(A/N: we did it! Chapter twenty, the final chapter I'm going to add to this story. I'd like to thank you for reading, especially CandyLuv99 for giving me the character of Mirajane to use in this story. I will confess, I don't feel this has been my best work- maybe because I took too long of a gap about halfway through, and it took me so long to get back in a good rhythm with this. Either way, I'm going to be working on something different from here on, something I have a bit of a start on already. I will upload some of my one-shots before that, though. That's all I have to say, so please enjoy.)

Simba stared out over the Pride Lands as the rain continued to fall down from the skies, matting his mane. Despite how cold the water that was now on his fur was, it refreshed him, and felt welcome in comparison to the intense heat of the now extinguished flames. He looked at the land that stretched out in front of him, noticing how the previously dry ground was absorbing the rain and gaining life from it. It felt like the Pride Lands had been dying before, and now that Scar was defeated, and order had been restored, it was finally recovering.

'This is my home,' he thought, smiling proudly over his kingdom, then looked up to the sky. 'I'm sorry I left, dad. I promise that I will do my best, and if I'm even close the king you were, then it'll be a good thing.'

"Simba?" he turned around as Nala approached him. He smiled and the two nuzzled their cheeks together. "How are you feeling?"

"Good," he told her, his amber eyes meeting her blue ones, "it feels like I'm home."

She smirked. "You ARE home. This is your kingdom, Simba, and the people need you. All of us do."

"You're right. I'm not going anywhere for as long as I can help it." He gave her a playful look. "As long as you're by my side."

"Excuse me," they heard a voice speak. Turning, they both saw Msaada, Kuishi, Shemeji and Bwana, with their people stood behind them. Kuishi stepped forward. "I don't mean to interrupt, your highness," he bowed to Simba, "but there is a matter I must discuss with you."

"Oh! Of course." Nala cleared her throat and looked towards Simba. "Simba, this is Kuishi. He and his three children- Bwana, Shemeji and Msaada- run a small community near the Pride Lands. When I left the Pride Lands, looking for help, they were the ones who found me. They took me in as one of their own, and when I came after you to take back our home, they followed me and helped me to gather the lionesses and take care of the hyenas, while you confronted Scar."

Simba raised an eyebrow towards Kuishi. "Is that so?" Simba asked.

"If I may, sir," Shemeji spoke up, "your mate," he gestured towards Nala, causing both Simba and Nala to blush, "has been a great help to our community. Before we met her, we were a much smaller community. There was food and water, but our hunting party struggled to bring in enough food on some days to feed everyone. Once Nala arrived, however, she showed them a new way of hunting that allowed them to bring back enough food for everyone in less time."

"I will testify to that," Msaada explained, stepping forward, "with her help, everyone was fed and happy every day. Not only that, but Nala was a good friend to me and many of the others there. She was especially a big hit with some of the cubs in our group, who loved to play with her. She made everyone happy, in one way or another. Even my mother, and as everyone here can tell you, that isn't a common thing."

The group all laughed at this in-joke, while Bwana stepped forward. "Nala was more than that, however," he told Simba. "Before she arrived, I acted as sole leader, and when she arrived, I was untrusting. I had let my position as leader go to my head, and it affected my judgment." He then turned to Nala, giving a sincere smile. "It took her for me to realise what I had become, so I left to figure out where everything had gone wrong, and whilst on my journey, I met with another community. You see, when Nala told us the conditions of the Pride Lands, and our scout confirmed them, she began to find more groups who would work with our own, so we could help her to reclaim her home. When I found them, I convinced them to join us, and when I returned to my own group, we came straight here."

"Without them, I would have been unable to save my brother and my friend, Chumvi," Nala told Simba, "and I would have never managed to gather the lionesses to help you."

Simba looked into Nala's eyes, and could tell that she was being genuine. As a smile grew on his face, he looked back towards the group. "In that case, I give you my fullest gratitude. Nala means a lot to me, and the fact that you looked after her, made her welcome, and helped her when we needed it most, I can not thank you enough. Whatever can I do to reward your loyalty?"

"If it is possible, king Simba, we wish to join you here in the Pride Lands."

Simba's eyes widened at the suggestion. 'They have been helpful, but will there be room?' he asked himself. He then looked towards Nala, who seemed to be pleading. 'However, they saved Nala, who in turn saved me…' After a moment of thinking, considering both positives and negatives of the proposal, before delivering his verdict. "Alright. I have considered your request, and I would be happy for you to join us, on one condition."

"Name it, your highness."

"I would like us to combine your communities with the Pride Lands. After everything that has happened, it will take a lot to restore the Pride Lands, and your water and food supplies would go a long way to helping us restore our home."

Kuishi smiled, as did the rest of his group, and bowed. "It would be an honour, Simba."

"TRAITORS!" they heard someone roar. As Kuishi and his group created a path, Zira and five of her closest allies, including Mirajane, marched towards Simba. "You are DEFILING the Pride Lands by letting these outsiders in."

Simba stared sternly at Zira. "As the king, it was my decision to make, and my decision is final."

"But you are NOT the king! YOU deserted this place, which meant Scar was king, and now that he has died, his successor shall be king."

"What successor?" Nala challenged.

"Bring him forward!" One of Zira's other followers stepped forward, carrying a dark brown furred cub in her jaw. "This here is Kovu, Scar's handpicked heir to HIS throne."

"That is where you are wrong!" they heard Zazu speak up as he flew over, with Chumvi and Mheetu trailing behind him. "The official bylaws of the Pride Lands dictate, that if a king leaves the Pride Lands, then the next in line to the throne will take his place, but if the former king should return, then he shall reclaim the throne! Therefore, the second Simba stepped into the Pride Lands, he became the king once more. That means that the cub that Scar chose to be king cannot be the king, now that Simba has returned."

While Simba smirked at Zira, she was seething through gritted teeth, her eyes wide and her nostrils flared. "You despicable excuse for a lion! You're as pathetic as your father was! I'll show you for taking my beloved from me!"

She was about to attack, but the thirty plus lions that surrounded her and her followers blocked her. Simba slowly stepped towards her, glaring directly at her. "Now, listen. I may not know your name, but I will not stand anyone disrespecting my father, one of the greatest kings there ever was! Your loyalty to Scar is an issue- I am trying to rebuild and restore the Pride Lands, and your personal vendetta against me acts against that. I was hoping not to have to do this, but I have only one choice- you and your followers are to leave the Pride Lands, and never return?"

Everyone gasped. "S-Simba! You cannot do this!" Zira begged.

"I have to, for the good of my home and my people."

"But I have to look after three cubs- I have two cubs of my own, and I swore to look out for Kovu, no matter what."

"I am sorry to hear that, and had you been willing to cooperate, I would have allowed you to stay, but that cannot be."

She didn't know how to feel at first, but she soon grew angry, snarling at him. "You will pay for this, Simba. I, Zira, will reclaim this land one day, in the name of Scar. You have not seen the last of me."

She then left without a word, her followers heading after her. Simba only watched as she left.

"Simba?" Nala asked. "Was that the right decision?"

"I hope so," he told her, "right now, we need a united Pride Lands, and inner turmoil will not make that happen. It had to be done."

"I think so too," Kuishi explained, "it can be difficult to make the most important decisions. Only time will show whether it was right, so do not dwell on it for now."

"Thank you, Kuishi. Could you send a couple of your followers to make sure they leave without resistance?"

"Of course, your highness."

So, Kuishi walked away, and the rest of the group made their own way, looking to find discover their new home. In the meanwhile, Simba and Nala just looked out over the Pride Lands.

"So… what's next?" Nala asked.

"Well, we need to find a way to get the herds to return," Simba explained, "the Pride Lands was a strong kingdom because of the different animals working together to preserve the circle of life. Without them, there won't be a Pride Lands."

"If I may, sire," Zazu spoke up, "there is something you should look at."

Simba wanted to question the major-domo, but instead, Zazu pointed his wing. Looking at where he was pointing, Simba saw that a small group of hippos was returning, far in the distance. They were at the Watering Hole, which had filled up a little from the rain. Simba smiled- maybe there was still hope for the Pride Lands after all. While he looked up at his kingdom, Nala looked at his determined face and smiled. She could not be more happy- she was back in her home, with the lion she loved, and he had finally taken his responsibility. Everything that had happened- her mother sacrificing herself so that she could leave, to find help and save her home, had been for something, and wherever Simba would go, and whatever decisions he would make, she would stay by his side, knowing there was a brighter tomorrow yet to come.

THE END