very small pool at the northernmost point of the Pride Lands. They were doing this in secret so that no one else would know. They could not even let their parents get an eye or ear in because then they knew that they would both be severely or even lethally punished. 

They were staring out into the distance of the south west horizon without saying a word to each other and seemingly meditating or taking in the beauty of the world that they were living in.

"It really is a stunning sight, isn't it, Vitani?" Kopa, breaking the silence, said to his outlander friend.

"I have never really had the chance to know it up until now." She replied in awe, knowing full well how horrible everything looked and felt in her exiled barren land and that this view of the pristine natural environment was a very rare and special one that she might not get the chance to experience very much. "So this is the real beauty of the African environment?"

"It is where we are living and is what makes our quality of life." He continued with wise and spiritual words. "My father passed this onto me from his father: the natural world that you see is the place by which all living creatures are made and who are given the power to thrive. It is the gift of life and in return you must go into it and give back what it has been given you. You have to learn to love everyone, preserve everything, and bring peace and prosperity wherever you go. If you can do this, every part of the natural and biological environment will remain for eternity. Life itself would be non-existent were it to be otherwise. Therefore we are all connected in the delicate balance called the Circle of Life."

"Those were the words of your grandfather?" Vitani remaked in awe. "They sure are very powerful."

"He was strong in wisdom, not just in his physical attributes. That is why he was such a great leader; and I believe that my own father can follow in his paw prints."

With this in mind, he was hoping deep down that he would also be able to follow suit when his own time would come to take over the throne. But he quickly let it go and focused back onto the topic that he was discussing with Vitani.

"So, anyway, your current environment may be tough living, but one of these days, things may change for the better. You just have to appreciate everyone and everything around you and they will give it back to you in return. Be friendly to your environment. That is the way to happiness."

"I never really thought of it that way." She said, thinking hard about these words just mentioned. This talk about being friendly and compassionate was all new to her considering her evil background. On this occasion, however, this side of her was not showing. She was in two minds as to how she felt about the supposed 'enemy' next to her and the 'cruelty' of the world.

"Well, if that is how it must be, I will try my best." She then added.

"And it may not come as soon as you expect," Kopa further taught. "but it will come within time. All you need is patience."

Vitani nodded her head as he finished his teachings, and then she wanted to say something to him.
"You know, Kopa, I am glad that I got to know you. You really are very sweet."

"I could say the same about you, Vitani." He responded, likewise warming up to her like she was his own sister. "You really are a bit of alright yourself." He then took the risky chance that he was taking with her right now. "I also want you to know that I like coming to see you, but if only our own clans were not against each other, we wouldn't have to be so cautious every time we meet."

"I know." She quietly and anxiously replied, looking around to confirm that no one else was near to potentially catch them out. "I am not sure how much longer we will be able to keep this up. Someone else is bound to find out sooner or later, and if they do, it will be over for good."

Kopa was aware of this and understood that it would not be able to last, so he then made a decision.
"Well, then, if it has to be, maybe we do need some time apart. Therefore we will make tomorrow our last day together. Let us meet at this waterhole again and then go and hang out for a bit in private without anyone - I repeat, ANYONE - knowing about it. I just have this feeling that your brothers have an inkling that we may have a special friendship going on, and they may ending up spreading the word. That could result into something terrible happening."

Vitani shuddered at this thought as she knew that Kovu and Nuka had noticed her and Kopa going off alone together from time to time after the four of them had finished playing together; and because they had done it so often, it would appear suspicious yet also obvious that they had fallen for each other.

"They may already know." She then responded nervously after thinking this. "Doesn't it seem obvious? We have gone alone together for a little time now and that may be enough evidence to prove that we are trying something out between us."

"Well, if that is the case, you have to tell them to keep it on the down low." The Young Prince cautiously warned. "NO ONE else can know. We cannot take this chance."

Vitani shook her head to say 'no, we cannot'.

"I am sure that they will understand when I tell them. You have my word."

"One can hope. So anyway, I have to go because the sun is dipping on the horizon and mom and dad will be expecting me home soon. But tomorrow when the sun is straight overhead, let's meet up here again."

"Will do. You stay safe, Kopa."

"You do the same, Vitani. See ya!"

And will those final words, the two cubs headed opposite ways back towards the locations of their separate living environments, where they would turn in for the night before preparing for their farewell meeting to occur on the next day.

"I knew after everything that was said that day, we really began to fall for each other; even if we were just cubs." Vitani concluded to her brother. "When you are older, it is amazing the things and facts you come to realize that you otherwise would not have when you were younger."

"Don't I know it well?" Kovu said, looking down at the ground in thought and believing that this made sense, considering that it was the same situation between him and Kiara when they first met.

"Anyway, you might remember that night when we came home, Zira questioned us on our activities because she knew something was up. We tried very hard not to tell her because we all took a vow to secrecy, but she finally got so angrily impatient - being as dangerous as she is - that she forced us to tell her; otherwise she would severely punish us. That included me leaking out Kopa's and my plans to meet with each other one more time. She then developed a plan to eliminate Kopa as revenge, and she put it into action by forcing us all to stay in the Outlands while she went to the spot where Kopa and I had arranged to meet and slashed him to death."

Kovu's brain suddenly brought back this memory despite it being gone for some time.

"I do remember it now." he said. "Mother brainwashed us there as well when she mentioned that he was a part of the enemy and he knew too much about us to live, so he had to die. Since the clans were supposedly on opposite ends, it was a very convincing story. I realize now that it was all a lie."

"But she made us believe it; and, in turn, we went along with her evil intentions. That led us to forgetting about him completely and training to be pure evil. But ever since we put the evil out of our minds when the clans joined, the memory has been coming back to me." The melancholy could be heard in her voice when she said this as it was a sign that she was missing her long lost friend.

Kovu could sense this, but he also thought back to what he had been told by Simba - what the King had learned from his outcast friends - about leaving the past in the past, and knew that his sister also needed to know it at this moment.

"Simba said to me that it is not wise to look back; that you have to put the past behind you. I know you may be feeling down, but you just have to accept what has happened. You cannot change the past and you will have to let it go sooner or later, or else it will mentally destroy you."

"I know, I just miss those happy times." Vitani responded, still slightly saddened but also seeing logic to the philosophy that had just been heard. "It's like he provided a lot of light in the times of darkness."

"Yes, he was quite spiritual, like his father and grandfather, wasn't he? And times were certainly tough when we were in exile but he kind of helped us to be more cheerful. If only everyone else could have realized that fact about us being allies sooner, then we would never have had to fight. He seemed to lead by example."
"You're right, and it runs in the family." She referred to Kiara and looked at her brother without saying anything else, knowing about his experience with the Princess and therefore sending the message; 'you would know that'. Kovu acknowledged it with a smile and nod.

"It certainly does." He then replied before continuing. "So, anyway, I know that you are missing him. It really was not fair the way that he went and I can only imagine the tough times that his family would have had to endure. But it is important to cherish what he left us with: compassion, spirit, and a sense of unity. Those were very

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