé- Once shaman of the Boulder of Strength, and brother of Rafiki

Shyla- Daughter of Kovu and Kiara, baby sister of Mangel, and princess of Pride Rock

Aurora- Daughter (youngest) of Mangel’s and Singa’s, and princess of the Boulder of Strength

Runu- Son (middle one) of Mangel’s and Singa’s, and prince of the Boulder of Strength

Timba- Son (oldest) of Mangel’s and Singa’s, and prince of the Boulder of Strength

Larka- Friend of Aurora’s, Timba and Runu, and mate of Timba

One

~An Ally~

(Pridelands)

An old tigress was running through the savanna. She had been traveling for almost two days now, and it was evening. Panting, she rested by a small water hole and got a drink. But when she looked back up, her eyes met a strange lioness. Immediately the tiger’s fur bristled.

"Who are you?" she snarled.

"There is no reason why I should tell you," replied the lioness. "Besides, you’re on my brother’s lands."

Tilting her head, the tigress asked, "Your brother’s lands? Who’s your brother?"

"I shouldn’t have to tell you that either."

"Well if that’s the way you see it," and the tigress leapt on the lioness.

For a few minutes they fought, slashing and roaring, rolling over many times. But finally the lioness pinned the tiger, for she was old.

"Now prepare for a death from Vitani!" snarled the lioness, who bit down upon the tiger’s neck.

That name rushed through the tigress’s head along with her latest memories. "Vitani?" she choked, finding it familiar.

"Yes, but you’re not to know me as your death is now!" And she raised a paw with extended claws to dig into the tigress’s throat.

"Wait!" roared the tigress.

Somewhat surprised, Vitani held her paw. "I will be respectful—unlike some animals—and let you say your last words, whatever they may be."

Growling, but also grinning, the tigress said, "I have been looking for you, Vitani."

"You’ve been looking for me? Why? Who are you?"

"I am Pala, a friend of your pride, as well as your nephew’s pride. I am looking for one cub, and one lioness…which is you."

Getting off Pala, Vitani replied, "What do you want?"

"I’d like to talk to you…without fighting."

"Very well."

Pala got up, staggering. "You have been searching for three lost cubs I understand. Well, two of them have been found. But one was stolen once more before her parents could get to her and she is called—"

"Shyla." finished Vitani. She looked down sadly.

For a few minutes, Pala explained to her what she had missed.

"Well then," said Vitani after the tigress was done. She looked up to Pala. "I guess I will be searching with a friend."

Pala couldn’t help but smile. "I guess so."

And with that, they kept heading north, trying to find the cub.

Two

~The Second Task~

(Dusklands)

The cub, the lioness and the two lions were now far to the northeast. The land was incredibly dry and there weren’t many animals about for prey.

"Where are we?" meowed Shyla.

"The Dusklands," answered her "mom".

"But I wanna go home!"

"Silence!" snarled Sekeita and she snapped at the cub. "Here we shall stay…"

"But how are you to complete what you started, Sekeita?" asked her brother, Tanko.

"Here my little one will complete two more tasks. If she succeeds, then she is the next chosen one…If she fails just one, then she is of no use to us." But then Sekeita nuzzled the cub. "If you fail, then we will live in the Dusklands and become one new pride that you will carry on."

Shyla whimpered.

The next day Sekeita and her brothers were sitting in the Dusklands, looking down at the little cub. The four of them had spent the night in a nearby thicket. Now it was time for the second task.

"Shyla," growled Sekeita lowly. "Can you grab this?"

With those words the lioness let her paw leave the ground and an unusual looking bug flew up into the air. Tilting her head slightly, Shyla hesitated. And then, she pounced up, and tried to get it, but it flew off too quickly.

"Try it again, and make sure it will be able to fly when you’re done with it,"

"OK," whispered the cub.

Sekeita let go of another fly from her other paw. The little lion pounced in the air and caught the bug in her mouth. It died.

"No!" yelled the lioness. "Don’t kill it!…Kadio," she turned to her other brother. "Find another bug!"

"She’s already failed," replied Kadio. "Why bother?"

"NO! In the verse of the Ancient Lion Cry, it speaks of three times."

"Huh?"

Rolling her eyes, Sekeita smacked her brother, but not too hard, surprisingly. Then she got up and looked at the three. Suddenly, she started to sing an unusual song;

(Sekeita Singing)~

(Tune made up)

Distracting its kin, the cub will win,

Catching the flier, but it will buy ‘er,

Two more times,

Yet it better fly, in all’s eye

Then the third task will be born,

Killing the last, ruling it all,

But it must be fast, or it may fall!

"But," Tanko said as their brother went to fetch another fly. "It says ‘Catching the flier, it will buy ‘er, two more times,’ yet she didn’t catch the fly at all. So her last two chances are up, even though you had already given her another."

"You idiot!" Sekeita roared. "If she had caught it at first, then why at all would she need two more chances? Of course she’s allowed another time!"

Kadio came back with a fly…He laid his paw down, trapping the bug between it and the ground.

"Ready?" he asked the cub.

She nodded.

"Remember, my daughter, catch it, but don’t kill it." the lioness reminded.

Again, Shyla nodded. Then, the lion let the bug go. It flew quickly into the air, but the cub pushed from the ground and pawed it down. She hurriedly forced it into the dirt, trying to trap it, not kill it.

"Can it fly?" whispered Kadio.

Sekeita nervously watched as her cub took the little paw off, exposing the small bug. It was alive, but barely, it seemed. Laying on the ground it twitched. The lioness’s fur started to bristle and she was about to scold when suddenly bug took off again.

An evil grin formed on her face and she licked the cub.

Three

~Two Lessons in One~

(Dusklands)

Pala and Vitani finally made it to the borders of the Dusklands.

"Who is that?" whispered Vitani.

They both laid low in the grass, their shoulder blades shifting, their eyes resting upon two lions in the distance. And then, another lioness came toward them, a cub scruffed in her mouth. She dropped it and laid down by the lions.

"Is that…?" Vitani started, but trailed off. They still weren’t sure.

Then, Pala got up and slowly walked toward the other lions.

"Greetings," she growled, bowing slightly when she was only a couple yards away. She eyed the cub once, before looking up to the adults. "Is this your pride, m’ lady?" she asked the lioness.

"What is a jungle cat like you doing around here?" asked Tanko, almost angrily.

"I thought prides had more lionesses…At least more lionesses than the lions," And the tiger gave a fake laugh.

"You should know this is our territory, we recently marked it." Kadio replied, almost proudly, which made Pala, Shyla, and even Sekeita giggle.

"Well, I was just wondering if you could show me where a water hole is. This place is so dry,"

She looked about. Indeed it was, for this was the desert. This was the Dusklands.

"We are busy. I am sorry. Now leave." Sekeita ordered.

"As you wish," the tigress started, but before she could do anything, Vitani leaped from the long grass on the edges of the Dusklands. She had pounced on Sekeita.

"Vitani no!" cried Pala, but it was too late, and the lioness, with the help of her brothers easily took her down.

"Give us Shyla!" Vitani managed to choke under the weight of the lions.

"Aunty Vitani!" Shyla meowed. She licked her.

"Shyla! That is a mangy lioness who needs to be dealt with!" growled Sekeita. Then she turned to look down at Vitani. "You know who we are and where we are. Now we can’t let you go, nor can we keep you here…" Her face darkened.

Vitani growled in response, and Pala couldn’t help but hiss either.

"Touch the cub and you die! Say anything about this and you die!" roared Sekeita to Pala.

"I won’t touch her…But why not let that lioness go?"

"Because she can bring her pride…and because she can be an excellent example for my little one." She nodded to Shyla.

"Your little one?!" Vitani howled and tried to get up. The lions pushed down, though.

"Don’t hurt her…Mom!" Shyla pleaded.

"Mom?" whispered Vitani.

"You’ll understand why we have to do this, darling. And one day you might have to do this others when you rule," Sekeita assured her new cub, almost purring. And then, she leaned down, took Vitani’s neck in her jaws and snapped it.

"That’s not only her lesson, but yours," she said, getting up and facing Shyla.

Shyla just stood there, whimpering. Pala hissed and then started to run. But as she passed the cub, she whispered, "I’m coming back for you one day…I promise,"

The tigress continued to run back into the savanna, as she knew she couldn’t take on three lions by herself.

Four

~Zazu~

(Outlands)

The tigress found a water hole and laid next to it. After a long drink that quenched her thirst, she looked about. An overwhelming sadness now filled her. She had just thought of getting away from the small pride, but now she felt sorry for Vitani and the cub. As well as the family, and how she would have to tell them. But now it was late in the evening, and the almost red sun started to set. She sighed. It would take her days to back to the Boulder of Strength or even Pride Rock.

"I do say, you look rather tired," someone said.

Immediately the tiger turned around to see a colorful bird, mostly of blue. She raised a brow. "And you are…?"

"Zazu,"

The bird called Zazu fluffed his messed up feathers. He looked very old.

"Well I am very tired…and hungry," Pala replied, yawning. "Best keep away from a hungry tiger."

"Ah, but too tired, too weak, too old to catch a bird."

"Yes, but you don’t look too youthful yourself."

"Well I’ve had my days."

"As have I."

"Yes, I used to live at a great place. It was a Kingdom actually. But I can’t really recall where it is…Yes I flew off one day, I think it was from the north. I’m not sure where north is really now."

"A Kingdom?" Pala suddenly asked, her head tilted.

"Yes. Pride Rock it was. Or is. I don’t know what has become of it. Though last time I was there, there were three new cubs from its ally Kingdom."

"Well Zazu, you came in at the right place at the right time. I need your help."

"How so?"

"You can still fly, and I know where your Kingdom is at. I need you to deliver news. Will you? That is, if I tell you where to go?"

"Hmm, I would very much like to go home and end my days there. Alas, my seeing isn’t what it used to be. Nor am I all together."

"Well we have to try. You need to get home. And this is very important. If you give them the news, I can stay and see what these lions are about to do."

Finally, after convincing the bird, Pala gave Zazu the terrible news of what happened. He nodded and she pointed a paw to the north. With that, he took off.

Five

~News from the Wind~

(Pride Rock)

At Pride Rock, the lions were mournful. They had heard what had happened. Now Zazu perched peacefully on the peak, sleeping. It would be his last sleep.

Kiara had climbed on the very top of Pride Rock and looked up to the stars. With tears in her eyes she whispered, "Daddy…where is she?"

After a few moments of silence, Kovu walked slowly over to his mate and nuzzled her.

"Are you all right, Kovu?" she then asked, for his sister had died.

He nodded gravely. "Rafiki told me it’s OK to be mournful for the dead. But the ones who are still alive need to still be worried about."

Then there was a rattling. Rafiki came.

"I have spoken to your father, Kiara. By the wind he told me that you must stay here. And one day, if she has not died, Shyla will come back…But…she will be darkened."

"Darkened?" asked Kiara. "What do you mean?"

"Your daughter will be as Kovu would’ve been if he had not fallen in love with you."

The lions blinked, then looked at each other. Then Kovu gasped. "Our daughter is going to be…evil?!"

"I wouldn’t say evil," replied the baboon sadly. "But not as she would’ve been if raised by you."

"But she can be raised by us! And she will!" roared Kiara suddenly, jumping up. "We can go after her! Why stay here and wait for a sad day to arrive?!"

Sighing, Rafiki whispered, "Kiara…No one really knows where she is. Zazu had delivered the news for we had got it from the tigress, Pala, who he found at a water hole, a day away from where your cub is being kept."

"But we can look!" Kovu suggested hopefully.

"Now, Kovu, Kiara, you can go out and search for suns and suns, which will probably eventually be turned into years, and never find your daughter. Let your Kingdom be exposed while your out, and let your daughter arrive to a place that she would have once called home, but not to find her parents there. And trust me, you two are the only ones who can pull her back into the light…What if you die searching? Then what would happen to Pride Rock? To your pride? To her?" There was silence. "But, let the tigress be her guardian while she is away, and death won’t meet her so soon."

With that, the two lions burst out in tears, for they now knew they would never get to see their daughter grow up. Only grown up, into someone dark.

Six

~Hyenas Against Lions~

(Strengthlands to Boulder of Strength)

Runu jumped into the long grass, panting and looking about excitedly. For once, he was being very playful. And then, his sister Aurora leapt out upon him. They rolled around, pawing and batting at each other, while their brother Timba sat upon a rock and looked about.

"C’mon, Timba! We’re having fun!" cried Runu.

"Yeah!" Aurora said.

"With young cubs around, there should be one to watch out for danger," replied Timba, still looking about.

Giggling, Aurora replied, "You’re barely older than us!"

She then jumped up and pounced him, causing them both to fall off the rock. Runu pounced upon the rock, then jumped down on his siblings. Finally Timba began to play. They all ran about, pouncing each other and meowing and biting. But it didn’t last long.

Suddenly, they all rolled down a hill. But as they got up, hyenas surrounded them. These creatures had been told in stories about their great grandfather, but the cubs had never seen such animals. The hyenas had found their way from the Outlands, to the elephant graveyard, then into the Strengthlands. There were only three of them, but they had been the surviving handful of the bunch from the battle between them and lions, and the collapse of bones. They looked exhausted…and hungry.

"What ‘av we got here?" one growled sarcastically.

"Yum yums," said another.

As Runu trembled and curled up under his sister and behind his brother, and Aurora stayed behind her big brother, Timba was the one who stood bravely in front of his siblings, growling.

"What do you want?" he spat.

"Brave for a little ball of fur,"

Then, the hyenas snapped at the cubs, who started to run. But not for long as they suddenly fell down into the ground. The three curled up together in a small meerkat colony’s place. Yet the hyenas were desperate, and started to dig. As they did, Timba looked back to find another hole that would lead away. And so, crawling on his tummy, he motioned his brother and sister to follow, and went in. They did. Before they knew it, they came up beside a water hole, about ten yards from the hyenas. But they were noticed as they started to run back to the Kingdom.

"Mommy! Daddy!" cried Runu.

But their parents were out on a hunt with the rest of the pride, even Mangel. Luckily, the Gry and Cry were there. Zaraku heard, and he immediately took off from the cave, his mate following. When they were out, they spotted the cubs, and the hyenas were closing in. Suddenly, Sithuka leapt on one of the hyenas and bit furiously. Zaraku did the same to another, and as they fended them off, their grandpa yelled;

"Go to the cave! Now!"

So they did.

But when Runu curled up in the back of the cave, Timba ran out on the peak to watch the fight. Aurora, after hesitation, followed. Their family was coming in the distance. They also spotted the hyenas and the old lions, and so they took off toward them as fast as they could, Mangel and Singa in the lead. Yet it seemed too late, as Aurora and Timba watched their grandparents die. They were just too old and exhausted, even more so than the hyenas.

Seven

~Paintings~

(Tree of Life, Pridelands)

When Zaraku and Sithuka died, Singa was very devastated. She went into depression, but only for a few months as she noticed how her cubs were growing up, and she knew she shouldn’t miss it, as she wouldn’t be able to come back for those days. Plus, she knew they were going to die soon anyway as they were old. Very. In fact, even very much older than Kovu and Kiara. Mangel helped her and she became herself again, though still sad, as well as the pride.

The cubs soon became teenagers, almost adults. Runu, who used to be the smallest of the bunch, was now the biggest. His fur was dark red, and his main and tail tip were unusually gray, but not showing that he was aging, as though he was, he was still very young. And though he looked tough, he was still the same timid lion.

Timba was the second biggest, and he looked almost exactly like Simba now. The only difference was that his underbelly was white, along with under his tail and his chest, up to his chin. His mane, now, was much lighter, too, than Simba’s. He was still a born leader, and looked out for everyone, especially his younger siblings.

Aurora grew into a beautiful lioness of dark gold. She became very spiritual, and spent a lot of time with Rafiki, learning much. Hearing stories of her parents, grandparents and great grandparents was something she loved. If anyone interrupted, she’d growl and sometimes even slash or snap at them. Her favorite story, though, was of Simba and his life. And Timon and Pumbaa. So, she listened to Rafiki’s stories of the past, and of the spirits, as well as the baboon himself and his brother Garofé. Many times she’d pass the Strengthlands and travel through the Outlands, into the Pridelands just to get to the Tree of Life so she could be given advice and learn more. Even when her parents finally took that off limits as they said it was too far. Though she kept going. Many times she was teased by her brothers about being a "know-it-all" but she learned not to argue or fight back.

She soon became one of the best hunters, which was a surprise as she was still very young.

They all were. But they would one day be Kings, and Queen of the Boulder of Strength, for it was decided by Mangel and Singa that they would all rule together, and with their future mates if they had any.

One day, when Aurora snuck out into the Pridelands again, her brother Timba was following.

"Aurora!" he scolded. "Father and Mother say we—and when I say we I mean you—aren’t allowed so faraway!"

Rolling her eyes, she turned around and replied, "Oh why not? I’m almost an adult and should be treated as one."

"You’re the wise one here now, I mean, you always go to that monkey dude ‘n all, so you should not be breaking rules!" He paused. "And besides, if you’re not going to look at them and their rules as parents and you being the cub, then look at it as you’re one to the pride and Kingdom, and you must be loyal to the King and Queen."

Indeed her brother was wise, as well as her. But she was still outgoing and independent.

"Timba…I had a dream…about Simba and Scar. Now I must go and tell Rafiki. I want to know what it means. Please don’t tell Mom and Dad."

He rolled his eyes, too, then growled, "Be back before sunset and no one will find out. I’ll tell them you went on a hunt."

With that he turned around and started back for the Strengthlands. Aurora sighed in relief, and continued on south.

"What does it mean, Rafiki?" asked Aurora curiously.

She made it to the Tree of Life and was now on a part of it where branches crawled over a flat place and fruit and other natural items hung from vines. It was evening, and soon the sun would set. Aurora was just done telling Rafiki of her dream. She had seen Scar let Mufasa drop down into the stampede.

"’Eet could mean a lot of tings, Aurora." he replied.

Rafiki was just done creating the mane of Runu. He, Timba and Aurora were put on the Tree of Life, painted, as all the Kings and Queens were from Pride Rock. The baboon had finished the paintings of the grownup Runu and Timba. Aurora looked pretty much the same, yet she was outlined with darker coconut juice than her paint had when she was a young cub.

The real lioness padded closer to the wall and examined herself, as well as her siblings. Then she moved on to her dad and mom. Mangel was painted with a mixture of different colors. Beside him was his mate, Singa. There weren’t Zaraku and Sithuka, though, for Rafiki had just started with the Boulder of Strength. He would continue the paintings for both Kingdoms now that they were joined. But Aurora’s head tiled slightly as she spotted Shyla. She still looked like a cub.

"Rafiki…why haven’t you made Shyla…uh…"

"Older?" he suggested, then chuckled. "When I set eyes upon her again, I will outline her as I did you, and she will look her age. But…" His face then saddened and she took some unusual black juice and barely brushed a finger on Shyla’s chest. "I am afraid she might be dark…Dark as Zira…Dark as…Scar…" He had whispered the last part, and made even "Scar" fainter so that Aurora had to stain to hear him.

She then nodded. "I hope my aunt is all right…"

"We all do, Aurora."

There was silence.

"So what about my dream?" she then asked.

"You’re just having a hard time, that ‘ees all…" But Rafiki really wasn’t sure.

"Shoot, I gotta go," Aurora then said as she saw the sun setting. "My parents are gonna kill me."

With that she leapt from the tree, bid Rafiki goodbye, and ran off to the north.

Eight

~A New Love~

(Outlands to Boulder of Strength, to the Strengthlands)

Timba had told his parents where Aurora went when finally everything was dark. They grew mad that their daughter had disobeyed, and were about to go out to wait in the southern borders of the Strengthlands, when Timba volunteered. They hesitated, but agreed to let him go out and wait to make sure Aurora got home.

And so he waited at the borders. But as he did, something rustled the grass nearby. His fur bristled as he stalked farther into the Outlands then. Yet what he found, wasn’t what he excepted.

"Larka!" he roared out in delight.

A mangy looking lioness came out from the bushes, and she nuzzled Timba. Her name was Larka. Larka had been a friend of Timba’s when they were cubs. She came from a nearby pride, but the pride had moved on a year after the two became friends. They had been very sad, but now they were together again!

"Larka, what happened? It looks like you haven’t rested or eaten or washed up for suns!" he exclaimed.

"I haven’t," she replied. "I was traveling from the east…My pride died from a terrible drought…"

There was silence. Timba was speechless. Here was a mangy lion he hadn’t seen forever, and last time he had she was a happy, healthy little cub. Now she was this. Yet in his eyes she was one of the most beautiful of all lionesses. But what he was speechless about, was that her pride had died.

Finally, he nuzzled her and whispered, "I’m sorry…"

Timba then said that she could stay with him if she wanted, and live in their pride at the Boulder of Strength. Larka really had nowhere else to go, and so she agreed. Timba totally forgot about his sister, and led his long lost friend to the Kingdom.

"Where is Aurora?" Mangel asked as Timba arrived.

"Who?" Timba replied. "Oh…um…"

"You didn’t get her did you?!"

"Father, I am sorry. But, do you remember Larka?"

Larka came into the cave nervously. Now all the lionesses were watching. Timba told them what happened and everyone softened, including Mangel.

"Get her in the back of the cave so she can have some of that left over zebra. And there’s also the waterfall through the crevasse in the back wall," Mangel instructed.

Timba led her back.

"Aurora will soon arrive," Singa assured Mangel.

Runu was quiet, studying his brother and also friend. Timba and Larka kept licking each the and nuzzling the other. Runu was not one who knew much about crushes, let alone love, but he knew what he saw then. He grumbled to himself and laid his head on his paws.

Aurora arrived later that night, and was scolded, but she didn’t care. She gasped when she saw Larka, one of her gal-pals as a cub. When she was told what happened, Aurora felt very sorry for this lioness.

Over the next couple of months, the adolescent lions, including Larka, all kept growing. Runu’s and Timba’s manes both kept getting longer and fuller. Larka and Aurora were soon almost the size as the other lionesses, and could keep up with the best of hunters. Even Larka was more healthy. In fact, both lionesses grew more beautiful each day.

One day, Timba led Larka to a great water hole to the north of the Kingdom and the Strengthlands. They laid there and nuzzled each other under a tree, watching rain drops fall through the night air and land softly in the water, causing small ripples.

For the first time, the two lions were left alone. And that night they just stayed there with each other, talking.

Nine

~Shyla’s Fight~

(Pridelands)

Two lions were resting peacefully by a water hole. One was Kiara, the other was Kovu. They had the day off as their pride went to go hunt.

"What do you think Shyla is doing right now?" Kiara then asked.

Kovu sighed. "I don’t know…But I hope she comes soon."

"Me too,"

For awhile they just laid there, watching and listening. And then, something suddenly leapt from a nearby bush; Shyla.

"Shyla!" cried Kiara.

But Shyla was not the same. It wasn’t that she was older, almost an adult. It wasn’t that she was larger and taller and longer, slim and looked very fast. It wasn’t that she had matured greatly in the last many suns, but that she looked…dark. Not literally, as she was still her unnatural white self. But, her fur was bristling and her ice blue eyes were gleaming as she glared at her parents. She looked ready to fight. Her teeth were even exposed.

"Hello, Kiara, Kovu," she said coldly, her voice low.

"My baby," Kiara whispered, tears streaming down her face. "You’ve grown…"

"No thanks to you,"

"What do you mean, Shyla?" asked Kovu, but he, too, felt like crying.

"Mother," Shyla then said.

"Yes?" Kiara almost choked.

But another lioness came out from the bushes. Along with two lions.

"I don’t mean you, Kiara." stated Shyla. Then she nodded to the other lioness. "This is my mother. Sekeita…She took care of me."

"No," whispered Kiara.

"Shyla, Kiara is your mother, and I am your father," replied Kovu, almost sadly.

"Oh?" Shyla growled. "If so, why didn’t you look for me? Why didn’t you find me? I wasn’t too far. No." she shook her head. "Don’t lie, I don’t want to hear lies from pathetic excuses for lions. Now, as Vitani was dealt with, I will deal with you.

"Shyla!" both her real parents called out.

Yet she had jumped and landed on Kovu, her claws digging into him. He roared out in pain and rolled over to pin her. But Kadio helped by leaping on Kovu and rolling him over. He pinned him, but Kiara pounced on Kadio. Soon, Tanko and Sekeita joined. Now they all fought, until finally Tanko pinned Kiara. Kadio stood by his sister, looking at his "niece."

"Now, this is Shyla’s fight. This is Shyla’s turn. She must kill them. One by one." Sekeita explained, darkly.

Kiara struggled, but couldn’t get up.

"First you will fight the ‘King’ and kill him. Then you will move onto the ‘Queen’ when we let her up."

"Shyla, no," whispered Kiara when she stopped struggling.

If Shyla had any problems with Kovu or Kiara, then her so called mother would help, along with her supposed uncles. Yet, she was very strong now, from all the training she had had. Plus, she was younger, and faster. It wouldn’t be too hard.

"Shyla, you must know that we wanted to look for you," Kovu then said.

"No! You’re lying!" spat his daughter, and she leapt on him.

They rolled and he pinned her. It was easy for him to do that from his weight.

"I won’t let you hurt us, or yourself," he replied, looking down at her.

She smirked. "Why would I hurt myself?"

Kadio was about to charge, but Sekeita stopped him. They watched silently.

Suddenly, Shyla rolled out from under her father’s paws and caused him to fall. She pounced on him and stood upon his back, her claws digging deeper into him. He roared out again. A flock of birds nearby flew out in fright.

"Shyla no!" Kiara cried out.

The young lioness raised a white paw, claws exposed. But then, she was thrown off. A lioness from the pride had come and got her off. And then more lionesses came. And then all of the pride. Another fight corrupted, but eventually Kadio, Tanko and Sekeita ran. Shyla was struggling beneath two lionesses. She cried and roared out as she struggled.

"Baby you belong here," Kiara whispered and licked her daughter’s head, who tried to bite back.

But Shyla did not silence, nor did she stop. What really killed everyone was when she started to cry out like a little cub. It was loud, and so painful for Kiara and Kovu. Finally, the old King licked his daughter and ordered, "Let her go."

"What?" most lionesses asked.

"Kovu?" Kiara started.

"Let her go." he repeated. "She’s not ready yet." He practically had to yell through the crying.

Finally, the lionesses nodded and got off Shyla, who immediately jumped up and ran to the south as fast as her legs could carry her. She ran all the way to the Outlands, making her way to the Dusklands in the west.

"She will return again, one day…and when she is ready, she will know," Kovu whispered, and licked his crying mate.

Ten

~Another New Generation~

(Boulder of Strength)

Animals were gathering at the Boulder of Strength, just another few months later. Larka and Timba had become mates as they fell in love. And, they had a baby. It was born late last night.

"I guess I will do another presentation," Rafiki said, finally agreeing.

Aurora had helped him paint the picture in the Tree of Life, right below Timba’s and Larka’s new painting. It was right after the cub was born they had painted it with juice. Rafiki sometimes thought that Aurora would be the next shaman of both Kingdoms and prides.

Now Rafiki and both prides were at the Boulder of Strength. Rafiki did the family tradition with the juice and sand upon the cub’s head, and then he took it in his arms and slowly moved to the peak.

The animals below waited patiently with the other pride. Kiara and Kovu, though they would now be the Cry and Gry of Pride Rock as they were old, were still considered the King and Queen for their daughter wasn’t there to take over, but waited with the rest of the animals and their pride. Some lionesses said in their pride that they should bear one last cub before it was too late, but Kiara and Kovu, especially Kiara, grew angry from this. For she knew if that happened, then her Shyla wouldn’t be coming back, or, she would stay "darkened."

Now Rafiki raised the cub high into the air as he got to the edge of the peak. Then, the animals went wild and cheered and bowed.

This was Timba’s and Larka’s new cub. This was another new generation.

The End

By Baby Fire Wolf

wolfcub_gemini@usa.com