the first few feet, it opened up to a larger chamber. It was atleast Simba's height and opened up on the width scale quite well. At least six Simbas could fit there.

I took my place furthest away from the chamber's entrance as everyone else filed in after me. We sat in silence for a long time, listening to the constant patter of rain on the rocky side, and the crash of thunder. Then Katy sat up, "What if we all had our own prides?" she asked.

I raised a brow at her but Arturo beat me to my question, "What?"

"Like if there was a pridelands, and outlands, and three other lands. We could all lead our own families, and we'd be so powerful" she answered.

I smirked, imagining all of us as adults, leading our own number of followers into battle. It wasn't a bad idea. We were the next generation anyways. Why couldn't we change the way of the lions here forever? It was our destiny.

"What makes you say that?" Siri asked Katy.

"Well, I had this dream last night" Katy admitted.

I perked up, feeling tense, feeling as if we both got the same message. "What was it about?" I say, lifting my ears to get every word.

"I don't know exactly but Nala came to me. She showed me how the world seperated into different kingdoms and prides. She acted like it would help" Katy summarized.

Siri nodded, "I had a dream like that too, except mine had Uru in it. You know, one of the earlier queens? She showed me us when we're older, and we were all happy, we all had our own families. There was no war though, we had made peace for some reason, that wasn't clear" Siri added.

Then we all looked towards Arturo, "Me as well. Sarabi had come to me, she showed me what would happen if we started a war, and it was awful. There were so many of us dead, " he eyes hover on mine for a second, "But then she showed me what it be like if there was no war. I saw a handsome lion from the outlands though too"

After Arturo finished Siri pressed her side into mine as we laid, "What about you Percy?" she asked.

"I did too but I had four kings before us in mine. They showed me that you can't just be one kind of king. You can't be just brave, or strong, or kind, or even intelligent. You have to have a heart for all of it" I explained.

Katy raised a brow, "It must have been interesting"

I nod, " I want to be a king" I admitted, feeling selfish, but I couldn't see myself any other way. I couldn't follow orders and much less from another male. I just...I had to.

"You'd make a great king Percy" Siri said, embarassed as she looked away, but I offered her a warm smile.

"Thank you" I say so she can hear the gratitude in my voice.

 

 

The next morning the rain had left the ground wet and sticky, almost like clay, but I still managed to escape the prideland's watchful eye. I was so intent on seeing Mel again that I didn't even notice my pursuiers. That is until they all jumped on cue and pinned me, "Ouch, what the heck?" I exclaimed as I stood back up. My fur was now dirtier than it was before.

Katy gave me a defiant gaze, "We came to see where you go every morning" she concludes.

I frown, I couldn't let them discover my relationship with Mel, and I try to come up with a lie, "It's dangerous"

"More the reason for us to come"

"It's scary and dark"

"You're just making it sound more appealing"

I roll my eyes, "You guys are hopeless" I murmur.

I looked back over my shoulder, towards the waterhole, I bet Mel was already there, waiting for me. I sigh in exsasperation, "Look you can't come. If Simba caught us you'd be in a lot of trouble"

"Aw, are you trying to protect us almighty king?" Arturo teased as I rolled my eyes again.

Siri just pushed Arturo's shoulder, "Just listen to him"

"If you came along you couldn't tell anyone. And you have to promise not to...I don't know attack him when you meet him, " I looked at Katy when I said that part, "Promise?"

They all nodded and I turned back to walk down the path, "Alright, follow me"

I walked onto the bank of the waterhole, finding Mel already there, he beamed when he saw me. Then he saw the grass part for my friends as he took a step back, growling slightly.

Then he saw Siri, "Mel?" she questioned.

He nodded and she took a step forward to get a better look at him, "I can't believe that's you" she exclaimed.

Arturo and Katy exchanged glances, "What just happened?" Katy asked.

Siri turns back on her, "Mel was my only cub friend in the outlands. Until we left that is" she corrects.

I smile and pounce onto Mel and pin him as we both laugh, "Well he's my best friend" I say.

Arturo raises a brow, "I was wondering why you were becoming more manly. Is it becuase you finally got another male to be your friend?" she teased.

I stuck my tongue out at her and gave her a smart comment back, "At least I can make a male friend"

She just rolled her eyes but kept her mouth shut. I finally got off Mel and we sat in a very awkward silence, all five of us, then I pushed Mel back into the mud, "Tag!"

He laughed and jumped up, racing after me as I run around childishly. Eventually we all begin playing and we have so much fun we forget that that entire meeting was forbidden, and everyone wants to return the next day. And they did. We met in secret for weeks.

We played and gave opinions on our lives and the way we saw our future. All the while Simba trained us for war and Nuka trained Mel for hatred. We all had our own plan though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part 4

 

A War

The days had passed into months and now we were no longer small cubs, but growing into teenagers, my messy hair had grown just a bit. I couldn't call it a mane yet, or even the start of one. I was making my usual walk to the waterhole the morning it began. I pushed through the grass and saw Mel already waiting, green eyes bright, "Morning Perce"

"Back at you" I replied, sitting down as he trotted over to take his place beside me.

"Look I've been meaning to tell you, " he trails off and takes a deep breath, "Nuka's been planning an attack. He's waiting for Simba to grow older and weaker" he admits.

He looked very upset and troubled by it but I just rolled my eyes, "Don't worry about it Mel. We'll be ready to end it before it even starts"

Mel looks up at me, "I guess you're right. But more cubs are coming Percy, to both our prides, and that means more mouths to feed and more warriors to train. I can't describe it but our generation feels different" he says.

I nod because I completely agree. I lean forward and look at my reflection in the water and then press my paw into it just as the grass in front of me parted. A skinny lioness with red eyes roared, I hopped up and Mel pressed down into the dirt. She was Zira.

"So this is where you've been going lately, " she croons, pacing back and forth on the opposite side of the waterhole, "You little traitor"

Mel glares at him but remains close to the ground, more lionessess part the grass and stalk into view. I take a step in front of Mel, but Mel gets up off the ground and joins me at my shoulder. He growls and gazes at Zira, "We don't have to fight you know?" he said.

Zira raised her chin, "Poor cub, doesn't know the difference between an enemy and a friend"

Mel looks up at me as I keep my eyes steadily aimed at Zira, my heart pounding. Zira just shakes her head, pretending to be upset for Mel, "Look at him Melvin...what do you see?" Zira questions.

Mel takes a moment to answer but he finally looks at me, "My friend"

I smirk as the words leave his lips but Zira just growls in protest, "No that's a pridelander. Those are the people that make us live where we do. The reason we go hungry and die young, have you ever seen that in him Melvin? Does he look the same, knowing he's the reason your stomach aches" Zira snaps.

Mel takes a deep breath and looks back over at me, his green eyes dark, and I look down at him, "She's lying Mel..."

"Lying! You know it's true! The reason we're dying is you!" Zira yells.

I turn back to her, "Well yeah it's true..but--"

She cuts him off, "But what? You're different, " she smiles, "That's the biggest lie I've heard all day"

I sigh and take a step back as Mel keeps his eyes on me, "I'm sorry Mel...I didn't know what the pridelanders did to you" I whisper as Zira just roars with laughter.

"You didn't know yet Simba reminds you every day" she adds.

I shake my head just as Siri, Katy, and Arturo run into the clearing. Siri presses against my side, Arturo watches on fearfully, and Katy growls at Zira and her followers, "Leave! Simba's coming!" she snapped.

Zira takes a step into the water, moving towards us, "I don't listen to cubs"

Suddenly Simba leaps into view and Mel is startled into my side as well. Simba roars so loud the buzzards in the plains go to flight, "Get off the pridelands!"

"Keep your cubs away from my warriors" she replied harshly.

Simba looks confused at first but then turns to face me: to face me and Mel who still stands at my side. Simba's expression turns to a dark

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