these years, he was alive and well, and Kopa was glad to be home again, except for one little thought at the back of his mind that was bothering him a bit.

“Father…?” He asked, turning his red eyes towards him as he had done a long time ago as a cub.

“Yes, Kopa?” replied Simba.

“Well, I was wondering…about this Kovu guy…”

“Not the politest way to speak about your brother in law, you’re going to have to learn more about speaking like a ki-“ Simba paused. Wait, wasn’t Kopa next in line for the throne? But hadn’t he been training Kovu for so long, and now he wasn’t going to be king? He wondered about how this would go down, and if Kopa would be a good king, especially because of the way he was brought up. Would it be too late to teach him the standards needed to be a ruler?

Kopa, however, hadn’t taken notice of this. “Sorry dad, but I was wondering about him. Is he really as good as you think he is?” His voice no longer held the innocent curiosity he had once used when he asked his father something, but a slightly venomous suspicion. Ever since Zira had attacked him as a cub, he was naturally weary of the former outlanders when they were around his family, and held a secret grudge against almost all of them.

Simba shook himself out of his thoughts about the future and focused on his son’s question. “What do you mean, son?”

“Well…er…” Kopa found it difficult to find a way to express his feelings. “Well, you know when I was a cub, and some of the lionesses scared me into obedience by telling me stories about Scar? They told me he was darker than usual pridelanders, had green eyes, and most distinctively, a scar across his eye.”

Simba listened to these words, picking up on what Kopa was saying, but letting him finish without interruptions.

“So anyway, when I first saw Kovu, the first thing that came into my head was Scar. I’ve never seen him, and he fitted the description very well. I was confused, wondering what Scar was doing here, and wondering why he looked so much younger than how old Scar would be. Then you explained, but- I don’t know, you tell me he’s good and didn’t want anything to do with Zira, but…what if he IS Scar inside? He’s been trained to kill you for so long; do you really think he’ll turn over that quickly?”

For a few moments, Simba took in what Kopa had just told him, and found himself surprised at the doubts that had suddenly risen in him. Kopa was right, Kovu had been trained to kill him since cubhood, and it only took him two days to turn over. He had been acting strangely lately, almost frustrated about something, and what if Zira and Scar had influenced him too much? What if Kiara had only delayed the darkness that was rising inside? What if it was too late? How long would it be before it resurfaced, if that was the case? And now Kopa was going to be King, not him, and that just made things a whole lot worse.

 Angry at himself for judging unfairly again, Simba shook himself out of his thoughts and looked at Kopa, who was watching him, waiting for an answer. Simba nodded wisely and looked on across the Pridelands. “People often judge others unfairly in this world, and I have myself.” He looked at the place where Kovu had stood when he exiled him. “But you, at least, have a better reason to do so. You’ve been through a lot, Kopa, and I don’t blame you for worrying about this. Zira tried to kill you, then you come back to be among the very lions who had intended harm to our family. It’s going to take a while to get used to, but you will. Now I know you’re a grown lion, as you’re worrying about our family, but don’t worry son, we’re fine now. You know, you should try and get to know Kovu a bit more later, it’ll really help!”

“Thanks dad, I needed that comfort. I’m still going to be watchful, I’m afraid. Who can blame me? I want us all safe. But I’ll try and get to know everyone.”

Simba smiled. “I know you will.”                                                                                            

Kopa smiled then gazed at the stars for some time with his father. Simba may have tried to hide it, but Kopa knew a doubtful face when he saw one. He saw the sudden thoughts and suspicions that raced through the King’s mind, and his final face when he tried to push these things aside. From experience, Kopa knew that Simba wasn’t sure about what he had told him as a reassurance, and when he glanced at him again, he could read the deep, worried thoughts inside him again. If Simba wasn’t sure about this, he’d investigate it himself.

No one’s going to harm my family again and get away with it, I promise you that Zira.

Inside the cave, another hearty conversation was being made. As Kiara and the cubs slept beside Kovu, he was whispering to Vitani.

“So, what do you think of this Kopa character, huh?” asked Vitani, her voice barely audible two metres away.

Kovu shrugged. “He’s a nice fellow, yet I think he’s suspicious of us.” And at Vitani’s questioning smile he added, “Fine, suspicious of me.”

Vitani stretched and yawned. “Eh, who could blame the guy? After all, you look a lot like Scar.”

“Pf, it’s just the wretched scar over my eye, damn it. Makes me feel like I deserve no more than him.”

“Don’t be silly.” Vitani gazed outside the cave for a few moments then wondered out loud. “Do you think I’m ugly?”

This almost random remark startled Kovu, but he looked up and down his sister. “No, why would you be?”

“I don’t know, I’m not having any luck, and…I don’t know, sometimes I just want to look more like Kiara, or…”

Kovu smiled and raised an eyebrow at Vitani as she tried to express herself.

“How can you have a mate like Kiara, who has cubs liked Arina and Kazia, and has a mother like Nala, and, and…” She sighed. “…and you still have a sister like me? Even you’re better-looking.”

Kovu rolled his eyes. “Well, I don’t look good with a scar over my eye, do I? Some animals stare at it and cringe. But look at your eyes, they’re different. Such a blue no other lioness could have in this pride. Besides,” he winked. “There are two new handsome young lions in the pride, and if one makes fun of you, you can bite his head clean off!”

Vitani laughed silently. “There’s one good thing about me!” Then she thought for a moment. “But Kopa’s too opposite, and he’s already betrothed! What would he or Afua ever see in me?”

“What did Kiara see in me? An outlander who is supposed to follow in Scar’s footprints and become king? A lion that’s going to have to murder her father? No, she didn’t see that, and I’m glad she didn’t. Guess where we would be now?”

“Heh, either at the top but with lionesses giving us murderous looks and Zira pestering us, or down in the Outlands wastage.”

“Yeah, and…” Kovu yawned loudly. “Think it’s time to sleep?”

“Yeah, good night…little prince.” Vitani grinned as she slowly padded away to her spot and lay down.

Kovu smiled. It had been tough in the Outlands, but at least Zira wouldn’t be calling him that anymore. But wait, what if someone else does? After all, Kopa was first born before Kiara, and that makes him the rightful heir to the throne, right? So all that training would go to nothing, but in a way, Kovu was grateful that this had happened. He was always worrying whether he’d be a good king, the weary animals still didn’t always trust him, and to be honest, he wasn’t a very kingly speaker or decision maker. Kopa would fit the job much better than he ever would.

However, these thoughts would have to be left for the moment, and the dark lion fell asleep, just before Simba and Kopa padded into the cave. A few minutes later, a lioness opened one eye, gazed into nowhere as she thought over what she had heard, and then fell asleep. It was Timira, and she had overheard Kovu and Vitani’s conversation, much by accident, as she couldn’t sleep due to the excitement that had happened that day. She was only slightly listening to them, and heard them as if from a dream, but once Vitani mentioned Kopa and Afua, she began to listen more intently.

A long time ago, Timira had been betrothed to Kopa, especially since they were such good friends. However, since then, they had only ever thought of each other as friends, and nothing more. As cubs, they never considered the matter seriously, and let it pass over their heads. But now, things were different, Kopa was back, but when he returned, Timira didn’t quite express the feelings that Nala felt when she found Simba. They greeted each other happily, but they just…didn’t feel together, didn’t share the same joy. With Afua, well, that was a different matter. He was a shy lion,