Chapter one: the birth and the name

A loud roar of pain was heard in the out lands, in the small kingdom that belonged to Shian; to be exact, the Orian Borders. Shian was going to be a father! Another roar, louder than the one before, was heard and a male lion, Mahkui, a Prince from a very small kingdom many moons away, came trotting up beside the worried father-to-be. "Hello, sire. Congratulations on the cub, by the way. Nervous?" The king gave a small laugh -a nervous laugh, of course- "Are you kidding me, Mahkui? I couldn't be more nervous if I TRIED!" "Well, Sire, I wouldn't worry that much about it, since Siani is a strong young lioness, and if there are problems, Rolfai is there to aid her." " Y...Y..Yes, of...of course. the...the midwife. But what about the cub? I've seen newborns before, so much could happen, I.."

The loud roaring stopped suddenly, as if someone had stuck a paw into the lioness's mouth. A dark gray lioness, Rolfai, popped her head out, and announced "A boy! A beautiful, gorgeous healthy prince! You can come in now, King Shian."  "My mate? Is she..." Rolfai smiled " She's fine. Why don't you see for yourself?" As she stepped aside to let him through, Shian caught a glimpse of his mate licking something-furry?-in her paws, and when he got a little closer, she turned her paws ever so little to show him a beautiful orange cub. Shian let out a gasp "He.. He's so little! And beautiful... and-" "Now, now, my mate, we want to save the spoiling for LATER, wasn't that what we agreed?" Siani laughed quietly, her laughter bouncing off the walls of the cave like a frog off of lily pads.  "What should we name him?" she asked next. "Hmmm... Mohawk?" the king suggested. She shook her head.  "Okay... err... Carte? No?  Alright... what about Sahhrankino?" "Name him that? I can’t even PRONOUNCE that!" the Queen exclaimed with a irritated chuckle. "How about something NORMAL, dear? Something like.. oh, I don't know... Mohadden?" "Little gentle one? Mohadden? Hmm...Yeah, I like it." "Alright...Mohadden" Siani said as Mohadden cooed. "My little gentle one... Mohadden."

Chapter two: reason for living in the outlands

Shian sighed, yet another hunting party with no luck. This was getting bad, very bad indeed. Though he had started skipping meals so that his mate and son, now nearly a month old, could get food, he knew he had to eat sometime, for though he had been teaching his son everything and anything about being a king in the outlands, he knew it would be probably another two years before his son could even think about actually assuming the throne; and yet... it seemed like only yesterday the king had gazed upon his newly born sons' face. Shian sighed, Oh, if only his grandparents hadn't moved out of the pride lands when Scar became king! Oh, sure, he'd heard the horror stories his grandparents had told of, of how Scar had never wanted the actual pride, only wanted the power. Of how he had never truly forgave his brother Mufasa for scarring him that day as a cub.

On one occasion, Shian himself had heard of Scar's death, and how, if his parents had not had him, who had been but two weeks old, they would have traveled back, although it was not only himself that kept his parents, but the fact that neither his mother nor father had been born when the grandparents had taken liberty and left pride rock, and by the time Scar died, both grandmother and grandfather were long gone, and Shian had had no way of proving who he was, and when those horrid outlanders had been banished a week after Scar's death, things got worse, for  by that time, the once gold coats had been torched by the sun, and had bleached Shian's beautiful mud brown coat and mane to a dusty-brown-tan, and they all had gone such extreme coat changes that they knew they would easily be mistaken for those disgusting, WORTHLESS, exiled outsiders, and all knew they would all be killed, although they had done no wrong.  "Ahh, well, no use in crying about it now" Shian said to nobody in particular, then  headed for the small cave to rest a bit before it was time for his son to start training to be the king.

*** NOTE- NOBODY IN THIS PRIDE KNEW ABOUT THE OUTLANDERS JOINING THE PRIDE-LANDERS, AS THEY DID THEIR BEST TO STAY AS FAR AS POSSIBLE FROM DISGUSTING REJECTS LIKE THE OUTSIDERS ***

Chapter three: Tragedy

"Heh heh heh...what do ya know? I'm the first to wake up.." Mohadden chuckled to himself as he heard his parents' snore as dawn began to break over the horizon. "Early to bed, early to rise makes a king healthy, stealthy and wise." Carefully, Mohadden stepped over his sleeping parents and the other lioness's, making his way out of the cave.  "I know dad's rule is to make sure at least one lioness knows where I am, but it's so early, and I wanna have some fun... aw, well, it's early enough that no one'd be hunting or anything anyway. And I'll be back before anyone even knows I'm gone."  Mohadden said as he snuck off out of sight. If only he had known just how wrong he was...

 "Hmmm...I'm not entirely sure I know where I am." Mohadden said a little while later. "Oh, wait... this is where Zerena lives! Momma doesn't trust her. I guess I'd better leave." But no longer had the cub spoken than: "Well, wee one, you just got here. And I would like for you to stay." The young prince swiveled around to face Zerena, who got up and stretched, showing her huge teeth. "Come, Mohadden. Lets..." she cackled "play"  Quickly Mohadden remembered one of his father’s lessons “Never let your enemy sense fear- that will not go in your favor" So, the young lion quickly bowed his head in respect to the evil lioness and began to back away from her, saying calmly with a noble tone "Thank you very much for the tempting invite, Missus Zeafrah, but Mother and Father are to be worried if I don't return home soon, and I shan't allow that, so if you beg my pardon, I shall get with you another time, alright, Ma'am?" Zerena pulled back, flabbergasted, and then began to crack up with hysterics at his little speech. While she literally rolled across the ground, Mohadden took the chance and ran as fast as he could, but she stopped mid-laugh and chased him for about five seconds, quickly grabbing him and with an evil grin as bad as Scar's, she held him down with one paw and with the other unsheathed her claws, placing them to his throat. Mohadden braced himself as the claws went up... and never came down. 

"GET YOUR DIRTY, STINKING PAWS OFF MY SON" Siani roared as she slammed into Zerena in a fit of rage. Standing protectively over Mohadden, the lioness growled a growl of pure fury, and when Zerena got up and lunged, Siani met her opponent halfway, claws unsheathed; a very rare sight on the even tempered lioness. Mohadden watched in horror as they tumbled time and time again, each for the other's blood. It seemed like an eternity had passed when Siani finally got up and tossed Zerena's limp body aside. He thought all was fine. "Momma!" he shouted with joy as he ran to her side.   

Siani was heavily bleeding from the side, and she crumbled as her small son skidded to a stop in front of her. "Mo...mo..Mohadden.. get away from here.. back to your father, tell him what happened...and that I love him..."

"No, oh MOMMA! Oh, momma, no; come on get up, you've got to go with me... Please Mommy, get up.. you've got to don't leave meee... " The orange lion cubs pleas had now grown to a full fledged wail of protest to his dying mother.  

"Oh, Mohadden.. wee one... it won't be so bad... Your father will let you help rule, and when you become full king, you, my gentle baby, will be.. the... finest king on earth... and perhaps grander than the ones above.  My sweet, innocent baby boy... Remember always, that the great kings and queens of the past look down on us from those stars, so whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings and queens will always be there to guide you… and so will I." 

"No..." Mohadden gasped as he watched the light leave his mothers' eyes. Then he glanced up at the sky, which still held a few fading stars in its grasp. "Oh, no... give her back! You don't need her! Let her be! It's not fair... She's mine! Go kill some other queen and take her! My mommy needs to be with me! I need to be with heeeerr..." And then he began to sob, knowing it was no use, and snuggled under her massive paws, sobbing as his father came into view.

"Siani... my wife... WHAT HAVE YOU DONE,MOHADDEN???? MURDERER... You.. you... " Mohadden gasped as his father came to the scene, took one look at Siani, and hurled his paw at his son, snarling in anger. "How could you???"  "Uhhh." Mohadden rasped as down came the claws again. And then, after several swipes more, and Mohadden's neon orange body turned crimson, Shian paused, and the crazed look in his eyes went away and turned to horror. "Oh. My.. Mohadden, my son. Forgive me for this... I didn't mean to... Oh my boy..."

"It... It's alright dad. It didn't... didn't hurt much anyway."  Then as the rest of the pride came and mourned over Siani's body, Shian watched his son and rage began to build, a dangerous rage capable of unspeakable things.

Day after day, Mohadden was beaten by his father. For several months, the young prince was slashed and bit at until one day when Shian shattered his sons' leg. The following morning, Mohadden snuck out and began to limp-run out of the Orian Borders. He now knew that nothing would ever be the same- and sadly acknowledged he was totally and completely alone. 

Chapter four: Found 

Mohadden's view

Well, I can't remember much but being hungry. Hungry and scared. Not scared of dying- heck I knew I was halfway to THAT point already, with the last beating Dad gave me. However, even after I'd been running for a couple days, stopping only for a few minutes to rest and attempt to hunt, I knew that if he went looking for me, I would pray for death if he would find me.  I have no clue how long I ran the first day, only that I knew that I had to keep going. But of course, I was still only a cub, and there is only so much a little body can take. I had tried to be careful -really I had-   I'd been running for some time, probably about four days passing, but I remember being exhausted, and getting very, very dizzy as I ran across the first green grass I'd seen in a long time. Even now, years later, I can still remember the cool dampness of it as I collapsed.  "Oh, Bless my Stars! A...A cub!" I heard a female gasp. I opened my one good eye as best I could (blood had crusted over my left eye, from one of my father's swipes, and it was so painful) and almost passed out again. Why, it..it couldn't be! There was my mother... but it wasn't possible. Mom was dead, I'd killed her myself! Then.. perhaps Dad did find me? He would have killed me I'm sure. Then that would explain Mom standing in front of me... but Mom didn't have a hair tuft... maybe she did once? "M..M..Mama?" I said as loud as I could. As the lioness stared at me in surprise, I used my last bit of strength I had: "Mama! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to kill you! I'm so sorry... I never should have gone out at night! I disobeyed you! Oh Mama. It’s all my fault. It's all my fault. I killed you. I'm so sorry." By this time I was sobbing, my poor beaten up body becoming wrecked with guilt at what I'd done to Mama. My sides began basically burning, and they were already screaming at me for pushing it so much with my running.  She looked over her shoulder and called to somebody, but she became fuzzy as everything disappeared to darkness.

Next thing I know, I feel sharp shooting pain as a rough tongue slurps over my hair. "Well, looks like you're going to make it."  I open my eyes as best I could(for my left eye felt like it was on fire) and stared up at a lioness..with a hair tuft. My heart dropped down to the bottom of my tail as I somewhat recalled the lioness from earlier when I'd passed out. AWW, crap. So that wasn't my mommy I'd seen earlier... Huh, and I'd thought my day couldn't have possibly been able to get any worse. The hair tuft lioness purred happily as I made a whimper of pain from the bath. "You are quite a little trooper. You really gave us a scare. How do you feel?" Well, since I'm alive and she saved my life, might as well be polite.  "I feel alright, but I am a little hungry though, Ma'am." I said respectfully as she smiled down at me kindly. She laughed, seemingly pleased at my response.  "Well! Polite too! I'll get Sarabi to bring in some food from the fresh kill pile. Now, however, at the moment, we have something to discuss with you- something very important, if you feel up to it." she said hesitantly. "We? Ohhh..." I said as I forced my head to follow her eyes to the other side of the room, coming face to face with two lions and two lioness's, a golden lion and cream lioness, and a dark brown lion and orange lioness-all four staring at me in wonder and curiosity.  

  "We mean no harm, little cub. Simply we wish to know who you are and where you came from."  The gold lion said, and all the others nodded in agreement. "Let us introduce ourselves first, though." the brown lion said quickly. "I am Kovu , and this is my mate Kiara." he said, licking the orange lioness with a sweet tenderness. Kiara.. that name sounded oddly familiar...  The lioness with the hair tuft cleared her throat quietly. "My name is Vitani."  Then the gold lion stepped forward, giving his mane a small toss of pride as he said: "I am Simba, and this is Nala, my mate." I instantly gasped, and as I remembered what my father had taught me, quickly and painfully manage to slump out of Vitani's paws, going face-first onto my front paws in a not-so-much-graceful bow to my King.

   "King Simba! My King, Your Majesty, I have awaited long to see you! oh, Sire, I have dreamed of this, and am thankful I can see you face-to-face! Oh, I worship you, King Simba!"  The king took a step back and I lowered my head even closer to the ground, accidently giving a cry of pain as one of my back legs touched the ground and slanted at an unnatural angle, proving useless.  Quickly Vitani picked me up with her teeth and laid me back down in her paws.  

 "How do you know me?" Simba gasped, his tail-end hitting the ground in surprise. "Well, Sire, my mom and dad taught me the way you lions in the pride are taught. You see, back when the grand King Mufasa was in reign, my great grandparents lived in your pride. They were great friends of King Mufasa and even Scar when they were cubs, and so they didn't believe Mufasa's death was an accident. When Scar brought the news of the kings death, knowing Scar would be the king, My great grandparents took leave of the Pridelands with a few others, going into the outlands and claiming a small patch of land there to live in until conditions would be better in the pride. But it took longer than they thought for things to go right- meaning your return of course- and by your return, my great grandparents had left this world, and my dad was too young for my grandparents to make the journey. When he got old enough, though,  My grandparents-who had not been born at the time of your father’s death- had undergone changes in their original coat color, from the suns heat and lack of proper food. They now appeared to be outlanders, like the ones which you had just banished to 'our' lands.

We were not at all close to the outlands but we did manage to meet Ze-"  I broke off, unable to speak the name of the lioness who my mother had died protecting me from. I swallowed the lump in my throat and, burying my head in Vitani's paws; continued, knowing I needed to finish the story.  "Zerena is who we met. She was the daughter of Zira, banished with the others, but leaving them, becoming rogue. We learned of the death penalty, and knew there was no way any of us could return until a miracle happened. When we found... her...  she was half dead. My father would have been quite pleased to assist her the other half way, with his disgust for all who trusted Scar, but my mother would not hear of it, nursing ...Z...Z...Zerena" I forced the name out of my mouth, trying not to cry, and failing. I couldn't help but feel the tears run down my cheeks, but I remembered from my lessons that a king had to be strong, and I did my best and quickly shook off the pain, buried it deep inside myself. "Zerena was of course not to be trusted and as soon as my mom was sure she could survive, she and my father banished the lioness from our kingdom, chasing her to lands not too far from our kingdom, but far enough. Enough so that she could never get to me, they thought.  My mother and father-"     

"Excuse me, young one. But where ARE your parents?" King Simba asked. I bent my head so he couldn't see the shame upon my face. "I...I ran away, Sire. I couldn't..I couldn't stand it. My father's kingdom hasn't... hasn't been-" I halfway choked on a sob as I continued, quieter than before. "- home since... since my mother passed on." I hung my head as the gasps went out around me. "She... she died protecting me from Zerena... and because the reason she had to save me was because I broke my father's most sacred rule of his kingdom-not to leave without letting someone know where I was going- he blamed me, and he... he lost his mind I guess. He lost his temper too." I whispered, and Vitani growled.

"Do you mean to say, young one, that he did this to you?" 

"Yes, Ma'am, Missus Vitani...  but he didn't mean it, I mean, he sorta.. he went wild... he couldn't help it. My momma, she wasn't just his Queen, they... they were the best of friends." I shrugged. I had no clue why I felt the need to cover for him, I certainly was nowhere near forgiving him, but, ehhh. "But that's not to say he didn't love me once." I looked up at Vitani pleadingly. "Oh, PLEASE don't make me go back!"

Chapter five: New life, Old memories

I was called her son after that. Nursed back to health, though I was warned my back leg could easily shatter again. My scars would always keep as well, but I didn't care. I grew up happy, leaving my old life behind for this new one. Each year brought new pleasures, new discoveries, and... new friends.  The lavishing land held me close, and as my mane became more prominent, I got closer to my 'Ma', Vitani, who taught me the ways of the land, and how to hunt, and how to have good fun in a mud puddle. A year after I arrived,  Simba abdicated the throne and handed it over to Kiara. But as time soon showed, she didn't seem to be able to produce cubs. Time after time, she either miscarried or delivered stillborns.  Despair and tension hung over the kingdom, making the pride easily bicker and snap at each other.  At one point, Kovu refused to mate with her, fearful of losing her after her last miscarriage, where she had lost a great deal of blood.

"Simba? Can I ask you something?" He looked up from where he lay, smiled and moved over. Bowing my head, I tried to think of a way to phrase my question. "If... If Queen Kiara is unable to produce cubs, who would be the next Monarch?" He studied me for a minute, then put his head down. "Well, by law, it would be her younger sibling's cub... but since she is without, it would be Kovu's nephew or niece... which is you. Why?" I jumped up, and raced out of the cave without answering. "Mohadden! Mohadden? What's the matter?" He shouted after me, but I ignored him, turning a corner and fleeing into the rocky lands.  Several hours later, Ma found me there sobbing. "Baby, what happened?"  "Simba told me if Kiara doesn't produce an heir I will be King... Ma, I can't be king... I might turn out like my father! I don't want to be like him."  "Now, sweetie, calm yourself. You won't take after him, I promise. I won't LET you. Train as a king. You might... enjoy it." I nodded and we slowly walked back together.

Some years later, after I had been trained as the next king, we found that Kiara was once again expecting.  I pleaded and pleaded to the Kings of the Past and to my birth mother, in high hopes that I might not be king after all.  Finally, after what seemed like years, twins were born to Kovu and Kiara- one of each, a boy and a girl. Nikkaniel and Kiona, the new prince and princess of the land.  The entire kingdom sighed in relief at the health of the Queen and new cubs. The day after the royals' birth, I watched the sunrise, surprised to be joined by Kovu and Simba. "Hi. How's Kiara?" "Still asleep, but she deserves it." Kovu answered. "Mohadden? You do understand that...erm... the twins being born and able to rule means you can't... won't be king, right?" "Yes, isn't it wonderful? I can't be king, I can't be king, I can't be--" I freeze in my dance and blush at the two royals staring at me, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. Simba was the first to speak. "You... didn't want to be king? You sure acted like it..." "I didn't want to disappoint you. I haven't wanted to be king in a long time. A long, long time... not since Siani passed on..." "Who?" Kovu said, clearly confused.  "Siani, my mother." Both nodded, then after each had thanked me for being loyal and ready to do a duty I hadn't wanted, they went back inside to say hello to the newborns who were just waking up.

A few months passed, in that time each twin learned about the kingdom and of their responsibilities ahead. As I was  getting ready for a nap one day, I became aware of strange paw prints on the ground. Right after I told Kiara and Kovu of them, I turned around with an odd feeling of dread. Something was after the twins! I didn't know 'who' or how I knew, but I did. Racing to where they both were playing, I leapt... just as a brown lioness did from the opposite side. We snarled, our fight going on forever as the pride came to the scene (a day late and a zebra short, if ya ask me). I kept biting and snarling, until I finally pinned the lioness, my unsheathed claws drawing dark red blood.

She gasped "Okay, enough! I give up!" I snarled at her. "Kovu, Simba, she's all yours. Do what you want with her." "Mohadden, are you alright?" Ma rasped as she skidded to a halt beside me and began checking me for injuries. "Mohadden? No... it can't be... you're dead! Are you the son of Shian and Siani?" "Of the Orian Borders? Yes, who are you?" She gave a happy laugh. "You don't recognize me? I'm Sapphire. Remember?" "Sapphire? You... you tried to kill cubs! MY FAMILY!" I snarled. She lowered her head, then it shot back up. "I was desperate! I'm STARVING! And this isn't your family... your father is back at the Borders, making our lives miserable." "I have no family there." She looked astonished, but I myself was surprised such words came out of my mouth. "Now, I suggest you take leave, Sapphire. You might have been my friend, but I have no room for old memories... only my new life."  She gave a sob and shouted. "I AM YOUR BETROTHED... DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME... I AM YOUR MATE." "You are nothing to me. I left that curse of a life and came here to the Pride Lands... you are nothing but a memory... granted, a good one, but still."

She stayed with us that night, leaving me furious of her actions but upset of her words. I was denying my father, though mean and abusive after Mother's death, he was my parent. The decision to go or stay weighed on my mind for three nights, until I finally gave in and decided it was time to face my past. After the sunrise on the fourth morning, with King Kovu and Elder Simba's blessing and over three-fourths of the pride as support, I started off toward the Orian Borders, ruled by Shian.

CHAPTER SIX: GOING BACK

As my eyes fell on a dark patch of grass in the midst of all the dry cracked ground, I had to turn my head away, drawing unwanted attention to myself, as my mother looked at me carefully. "What's wrong Mohadden?" I looked at her and sighed, my eyes going right back to the spot in sadness. "That's.. where... where my... my first, well, mother died." I watched her look at it, and then she slowly walked up to it and bowed, opening her mouth and speaking. "Queen Siani of the Orian Borders, I wish to thank you. I hate of how you left your prince, but in leaving your son, you gave me one. I wish that things had not gone as bad as they did, but it was a great blessing for me, so I thank you." I had the feeling she meant it, and as she lifted her head, near in tears, I walked up and nuzzled gently. "She... May have carried me beneath her heart for four months, however, as far as I am concerned, you, are my mother. Let's continue."  After about an hour, we came to three lioness' guarding the lands. "Back off, Rogues." "Lighorn, don't you remember me?" I asked softly.  Her eyes widened. "It can't be... Mohadden? But you... you're dead." "No, I left. But I'm back. Ready to take my place as the next king." "Why did you leave? Where'd you get those scars?" "Shian gave me the scars. I left to survive. I didn't think Mother would want me to stay and die from Dad's paws." "You... why didn't you tell me? I might have-" "Been killed. You know what he was like when someone rose up against him. They mysteriously disappeared, or were found dead the next day or so. He would not have hesitated. You know that."  She hesitated in her answer. "Yes, you are right. Come in then." 

At that, she side-stepped and let us through, watching us carefully. "LIGHORN, WHO DID YOU JUST LET IN? I do not recognize any of-"  He stopped as he saw me. "Hello, father. Or did you forget of me, since you no longer could blame me of Zeafrah's crime of murdering my mother?" He snarled. "So, you come to overpower me?" "No, I simply come to take my place as the new king. I am the heir. Not even you, Shian, can deny that I am your son. Lighorn knew who I was. Step down. Please, let me reclaim my title peacefully." "Aww, can the wimpy little pussy-cat not fight? Awww... worthless animal. You are not my son."

 "Alright, then I feel no sadness in doing this!" I grabbed his tail and spun him around, slamming him to the ground. "I gave you a chance for peacefulness. You refused." He snarled. "You don't deserve the throne! You ran away! I should stay in power." "Why, because you've done such a good job? I see skin and bones, sunk in eyes, and parched lips. If mother were here, she'd have your tail-end. After all, SHE was the one to be there for me when Zerena attacked. Not you. You never were there for me. I was just 'the young prince' to you. Nothing else. Her death wasn't even my fault, yet you blamed me. I don't even care anymore, just tell me why. Why was it you hated me so, even though you saw and smelled Zeafrah's blood on Mama's claws, when you saw Zeafrah dead, why blame me? She loved you! Do you think she would now, I mean do you honestly believe she would applaud after you scarred me? Every mark I have is from YOU."

He looked bored, at least until I yelped. "Get your claws off my baby!" Vitani screamed as a black lioness sunk her claws into me. She hit the lioness with all her strength, clawing off the ear and eyes in seconds.  "MA!" "Ma? Oh, so you cared for Siani so much you replaced her with this rag-tag mule." "Take. That. Back. BEFORE I RIP YOUR FACE OFF!" I snarled, biting into him as hard as I could. Determined to live up to my name, my claws remained sheathed as a war broke out among the colony and the band from Simba's pride that had accompanied me. "Let go of your hate before it destroys you! Destroys us all!" I plead as Shian and I circle.

"Get out! You don't belong here!"  "Look around, Shian! None of us belong here! We belong together. Why can't you see that?"  "And why can't you see you aren't wanted? Everything was PERFECT here.  No one has died since your mother!" "No one has died, but I am pretty sure that many of the pride wish they would. Why continue the suffering? Why the torture? Would it really be that difficult to say that the kingdom is DYING? Why not admit it? And actually move! Staying here is suicide! What do you have that is buried so deep you won't remove yourself from this WASTELAND?"  "It's no different than before. This land has never been very giving as far as food goes." "I know! I watched you skip many meals so Momma and me could eat... but there are some lands near the outlands that aren't ruled by anyone, lands that have rain on a daily basis, land that has antelopes, zebras, real prey. And you know this, don't you? You've scouted the lands, gone on journeys, looked at surrounding areas. But you are so stuck on what has been that you can't see the light of DAY!" I snarled as he sunk his teeth into my flank. "GET OFF!" "Get OUT!" He challenged, slamming into me as I reared up to sink teeth into him. He hit the leg that had been shattered by him those many years ago, and I felt white-hot agony as it re-broke all over again.

"MY BABY!" Vitani shouted. I staggered onto my front paws as best I could, falling back down instantly. Suddenly... "Shian... Mohadden. Make peace. Shian, STEP DOWN." The command was laced with fury. I trembled in fear and pain as my birth mother materialized out of thin air. "Siani. My mate! At last you have--" "SHUT UP, SHIAN. BE STILL." in all my life, never have I seen such a look in my mother’s eyes as I did then, watching her give him the third-degree. "How dare you harm our child! How could you lay a paw on him? Your own blood, one who has done no wrong. You drove him away, drove him to run while you stated you went with him to the river, he fell in and drowned. While the pride sobbed for days, you smiled.  Then TORTURED the pride that once obeyed us willingly.  You let your anger out on them! You deserve a fate worse than death... which I will make sure you GET. Step down, or I will force you. PAINFULLY."  

My father was in horror, and he looked at me pleadingly. "Son, you know I never meant any of what I did. I was just upset about your mother’s death. Give me a second chance... I can rule the kingdom right. I can move. We can move. Don't let her take me. I'm your father. Your own blood! If you let her take me, you're no better than I."  I winced. Oh, I didn't want her to take him... and yet, I did. He had done the wrongest of wrong, committed the worst crimes, done the horriblest of horrors. I shook my head. "Mother, thank you, but this needs to be my fight. I need to ascend the throne the right way, whether I want to or not... I want to obey the law."  She snarls at my father, eyes turning red with a ferocious rage. "Well done, my son." she whispers, and then nods to me, brushes my pelt, begins to fade. She stops, then glances over to Ma, and smiles warmly. "Thank you for giving my son what I could not provide."  She roars a dangerous roar to my father, then fades off. After a few minutes, my father growls at me. "Once AGAIN, you have taken my girl away from me! I will kill you, I WILL."  He steps toward me, and I snarl. "I just saved your skin, Shian. I hate hurting you, but... if it must be, then it must be." I bucked, hitting his face with all my strength. He toppled over, slowly getting up and backing away. "Please, Shian... let us make peace. I loved you, loved you with all my heart. I always wanted to be just like you. Why can't you remember the good days? We had a lot of them. I don't think I can kill you... I don't want to! I BEG you, please lets end this." He gave a wicked smile. "Yes, LETS!" He jumped at me, and with my re-broken leg, I couldn't turn away quick enough. Down off the cliff we went.  

"Mohadden! NOOOOO!" Ma screeched as we hit the ground. Momentarily blinded, I stayed still, trying to determine if anything was broken. My shoulder felt as if it was on fire, and as I slowly moved it, I realized that the blade was cracked. That would take forever to rightly heal, so that was double-crap, but that was the only injury besides the blindness- which had already started to fade. I shook my head, clearing the stars and finding my father in a heap. Fear gripped me, turned my insides out. "Dad? Father? Are you... okay?" I limped over to him and looked at him. He coughed. "Son, cub... I'm sorry. For everything. Gentle One, care for Or...ian Bord..." He went limp, and I realized that his spine had broken. "Father... goodbye."

 The lioness' had all gathered as he died, lowering their head as I did. I sensed some did not care that he was dead (for which I couldn't blame them).  "Son, Mohadden..." Her gentle voice startled me, and I saw my Ma standing there. "Oh, MA!" I sobbed, rushing to her and hanging my head over her neck in remorse. "Shh... It's okay. I know. I know, baby. It's going to be okay. Everything is going to be just fine. There, there. Shhhhh. My poor one. Shhh." I whimpered. Bringing my head up, I sighed, and she smiled softly, brushing away my tears that were rapidly soaking my muzzle. "Now, my son, let me take a look at-" "Mohadden? Are you ready to claim your place?" Amoore asked briskly.  I stared my old friend and forced a smile. "Yes, I.. I am ready." I saw my mother look away. "Ma? What's wrong? Are you okay?" "Oh, yes... I just...  I just didn't expect this day to come so soon.. you've grown up. To a fine young wise lion, I might add. Oh, I am so proud of you. Go, fulfill your duty."

I nodded, slowly and painfully forcing myself up the cliff, sitting at the end where all could see and hear the ceremony.

"Do you, as king, promise to judge your kingdom in a just and fair way?" "Yes" 

"Do you swear to listen to your subjects and resolve any problems to the best of your ability?" "Yes."

"Do you promise to obey the laws you set, and always remember the delicate balance of the realms?" "Yes"

" And do you, Mohadden, Prince of the Orian Borders, give your word to be honest, forgiving, right and protect your realm from any danger or threat that comes?" "I solemnly swear so to do." "Then, as the law-keeper and second-in-command, I do so name you no more as 'Mohadden the high prince of Orian Borders', but as your new title:  "Mohadden, High King of the Orian Borders, Succeeder of King Shian and Queen Siani, who was daughter to King Asada, Who twas the son of the Stately, Regrad, the first of your royal line.'  You are, until the sprits take you, our leader, advisor, friend and King." I stand, then drawn in a deep breath, letting out the loudest roar I've ever roared. My journey-- was complete. I was home.

Epilogue

Mohadden lived many years after that. He and Sapphire became husband and wife a bit after his rise as king, and she bore him six sons and four daughters. The eldest, Akili, was later known for his loving and fair rule. Mahkui, the prince from the faraway outland kingdom, lost most his kingdom to a disease, but joined prides with Mohadden and became third in command. Vitani left the Orian Borders, and for several years remained in Simba’s pride until Nikkaniel and Kiona became adolescents, moving to the Orian borders as Vitani missed her Mohadden greatly. During Mohadden’s third year of rule, Sapphire’s life was claimed by the eleventh cub, a very tiny male which Mohadden first named Savaar, meaning destruction.

Vitani watched her son cautiously, noticing how mad he seemed at the world. So, it was two hours after the Queen’s death, when Vitani took her grief-stricken son aside and reminded him of his father’s actions, and how he had too much at risk to be angry at the new cub, and told him to think of what Sapphire would have wanted. She talked sense into him, for he re-named his son Amani, meaning desires and wishes.  This young son eventually would become the wisest lion to ever walk the earth.  Mohadden passed many of his traits to his cubs, including his gentleness to the point his third child became a vegetarian. Although Vitani was not his true mother, he decided to make her queen after his beloveds’ death, and saw to it she was treated better than anyone else. All the years she gave to him, he returned to her.  As she grew old, he decided to abdicate his throne to his eldest and go back to the Pridelands with her.  There in the Pridelands they stayed until she died. He nearly lost his mind, seeing her face everywhere he looked. At last he came to his senses, returning to his own pride, just in time to greet another generation.