daughters, Elosa and Sarafina. Mohatu and his betrothed Jaris were in their old age when they finally were able to give the Empire an heir, the Princess Uru.

*****

Yes, I am the daughter of Emperor-King Mohatu and yes, I was expected to govern all six lands without fail. My story is a tragic one, my dear. Are you sure you would like to hear it?

Well, if you're so sure...

I fell in love with Kebwetu, a lion cub that my father found on the border with the Outlands, a land that is not part of the Pridelands. We grew up together and I chose him as my King.

When we were adults, we discovered that Kebwetu was part of a plot to assassinate me and my father and put my cousins Elosa and Sarafina on the throne. My father was killed, but I did not hate Kebwetu. I only loved him more and more.

It was then that he too was assassinated.

After his death, I was patrolling alone. I found Elosa, covered in blood. She was dead. I did not know what had killed her until I saw a large incision in her throat. I found Sarafina by her side, blood staining her claws. At her feet, was a little cub. I assumed that this was Elosa's.

Sarafina told me that she had killed Elosa for her crimes and hoped that justice had been served. I told her that I was grateful, but murder does not come without consequence. Sarafina agreed and told me that she would flee the Pridelands never to return. She left the small cub at my feet.

I decided I would call her Sarafina, in honour of my long lost cousin.

She doesn't even walk among the stars with us now, as I hoped she would.

Don't cry, young one. Justice has been served now, and I am eternally happy with my Kebwetu.

After my reign came Mufasa's, a King that I'm sure you know well. He was your great-grandfather after all. The rest of my reign was eventful though, if you'd care to hear.

Alright then, I'll begin.

*****

The End of the Empire

Empress-Queen Uru was forced to take another mate as Prince-Consort, to protect her claim to the throne. She already had an heir, Prince Mufasa, son of the late Kebwetu, but he was a sickly child and if he died, there would be no heir.

Uru sought out Imara, her father's old friend. Counsellor Imara of the Eastlands had two sons, Ukweli and Ahadi. Uru chose Ahadi, because he was powerful and had a smart head on his shoulders. He gave Uru a son and a daughter, Taka and Ishi.

When the cubs were grown, it was Mufasa who took over most of the duties of ruling the Empire. Taka was jealous of his brother's position, but said nothing and sat idly by. Ishi, the youngest of Uru's cubs, left the Empire to seek fortune and found it in a young lion named Dhani. She later took him as her mate.

Uru was killed soon after; she stumbled down the rock pathway up to the promontory and as she was old and frail, did not survive the fall. Ahadi then gave Mufasa the throne after that, as he could not continue in his broken-hearted state. He died soon after, refusing to eat, drink, or leave his cave.

During Emperor-King Mufasa's reign, King Hiros of the Grasslands gave his four daughters to the Pridelands: Sarabi, Naanda, Dwala and Diku. Mufasa took Sarabi as his mate and Taka took Diku. This hurt Sarafina, as she had felt affection for Taka, but she took a mate in a lion named Ashiki, a secret prince of the Eastlands, the youngest son of Counsellor Ukweli.

Sarabi gave Mufasa a son, Prince Simba. Mufasa was doubtful that the Empire could last much longer; it had been many generations since its founding and a few of the lands were becoming restless. So when Simba was old enough to be taught to be King, Mufasa went out into the centre of the Empire and held council with three of the Counsellors: Juu of the Grasslands; Maliki of the Eastlands and Shida of the Drylands. He told them that he thought each land should have independence, instead of being ruled over by an Emperor. They agreed with him, and helped spread the word among the other lands that Mufasa was giving them independence. After five days had come and gone, the Prideland Empire was no more. Mufasa decided that he would rename the Herdlands to the Pridelands, as a memory of the old Empire. And thus, a new era had begun.

*****

I'll bet you know all about what came next, don't you? Taka rose to the throne through Mufasa's murder and Simba ran away, believing that the fault was his. And you probably know all about Simba's return, don't you?

But what about the spaces in-between?

I watched over my son for as long as he sat on the throne, but his actions have not always been so great. Sit, young one, and I will tell of the Reign of the Tyrant King.

*****

The Tyrant King

After Taka's ascension to the throne, he made it known that Mufasa was a fading memory not to be brought back up. He banned saying his name under pain of severe punishment, which outraged most of the pridesisters.

Taka chose Diku as his Queen, for she was his comfort, the light in his ever growing darkness. He gave her a son, Cheka, but as soon as he set eyes on him, Taka hated him. He dethroned Diku and disowned Cheka, making Zira, a lowly but scheming pridesister, his queen.

A little while after Cheka's birth, Naanda gave birth to a daughter, Shari, and Dwala gave birth to a son and a daughter, Arufu and Rehema. Cheka took a liking to Rehema straight away and vowed that she would be his mate when the time came.

During the new generation's adolescence, Zira gave birth to Taka's daughter, Raziya. Taka loved her from the first moment he saw her, and when she was old enough, he named her as his heir.

During Cheka's generation's adolescence, a drought settled in the Pridelands. Taka refused to let anyone leave the Pridelands for water. Cheka and Arufu decided to host a gathering that would decide what to do about the drought. The lions that attended were; Cheka, Arufu, Shari, Rehema, Naanda, Dwala, Diku, Tama, Tojo, Malka, Chumvi and Kula. They decided that they would leave the Pridelands to start a new pride, far away.

When the night came to leave, Malka was killed and Cheka and Arufu severely wounded. Tojo led the group to a small valley and settled them there. They now still thrive as the Valley Pride.

Back in the Pridelands, a lioness named Furahalia, formerly Furaha, requested to join, bringing with her her infant son. Furahalia gave her son, Nuka, to Zira so that the Pridelands had a male heir.

Nala found a mate in the rogue Ni, but was discovered by Taka. She then gave birth to Vitani, Taka's daughter, whom she gave to Zira. She then conceived with Ni, before fleeing the Pridelands.

A while later, when the drought began to get worse, Sarabi approached Taka about leaving the Pridelands. Taka refused and struck at her, but she was defended by Simba, who had returned to the Pridelands with the aid of Nala.

Taka was killed by the hyenas that rebelled against him, and Simba took his rightful place on the throne. He also exiled Zira and Taka's most loyal followers so that there would be no uprising.

Raziya later presented her son to her mother, a dark furred cub with Scar's green eyes. Zira took him in as her own, and Raziya left.

Zira then vowed that she would have revenge for what she had lost.

*****

Yes, my son was all that bad, young one. Does he walk among us in the stars? Well, only the good spirit. If a bad lion dies, their good spirit goes to the stars and the evil spirit goes to the Valley of No Sunrise. It occurred the same way for Taka.

Now, what came next, you wonder? A whole lot of things came next, I can tell you.

Do you remember the Outsider Rebellion? Well, you probably wont remember it, but your parents or relatives must have told you in stories, eh?

Oh, they thought it was too dark for you, did they? I can see their point though, it is a tale of death, despair, suffering and of love.

Well, sit, young one, and let me shed light on the darkness.

*****

The Outsider Rebellion

After Simba's ascension to the throne, Nala gave birth to Adui, which Simba believed to be his son. But he was not; he was the son of Ni, and Simba was outraged when he found out.

Ni came to claim his son soon after, leaving Adui angry and confused about his real parentage. Nala also gave birth to Simba's firstborn, Siri, who had the eyes of Taka himself. Fearing for her mate and how he would react, she led him to the border with a neighbouring land and left him there.

Nala gave birth to Simba's second son, Kopa, a while after. Kopa was bright and definitely 'King material'. He was betrothed to a lioness named Baridi, who adored the Prince in every way.

One evening, Kopa and Baridi were playing late when Zira tricked them into walking with her. She set a group of hyenas onto them and they were both severely injured, Baridi more than Kopa, and Kopa led them away. Baridi managed to get back to Pride Rock, where she told the story. The pride could not find the Prince after, and they reluctantly assumed he was dead.

A long while after, Kiara was birthed. Simba was protective of her, especially when she eluded his grasp and met with the Outsider Kovu. She grew into a restless and rebellious adolescent, and when Kovu saved her from a fire on her first hunt, she fell in love with him, as he did with her. Simba was less trusting of the newcomer, who claimed that he was no threat.

When Simba was ambushed by Zira's Outsiders, he exiled Kovu, who had apparently led him into the ambush. Kiara followed him and brought him back, where they stopped a war between the Outsiders and the Pridelanders. When Kiara and Kovu explained to them that fighting was not the way, and that they were 'one', the Outsiders left their ruthless leader and joined the Pridelanders. Zira, outraged, tried to attack Simba, but Kiara defended him and the battle