Epilogue

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Vitani felt the sun rise before she saw it, the great circle providing a warmth to her pelt. And she would certainly need it. She did need to keep her son warm, after all.

Her mate, Kopa, sat beside her, looking down lovingly at the new prince of the pridelands. He had a bright orange-red pelt, with blue eyes and black around his eyes, along with a black tuft of fur on his head. Things had certainly changed for their lives since the war ended.

Later that same night that it ended, Vitani had been mourning the loss of her mother. But she had known that she couldn't hold onto it. She couldn't try to pin the blame on someone. That was what had started the war in the first place. Vitani would miss her mother, but she knew that she couldn't make the same mistakes her mother had. Kopa had come back to the pridelands that night. It was like he came back from the dead. All those months spent crying, looking into the water hole and wondering if Nuka had been right, if what Kopa had said hadn't mattered, all of those months planning to avenge him...in that moment, they were all forgotten. Vitani had embraced her friend, never wanting to leave his side again.

As soon as the sun rose that next day, Simba was no longer the king of the pridelands

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As soon as the sun rose that next day, Simba was no longer the king of the pridelands. Instead, it was Kopa, with Vitani at his side as his queen. Kovu and Kiara were next in line if anything were to happen, ruling alongside the two as prince and princess.

A few months later, Kiara gave birth to a princess, Giza. She had a black pelt and a lighter gray underbelly, with Nala's eyes.

A few months after that, Vitani had given birth to her first son, the new prince of the pridelands. He was to be presented to the pridelands today.

Giza scampered up to her aunt, trying to be quiet but still bubbling with excitement.

Giza scampered up to her aunt, trying to be quiet but still bubbling with excitement

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"Is this him?" She whispered curiously. "Is this my new cousin?"

"Yes, Giza." Kopa answered. "This is Muujiza, the future king of the pridelands."

"Muujiza." Giza whispered. "He's so small!!!"

"Yes, well..." Vitani laughed. "He will get much bigger as he gets older."

"I'll be the bestest cousin ever!!!" Giza said. "We'll have so much fun when he gets older. We can play by the water hole, and race around the pridelands, and I'll keep him from going to the great river. I'll keep him safe when we're out in the pridelands playing together!!"

Vitani smiled. Giza's innocence reminded her so much of her younger self when she and Kopa had first met. She knew that Giza would be a great cousin for Muujiza.

"I'm sure you will, Giza." She said. "Now why don't you wake up your parents? It's nearly time for Rafiki to arrive."

"Okay!!" Giza agreed enthusiastically, and then scampered off to wake her parents.

Vitani licked Muujiza on the head, and nuzzled Kopa lovingly. She only wished that her mother could see this, that Vitani could know that she was proud of her.

Kopa seemed to read Vitani's mind. "I'm sure she's proud of you, Vitani. With all of the pain that Zira went through, she would be so proud to know that you are happy, and that she has a grandson." Vitani nodded, feeling a breeze in her fur that told her that her mother was here, smiling at her with pride. She finally felt at peace, and she sighed with contentment as she waited for Rafiki to arrive.

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