"Wha? Where are you going!" Zira questioned angrily.  "Get back here!" She demanded.

      "Let it go, Zira."  Simba calmly ordered.  "It's time to put the past, behind us."

      "I'll NEVER let it go!" Zira roared.

     The quiet, small, calm river  that lied below the cliff the angry lions stood on sat just in front of a huge dam, which had began to crack.  The sound echoed for miles, but the only one who seemed to notice it was Simba, he looked away from Zira.  The evil lioness saw her chance.

     "This is for you, Scar!" She whispered just before lunging at Simba.  But her plans to kill the king were foiled as his daughter, Kiara; who had been standing in front of him; jumped and attacked Zira, the rolled unknowingly off the side of the cliff.

     "Kiara!" Simba gasped and ran to the edge of the cliff, looking for his daughter, the other lions, including Kovu, who was in love with Kiara, followed and just as Simba did, Kovu helplessly call the lioness' name.  Simba jumped, hanging on to the cliff, and tried to find a way to Kiara.

      Kiara and Zira hit a rock sticking out of the cliff and split apart. The rolled down a steep part of the cliff.  Kiara was able to stop herself from falling off, and sat the rock that poked out of the cliffs steep side.  Zira, on the other hand, stopped herself to late. 

     She was hanging only by her front paws, she looked down and saw the river, hundred of feet below her, she closed her eyes in fear.  Kiara did the same.

     "Hold on, Kiara!" Nala called to her daughter, helplessly.  She looked down, but her head shot up as the dam cracked and the water came out rapidly.

     Nala gasped in fear as she remembered her mate Simba, who had jumped down after Kiara, "Where's Simba?!" She looked down and saw him jumping back to a large rock on the cliff.  "Simba the river!" She warned him.  He looked, and hurried his paise.

     Zira slipped farther and farther down the edge.  She looked down, and saw the rising flood.  Kiara reached out, and tried to help her up.  "Zira, give me your paw." Kiara said.  Zira refused and lashed out at her, but doing so made her slip even more.

     "Zira come on!" Kiara pleaded. Zira didn't respond and was at the very end off the edge.  "I'll help you." Kiara cried.  Zira looked down and tried to climb back up, but lost her grip.  Kiara gasped as the lioness fell into the river.  Zira's scream echoed in her mind. The last thing Kiara saw of her was her paw, reaching out of the water, it was hit by a log and sent back under.

      Shortly after, the water stopped flowing and the rapids calmed down, Kiara looked over the top of the river, for any sign of life.  But the river sat quietly, no movement.  Kovu, Zira's son, sighed, he couldn't help but feel a little grief over the loss of his mother, even if she was willing to kill him, she WAS his mother after all.

     Kiara sighed, she felt bad that se wasn't able to save Zira.  She looked up, and saw Simba walking down to her.  "Kiara.." he smiled.  "Daddy...I tried.." Kiara sighed.

     The climbed back to the top of the cliff.  Nala sighed with relief and hugged her daughter.  "Wow, that was really brave!!" Pumbaa, their wort-hog friend, shouted in excitement.  "Yeeee Haaa!" Screeched his meercat friend, Timon.  Kiara walked over to Kovu.  They sighed and nuzzled eachother. 

     Simba never liked Kovu, but it was that moment that he saw how much Kovu really did care for his daughter. "Kovu.."  Simba said, Kovu walked over to him, trying not to show any fear.  "I was wrong.. You belong here.." Simba smiled.  Kovu couldn't believe what he was hearing!   He smiled, only trying not to explode with happiness.

     "Lets go home.." Simba said, he turned to look at the rest of the Outlanders,  "All of us.."

     Once everyone was back at Pride Rock, Rafiki, the a spiritual friend of the pride, officially made Kiara and Kovu mates.  They nuzzled eachother happily.  Simba smiled as Nala nuzzled him aswell. 

     "I love moments like this.." Pumbaa said, tears filling in is eyes as he looked down at Timon.

     "Yeah.." Timon responded.

      "Love.  Not like.  LOVE!!"  They cried in a dumb way and busted into tears.  Zazu, the bird who was Simba's 'adviser' had to shield himself with his wins from the tears. 

     Simba and Nala walked through the circle of other lions, who bowed in respect as their leader walked before them.  Kiara and Kovu followed behind them.  They stood at the top of Pride Rock, they roared to the animals below. The other lions joined them.  Simba felt the presence of his fathers spirit,  Well done...my son Simba smiled to himself.

     That night, the pridelanders celebrated their new, and larger pride.  Well, not everyone. 

     Kovu and Kiara sat at the very top of Pride Rock, and stared out into the distance.  "This is all ours, Kovu."  Kiara smiled to her mate.  "I know, I can't believe it.."  Kovu replied.  Kiara pressed herself against his main.  He smiled to himself.

    "Kiara, why don't we celebrate? Y-know, just the two of us!"  Kovu asked.  "You don't think they'd be worried, do you you?" Kiara responded.  Kovu raised his brow. 

      "Y'know, not knowing where we are?"

     "Nah, I think they'd understand." Kovu smiled.

      Kiara chuckled to herself.  They walked to the back of te cave, and snuck out the hole that Kiara had made just a day before.  Kiara looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was watching, she couldn't see anyone, so they kept walking. 

     "I know just the place!" Kiara cheered as they walked into the night.  The moon was now high in the sky, and everything was quiet.

      Kiara led Kovu very far into the Prielands, before finding some bushes.  "You took me all this way, for bushes?" Kovu asked.  "No, look behind them." Kiara said, pulling back the small plants. 

     Kovu's jaw dropped.  He saw a huge waterfall that led to a large pond.  Just next to that was a clearing wear hundred of butterflies sat quietly, and the beautiful forest around it seemed to go on forever.

     Kiara nudged Kovu and trotted into the clearing next to the pond, she began to drink for it.  Kovu grinned and crouched behind her.  Noticing his absence, she turned and saw him pouncing on her, knocking them both into the water.

     Kiara rose to the surface, gasping for air.  Kovu poked his eye's out of the water.  Kiara smirked, she blinked for a second, but was blasted in the face by Kovu spitting water into her face.  "KOVU!" She yelled, but playfully.  He came up and looked at her, and she splashed him.

     Kiara walked out and shook herself off.  Kovu followed and shook the water on her, she pushed him back in the water, and ran to hide.  He climbed out, and again shook himself.  He found her quickly and she jumped on him, and licked his cheek. 

     He smiled and nuzzled her.  She returned the favor and lied down next to him.  Kovu playfully bit the back of Kiara's neck, she turned and pushed him away teasingly.  The wind blew and they snuggled together tightly the rest of the night. 

     ---

     Kiara opened her eye's slowly, at first, she didn't know where she was, but soon remembered the night before, and smiled.   She crawled out of Kovu's tight grip, and stretched.  She walked over to the water and drank, her mouth was very dry.  She was able to groom herself before Kovu woke up.

     "Hey there, sleepy head."  Kiara teased.  Kovu smirked at her and walked over.  He noticed how clean she was and then looked down at his dirty paws.  He looked at her one more time before pouncing into the water.  Kiara stared at the water, waiting for him to come out.

      Kovu jumped out of the water, and dried himself within a few minuets.  Kiara nuzzled him and they lied down, watching the calm, quiet water.  Just as Kovu was about to say something, Kiara stopped him.  "I think we need to get back, before my parents get worried." 

      "It's still early, if we hurry we might make it back before they wake up."  Kovu said and the ran as fast as they could back towards Pride Rock. 

     They reached Pride Rock just before the sun hit the inside of the cave.  They