Name Meanings:

Simba: Lion (Swahili)

Sarabi: Mirage (Swahili)

Nala: Bountiful Harvest (Northern Sotho) OR You deny/denied (Zulu)

Adui: Enemy, foe (Swahili)

Ni: I am (Swahili)

Kopa: Heart OR Borrow (Swahili)

Raziya: Friendly (Swahili)

Zira: Hate (Swahili)

Mufasa: King (Manazoto)

Baridi: Cold (Swahili)

Imani: Faith, belief (Swahili)

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Rains poured down from the heavens. Thunder clattered overhead. Roars echoed throughout the Pridelands.

King Simba had returned.

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Simba paced on the promontory, blood-red mane buffeted by the merciless wind. Beside him, his mother Sarabi, smiled knowingly. Simba was worried for his mate, Nala.

Nala had gone into labour the night before, leaving Simba anxious as a hunted zebra. But this was not Nala's first time, and so the pride were not nearly as worried as the King.

Simba was also still grieving over Adui, the son of Nala and Ni. For the entire duration of Nala's pregnancy, he had been paranoid that this litter would not be his either. A roar interrupted his thoughts, then Pride Rock fell silent.

A lioness padded softly out of the cave, a broad smile on her face. "My King."

Simba lifted his head. "How is she?"

The lioness dipped her head. "The Pridelands have been blessed with a Prince."

Simba darted into the gloom of the cave, smiling. As he entered, the first thing that greeted him were a pair of bright blue eyes. Nala's eyes.

"Simba," Nala murmured lovingly. "Say hello to your son."

Simba bent his head down and peered into Nala's arms. Nestled within was a pale brown cub, mewing and batting the air with short, stubby forepaws.

"Oh Nala..." Simba breathed, "he's perfect."

Nala smiled and butted heads with her mate. "What shall we call him, love?"

"Kopa," the King murmured. "Heart."

"But..." hissed a voice in the shadows, "it also means 'borrow'. His time is borrowed, my King. The name you have chosen is an omen."

Eyes narrowed slits, Simba peered into the shadows. "Who says such words?"

A thin, lanky lioness with deep red eyes padded forwards, a dark youngster, her daughter Raziya, trailing her steps. It was Zira.

"Your words mean naught, Zira," Nala hissed. "Get out."

Simba growled a warning. His hostility towards this lioness was to be expected; she was the lover of the late King Scar and had proven to be extremely deadly when it came to defending him.

"I was just going to leave," Zira said, eyes blazing. "I wouldn't want to ruin a perfect occasion."

As Zira and her daughter left the cave, Simba sighed and licked Nala's forehead affectionately. "Kopa. A perfect name."

Outside the cave though, Sarabi felt cold winds trail the edges of her fur. Sarabi... this time of peace will be short-lived, my love.

 "Oh Mufasa," Sarabi whispered, "please help us..."

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"Oof!"

Kopa landed flat on his back, a pair of dark grey paws planted firmly on his chest. "Pinned ya!"

The prince looked up, into the dim blue eyes of his best friend, Baridi. Her lips parted into a broad grin and she giggled. "Some King you're gonna be!"

Kopa narrowed his eyes. "Just because you can beat me up doesn't mean I can't fight!"

Baridi laughed again. "If you say so, Your Highness." Bowing low with mock respect, she stepped off him.

Kopa leaped to his feet. "What now, Hide and Seek?"

Baridi pouted. "Booooorrriiing. Why not try play-fighting again!"

"No chance!" Kopa growled playfully. "I don't wanna get beat up again!"

Baridi giggled again and shoved him with a paw. "Then, tag!" Dashing away quickly, she soon disappeared into the bushes. Kopa gave chase, laughing as he went.

Above, on the promontory, Queen Nala sat beside a pale lioness, the huntress Imani. Imani was a quiet, demure creature, rarely speaking out and reserving her smiles for her closest friends and family, of which there was little. Occasionally, Nala would flick her head in Imani's direction to see if her face showed any change in expression. Of course, it did not.

"Our cubs seem to be close friends," Nala murmured quietly.

Imani said nothing, just nodded, ever silent.

"And..." Nala bit her lip, "...Kopa does not have a betrothed, which, as law dictates, he should have by now."

Imani's right ear moved ever so slightly backwards, her face ever emotionless. "What are you implying, o' gracious Queen?"

"Please, Imani, my name will be fine," Nala replied. "And I'm implying that Baridi would make a fine mate, perhaps Queen, for Kopa."

Imani's shifted in her spot. "Truly, Nala? I mean, Baridi may be a bright little creature, but is she really a good candidate for the throne?"

Nala smiled warmly. "Of course, Imani. Simba and I have discussed this, and we have both decided that we can tutor her should her family consent."

Imani's lips twitched, as though they were trying to form a smile. "Thank you, o' gracious Queen. I will discuss this with Baridi as soon as I can."

The Queen nodded her acknowledgement, then got to her feet. "I will tell Simba at once."

Imani watched her trot away, sighing to herself inside. She had always been a great believer in true love, and had never even dreamed that Baridi would have to be forced into marriage. And then there was the possibility that she was not 'Queen material'. What if she was not wise enough? What if she made mistakes? The Pridelands' fate rested in the answers to these questions, and Imani, though happy that her daughter would have a bright future, feared the worst.

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Baridi sat on the promontory, her toes almost curling over the edge. Even though the thought of falling was terrifying, there was something captivating about sitting and watching the world roll by. Baridi liked the air of peacefullness that came with it.

As pawsteps broke Baridi back to reality, she whirled round. "Mama!"

Imana sidled forwards, a warm, yet small smile on her face. "Hello dearest. Have a good day with Kopa?"

Baridi nodded vigorously. "Yep!"

Imani bent her head down to nuzzle the cub. "I've got good news for you, darling."

"What is it, ma?" Baridi asked, her head titling, jaws parted in a grin.

"Well..." Imani considered her words. "Do you know what betrothal means?"

Baridi nodded. "It means to have your marriage arranged for you."

Imani nodded. "Clever girl. Well... Kopa has been given a betrothed today."

Baridi was somewhat stung by this. Who was it? Was it her? Who was lucky enough to be the chosen of Kopa? "Who is it, ma?"

Imani winked. "Who do you think, dearest?"

There was a delighted squeal from the cub and she launched herself at her mother. Imani rolled onto her back to accept her daughter's embrace. "Thanks mommy."

Imani's smile grew broard. "Anything for you, my sweetheart. But remember this: you must be wise, as the fate of the kingdom will rest in your paws. King Simba and Queen Nala can give you and Kopa lessons, but you have to be a responsible ruler."

Baridi butted heads with her. "I promise mama, I'll do whatever's best for the kingdom."

"That's my girl." Imani felt relief worm its way through her body. "That's my girl."

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"Please mother, will you tell me where we're going?"

Raziya trotted along behind her mother, the dark brown lioness having to take long, quick strides to match Zira's pace. The older lioness was quiet, her strides long and swift. "No."

Raziya stopped. "Why?"

The older lioness said nothing. The shadow of Pride Rock was far away now and Raziya, even though she was a tough lioness, began to feel uneasy.

All of a sudden, Zira stopped. "Here is where we need to be. We're far enough away."

There was a cackle in the dark and a black shadow edged closer. Raziya's eyes widened - it was a hyena!

The hyena soon became visible, its dark eyes shining. "There had better be a good reason for dragging me and my clanmates out here tonight, Queen Zira."

"But mom..." Raziya whispered. "You're not the Queen!"

Zira said nothing in reply to Raziya, her attention focused solely on the hyena. "According to some of the birds, you have been plotting revenge for your King's death."

The hyena nodded. "And the birds also told that you would help us."

"Oh, and I can," Zira said, lips parting into a grin. "The Usurper has a son, a boy named Kopa. If we could --"

"No, my Queen," the hyena said, sighing. "We've discussed this. How do hyenas just walk into Pride Rock and demand that we take the child?"

"You don't..." Zira said. "Here's what I was thinking... I take Kopa and his intended on a walk. It will be less suspicious if I take them both. I'll lead them out of the territory and... well... you know the rest."

The hyena grinned. "I like it. I shall tell the clan at once. Good luck to you, Queen Zira."

Raziya said nothing, eyes wide. "Mom... I don't

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