Cast

- Simba is the King of the Pridelands

Nala is just a regular lioness who has some feelings for Simba

Pumbaa is a warthog who is friends with Simba from the jungle

Timon is a young meerkat who is also friends with Simba from the jungle

- Zira was a follower of Scar

- Spotty was a follower of Scar and now a follower of Zira

- Ni is a rouge who saved Nala from a hyena from when she was younger

Kula - Nala's cubhood friend

Chumvi - Nala and Kula's friend

The Outlands

   "Well? How many are there?"

   "Twenty-four," Spotty reported. "Including me and you."

   Zira growled in frustration. That wasn't enough. But maybe with the Shadow Pride's help...

   "How about the Shadow Pride?"

   Spotty shrugged helplessly.

   "Fourty-two?" she guessed. "Maybe even thirty. I dunno..."

   Zira thought about that for a moment. They would have double the lioness against Simba's Pride. That Pride only had thirty-nine, so if they had double... well, they could win the battle easily.

   "Start training the lioness," Zira ordered. "I need them ready for war."

   Spotty nodded, and with a single bound, she was off. The training was going to be hard: since Zira's Outlanders had never fought a real battle in their entire lives, it was going to be risky. Simba's Pride had at least fought off hyenas. The Outlanders weren't battle trained that well.

  "I'll revenge you Scar," Zira growled. "If it is the last thing I'll ever do.

Pride rock

   As Simba looked out into the horizon, he noticed Nala coming up behind him.

   "What's up?" She asked curiously. "I don't think you fell asleep at all last night."

   Simba sighed, then looked at her. She was even more beautiful in the morning sun then she was normally. Her words always soothed and comforted him: maybe that's what made her sound so beautiful too.

   "No," Simba said after a moment of quietness. "I didn't. I heard Ni get up last night. Probably for his midnight walk."

   "Midnight walk?" Nala snorted with laughter. "What's that supposed to mean?"

   Simba shrugged.

   "Uh, to walk at midnight?" He suggested..

   Nala smirked. Simba just didn't know when to stop.

   After a moment of silence, Nala gave Simba a playful push.

   "Afternoon hunting?" She asked him with a small smile.

   Simba narrowed his eyes at her.

   "You're on."

Ni

   As Ni padded around the watering hole, he tried to think of his next plan. The last time he met up with Zira, it was to tell her how many lioness were badly injured and would not be able to fight in her up coming battle. This time it was to tell her when Simba was alone; if he ever was. 

   Ni thought hard about this. In the morning he was usually checking up on the lioness who were still sleeping, and sending the ones who got up early enough on hunting patrols. In the afternoon, he was working on the rebuilding, so he was usually with Zazu or Rafiki. And in the evening was his solo hunting he sometimes did. 

   Ni smiled in satisfaction. Zira could always count on him to get the job done. He was so worried about Yejide. She was still alright, Ni knew, but he still couldn't help worry.

   Soon, Ni heard voices, and he turned around.

   "Who's there?" He called out, hoping that whoever was out there couldn't hear the shake in his voice.

   "It's just us Ni."

   Nala and Simba soon appeared from behind the bushes. Ni blew a sigh of relief. Good thing it wasn't Zira.

   Nala looked around the watering hole place curiously.

   "What were you doing out here all by yourself?"

   Ni shrugged, trying to think of some excuse.

   "Uh, just thought I would try a new technique," Ni lied. "Fishing, is what I call it. I was trying to get some fish for your Pride."

   Nala looked down at his dry paws, narrowing her eyes.

   "Really?" she asked suspiciously. 

   Ni nodded, maybe a little too convincingly.

   Nala gave him a small push, and he went right into the cold water.

   "What did you do that for?" He growled.

   Nala smiled.

   "Just thought you needed to get a little wet," she said with a small smirk. "If you were actually fishing, wouldn't you be wet by now?" She gave a small laugh.

   Simba had to laugh along with Nala. At the sight of poor Ni clean, he looked almost like a different lion.

   Ni started swimming to the shore, pouting. Meanwhile, Nala was still laughing at Ni. He looked completely different: his fur was more of a golden color, and his mane looked brown instead of grey.

   When Ni got to shore, he was still pouting.

   "It's freezing out," he growled. "And the water is even colder."

  Nala still had a small smirk on her face.

   "Come on Simba," Nala said. "Let's go hunting."

   When Nala's back was turned, Ni shoved her into the water. It was Nala's turn to pout.

   "Hey," she growled. "Just because I did it to you, didn't mean you had to do it to me."

   Ni accidentally let a snicker escape which couldn't have been too good for him.

   Nala snarled at him. She jumped out of the water, took hold of his neck with both of her paws, and soon Ni was drenched again.

   This time, Simba was the only one laughing. Nala hated Simba for that: he could be funny, but he laughed at anything stupid she did. 

   When Ni and Nala both got out of the water, they both burst out laughing too, together.

   "We should start hunting Nala," Simba panted when he could finally speak.

   Nala nodded, and strutted right past Ni.

   "See you later," Ni whispered softly.

Zira

   "Well?"

   "The evening is when he's all alone."

   Zira growled in frustration. The evening was when she and Spotty went hunting for the Outlanders together. That was the only time she and Spotty ate. Oh well. Zira was just going to have to miss eating.

   "Okay..." Zira started to think her plan over. "We ambush Simba when he's all alone. And when we banish Simba from the Pridelands, we kill Timon and Pumbaa. And then we kill Nala..."

   Ni winced. He didn't really like all this killing stuff.

   "How is Yejide doing?"

   Zira snarled.

   "Well enough I suppose," she said. "Now keep your mind focused on the goal. I want no interferences when we ambush Simba. He'll probably go back to the jungle, and then I will be ruling the Pridelands. Although I won't be like Scar: selfish enough to let the hyenas roam around, no. Hmm... I'll make the Pridelanders fetch all the food and make sure my Outlanders eat all the food. And the Shadow Pride..." she stopped her plotting. She didn't know what she was going to do about that.

   "When will you be done with me?" Ni asked innocently.

   Zira shrugged.

   "Until I'm finished with Simba," she proposed. "Now this evening I want you to make sure there is no interferences and Simba does do his evening hunt. Alone. I don't want Nala or anyone to be there. So maybe you can just take Nala out somewhere or something... well, whatever comes to mind."

   Ni nodded. He didn't like lying to Nala, but he would if it met getting Yejide back.

   "Where does Simba go on his evening hunt?"

   Ni's insides squirmed. He could ly, but Yejide would die. If he didn't ly, Simba would be banished and Nala killed.

   "The watering hole."

Pride rock

   As soon as evening came, Simba announced he was going to go do his evening hunt. 

   "You want to come with me Nala?" he asked suddenly. "I mean, we had so much fun the other day that I thought I-"

   "Actually," Ni started. "Nala said she would come with me on a evening hunt." 

   Simba looked shocked and hurt. He stared at Ni, a slight growl coming up his throat.

   Nala looked surprised.

   "Simba, I didn't-"

   "Whatever," he growled at her. Nala glared at Ni.

   When Simba left for his evening hunt, Nala swiped a paw at Ni's eye. Ni ducked the swipe easily.

   "What did you do?" she growled. "I never said I would go anywhere with you!"

   And with that, she ran over to the Pridelander's den, making sure she gave Ni a slight shove along the way.

   Ni was slighly dissapointed that Nala didn't go on a hunt with him anyways, but he tried to shrug it off. He can't fall in love