“Finally on Sunday he died” Rafiki sniffed. “Legend says if anyone had the same dream and felt the same as he did that you will suffer the same fate as he did. Kovu gasped. “No it’s not true” Kovu panted. “I’m afraid it is” Rafiki told him again. Kovu ran out of Rafiki’s tree without another word.

                       Chapter five: Vitani and the lion

 Vitani walked out of the cave on Wednesday morning and went to the waterhole for a drink. Little did she know that the lion from the previous day was watching her, He stepped out of some tall grass and coughed politely.

“You’re up a bit early aren’t you” he said in a gruff voice.

“What do you care you’re the one who scratched me yesterday” Vitani mocked.

“I’m Panthera-Leo,” the lion said.

So am I Vitani growled?

“No that’s my name, Panthera-Leo,” he repeated. Just then Sarafina walked by.

“Hello you two I see spring is in the air”. She giggled.

“No it’s not,” Vitani argued. “Because I can prove it,” she added. She shoved Panthera-Leo into the waterhole. “See” she smirked.

 Panthera-Leo climbed out of the water-dripping wet. “I’m going to get you one day and when that day comes I’ll be waiting for you” I’ll skin you alive, put you in the stream and leave you there and hopefully the alligators will come along and eat you” Panthera-Leo plotted. “Plus I’ll be back with friends” he added.

“That took care of him” Vitani sighed.

“Well you heard him he said he’ll be back with friends” Sarafina reminded her.

“Don’t worry about that I’ll get revenge on him before he does with me” Vitani laughed sinisterly.

                          Chapter six: the race to rule

 Kovu walked out of the cave with bags under his eyes from not sleeping. He yawned and went to the top of pride rock. Who would he see but Simba talking to three strange lions? Kovu walked closer until he could hear what they were saying. “No never in a million years are you going to do that?” Simba protested. “Why can’t I be king?” one of the lions complained. “No I will be king,” argued another. The third and joined in. Simba decided he couldn’t take the arguing anymore. “All right but you have to compete with the heir”.  Simba turned around to see Kovu standing behind him. “Kovu these three all want to be king so I have decided that you will race each other and the prize will be your place as king. Hopefully you will win Kovu”. Kovu ran down to the cave and woke Kiara up. “Kiara help” he pleaded. Kiara woke up and yawned. “Yes” she sighed. “Some crazy lions want to be king so I have to race against them” Kovu panted. “Well come on we have to get you in shape” Kiara gasped leaping to her feet. The two lions strolled to the grasslands and then Kiara ordered Kovu to do exercise. They went to Timon and Pumbaa’s home and knocked on the wall. Timon leaped up and did some karate poses. “Who’s there?” He screamed. “Only us” Kiara soothed. “Well next time wake Pumbaa”. He panted. “As a matter of fact we were going to wake Pumbaa” Kovu explained. “ Wake up buddy” Timon whispered nudging his stomach. “Pumbaa opened his eyes and looked around. “Come back in eight hours” he mumbled. Timon nudged him again harder. “Alright” he gasped. “These two want to see you” Timon told him. “Okay what is it you want?” he asked. “Kovu has to race some lions to become king but he can’t beat them so we want to ask you a favour” Kiara explained. “First what did you eat last night?” Kovu questioned. “Seventy worms, one thousand trillion and one spiders, eight pond skaters, twenty quadrillion and eighty two dragonflies, and twenty three billion ants” he listed. Kiara’s mouth dropped open. “I won’t be surprised if those poor dragonflies become extinct; Kovu laughed. “That’s great” Kiara cheered. “Pumbaa get on Kovu’s back; she ordered. Pumbaa clambered onto Kovu’s back. Kovu fell to the floor under all the weight. Kiara and Timon giggled. “It’s not funny” Kovu claimed heaving himself to his feet. “I want you to run around pride rock and back here again carrying Pumbaa”. Kiara explained. “WHAT?” Kovu screamed His voice echoed through the pride lands sending a flock of hornbills flying out of a tree. But without another word he plodded down pride rock carrying two thousand pounds of weight on his back. He started to run around pride rock. He was quite slow and when he had ran two metres he began to gather speed. In a few minutes he had ran around pride rock and was back at the warthog and meercat duo’s home. He collapsed to the floor and gasped for breath. “How did I do?” he asked. “You were brilliant” Kiara cheered. “Those lions won’t stand a chance against you”. “Don’t be so sure they’re twice the size of me” Kovu sighed. “Don’t give up” Kiara urged. Suddenly they heard a roar from the top of pride rock. “It’s time for the race” Kiara exclaimed. Kovu, Kiara, Timon and Pumbaa sauntered down the side of pride rock to meet the rest of the pride. Kovu went to stand with the other racers. “ He was right about them being twice his size. “He looks like a cub compared to them; Kiara whispered. Simba came strutting down pride rock with Nala at his side. He climbed onto a huge rock and began to speak. Kovu looked scared he looked at Vitani who was staring at the tall grass. She thought she saw the cryptic eyes of Panthera-Leo and hoped that he was the only other strange lion around. “We have gathered here to see who will be the next king of the pride lands” Simba started. “ The racers are Kovu,” everyone cheered for him. “Micatei” everyone booed him. “ Bonja” everyone hissed. “Last but not least Abando” Simba finished. Everyone stayed silent because Abando was the biggest and most ferocious lion in the crowd. Timon screamed and covered himself with Pumbaa’s ears. “The racers will race around pride rock and finish on this rock” Simba explained. “The first racer to complete three laps wins” Simba finished. “Racers get to your places and no cheating anyone who does will be disqualified,” he continued. Simba began to do the count down. “On your marks…get set…GO” he roared. Everyone began cheering. Abando of course was in the lead, closely followed by Micatei, then Bonja but Kovu was far behind. Suddenly he began to get faster he was nearly ahead of Bonja he leaped and managed to get a few feet ahead of him. He began to get a stitch so he tried to slow down but he couldn’t stop. He started to catch up with Micatei then Micatei tripped leaving Kovu to get in front. He was neck and neck with Abando. Then with no warning everyone watched as Kovu fell to floor and Abando was ahead again. Kovu scrambled to his feet and gathered speed he was a metre away from the rock then he shot forward and onto the rock. Everyone cheered for him and crowded him. Simba came forward and declared. “ We have a winner” Abando’s mouth fell open. “Beaten by a pipsqueak; he gasped. Simba stepped towards Abando, Bonja and Micatei and roared they fled into the savannah and didn’t look back. Kovu didn’t look happy though he remembered what Rafiki had said about running around like a maniac and thought that was the reason he’d won. He drooped back to the cave and plonked himself on a rock near the entrance and wondered what the dream would be like now. “Kovu” a voice boomed behind him. Kovu jumped and ran like a maniac again. It was only Vitani. “Help me” Kovu panted. “Whoa calm down; Vitani giggled. “It’s not funny I am in danger” Kovu shouted. “What?” Vitani gasped. “Look did you ever feel like somebody was going to attack your pride?” Kovu asked “Well…yes” Vitani answered. “Then did you fell like you would die in a week and you felt like there was nothing you could do about it” “Have you ever had that feeling” Kovu finished. “ Actually I haven’t did you ever feel that way?” Vitani questioned. “Of course not” Kovu replied. “ Look I know you’re feeling a bit strange since you won the race but I know you’ll get over it” Vitani comforted. She nuzzled her little brother and went outside the cave.

              Chapter seven: the mysterious antidote

That night when everyone had settled down to sleep Kovu was trying to stay awake. He thought about what Rafiki had said again and he just drifted off to dreamland. He dreamed he woke up in Timon and Pumbaa’s home and went outside.