“What do you mean, bad?” Kovu suddenly asked her. Because of the way he asked, unusually brutish and combative, she felt uneasy while answering.

“Well I-I… I didn’t mean bad as in… I just meant it’s… just kinda… heavy stuff, you know… Touchy stuff…”

“Tell me about it! Each time I bring it up I nearly get my head smashed in just for mentioning…”

“Each time you bring it up?” Vitani asked, sounding a bit shocked.

“Something wrong with that, is there?”

“Now don’t push your luck…” Vitani chuckled, “Besides, what do you expect when opportunities for washing one's self are so few and far in between; 't was not like I was out on a vacation… besides, you’re not exactly looking charming either.”

“Yeah? Well, I guess that’s what happens when you go out of your mind with worry for days on end,” Kovu grumbled, clearly sounding fatigued.

“Staying at home 's that bad, huh?” Vitani replied. After all she’d been through, she just couldn’t help put some irony into that remark. Kovu, however, didn’t notice as he was apparently very upset with his own problems.

“You couldn’t even begin to imagine! You disappearing, those skulking scavengers, Simba, Kiara… Taka…” Kovu complained, shortly pausing just before uncomfortably saying ‘Taka’.

“Ah… Taka… that bad…” Vitani sighed. The one thing she’d rather not have brought up.

“What do you mean, bad?” Kovu suddenly asked her. Because of the way he asked, unusually brutish and combative, she felt uneasy while answering.

“Well I-I… I didn’t mean bad as in… I just meant it’s… just kinda… heavy stuff, you know… Touchy stuff…”

“N-No, of course not… I wouldn’t mind… but others might…”

“Ah, ‘the others’. Ha! I couldn’t care less about what they think…” Kovu smiled defiantly.

“Hmmm, I clearly missed something whilst away all those days…” Vitani considered as she looked at Kovu with a mixture of amazement and discomfort. Her brother sounded different as he talked about Taka, something which he usually seldom did by the way, for apparent reasons. Not that Vitani had any problems with that; she'd be happy to confront Taka's legacy any day. Any day but today, however: other issues just seemed a lot more pressing at the time (how little did she know).

“Let's leave that rest for now: there's some real urgent stuff that has to be dealt with first...”

“You’re right. We ought to celebrate on your return, in stead reminiscing the past!”

“Yeah… hmmm… about that… I’d skip the celebrating part if I were you; in case you didn’t notice, I snuck in. I’d like to avoid celebrations for the time being…” Vitani mumbled a bit uneasy, “Before letting anyone know I’m back, we ought to have a talk first. Real urgent.”

“That doesn’t sound good…”

“Indeed. But maybe I ought to start by introducing some companions. All right guys, you can come on forth now.”

From the bushes behind Vitani appeared Rafiki, still seated upon Kiruhu. From the looks of it, the cheetah was less than at ease with Kovu around, who was, in turn, not too enthusiast when he recognized Rafiki.

“Well that looks ridiculous…” Kovu mumbled.

“I suppose you’ve already met Rafiki. And that’s Kiruhu. He’s with me.”

“Why don’t you pick more lion-like friends, like a normal lioness should?”

“You ought to follow your sister’s example, young Kovu, you might just learn something,” Rafiki smiled, “That is, if your are capable of learning, which I am staring to doubt after my futile attempts bestowing you with most basic of royal knowledge.”

“I’m ready to learn any day, but I just don’t like being taught.”

“Guys, please we don't have time for this. Try bugging each other again some other time, all right? Rafiki, you're gonna tell him, or should I?” Vitani asked.

“You do the honors, for I have only been part of your tale since sunset.”

“Eh, no offense, but... if you're planning on some story, I'd better be real short or real exciting. If it is neither, I'm afraid I might just pass out on the spot,” Kovu grumbled as he yawned again.

“Whatever, 't is not like I couldn't use some sleep myself,” Vitani sighed, “I'll try to be brief. You remember those hyenas we met some years back, at the border?”

“Yeah... they're why I sent you to negotiate; I can remember you getting along pretty well with one of 'em.”

“Yeah... turned out he is the hyena-headman.”

“Goody. So you met him again?” Kovu inquired a bit impatient.

“Indeed I did. But that's where I ran out of luck: it turned out my presence triggered a coup. I didn't really get all the details, but according to Vincent (that's that hyena we met all those years ago), his sister employed some vengeful faction within their clan to try and kill us and portray me as the assassin. The goal of all that being sovereignty over their clan, and a (false) pretext to go to war against us lions...”

“Wait, you mean...?”

“... yah, sorry,” Vitani mumbled,  “I'm afraid our negotiation-attempt had a rather reverse effect... Anyhow, as me and Vincent tried fleeing, we made a wrong turn and ended up in the White-Pass river. After we got out, we spent the last few days trying to get back to our respective homes. We picked up Rafiki, Kiruhu and Tiko (he's Zazu's nephew, I doubt you know him) along the way. But before we could make it back, the hyenas who had tried to kill us turned up again. Luckily, Enyi here turned up just in time to save our hides. But when Enyi and Vincent...”

Vitani cast an angry glare at Enyi, who looked away in shame.

“... 'interrogated' one of the hyenas, the poor bastard revealed his clan had already attacked Priderock that very morning, in retaliation for my supposed assassination of their headman (whilst in reality, it was I who saved him). Unfortunately, Enyi and Vincent killed the captive before he could add anything else,” Vitani smiled viciously, “Isn't that right, Enyi?”

“Did you have to bring this up again?” Enyi sighed, annoyed yet remorseful. Kovu, however, couldn't care less about those details, as he had stopped listening after Vitani mentioned '... attacked Priderock...'.

“Wow, hold it there... They did what to the Priderock?”

“They attacked it at dawn,” Vitani repeated.

“I hope you're kidding, even though I'm not laughing...” Kovu replied, now genuinely upset.

“Yeah, so did I. But we sent Tiko to go and check... and he came back telling us the Priderock just got new tenants ...” Vitani mumbled.

“What? But... but that's impossible! The hyenas couldn't possibly... and even if they would have, why hasn't anyone from Priderock made it back here?” Kovu gasped, now again so very awake, not to mention panicking. The look on Enyi and Vitani's faces answered all of his questions, however, and none of the answers was in any way satisfactory.

“The Kings help us...” Kovu sighed as he sat down with a profound moan, “This is a disaster!”

“Pretty much...”

“And no-one but us knows is aware of what has happened yet?” Kovu quickly inquired with a worrisome frown.

“No-one but Vincent; he's already returned to his clan to try and minimize damage; Tiko's with him.”

“Hurrah,” Kovu muttered, his voice drenched in irony, “How does that help us?”

“At least we know he's not looking to pick another fight; at least he wants a peaceful solution...”

“... and now we have someone we can talk to on the other side,” Rafiki added.

“I'd rather have someone to talk to on our own side! Do you have any idea how Simba will react we we tell him hyenas attacked his ancestral home, his wife and pretty much all of his pride, all after we tried negotiating with them? Taka's offspring dealing with the hyenas, after which they overtake Priderock! I doubt he'll appreciate the irony in that... Oh man... this is bad...”

“Seeing as how we're at war, I think that's the least of our concerns. The hyenas, not to mention the survival of our pride which is at stake, are of much greater importance now than your standing with Simba, sir. Now, I know Vitani said that this Vincent-guy is out to reclaim his clan, and she believes him to be rather pacifistic, so chances are he won't carry on the attack. But from what I've seen of him... You should be preparing for the enemy bringing the fight to our den,” Enyi reminded.

“If Simba gets word of this, they won't have to bring the fight to our den (although they technically already did when they stormed Priderock). He'll bring the fight to theirs... and if the hyenas were indeed capable enough to conquer Priderock, that'd be suicide...” Kovu complained, frowning ever more profound.

“Yet another reason to think this through carefully. Simba is wise, but he is proud and sensitive as well. We mustn't rush him, or he might rush us,” Rafiki concluded.

“Since when did you start conspiring against your beloved king?” Kovu yawned cynically, “But you're right: we'll have to do this one step at a time. First thing we need to do, is get some sleep. Or at least I do. We don't do anything until sunrise, except for you, Vitani.”

“What?” Vitani growled, righteously feeling offended at the sound of Kovu's remark.

“We can't have you around, I made Simba believe you're out spying on the hyenas. If he sees you here, he'll start asking all sorts of