A New Life

The deal

"Let her down, all the blood will rush to her head," pleaded Vitani. "That's all part of the plan for getting the Pride Lands," said Chad. Kovu, Vitani and Marisa gasped when they heard that last sentence.
"So basically, you're using Kiara to blackmail Simba and Nala into giving you the Pride Lands?" asked Kovu.

"Yeah pretty much," replied Charise proudly. "Brilliant isn't it? I can't believe we didn't think if it from the start."
"That's disgusting," said Marisa. "I know right?" smirked Alisa from the corner of the cave.
"And how do you intend to do that if no one knows where we are? Did you think of that?" asked Kovu.

"You are the messengers," said Frank from behind them.
"We're not going anywhere without Kiara," Vitani shouted.  "Unfortunately, you don't have a choice in the matter," said Nora. "It's either you relay our message to Simba and Nala or your precious princess will die!"

Kovu stiffened, dropped his head and sighed.
"Do we have a deal?" asked Frank as he looked at Kovu, knowing he would be the one making the decision. Vitani looked at Marisa, Marisa looked at Kovu and Kovu looked at Kiara who was hanging over a boiling hot steam vent.
"Fine. We'll do it," Kovu said through clenched teeth.

"Excellent," said Frank smiling. "You have twenty four hours to get to the Pride Lands, relay our message, and bring back the King and Queen. If you want you can bring your bodyguards, but I don't think you'll be needing them, are we clear on that?"

No one answered. "I said are we clear on that!" asked Frank again.
"YES WE HEARD YOU!" Kovu shouted furiously.
"Good now go," Nora said in a  taunting voice.
Vitani and Marisa rolled their eyes and started to walk.
"Don't worry my darling, I'm here for you," thought Kovu to himself as he and his sisters ran out of the outlands.

The run back to Pride Rock was long and tedious but every time they thought of Kiara they would run faster. By the time the siblings reached Pride Rock, it was sunset. Standing on the platform were Nala, Simba, Diana and Burnt Eboney. When they caught sight of them Kovu, Vitani and Marisa bolted up the steps and onto the platform. They collapsed on the ground in exhaustion.

"Kovu, Vitani, Marisa! Oh my babies, you're safe! Safe," cried Diana tearfully. as she and her husband rushed to embrace their children.  Nala and Simba looked behind them and noticed that Kiara was not with them.

"Kovu, Vitani, Marisa? Where is Kiara?" asked Simba worriedly. Kovu removed himself from the hug and walked over to Simba and Nala with a sad face.
"Simba, Nala I'm sorry but I'm afraid we have some bad news," he said sadly. Simba and Nala looked at each other and turned back to face Kovu.
"What do you mean bad news? Did something happen?" asked Simba. Kovu had no answer so instead he went straight into what happened. When he was finished, Nala had tears in her eyes.

"Oh not my Kiara, not my little girl," she cried. That remark brought the lionesses from the den and they gathered on the platform.
"Your majesty what's wrong? Has something happened?" asked Katie worriedly.
"My Kiara. Oh why did this have to happen?" said Simba as he paced the platform.
"Your majesty has something happened to the princess?" asked another lioness.

"Kiara is in the outlands, she has been kidnapped by Frank and his family," said Marisa. The lionesses gasped in horror at what they heard.
"Do you mean to say that the future queen of the Pride Lands has been kidnapped by a bunch of hooligans?" asked Maya in anger.

"And who was with her when this incident occurred I wonder?" asked Kayla sarcastically.  Knowing that she was referring to them, Kovu and his sisters turned away in shame.
"I know exactly who's fault this is," shouted Hana.
"Who!"  the lionesses shouted. "Why the culprits are standing right in front of you," exclaimed another.

"Of course! How could we have been so blind!" a lioness said  from the back.
"Looks like not all of Zira's hard work went down the drain, it's obvious that Kovu, Vitani and Marisa still has her spirit attached to them!"
Kovu and his sisters gasped and turned to face the angry lionesses that were pointing false accusations at them.

"How dare you say such a horrible thing," said Diana angrily. "My children had nothing to do with Kiara's kidnapping. If you have no proof then don't even think of accusing them of something they wouldn't put into their heads to do."

"You should keep your mouth shut Diana. Last I checked, you weren't around when you're children were growing up," said Jennifer cruelly. Diana stiffened and turned away. Of course she was right, she wasn't around when her children were being raised.
"Watch your mouth Jennifer," said Nala sharply. "You know that Zira stole Kovu and his sisters away from Diana and Ebony. So please don't bring up the topic again."

"Yes your majesty. As you wish,"  Jennifer said bowing.
"Right now all that matters is getting back Kiara," said Simba. The lionesses nodded their understandings.
"Did Frank and Nora lay down any conditions for getting back Kiara?" asked Burnt Eboney.
"Yes they said they'll keep Kiara  until you and Nala give them the Pride Lands," said Marisa.

"And we don't have much time, they gave us twenty four hours to get back to them with our answer," said Vitani.
"And if we don't hurry, they'll kill Kiara. She's hanging upside down over a steam vent in the outlands as we speak and right now she's unconscious," said Kovu.

"Alright everyone, we don't have much time to do this so we'll have to hurry. Kiara is very strong but she won't last very long over a steam vent, so let's go," exclaimed  Simba.
"There's a shortcut that leads to the outlands from here, if we hurry we'll be in the outlands under 15 minutes," said Tina. "Let's go then," said Nala.
"You and Nala go with Kovu Vitani and Marisa. I'll stay here with Eboney and the rest of the lionesses," said Diana.
"Alright," replied Simba.
So Simba, Nala, Kovu, Vitani and Marisa ran in the direction of the outlands with several lionesses for backup, leaving Diana in charge in case anything went wrong.