Third person view
The prides all gathered around around the two Warrior prides. Kion was currently sitting and facing Swan, the apparent leader of the second warrior pride.
"So Swan, what happened? Where's Cleon and the rest of the Warriors?" Kion questioned. It was about a week following the rescue of their member and the killing of the Killer's best assassin.
The group had healed and rested enough to where most of them were now conscious.
However Kion noticed that Giza and DJ were keeping their distance from each other. He had too much problems already, bad blood can't be one of them.
"The Pride Killers" Ajax said confirming Kion's suspicion.
"They came outta every shadow like they were one themselves just after we got finished eating. I don't know how they got inside our turf without our scouts seeing them but they did. Cleon and most of our best fighters stayed behind to give us time to get away" Swan said.
"More than likely they died" Ajax said chiming in. Swan shot him a dirty look but looked back at Kion with a sad one.
"I hate to say it but Ajax is probably right, Cleon knew where your pride went and since he hasn't met up with us by now..." Swan said trailing off with a sad look on his face.
"I'm sorry. But dying in the heat of battle with blood and fur in your teeth instead of old and frail" Kion said as Swan nodded.
"That's the way every Warrior wants to leave this life. Also I'm sorry about loosing your territory as well, Warlord" Swan said. Kion nodded. Though Kion did want the same death, he preferred it was when he was older, maybe his father's age, and he could see his cubs get mates of their own maybe even grandcubs.
"It is alright, we can always reclaim it after we kill the Killers or claim a new one since I'm not longer being hunted by my old pride" he said.
"Also, after discussing it with, I guess my pride now, we would like to join in the fight against the Pride Killers" He said. Kion nodded.
"I'm okay with that, the more fighters I can rely on the better. But after, I'm assuming you guys are gonna go back to how it was? Carrying the Warrior name in a territory of your own?" Kion said to which Swan nodded.
"I just have one question" Ajax said drawing everyone's attention to him.
"Who made you War-Chief?" He questioned Swan as Kion groaned. Ajax then stood up despite his still healing wounds.
"I got about much right to take over the pride as you do" he added as another lion from Swan's pride got up and stood next to Swan. This one had matching brown fur and mane.
"It was Cleon's choice after you lost the fight. Swan's War-Chief" he said.
"Well right now, Cleon is probably halfway through the intestines of any vulture in our old turf. I wanna be War-Chief" he said digging his claws into the dirt.
Swan stood up himself with a snarl.
"Make your move" he said knowing that since they were both wounded, so neither had an advantage.
"Hey Ajax, lighten up" a lioness from the pride said.
"Big boy Swan's War-Chief. Accept it. At least until the Killers are taken care of" another male said. However that didn't seem to do anything as both stared each other down.
They were about to pounce on each other when a loud growl echoed throughout the area. The source was an angry Kion who was now also standing and digging his claws into the dirt.
"Okay, right now I just learned that some of my closest friends are dead, I now possibly have to fight to reclaim my territory and the last thing I need is you two bickering like a pair of females on their heat cycles" he said snarling.
"Excuse me?!" Vitani and her four friends said angrily. More lionesses felt that way but they were the only ones brave enough to speak up tight now. However Kion ignored the shouts from his mate and her friends.
"So as of right now, this tension between you two is over are we clear?" He said getting in between the two lions who reluctantly nodded.
"Good, because if we're not, I promise. I will kill both of you myself. I don't need this right now" Kion said before he turned and began walking away.
"Kion, where you going?" Simba called out from behind the Warrior pride.
"Just for a walk. Don't worry, I'll stay in the Pridelands this time" he responded. Nala waited for a few seconds before she began walking after him.
"Kion! Wait up" she called out as her son stopped and waited for her.
"Yes?" he questioned once she got to him.
"Well Kiara got to spend some time with you. I figured I was next" she said with a chuckle. He smiled but didn't chuckle.
"I figured Simba would've wanted to be next. Try and make up for the past again" Kion said.
"Kion we... you were... we didn't-" she finally stopped and sighed.
"I honestly don't know what else there is for us to say. I understand that you need time to forgive us but there has to be some give and take" she said.
"Dad pounced on me without a second of hesitation. Do you know what means? He was prepared for something like that to happen! He didn't stop and check for any other scent... He just seen that opportunity to get rid of me before 'Scar number two' came out!" Kion said angrily. Nala looked down sadly. As much as she didn't want to admit it, it was true to an extent.
"Look let's not get hung up on this mother okay? Can we just talk like the old days? I miss that" he said. Nala just sighed.
"I'm sorry Kion. You're right. So what's your home like?" she asked as they continued walking. It didn't take Nala long to realize they were walking towards the watering hole.
"It's just like this but a little bigger since I have more males than most prides. I mean who wants to attack a territory with 5 males?" He said. Nala just smirked at him.
"Pride Killers?" she answered as he just shot her a deadpan look.
"Touché" he said as she smirked. The two talked a little bit more until they exited the tall grass and found themselves on the open ground between the water and the grass.
Kion had gotten so caught up on catching up with his mother, that he had forgotten past experiences and didn't check his surroundings before going out into the open.
Suddenly a familiar voice rang out throughout the area which caused Kion to stop.
"Oh, afternoon Queen Nala, King Sim- who are you?" The voice said. Both lions turned to the side and seen a group of animals consisting of two cheetahs, one Hippo, an egret, an eagle and a Honey Badger. The Honey Badger being the one who had spoken.
"Hello Bunga. How are the zebra and the gazelle herds doing?" Nala asked not knowing what else to say. She briefly looked over and seen Kion had a neutral look on his face.
"It was good, your highness, all the foals are healthy and happy. So is this one of the neighboring kings neighbors?" Fuli said also coming closer to see the strange lion.
They had been here when the four pride closest to the Pridelands arrived but after they had to go to Mbali Fields to make sure Swala and Muhimu's herd wouldn't be hassled by any predators while they gave birth to their young.
"Kinda" she said seeing Kion gain a small smile.
"What you guys really don't recognize me?" He asked.
The animals all looked at each other for an answer but no one had anything to say. Kion just rolled his eyes before he puffed out his chest.
"To the Pridelands end!" He said as everyone's eyes went wide except for the male cheetah.
"Kion!?" they all said in shock and happiness at sering their old friend.
"Wow, look at you all grown up" Bunga said as if nothing had happened.
"Heh, yeah... it ain't that easy" he said before going to the water and getting a drink. Nala shot the old guard a sorry look before following her son.
"Kion, maybe you could spend some time with your friends. A lot has changed for all of you and it would be nice to catch up" she said. Kion stopped drinking and sighed.
"Mom... I got duties, I got a pride to look after" he said. However those were just excuses. However Nala just smirked seeing through his lies.
"Kion, they're all at Pride-rock and it's Upepo pride's turn to hunt. Your father and me can handle your pride for an hour or two" she insisted.
"Mom, my pride isn't like normal prides. They fight when they're bored and don't take orders from just anyone" he said. Nala just kept looking at him with a look that told him he wasn't winning this argument.
"Fine... but keep an eye on DJ and Giza. There's something going on between them and if it goes to claws and teeth give out a roar. You get in between them, you'll probably die" he said as she nodded before heading back.
He sighed before he straightened up before he walked over to the group. He laid down still a good distance away from them before gesturing to the make cheetah.
"Who's the new guy?" He asked.
"I am Azaad" he said puffing out his chest. Kion just rolled his eyes before looking at the others to elaborate.
"He's my mate" Fuli said making Kion's eyes go wide.
"Oh, nice. I kinda figured you'd be on your own forever. You always liked being alone" he said. Fuli nodded at that.
"True but when you find the right one, you just know" she said.
"Yeah, I know about that. That's the same way I felt when I first met Vitani" he said. Bunga then raised his hand.
"Uh, yeah I've been wondering about that. When did you first meet her? You didn't meet her after.... Um" he said not wanting to say the incident.
:When I was wrongly accused? No I met her a few months before that. I was actually planning on running away with her anyway" he said shocking his friends.
"What? At the time, Simba never would've let an Outsider live with us, even if she was just a teenager and I vouched for her. What Kovu did to get into the pride is still a mystery to me" Kion said as many of the group recalled how Kovu came to be in the Pridelands.
"But I planned to leave on good terms. Not like how I did!" he said angrily digging his claws into the dirt beneath him. The group seen this and chose to get off the subject.
"So um, you have a pride?" Anga said.
"Yep, the Warriors" he answered.
"Oh... they sound nice" Fuli said.
"Yeah, they're not" he responded calmly.
Elsewhere
Vultures and other scavenger birds all squawked as they fought over any meat they could get off the two dead lions.
Due to the animals being inside a place with rocky overhangs, they had remained mostly intact, except for a few small scavengers that lived in the rocky area, until early this morning when the birds were able to pick up the smell of the decomposing carcasses.
Suddenly a vulture lifted his head and gave off a squawk. In an instant, all birds were in the air and off the carcasses but still circled the area and landed on the overhangs.
Walking up to the dead lioness was Muuaji's large scarred form. He was surrounded by at least twenty other lions and lionesses. And this was just his guards.
"Hmm, poor Kivuli. You were one of the best assassins I've ever met" he said sadly. Though he had no real sadness for her. If she was sloppy enough to die in the first place, then she was no Killer. But if he showed no emotion, then his pride might rethink their loyalties.
Zira smiled to herself as she walked in front of and jumped up onto a large rock.
"Yes, yes. The Pridelands are just that way, where that rock formation is" she said to her 'leader.'
She never really liked taking orders from someone but with her injury, she couldn't hunt fast prey. That was also why she was thankful she wasn't on any parties that track down any surviving lions whenever they took over a new territory.
Muuaji only hummed. From what she had told him, it wasn't anything big like the Warriors territory nor did it have anything special. Except for revenge.
"Who could've taken down Kivuli?" A lion from Muuaji's right asked. The leader simply shrugged before walking around the body.
"The main Warrior pride, I know at least five that have the skills and agility to kill her" he said before noticing dirty blonde fur caught in between her toes where her claws were.
"Though that narrows it down to one" he said to himself before joining Zira on the rock. Out of all the Warriors, there was only four that had ever made him worry he might lose his life.
"So tell me about the pride already resigning there. Anyone troublesome?" He asked. She scoffed but before she could say anything he added onto his statement.
"And before you say something putting all of them down just because they are your enemies, think. Because if you're wrong, I will throw you into a croc infested river, even if it's with my last breath" he said. She then paused and thought it over.
"There's only two males in the pride living there. Simba isn't old and frail yet but he doesn't have a lot of experience fighting. My son Kovu does but he's young and therefore will probably make some mistakes. The same can be said with the lionesses. Simba's don't have a lot of experience fighting but my traitors do" she said snarling at the last part.
"Any allies" he then asked.
"At least four prides plus whatever these Warriors have" she said. He then remembered what she had just said.
"You said Kovu Correct?" he said interested.
"Yes, why?" She asked.
"You ever heard of a lioness named Vitani?" he then asked.
"Vitani? Yes she was a cub I took in along with her brother, Kovu after I discovered my eldest was a waste of a mating season. Why?" she said as Muuaji's smile widened.
"I'll tell you later, but first we need to focus on some specific lions and lionesses within the Warriors. And I know just the few to start with" he said before chuckling.