Greatest Huntress In The Land

Author's note: I don't own the lion king, or the Disney franchise. This is purely fan-made. However the characters that don't belong to Disney, DO belong to me. Read, Review, and enjoy!

The den was quiet. Not one of the lionesses made a sound in their sleep. However only one of them had trouble getting asleep and it was Vitani. It had been only a couple weeks since the young lioness had moved over to the pride lands with the other outlanders and she was quite content. However tonight in particular had a strangeness to it. Vitani rolled a bit onto her side, then again to the other side. She groaned as she got up and yawned. The den was dark, however her feline eyes adjusted to it rather quickly. She could see Kovu, and Kiara sleeping with their heads entwined in the corner. She also spotted the king, Simba, and his queen Nala. Vitani had gotten quite some respect for Kiara since she was the one that opened the outlander's eyes. Though Vitani still acted the same towards the other lionesses. She felt that she was superior to them…to the point where she was actually gloating about it. She challenged them frequently to fight, and many of them turned away from her. Cowards she thought of them. Though she also understood that this wasn't a land of hate anymore. Nobody fought for their food, nor did they need to.

Vitani figured she would probably not get to sleep anymore so she maneuvered her way around the sleeping lionesses to the entrance of the den. Her paws felt cool against the rock floor of the den, and it sent a shiver down the young lioness's spine. Vitani walked out through the den entrance and sat down a couple feet away from the den, near the edge of pride rock. She looked up at the moon with glinting eyes, and then to the stars. A couple days back Kovu told her that some the greatest kings were up there. The thought back then actually made Vitani laugh , but now she wondered. Could there be other lions up there besides kings? It was times like this that made her heart sink. She missed her older brother. Nuka's death was very untimely and all to impress Zira. Vitani's throat rumbled with a growl. Zira. She said she was liberating the out landers. She said that she was avenging Scar. Though it was soon after Vitani arrived in the pride lands that she realized that this wasn't just. Her mother was dwelling on the past, and that was what destroyed her along with her hatred of course.

Vitani shivered slightly as a cold breeze blew by, and she turned her gaze to the pride lands again. They were beautiful, even during the night. All the animals were sleeping, and all the savannah grass swayed with every breeze.

Kiara woke up inside the den and looked around with amber eyes. She yawned lazily, and untwined her head from Kovu's, hoping that wouldn't wake him up. She noticed that Vitani wasn't in her usual sleeping spot. Kiara had gotten closer to Vitani over the time that her sister in law had accepted that they were one in the same. They hunted together, talked with one another, and even thought up of names that they might give their cubs. Kiara finally felt that she found a friend that she could speak to openly. Of course Kovu was like that too, but it was different. Kovu was her world, while Vitani was just a part of that world. It was a bundled package.

Kiara zigzagged her way out of the den as well, and noticed that Vitani was staring out into the pride lands. Kiara made her way stealthily towards Vitani, with a wide grin on her face. She prepared to pounce.

"Don't bother princess." Vitani said as her right ear twitched. "I knew you were going to try that before you even woke up." Vitani said with a small smirk. Kiara chuckled softly as she walked up to Vitani and sat down beside her.

"Am I really that predictable? I guess I am not that great of a hunter." Kiara said softly as she looked at the pride lands as well. Vitani shrugged.

"Just because you couldn't prey on me, doesn't mean you aren't a great hunter. I thought Kovu told you about my reputation over in the out lands. I am the number one huntress. I even exceeded my mother." Vitani explained with a smug chuckle. Kiara laughed at that, and looked over at Vitani.

"So in a way, you are a queen too! Vitani, Queen of the hunt!" Kiara said with a giggle. Vitani chuckled too , and looked down.

"Yes. You could call me a queen. Though I prefer number one because you don't have to be the best to be royalty. It's blood that defines that. No offense." Vitani said as she looked out to the pride lands again. This was the sort of discussions they had. Just random talk. Kiara smiled as the moon began to finally fall under the horizon.

"Kiara, ever since I came over here I've felt so good. Makes me wonder why I never questioned my mother before. I can't say I was afraid because I was totally capable of defending myself. I think I was gullible. I believed everything she said, and took it to heart." Vitani muttered. "Nuka did the same…but he didn't run on gullibility. He ran on desire. He wanted to make mother happy. He wanted her acceptance more than anything. He died for it." Vitani said looking at the fading stars. Kiara's ears drooped slightly and she sighed.

"Vitani I know its difficult to think about your lost brother, and about what has been done. You just have to remember what's past is past. You can't change it. What you can change is your outcome. Your future." Kiara said wisely.

"Kiara. Everyday I wish I could go back and change it. I wish I could've held Nuka back. If I knew what was going to happen to him I would have." Vitani murmured. Kiara looked down. She couldn't possibly even consider trying to tell Vitani it was ok. Kiara didn't watch a sibling die. She never grew up with one, and then have him torn away. Kiara just simply couldn't relate to that. She figured she should change the subject. At that instant Kiara's stomach growled, and she grinned. That was an idea!

"Ok, Queen of the hunt. Ready to honor your reputation?" Kiara asked with a daring gleam in her eye. Vitani smirked as she turned to Kiara, resembling Zira right down to the posture.

"Of course…" Vitani purred as she looked to the horizon. As if on cue, the sun was beginning to rise over the lands. The light touched the land giving off a golden color, and awakening all the animals within it. Kiara looked at it with awe. No matter how many times she saw it, it always amused her how quickly the land and everything living on it came to life with the light of the great sun.

"Ready?" Vitani asked as she looked over at Kiara. Kiara nodded as she got up and stretched. Vitani did the same, then moved her way to the stair-case like rock formation to the side of the pride rock. She began to make her way down with Kiara following closely.

"Oi! Kiara! Kiara!" Timone called as he came out of the den quickly. "Where are you going?" Timone asked. Kiara rolled her eyes and looked back at Timone.

"Just going out for a quick hunt Timone. We'll be back soon. I better not catch you or Pumba following me. Or I'll get Vitani to teach you a lesson." Kiara said with a grin. Vitani at that instant flashed her mighty fangs at the small mammal. Timone yelped.

"D-Don't worry. We won't follow ya. Just don't get hurt alright?" Timone said as he stepped back slowly into the den.

"He's a nosy one isn't he?" Vitani mumbled as she walked alongside Kiara a few moments later. Their paws made soft padding noises against the warm earth of the pride lands. Kiara smiled at the comment.

"Yeah. Though it's his job. He's like an uncle to me." Kiara pointed out. Vitani stopped and sniffed at the air. Kiara was perplexed as to what she was doing.

"There's a herd of some sort near here…smells like zebra, or maybe even antelope. They all stink the same." Vitani muttered with a snort. Kiara understood now that Vitani was trying to identify if there was any game around.

"Hey Vitani. I am curious. Before we actually start hunting…What did you eat over at the outlands? My dad told me that not many animals wander over there." Kiara said with a tilt of her head. Vitani looked back at Kiara for a moment in thought.

"We ate anything that we could find. In times of hard ship we just ate the termites that crawled through the den." Vitani said and then grinned when she saw Kiara's expression.

"Bugs? Gross…" Kiara whined.

"You got to do what you got to do to survive princess." Vitani said with a chuckle. "Even if it is gross. They tried to crawl out my throat when I ate them whole." Vitani said, obviously amused at how green Kiara was getting.

Soon the two lionesses arrived near a small herd of antelopes. There were old ones, young ones, and baby antelopes all together. Vitani had her eyes set on a very old antelope, and Kiara had set her eyes on another old antelope. If they went after a young one, they might not catch up to it. The old ones were slow and usually disoriented. Vitani got down on her belly along side Kiara who did the same. Vitani crawled slowly making sure not to make any noise, and to camouflage with the savannah grass. Vitani's eyes set on the old antelope, and her claws dug into the ground so that she could propel herself onto it. There was a loud roar, and it didn't come from either lioness. It alerted the antelopes and they ran off. Vitani rose her head above the grass to see what was making the noise and her eyes widened at what she saw in the distance.