They looked at me.

Studied me.

I laid on the floor not wanting to get up and get pinned again.

Vitani and her brother look at each other until he stepped a little too close to me. "Get away from me." He smirked at my word choice and he lifts his large paw and pushes me harshly before I can bite it Vitani comes to my side and helps me up. "Care explaining why you people are hard to understand?" I ask rather annoyed by the fact they wanted to kill me less than a minute ago and now they want to help me. "Ha-ha it's the fact that you don't know what we were trained to do all our lives Tanabi." "Which is?" "To kill." The male answers.

"What makes you think I will believe that?" "I think by the way we knocked you on the floor is enough to answer your question." He answers me. I look over at Vitani and she nods.

This is insane! They must have been raised by some maniac! The way Tani pushed me off was nothing gentle nor feminine may I add.

"What else don't I know?" I ask. "I'm the future queen of the PrideLands." Kiara says. My eyes I swear are seconds from popping out of my skull. "You are the next queen?" She nods.

"Then who's this ass?" I ask she looks over at the male and answers my question. "This is Kovu, the future king. " My jaw falls open and they chuckle at my reaction. "You've got to be kidding me. " "Very stupid reason to be kidding around isn't it?" I look up at the electric blue eyed feline who has a smirk on her face. "And you are?" Kovu asks. "I'm Tanabi. " He raises an eyebrow "you're a rouge aren't you?" "Yeah so?" "It explains why you don't know who we are. " Kiara answers for her mate I'm guessing that's who he is.

"Come. " Kiara's sudden change of heart surprises not only me but everyone in this dark cave. "Why? " "Heh I'm pretty sure you don't want to sleep in a place like this. " I raise an eyebrow and she smiles. I pick myself up and I nod.

We walk to this huge rock and I hesitate, scared that if I say the wrong thing they'll kill me. "You're safe here. " Vitani answers my thoughts as she walks ahead of me. "You coming?" I nod and I step onto the warm, smooth, brown rock. "This is PrideRock. Home of the Pridelanders. " I look at the place she calls home and I'm in awe. It looks over all the land, their kingdom.

"Kiara?" "Daddy. " I turn around and saw her hugging a golden furred, red maned, male. The king I presume. "Who have you brought home this time?" he asks with a chuckle. "Daddy, this is Tanabi. He has nowhere to go, and I thought that maybe-" "A rouge?" "I honestly don't see anything wrong with my being a rogue. " They all turn their attention to me and I raise my head a bit higher. "It means you don't have a pride of your own or a mate. Nor any responsibilities. " I raise an eyebrow at his comment.

"A lion doesn't need a pride neither a mate to be happy in life. Just a shelter and some food if you find any. It helps develop skills and understanding of your surroundings, the way the grass whistles slightly in the breeze, the crunching of the earth when someone steps on it, the way life is. You don't get to experience much of that when you're in a place like this. "

"It's called The Circle Of Life smart ass. " That rude remark came from Kovu who is seconds away from earning another scar. "Alright, alright. Obviously this-young lion is wise beyond his years. How old are you anyways?" The king asks. "I'm 19 sir. " His reddish brown eyes scan my body landing on my eyes then onto my right flank.

Has no one seen three claw marks on a lion before?

"How did you earn that?" He asks "to be quite honest with you...I don't recall. " He smiles a bit, I'm not exactly sure why.

But he did.

"You remind me of someone I once knew ha-ha. Stay here while I rally up the lionesses to greet this young lion. " "My names Tanabi sir. " "Mine is Simba. "

That name. Where have I heard it? His presence alone reminds me of someone. Someone important I'm sure of it.

"Nice meeting you sir-er um I mean Simba. " He chuckles once again before disappearing into the cave.

"He likes you. " Kiara comments. "What? How do you know?" "Ha-ha well, for one, he didn't try to murder you. " She blushes and I can't help but smile at how childish she is. "So you're 19? " Vitani asks and I nod "huh you're older than all of us. Joy. " "Calling me old?" I tease "well yea. "

She's such a tease ha-ha.

"So wait, you got that scar and you have no idea how you got it?" Kovu asks. "That's what I said isn't it? " He rolls his emerald green eyes and continues to speak "I'm not very fond of you. " "Noticed and I don't fancy you either. " He scowls and I have look away so I don't jump his ass.

"How do you despise each other if you just met? " Vitani asks "crappy first impression. " I answer simply with a shrug. "I guess. " She says and I notice she has freckles on her cheeks.

Different.

Everything about her is different.

"Tanabi, this is my wife Nala. " I direct my attention to Simba and his rather beautiful wife Nala with the most amazing blue green eyes.

When she laid eyes on me her eyes got teary and she stepped a bit closer looking at me carefully. Then she circled me and asked "Kopa?"

I raise an eyebrow "what?" "Simba, he looks like-" "Nala it's not him. You know it can't be. " "I'm aware but look at him. " The tears come rolling down her cheeks and for some reason I want to hug her, comfort her, and make sure no one hurts her.

"Mom?" Kiara asks and Nala shakes her head and walks back into the cave without another word.

"I'm sorry about that she's still mourning over.." Simba has to stop speaking before he cries himself. I'm slightly taller than him and I have to look down to make eye contact. "You don't need to talk about it sir I see how it bothers you. " He smiles and nods.

"You can stay here as long as you need to. We will see if you can be transformed into a PrideLander. Kovu, Kiara, and Vitani will make sure of that. " Kovu's jaw drops but doesn't argue with Simba.

With his final words he walks back into the cave and that's when a bunch of lionesses come out and look me over. One in particular looks older and with her old age she's quite beautiful. "Hello. " Her voice is like smooth honey. "Hi. " I smile and her black rimmed ear twitches "I'm Sarabi, Simba's mother. In time he will open up to you the same goes with the rest of the pride. " She states and she surprisingly rubs her head against my chest in a friendly way. A hug. I don't remember the last time I received one. Her orange eyes stare into mine once she stops her friendly hug and for a second I swear I've seen her before.

Something about those orange eyes.

"Mufasa has brought you back. " Her eyes full with tears and again she buries her head in my almost full mane. "I feel like you know something I don't. " I feel her chuckle in my chest and she raises her head "in time you will understand. " She says and she walks off disappearing into the crowd of lionesses. Before I can call out her name to question her and finally get some answers around here. I hear someone yell and I turn around to see Nala and a woman that looks an awful lot like her crying against a male.

Mheetu!

"Mheetu!" I yell and his head snaps towards my voice. He smiles and he winks at me. His fur is tinged a shade darker than I remember and it almost looks grey, his mane as well looks lighter than the brown I saw everyday. It almost looks red. His eyes are still the olive green as before and his whiskers make him look different from everyone else. The only major difference now from then is that his mane has grown so much that it appears he has bangs. His fur is two shades darker than Nala's and her mother? I'm guessing that's who she is.

But why are they hugging and crying on Mheetu?

"I thought Scar had-" "The old bastard only scarred me up a bit but he didn't kill me. I'm here now. " His voice is raspy and it reminds me of the many times he told me stories and how he would make sure I was safe.

I missed him.

"I'll go tell the rest of the pride that you're here. " Nala's mother says. "Hey ma. " Ma? "Yes? " "I missed you. " Her eyes get watery and she scurries over and tells everyone that her son is home.

"Hey Tan. " He says as I approach him. "Hey man. " He walks a bit and rubs his forehead against mine. "You've grown little dude. " He chuckles and I smile. "Yeah more mane than you did when you were my age. " He rolls his eyes and flicks his fur away from his face. "Mheetu you know him? " Nala asks "yea I sorta raised him. "

That's when silence took over.

"Mheetu? " Sarabi and Simba say at once as they walk over to him. "This is impossible. " Sarabi whispers as she gets closer to him. "I'm here Sarabi. I'm back. " I'm guessing she couldn't hold back the tears any longer because they came pouring down her eyes and her whole body was shaking as she hugs him. "It's okay nana. It's okay. " This caused her to run into the cave and Nala's mother went after her. "How are you- " "Scar forgot the most important part about killing someone. Actually hitting the life artery. " He flicks his mane to reveal a tiny scar on his neck. "Who cares how he's here he's alive. My little brothers alive. " Nala rubbed her forehead against his and he licked her tears clean. "Oh you have to meet my daughter and her husband. " He nods and looks over at me. "Come here little brother. " I hesitate but Nala says it's fine so I walk over and he rubs my head with his paw, like he always did, and he told me to follow him.

So I did.

After he met Kiara and Kovu they told everyone to wait at the bottom while they walked to the very tip of PrideRock and roared so loud I think my eardrums popped. Then the rest of the pride roared and I joined in.

They welcomed him home. Since he's related to Nala he's a prince now. I'm glad he is. He always spoke about how in the end the good triumph and the evil gets vanquished. I never understood that as a young cub, now that I'm a bit older I understand it a bit more. But who is Scar? When will I get answers I desperately need and want? When will they all stop roaring?

I look around and I notice that some of the lionesses look slightly different from the rest. Their noses and body shape is different. "They were part of my pride. " Vitani's voice scared me and caused me to jump a bit. "Easy there it's just me. " She chuckles and I roll my eyes. "I wasn't scared. " "Sure. " She smirks and I can't help but smile at her cockiness. Before I can question what she meant by her pride everyone started to walk to the tip and greeted the long lost brother of the queen.

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The sun was starting to set and for some reason I decided to walk to the very top of PrideRock.

"Wow. " I whisper in awe. The kingdom looks so beautiful and infinite from up here, the light touches everything. Not a single shadow in the sunsetting lands. "Tanabi? " I whip my head around and see a confused looking Simba. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come up here, I'll be on my way. " I manage to choke out as I pass him. "No it's fine. I didn't expect anyone outside the family to know how to get up here. " "Oh. " Is my brilliant answer.

"It's beautiful isn't it? " I nod in agreement as he sits on the warm rock. "My father showed me this when I was just a cub. He told me about the circle of life and how we are all one. His wisdom now continues to memorize me. " "Who is your father? " "He died many years ago. " "I'm sorry. " I look down and he raises a brow "it's not your fault. The sun set on his time here and it rose with me as the next king, he always said that. " He chuckled and a swirl of wind whipped around his head then around me. "Come it's getting late. " Again I nod and I walk behind him to the mouth of the cave. "Vitani will show you a place to stay for the time being. " "Alright. " With that the king went to his home as I waited patiently for Vitani to show.

"Hey. " My ear flicks back to the sound of her voice and I turn my head a bit to see her. "Hey. " I greet "come on I found a place where you can stay. " I pick myself up and I follow her down the rock. "It's a bit far but it'll be a place you can call your own. " "When can I join you in the cave? " "When you've become a PrideLander. " She turns around and her eyes looks violet in the now darkness of the night. "How long will that take? " "Took me about three years before I fully understood their ways. It's a bit confusing honestly. " "How so? " "Everything is looked at differently than the way I was brought up even the ants are looked differently. But in the end it's worth it. "

Silence took over as we made it to a gorge and voices filled my head. People yelling.

A child, a brave thick maned lion and a wicked looking dark maned lion. The child's yells caused me to stop and shake my head. The thick maned lions cries of agony and pain hit my chest and the evil of the dark maned one hit my core. "Stop! " She looked back at me purely confused and worried. "Make it stop! Please! Make it stop! " I growled and I collapsed to the ground in pain. "Tanabi! " "Ahhhh! " The pain. The hurt. The cruelty. I felt and saw it all.

A pair of glowing green eyes was all I could see then a pair of orange eyes full of the pain I feel. Then a roar that made my ears bleed for sure making me growl in fear and pain. "Tanabi! " The sound of her voice made me somehow snap back into reality. "The eyes. The eyes they were so bright and the pain....the pain was unbearable...." "Shhh shh it's okay. " She laid her head on my back and my shivers from fear were somewhat tamed. "Where are we? " "The gorge, where Mufasa was killed. "

I know that name.

"It hurts so bad Tani. " "It's okay, I'm here, I'm here. " She licked my ears removing the dark, warm, blood off of them.

That's when I saw it.

A broken branch resting on the hot ground and a tiny white flower in the center. "That's where he fell. " I carefully try to get up with Vitani's help and I limp over to the flower. I let my body fall next to it and I lift my paw and I wrap it around the delicate thing. "What are you? " I look up at a horrified Vitani and I notice I'm glowing. Like literally glowing like a firefly.

"Vitani? "

That's when everything went dark.