I don't own any canon characters.

"You know the penalty for returning to the Pridelands," Simba said severely, glaring at Zira.

"But the child does not," Zira retorted, then smirked. "However," she said, "if you need your pound of flesh... here." With that, she nudged the dark cub towards her enemy.

Simba gazed down at the cub, considering his options. His first, momentary, thought was to kill the cub, Scar's heir. This thought, though, was dispersed in a moment, by Zira's words only a moment before but the child does not. Those word repeated inside his head for what seemed like an eternity, though actually just a few seconds, before another thought emerged. If this cub didn't know of the penalty, and that he could was hard to believe, could he know of the hatred, of the conflict.

An idea started to form. He was hesitant to use this cub, innocent and unsuspecting, as a political statement. He looked back at Zira and noticed how gaunt she was. She'd always been thin, more so than even most of the lionesses born under Scar, but now she looked on the point of starvation.

He hadn't wanted to exile them, but after a failed attempt on his life, he'd had no choice. Perhaps, though, perhaps this cub could be turned from that hatred.

"Nala," He said, "could you please take Kiara?"

"Certainly," Nala replied, though she was obviously confused.

"Good," Simba replied He then turned to Zira and said, "we of the Pridelands do not forsake cubs." With that, bent down and picked up Kovu by his scruff, then turned and walked towards Pride Rock.

No-one else moved for several seconds, then Zira took several paces forward, and asked, "wh-what do you think you're doing?"

Simba stopped and turned his head. "We of the Pridelands are charitable," he replied, "I'm sure the lionesses will not hesitate to take in a cub who has been forsaken by his own mother." When there was no further comment, he added, "and I believe you are now in the Pridelands."

Half in a trance, Zira turned, then retreated. The pride lionesses, likewise, turned and followed Simba.

"What were you thinking," Nala asked, coming alongside Simba.

"What do you mean," Simba asked.

"That," Nala said, half growling, "what on earth possessed you to do what you just did?"

"She had forsaken him," Simba replied, slightly defensively, "and anyway, you saw now thin Zira was."

"I saw," Nala replied. She was about to say more, but stopped. After thinking for a few moments she muttered, "I hope you know what you're doing."

"Hey Ki,'" Kovu said, "where're we going?"

"My home," Kiara replied.

"What's it like," Kovu asked.

"Well," Kiara replied, "it's kinda big."

"Cool," Kovu said, "where is it?"

"Er," Kiara replied, then pointed at Pride rock in the distance, "you see that thing over there?"

Kovu squinted where she was pointing. "That, kind of pointy thing," He asked.

"That's it," Kiara replied, "That's my home."

"Doesn't look that big," Kovu said.

"It's a long way off," Kiara said, miffed.

"Is it nice," Kovu asked

"Yep," Kiara said, "best place in the whole world."

"I could be leader, if she'd just give me a chance," Nuka protested, scooting around, trying to rid himself of the incessant itching of termites.

"Yeah right," Vitani replied, "why don't you tell that to her?"

"Yeah," Nuka retorted. "Don't think I won't!"

"Oh yeah," Vitani replied. Over her older brother's shoulder, she could see their mother approaching. She chuckled, and said, "here's your chance."

"What," Nuka asked, then turned to see his mother. "Oh... Mother," he exclaimed then stopped. Dim as he appeared, he could see something was wrong, though it took him a moment to realise what it was. "Kovu," he said, when he finally worked it out, "mom, where's Kovu."

Zira had, up till now, apparently been in a trance. At Nuka's words, she turned and pinned him to the ground. "Fool," she hissed at him, "because of your incompetence, Kovu was stolen by the Pridelanders."

What seemed strange to Nuka, was that her voice seemed more angry than sad. "We'll get him back," he said, barely above a whisper.

"Yes," Zira hissed, darkly, "yes, you will." With that, she removed her claws with, each one popping as they came free of his skull, then she turned and headed for her normal sleeping place

"What was that about," Vitani asked, approaching Nuka.

"The damned Pridelanders cubnapped Kovu," Nuka replied despondently.

"Oh," Vitani said.

"And guess who's going to retrieve the termite," Nuka said.

"You," Vitani asked derisively, "you'd never do it."

"I know," Nuka said, "that's why you're coming too."

"What," Vitani said, "no way?"

"yes way," Nuka said, "or do you want mother to tan you hide for you?"

"You lost him," Vitani said.

"Yeah," Nuka said, "and what do you think she's going to do if I told her you didn't help find him."

"Oh," Vitani said, then thought for a moment. "You are so going to owe me one for this," she said.

"Yeah, right," Nuka said.

Kovu was silent most of the way back to Pride Rock. When he was set down, he tried to find a place to hide, and to this end, wedged himself in a cleft in the rock. "Hey," Kiara said, approaching, "you okay?"

"Fine," Kovu muttered in reply, trying to keep as many lionesses as possible in view.

"Then why're you hiding," Kiara asked. "You're scared," she said, figuring it out.

"No I'm not," Kovu retorted.

"Are too," Kiara said.

"Are not," Kovu said.

"Are," Kiara said.

"Are not," Kovu replied.

"Are," Kiara said, "are, are, are."

"Not," Kovu replied, "not, no..."

"Kiara," Nala said sharply, "enough of that."

"Sorry mum," Kiara said, hanging her head, in trouble again.

"Now, apologise to Kovu," Nala said.

"Aw, mum, "Kiara protested, "he's just a scared..."

"That doesn't matter," Nala replied, "I want you to apologise to Kovu."

"All right," Kiara said with a sigh. "S'rry," she mumbled to Kovu.

"Now, come on," Nala said, "your father wants to talk to you."

When Kiara had gone, Nala approached, and said, "you can come out now Kovu."

"H-how do you know my name," Kovu asked, still terrified.

"I saw you before you even had your eyes open," Nala explained in a gentle tone, "now please, there's no reason to be scared." Kovu didn't move a muscle, transfixed by the queen's gaze.

Slowly, carefully, Kovu emerged from his hiding place, and followed Nala into the cave, trying to avoid the stares of the other lionesses.

"There," Nala said, when they'd reached the royal area, and Kovu was sheltering from the other lionesses behind her, "that wasn't so bad, now was it?"

Suddenly Kovu sneezed, and fell over. Nala looked at him, and even in the dim light, noticed how dusty he looked. Shifting position a little she grabbed him by the scruff, lowered him in front of her, and began to wash him. "Don't worry," she said kindly, as he struggled to get away for a few moments, "it's only a bath."

After a few moments, Kovu stopped struggling, and relaxed a little. "The Outlands are ever so dry and dusty," Nala said, between licks, "it surprises be you aren't in much worse condition."

Kovu didn't say anything, but he was starting to relax now, under the gentle ministrations of Nala.