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“That’s not Scar’s roar…” Spotty’s devastated tone brought Dotty back to reality.

She’d been staring out into the rain, perplexed that it had finally started to fall now, on a day another lion had shown up and challenged their king. She and her sister had managed to get their cubs, including their nephew Nuka, out of Pride Rock and into a small cave off to the side of it. It hadn’t just kept them away from the fight, but out of the following blaze as well. It seemed like a nightmare, watching Pride Rock burn as the roars and shrieks of lions and hyenas radiated off it. Only when the storm finally broke, the chaos seemed to subside, and all they heard was the soothing pattering of the rain.

And then they heard the roars. And her sister was right, it wasn’t Scar’s. Which meant Scar had either fled, or worse…

And the sisters had cubs, as did Zira. They knew from past experience what lions did to cubs that weren’t theirs. Of course, Scar had been different. He’d accepted cubs that didn’t even belong to him. He’d accepted theirs before they were even born, without a single fuss. It’s why they’d been so loyal to him, even when the rest of his own pride seemed to hate him. But they knew nothing of this new lion, and in all likelihood he was dangerous.

“We should go…” Spotty began.

“Wait! Look!” Dotty gestured in alarm towards the savannah, where she could just make out the shape of a lioness sprinting towards Pride Rock. “That’s Zira!”

“What is she doing!?” Spotty exclaimed. “She still has cubs in the brush, she can’t just leave them!”

“Auntie Dotty…” The lioness turned towards the timid voice. Little Nuka was shivering, his eyes seemed to well with tears. “Can’t you tell us what’s going on? Where’s my mom?”

The sisters looked at each other, feeling helpless. Their own daughters, who were a bit older, were huddled together farther back in the cave, their faces forlorn. They’d already had the talk when they were younger, about what happens when a new lion moves in, and so they already had an idea about what was happening. But she really wasn’t worried about them. Her own daughters and nieces were old enough to start hunting, and were all females, thus they likely wouldn’t be seen as a threat to an adult lion, unlike Nuka.

Dotty turned to the cubs. “Listen carefully, I want the seven of you to stay here and stay hidden.” She laid a paw on Nuka’s back, putting on a reassuring air for him. “Nuka, Spotty and I are going to go get your mother and siblings, okay?”

The crying cub seemed to want to protest, but Dotty interrupted. “Everything is going to be fine. We will explain when we get back, but for now it’s important that you stay with your cousins. Understand?”

Nuka nodded, and Dotty turned to her sister. “You check on Vitani and Kovu, and I’ll get Zira”

Spotty hesitated at first, but then nodded. “Be careful.” She said sternly, before turning and bounding off into the savannah. It was no time to argue.

The sounds of a fight could be heard by the time Dotty made it to the base of Pride Rock. Zira was in a vicious brawl with the new lion, and appeared to be losing. What’s more, the other lionesses were clearly not on her side. They seemed to want to jump in and break things up, but the fight was too fierce. However, it was short lived. Zira eventually backed down, exhausted. She had given birth just days ago, and was probably in no shape for this sort of thing. But it made sense that it was her first instinct, especially when her son specifically was the now ousted king’s heir.

The other lionesses took the opportunity to put themselves between Zira and the new lion, clearly defending the latter. “Back off, Zira!” Nala ordered. “Scar is dead. Simba is the king.”

Dotty rushed to Zira’s aid, giving her a body to lean on. Her ear was badly torn, and she had scratches all along her flank. “You treacherous fools!” Zira roared, panting. “How could you?!” She began to sob.

“Who even are you?” Dotty demanded, glaring at the lion. She thought she heard Nala say “Simba”, but she was sure she’d misheard over the storm. Everything she’d heard about Simba from the others was that he was dead. He’d perished alongside his father in a terrible accident as a cub.

“I am Simba.” The new lion stepped forward. “My father was Mufasa. He was murdered by Scar.” His voice was harsh and bitter. “Which is why I will not tolerate any loyalty to Scar in my kingdom!” He growled, bringing his attention back to Zira.

“You’re the murderer!” Zira shouted over the downpour, still sobbing.

Dotty continued to glare at this “Simba”. She’d never met him or Mufasa, and had no way of knowing that what he said was true. But the others clearly believed it, or at least were using him as a pawn to overthrow Scar. Regardless, she did not trust this lion. Scar had been the only king she’d known, the only one she’d trusted. He’d given her and her sister sanctuary and a place to raise their cubs. He’d been like a second father to her cubs, and especially to Zira’s. How could she be expected to just throw away her loyalty?

And speaking of lions loyal to Scar. “Where is Tai?” Dotty asked.

“Tai has left the Pride Lands.” Sarabi spoke up this time. “She’ll probably be living in the Outlands now, with the hyenas.”

“Which doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.” Simba snarled. “Zira, I think you should follow her. You’re not welcome in the Pride Lands.”

Zira tensed her muscles. As if she was going to try to fight him again. But Dotty held her back. “Zira!” She spoke in a hushed tone, hoping Simba wouldn’t hear. “You can’t win this fight. Think of your cubs…”

Zira’s expression seemed to slowly shift. “Yes…” She muttered. “I have cubs… Cubs who can one day avenge their king!”

“And you?” Simba turned his attention to Dotty, apparently not having heard Zira’s conspiratorial decree. “Where do your loyalties lie?”

Dotty glared up at the lion. She knew if she wanted to stay in the Pride Lands that she’d have to not only renounce any loyalty she had to Scar, but also leave Zira to her fate in the Outlands, along with her cubs who were much younger than her own. And she couldn’t bring herself to do either.

“Not with you.”

------

The written portion of this one has actually been finished for a while, but I kept procrastinating the drawing, mainly because this pose was so hard to draw. I finally decided to finish it since I haven't posted much TLK content lately and I apparently have a decent sized audience for that now. I have another WIP but I have no idea when that one will be done.

Anyway, this piece is just meant to fill in some story gaps. I hoped it was obvious that Spotty and Dotty, along with their daughters, would become part of Zira's Pride, but I don't think I ever explained why they left, so this is that explanation.

Description

“That’s not Scar’s roar…” Spotty’s devastated tone brought Dotty back to reality.

She’d been staring out into the rain, perplexed that it had finally started to fall now, on a day another lion had shown up and challenged their king. She and her sister had managed to get their cubs, including their nephew Nuka, out of Pride Rock and into a small cave off to the side of it. It hadn’t just kept them away from the fight, but out of the following blaze as well. It seemed like a nightmare, watching Pride Rock burn as the roars and shrieks of lions and hyenas radiated off it. Only when the storm finally broke, the chaos seemed to subside, and all they heard was the soothing pattering of the rain.

And then they heard the roars. And her sister was right, it wasn’t Scar’s. Which meant Scar had either fled, or worse…

And the sisters had cubs, as did Zira. They knew from past experience what lions did to cubs that weren’t theirs. Of course, Scar had been different. He’d accepted cubs that didn’t even belong to him. He’d accepted theirs before they were even born, without a single fuss. It’s why they’d been so loyal to him, even when the rest of his own pride seemed to hate him. But they knew nothing of this new lion, and in all likelihood he was dangerous.

“We should go…” Spotty began.

“Wait! Look!” Dotty gestured in alarm towards the savannah, where she could just make out the shape of a lioness sprinting towards Pride Rock. “That’s Zira!”

“What is she doing!?” Spotty exclaimed. “She still has cubs in the brush, she can’t just leave them!”

“Auntie Dotty…” The lioness turned towards the timid voice. Little Nuka was shivering, his eyes seemed to well with tears. “Can’t you tell us what’s going on? Where’s my mom?”

The sisters looked at each other, feeling helpless. Their own daughters, who were a bit older, were huddled together farther back in the cave, their faces forlorn. They’d already had the talk when they were younger, about what happens when a new lion moves in, and so they already had an idea about what was happening. But she really wasn’t worried about them. Her own daughters and nieces were old enough to start hunting, and were all females, thus they likely wouldn’t be seen as a threat to an adult lion, unlike Nuka.

Dotty turned to the cubs. “Listen carefully, I want the seven of you to stay here and stay hidden.” She laid a paw on Nuka’s back, putting on a reassuring air for him. “Nuka, Spotty and I are going to go get your mother and siblings, okay?”

The crying cub seemed to want to protest, but Dotty interrupted. “Everything is going to be fine. We will explain when we get back, but for now it’s important that you stay with your cousins. Understand?”

Nuka nodded, and Dotty turned to her sister. “You check on Vitani and Kovu, and I’ll get Zira”

Spotty hesitated at first, but then nodded. “Be careful.” She said sternly, before turning and bounding off into the savannah. It was no time to argue.

The sounds of a fight could be heard by the time Dotty made it to the base of Pride Rock. Zira was in a vicious brawl with the new lion, and appeared to be losing. What’s more, the other lionesses were clearly not on her side. They seemed to want to jump in and break things up, but the fight was too fierce. However, it was short lived. Zira eventually backed down, exhausted. She had given birth just days ago, and was probably in no shape for this sort of thing. But it made sense that it was her first instinct, especially when her son specifically was the now ousted king’s heir.

The other lionesses took the opportunity to put themselves between Zira and the new lion, clearly defending the latter. “Back off, Zira!” Nala ordered. “Scar is dead. Simba is the king.”

Dotty rushed to Zira’s aid, giving her a body to lean on. Her ear was badly torn, and she had scratches all along her flank. “You treacherous fools!” Zira roared, panting. “How could you?!” She began to sob.

“Who even are you?” Dotty demanded, glaring at the lion. She thought she heard Nala say “Simba”, but she was sure she’d misheard over the storm. Everything she’d heard about Simba from the others was that he was dead. He’d perished alongside his father in a terrible accident as a cub.

“I am Simba.” The new lion stepped forward. “My father was Mufasa. He was murdered by Scar.” His voice was harsh and bitter. “Which is why I will not tolerate any loyalty to Scar in my kingdom!” He growled, bringing his attention back to Zira.

“You’re the murderer!” Zira shouted over the downpour, still sobbing.

Dotty continued to glare at this “Simba”. She’d never met him or Mufasa, and had no way of knowing that what he said was true. But the others clearly believed it, or at least were using him as a pawn to overthrow Scar. Regardless, she did not trust this lion. Scar had been the only king she’d known, the only one she’d trusted. He’d given her and her sister sanctuary and a place to raise their cubs. He’d been like a second father to her cubs, and especially to Zira’s. How could she be expected to just throw away her loyalty?

And speaking of lions loyal to Scar. “Where is Tai?” Dotty asked.

“Tai has left the Pride Lands.” Sarabi spoke up this time. “She’ll probably be living in the Outlands now, with the hyenas.”

“Which doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.” Simba snarled. “Zira, I think you should follow her. You’re not welcome in the Pride Lands.”

Zira tensed her muscles. As if she was going to try to fight him again. But Dotty held her back. “Zira!” She spoke in a hushed tone, hoping Simba wouldn’t hear. “You can’t win this fight. Think of your cubs…”

Zira’s expression seemed to slowly shift. “Yes…” She muttered. “I have cubs… Cubs who can one day avenge their king!”

“And you?” Simba turned his attention to Dotty, apparently not having heard Zira’s conspiratorial decree. “Where do your loyalties lie?”

Dotty glared up at the lion. She knew if she wanted to stay in the Pride Lands that she’d have to not only renounce any loyalty she had to Scar, but also leave Zira to her fate in the Outlands, along with her cubs who were much younger than her own. And she couldn’t bring herself to do either.

“Not with you.”

------

The written portion of this one has actually been finished for a while, but I kept procrastinating the drawing, mainly because this pose was so hard to draw. I finally decided to finish it since I haven't posted much TLK content lately and I apparently have a decent sized audience for that now. I have another WIP but I have no idea when that one will be done.

Anyway, this piece is just meant to fill in some story gaps. I hoped it was obvious that Spotty and Dotty, along with their daughters, would become part of Zira's Pride, but I don't think I ever explained why they left, so this is that explanation.