A/N: Hi all!

Thank you so much for all your reviews, they really mean a lot! Thank you so much; I really hope you'll like the ending to this story, thanks once again for all your awesome reviews, I really appreciate them!

Here is a list of all of the Swahili names that I used to name the characters in this story and what they mean:

Bakari: promising

Tamu: sweet

Uzoma: Follow the right path

Hasana: She who arrives first

Baingana: people are equal

Nia: purpose

Aziza: Precious

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Chapter 9:

"Where do you think they went?"

The king asked as the four adults made there way back to pride rock, after everyone had gotten their breath fully back and calmed down from the run.

"I'm not sure, everyone we've asked hasn't seen them," Tamu answered, sighing at what her son had done.

"We asked Hasana," Bakari put in, "She had no idea or clue to where they may have gone."

Silence fell upon the couples as they climbed up pride rock and went inside the den, in order to protect themselves from the heat that was becoming unbearable.

"I bet Uzoma and Aziza went to the oasis," all four lion's heads shot up as they heard Kiara's loud voice from the other side of the cavern.

"Yeah," Kovu began, "That's…"

"Kovu, Kiara?"

Simba's voice called his daughter and her boyfriend over to the waiting king and queen;

"Yes, daddy?"

"What did you say about the oasis Kiara?"

"What are you talking about?"

"We heard you talking about some oasis, how did you know that my son was gone with that lioness?"

"Oh," Kiara pretended to be thinking, "Lucky guess?"

"They just want to be together," Kovu began, "Kiara and I helped them with that."

Kiara held up a paw as she saw that Bakari was going to speak, "They want to talk to you however they want to be with one another so I told them about a place with no worries."

"You What!"

Bakari raged, "Simba, how could you allow your daughter to influence him? We must get them back, this marriage will take place!"

"Bakari!"

Everyone in the cavern was shocked to silence as the queen of the pride lands raised her voice, something she rarely did. Even in the fights that her and Simba had, it was rare for Nala to get that upset to yell.

"You will not speak like that in our pride," the queen spat, "I've kept quiet long enough and I must say that I'm not surprised that your son left!"

"Nala!"

Simba exclaimed as she turned her glare upon her husband, growling as if daring him or anyone to speak, "I know that part of this was my idea, but I simply won't force my only cub in to a marriage that she does not want to be apart of."

"Simba," Bakari scoffed at the queen, "Surely you can overrule this little decision…"

"Everyone just stop," it was Kiara to talk now, drawing everyone's attention over to the future queen, "I know where your son is, follow us and we'll take you."

Simba quickly stood and walked the few paces towards his daughter, "The oasis is a day's travel from here; how did he know where he was headed?"

The younger lioness smiled, "On the day that all of us had that dispute Kovu and I took Uzoma almost to the oasis. I showed him the basic way to go there and hopefully he listened to me."

"You mean," Tamu started, "Our son may be lost?"

"Maybe," Kiara answered truthfully but she herself severely doubted it.

"Well," Simba sighed as he sat down on the hard ground, "If we set out early tomorrow morning; we can get there by early evening, perhaps around the time the sun goes down."

"Alright," Tamu replied as Bakari nodded.

"I have to go," Nala said as she stood up and stretched, "I have to organize the daily hunt with the lionesses. Kiara, I'd like it if you'd come with us."

"Really!"

Kiara tried to keep the excitement out of her voice in order for her to sound more grown-up, but she couldn't help it as she looked at her mother, "I can really come?"

"Yes," Nala smiled as Tamu watched the moment between mother and daughter; wishing that her and Hasana could be that close, "Kovu tells me how much better you've gotten and I'd like if you joined me and the rest of the lionesses in the hunting party."

"Sure," Kiara grinned as Kovu and the rest of the lions watched as Nala and her daughter walked outside, followed by the members of the hunting team; some outlanders mixed in with the pride landers.

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"I'm still stuffed," the king commented as he lounged on top of pride rock, early that next morning, "You, Kiara and the rest of the lionesses did a great job!"

"Thanks," Nala said as she nuzzled her mate, "I'm glad you've decided to agree with me after all."

"I knew you were right," Simba purred as he licked her cheek, "Have you told Bakari and Tamu?"

"Not yet," Nala replied, "I want to find their son first."

"I really did not like Bakari's attitude about saying that Uzoma will marry Kiara," Simba admitted, "It gave me a bad feeling when he talked down to you, you make the decisions in this pride as well."

"Thank you Simba," Nala replied, "That means a lot."

"We're ready to go," Bakari shouted up to the king and queen as him and his wife stood below the rock.

"Well let's go," Nala said as Simba stood up and the couple made it down the majestic rock.

..00..00..00..00..00

"Hey kid, you want some more grubs?"

"No thanks, the last one made me want to be sick," Aziza said as she bent her head to get a cool drink from the pool of water, "I've been feeling sick lately."

"No problem," Timon said as he rubbed his paws together, "More for me and my best pal Pumbaa and new pal Uzoma. Say, where are they?"

"I don't know," the lioness said as she laid down, "I think they're out with your ma or Max, one of the two."

"Hmmm," Timon's expression became thoughtful, "They wouldn't be with my uncle Max; he fears predators."

Timon said, referring to Uzoma;

"We don't want to eat you," the lioness snapped, irritated that Timon could be so dense.

"They must be with ma," Timon concluded as the sun began lowering itself in the sky.

..00..00..00..00..00

"Simba," Tamu panted as the couples continued walking through the land, "Are we almost there?"

"Yes," the king replied, "If you raise your head and look to your left you'll see it. It's the only green in this place."

"Oh wow," Tamu breathed as she followed Simba's instructions and gazed at the beautiful oasis, the place becoming in shadow as the sun was setting.

"No wonder they ran away to here," Tamu said as the four tired lions and lionesses entered the lush greenery that was the oasis. The parched animals stopped at one of the many water holes in order to quench their thirst and continued on there way to find Uzoma or Aziza. The lions began sniffing the air, trying to pick up on the smell of one of the two lions but they couldn't locate a sent. As Simba looked up, a wide grin spread on his face as he spotted Timon riding on Pumbaa's head straight towards them.

"Hey Timon, Pumbaa!"

Simba shouted, making the other three look in surprise as they followed Simba's gaze on the odd looking sight.

"I've never seen anything like that," Bakari commented as he and his mate looked on in amazement. The four lions started a fast trot toward the abnormal looking pair of animals that weren't to far from where they had been.

"First you got the runaways and now this! Oi Pumbaa, what's this world coming to?"

The lovable warthog shook his head as Simba's mouth hung open in surprise, "You knew about this?"

"Yeah," Timon explained, "You know how we came by about a week ago? Kiara told me what was going…"

Timon's explanation was cut off by a loud offended snort by Pumbaa, "I mean, Kiara told us what was going on and she said that if we do this that she'll forget about all the stuff we used to do to her as a cub."

"Yeah," the warthog chimed in to the conversation, "Like how we followed her wherever she went, ruined a lot of her hunts, spied…"

"We get it," Bakari barked, "I don't care about that I want to find my son so we will be able to put this marriage together."

"Oi Pumbaa," Timon whispered, "This guy just doesn't get it."

"Listen," Simba hurriedly cut in, "Will you please tell us where they are, we're very exhausted and we came here to help them find Uzoma and Aziza."

"We're right here," came a female voice as Simba clamped down on Pumbaa's mouth to stop his screaming at the two lion's sudden appearance.

"I guess you want to be alone now?"

"Yes Meerkat," Bakari retorted, "So take your fat friend and go!"

"You don't talk to my friends like that Bakari," Simba yelled, "They're more kind and giving than you are so I suggest you stop speaking right now."

Nala pretended to cough as she snickered at her husband's remarks, proving that although Simba was a king he still showed respect towards his friends.

"We'll go," Timon began as he tugged on Pumbaa's ears, "Let's go pal and Simba you and you're…"

Timon stopped for a suitable word to describe the three other animals, "You and your mate and guests can stay just not near the meerkats."

"No problem Timon, and thanks a lot," Simba replied as he gave a grateful nod of his head.

"Thanks for everything," Aziza smiled, "We'll never forget you. Thanks for helping us out, if you ever need anything you let us know."

"Yeah," Uzoma agreed, "Anything at all, thanks guys."

"Awww," Pumbaa sniffed as Bakari impatiently shuffled his paws on the earth beneath them, "I've got something in my eye."

Simba smiled as he watched his two foster parents walk away in the night, his mind briefly going back towards the days when the Oasis was all he had. He now had a mate, a daughter, and a problem with his idea about betrothing his offspring.

"Listen to us," Uzoma began calmly, "We do not want to get married; if you can't accept that, then we don't want to see you. All we want is a life together, Kiara wants a life with Kovu, and we all just wish to live our own lives."

"Uzoma and I have loved one another for a long time," Uzoma's mate smiled, "I know you love your son and he loves you, but if you decide to not accept the fact that we have become mates then…"

"I understand," Tamu began, "We just want what's best for you, and we think that our son could do better than you. It's nothing against…"

"It is against her," Nala spoke up, "You two do not really care about your son, you just want him to marry our daughter because your son will become king."

"It was your idea to betroth our cubs Nala," Tamu's harsh voice rang out, "You approached my mate and I with it."

"We were wrong," Simba said as he sighed, "We're canceling everything, I almost lost my daughter over trying to force her to marry a lion that she clearly doesn't want to be with, and you will lose your son if you continue like how you are being right now. I'm telling you all right now, that betrothing an heir to the throne will not be a custom anymore."

"What?"

Bakari's and Tamu's jaws dropped as huge smiles were brought upon Uzoma and Aziza's faces;

"Another thing," the young lioness said, "If you lose us, then you also won't get to know your grandchild."

"What? When? How?"

Uzoma smirked at his mother's questions, "A week before we left and I think you know how."

Simba and Nala chuckled as Uzoma's sense of humor returned while Bakari and Tamu wore the expressions of shock and disbelief.

"You don't want to do that," Nala softly said, "Think about it: you'll miss the first wobbly steps, the first mewing that the cub or cubs will make the first…"

"You really love her son?"

Bakari said, "Are you sure about this? I mean, look at what you're giving up."

"I don't care," the lion replied, "I'm gaining a whole lot more."

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Like it always does, weeks turned in to months and it was Uzoma's turn to stand outside of the birthing den at his childhood pride while Aziza struggled to endure the pain of delivery. However when it was all complete, it was Tamu that came out with the news.

"It's a boy," the grandmother smiled as Uzoma rushed in to the den to meet his new son.

The new grandparents beamed with delight as they watched Uzoma enter the lair where his mate lay nursing their cub.

"We did the right thing getting over that betrothal business," Tamu stated, "I am very glad you eventually came around. I know it took longer than any of us would've liked, but you came round and that is the point."

"Yes," Bakari replied, "I would've missed this happy time in my son's life, I would have missed becoming a grandfather."

Tamu smiled as she nuzzled her mate, her head resting on her husband's shoulder as the couple thought about all the time that had past and how foolish they had been.

"You can come in now," they jumped as Uzoma came out of the cavern, "Come and meet your grandson."

Tamu and Bakari smiled as they followed their son in to the den, watching Aziza cuddle with the tan colored male cub;

"We've decided to name him Mosi," Uzoma said, "It means the firstborn."

"He's beautiful," Tamu said as she gazed at the tiny cub between his mother's paws, a brown tuff of fur on his head and tan colored pelt, the same shade as his father's.

"Well," Bakari said, "Congratulations you two, I hope you're very happy."

"Yes," the new mother smiled, "We did fine, just like Kovu and Kiara and their twins Nia and Baingana."

"Everything worked out in the end," Tamu began as they exited the cave, "We all did what was best for our children."

As the night fell across the savannah in both lion prides, two families realized, that was all that mattered.

..00..00..00..00End Of, "A Royal Decision."..00..00..00..00