food?” Kopa asked looking at the jackals.

“We er.....” one of them began shakily.

“Well we saw the food first in the water.

“Yeh that's it and we were hungry. They and their family have been at this spot all season, we wanted in,” the first jackal began, explaining his side.

   The argument was flimsy and stealing of food was against the law when there was plenty to go around. Though the law was notoriously hard to enforce in thefts from larders, the blatant stealing of food was always punished. Kopa rapidly losing patience with the jackal's brazen lies, their lack of respect for the law and their utter arrogance.

“Enough! I saw you break the law with my own eyes. As punishment for your theft you are banned from hunting along the river for thirty days.”

“You can't do that!”

“Kope will be king one day, he can punish you,” Kiara said proudly.

“Awe keep your nose out of things you don't understand little cub.”

      A collective gasp when up from the other animals, the vultures looking at each other evilly. The jackals stood still. Anger filled Kopa's eyes while Kiara looked at the pair with annoyance.

“Never say that to my sister again. You have just earned four nights spent in the cells over in the Elephants Graveyard,” Kopa snarled as two wild dogs walked over to escort the pair away.

“Excellent decision sire,” one of the vultures said flapping his wings.

“Thank you. That pair have been causing my Father and Uncle Pumba a headache for the past two months, the theft was the twig that broke the zebra's back.”

     Leaving the vultures to enough their meal Kopa and Kiara walked away into the savannah. Watching them pass by the hearts of the older animals rejoiced to see two siblings united by love.

          

       

        Hidden Friendship

         A few weeks had passed since the initial meeting of Kovu and Kiara, to the adults it appeared Zira had taken Simba's words to heart. Yet unknown to both sides Kovu and Kiara had met by accident ten days later. After that meeting they had decided to meet again in secret to play. To the horror of both they had been seen by Kopa, Akil and Imoo. Paralysed by the fear the cubs had waited for the fury of condemnation they had expected, both knowing all too well that Kovu was exiled from the Pridelands. In an act which had surprised them both instead of condemnation had come understanding. Akil, Kopa and Imoo had given the cubs’ permission to play together provided they agreed to being accompanied by one of them. Kiara and Kovu had jumped at the offer. Imoo had then suggested the Gorge could be a regular meeting point, the one place they could play without fear of being caught by either set of parents. One memorable afternoon Kovu and Kiara had discovered a nest of bats in one of the caves, the bats had not taken kindly to their presence, proceeding to chase the pair out of their cave in a vast swarm of black.

        The decision to allow Kiara and Kovu to play together had not been taken lightly by either Akil, Kopa or Imoo, all fully aware of the risks involved. Sitting on a ledge above the Gorge a few weeks later the two cousins looked down at the cubs playing below them.

“Kopa did we make the right call? I know we did the same as them........but,”Imoo sighed.

“I've been thinking the same thing. I guess the situation has changed a lot since we were cubs. Is it the situation or the fact that you want to tell Kovu who you are?”

“Both. He is my brother...................it doesn’t feel right to deceive him. I've heard what he has said about Zira. I hoped Mother would turn away from that life. I don't want that for him. If there was something I could do to chance things…………...”

“Listen we are between a rock and a hard place. I figure Kovu and Kiara would still meet even without our blessing, seeing as they defied my Dad's orders. The best thing we can do is watch them to keep them safe,” Kopa replied the sound of hooves drifted towards them.

       Turning their attention in the direction of the sound their eyes widened in horror. A huge herd of wilder beast was stampeding towards them in a cloud of dirt hotly perused by four adolescent wild dogs. In a flash Imoo's eyes whipped to where Kovu and Kiara were playing, the pair utterly oblivious to the danger. Time seemed to stand still. From the air Akil dropped like a stone, he had seen the commotion while flying over the Gorge and had decided to investigate. Seeing Kiara and Kovu his heart missed a beat, in an instant he dropped down to where Imoo and Kopa stood.

“KIARA KOVU RUN!” Kopa roared, jumping down onto the Gorge floor.

     Time slowed to crawl; both cubs saw the stampede, the looks of horror on their brother's faces and began to run. It was as if history repeating itself with the children of the original actors. The stampede poured down the Gorge, the lions running for their lives. Dodging this way and that the cubs raced in front of the herd while their brother ran through it, trying desperately to reach them. This time fate had a different plan, Kovu and Kiara managed to reach the end of the Gorge. Skidding on some lose rocks they fell down the cliff face into a nest of thorns.  

“KIARA!”Kopa roared, skidding to halt at the cliff edge with Imoo beside him.

“KOVU WHERE ARE YOU?” Imoo called, a note of fear in his voice.

    For a few agonising seconds silence greeted their calls. From the air Akil desperately searched for the cubs through the thorns. Then to the teenager’s relief Kiara's voice broke through the silence.

“Kopa help, we're trapped.” 

“Are you hurt?”

“Yes, Kopa my right paw hurts a lot. Kovu's left back leg is bleeding badly and he's hit his head,” Kiara called, her voice filled with panic.

“Kiara relax we'll try to find a way down to you. Akil is going to fly down to you to guide you. Slowly walk toward the cliff, take it slow.”

“Kopa I'm scared,” Kiara whimpered.

“I know you are. Kia I promise everything will be fine.”

“Kovu do the same as Kiara, sit tight until Akil reaches you, don't try any heroics,” Imoo called.

“I am an Outsider, Mother said I have to be able to free myself from trouble,” Kovu replied brazenly.

“You are still a cub Kovu, not matter what she said at times even Outsiders need help.”

      Taking to the air Akil began to assess the situation, as he did so the young wild dogs choose that moment to appear. They wanted know why the cubs were there, despite the fact hunting in the Gorge was forbidden. Seeing the dogs Imoo and Kopa's blood began the boil, eyes blazing with fury they turned to face the dogs.

“YOU BLAZING FOOLS!” Kopa roared with rage. “TWO YOUNG CUBS NEARLY DIED FOR YOUR STUPIDITY. I SHOULD HAVE YOU PERMENTLY BANNED FROM HUNTING IN THE PRIDE LANDS!!”

“YOU WILL FACE THE FULL FORCE OF THE LAW,” Imoo roared. “WHEN SIMBA HEARS ABOUT THIS HE WILL BE FURIOUS!”

       Seeing the rage in their eyes the wild dogs quailed, in that moment they feared for their own futures. Turning tail they ran for their home, knowing there would be a reckoning in the near future. Swiping at the air with rage Imoo and Kopa turned their attentions back to the nest of thorns. To their relief they could see Akil guiding Kovu and Kiara up the cliff along a path that was almost indistinguishable from the rocks around it. In the light the extent of the cub's injuries were clear. Kovu was limping badly on a hurt back paw, his body covered in a hundred fine cuts with a large gash on the right side of this head. Kiara was in a similar state though her cuts appeared longer and deeper with bruising blossoming on her left shoulder.

“We have to get both of you home, Mum is going to have fit when she sees you,” Kopa groaned.

“Kovu we have to get going,” Imoo said looking at the cub's injuries. “Zira is going to pitch a fit when she finds out.”

“You know my Mother?” Kovu asked in surprise.

“I...I used to,” Imoo replied, turning away with eyes filled with regret. “Come on.”

       Turning his back on Kopa and Kiara, Imoo led Kovu through the Pridelands, all the while listening to Kovu talk about Zira. Reaching the border the pair halted in their tracks, to their horror Nuka was waiting for them. In the space of a second anger, disgust and utter contempt based over the Outsider’s face.

“Come on Kovu, Mother has been looking for you all day,” Nuka snapped utterly ignoring Imoo.

“Bye Imoo,” Kovu called sadly as he crossed the border.

“Goodbye, brother,” Imoo whispered softly, turning away towards home.

          Arriving back home he found the entire pride in an uproar. Kopa and Kiara had returned. While Kiara was treated by Rafiki, Kopa had given a full account of the accident to his parents. To say both were furious was an understatement, Simba was mad beyond belief in a fit of rage that could rival Scar. For the sake of their siblings

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