A/N: Hey guys, Skyy15 here! 👋🏽 The illustration above is to show Makosa (on the left) and Makosa again (on the right) with Bahiya. I actually like posting pictures of real lions instead of Disney's animations. It brings the book more to life if you know what I mean ☺️. Thank you all for reading, voting, and commenting. The book is already reaching high numbers and I just created it almost 4 days ago like wow omg 😂 You guys rock seriously! 🎉 ❤️ Okay enough with the chatter, you may enjoy chapter 4!

Xoxo,

Skyy15 💕

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Makosa

"Makosa..."

"Huh?"

"Makosa, you must wake up..." Said a deep voice.

I slowly open my reddish brown eyes. A very bright light shined down on me. I cover my eyes quick with my paws since the light had hurt my eyes.

"W-Who are you and w-where am I ?" I answered, nervously.

"You are in a dream."

"A dream? Impossible..."

"I will awake you later in the real world. Right now, you must listen to everything I am about to tell you."

I open back my eyes and scanned around my surroundings. I am laying down on a floating white cloud. More clouds circle around me. The sky is slowly turning dark revealing the night as I spot a few stars twinkle.

My mouth is hung open with shock. What the hell...

"No, take me home! I don't even know who you are. All i can hear is the sound of your voice." I yelled out.

There was a loud chuckle. It caused for me to shake. I hold onto the cloud tight, careful not to fall over if possible.

"Alright, Makosa. If it makes anything better I will reveal myself to you. I forgot about how long it has been since we've last seen each other in the real world." The deep voice replied.

I watch the clouds all form close together into something giant and tall. What is happening? I notice the clouds are shaping into a male lion. But not just any male, a male I now finally recognize.

"G-Grandpa..." I spoke, in awe.

Grandpa smiles and reached out his large ghostly paw to me. "Come, grandson. I know it's been such a longtime. We have a lot of catching up I see."

I climbed myself onto his paw and he took me away from the cloud I was laying on. He brought me very close up to his face where we can see each other eye to eye, nose to nose.

"Grandpa, can you please explain to me why am I here? Don't tell me...am I you know...?"

Grandpa threw his head back with laughter. "No Makosa, you are not dead. I told you, your not awake yet in the real world. Your sleeping very deeply."

"So in other words, I'm unconscious?"

"Correct."

"Juuuuust great."

"Don't worry, i will send you back down and awake you soon. Right now we need to have a talk." Grandpa added, with a serious tone this time.

I look confused. "A talk about what grandpa? Am I in trouble??"

"Makosa, I am pretty sure that you and I both know what this talk is about. I am very disappointed in you. You let your anger get the best out of you. You've destroyed you and your brother's closely bond over a crown."

"But Grandpa it's not fair!"

"What isn't fair?" He asked.

I frowned. "The day when my parents and the Pride was searching out for Heri, I was at home alone in the cave with Grandma Nala. I remembered that I was hoping and praying for him to be alive. He wasn't just a brother, he was my only best friend when we were cubs. The only lion who looked after me and made sure that i wasn't in any trouble. He even taught me how to wrestle properly! So when mother told me that he was gone, that's when everything had crushed. I had lost my best friend...but as years flown by, I've grown both older and stronger. I let my mourn and last mementoes with Heri go knowing that he is no longer with us anymore. Changes were made. My father decided to crown me as the next future King since mother couldn't bare anymore cubs for whatever reason. At first, I didnt want to be King. I didnt know anything about it. Heri was already beginning his training at the time before his death. I had no choice and was basically forced into royalty. I was unhappy about it my teen years, but once I've reached adulthood i accepted more and saw things more differently and wisely. Things were going good then. Bahiya my childhood friend and I both married each other, with her becoming the next future Queen. My life was good full of happiness then, until Heri made a big return to the Pride Lands. I knew things were going to change and my parents wasted no time letting him back into the Pride. Heri had a plan and knew what he was doing all along and that was to claim his original place as future King."

"Mhm, and what happened after that?"

"That's when I guess let my anger take over. I made alliance with the hyenas. They agreed to do the job even though they've failed. Those fools! Anyway, i had no choice but to get rid of Heri myself. I wasn't going to let him take away my happiness and joy. Not even the crown when he was supposedly dead anyway. I had to do what was right, Grandpa!"

Grandpa shook his large ghostly head. He looks very ashamed and made a deep sigh. "Makosa, your heart is filled up too much with hate. You must let it go and start over."

"What do you mean by starting over? And I'll never let it go!"

"You must let it go, move on and start out a new life some place else outside the Pride Lands."

I look down at my tan colored paws. "That means I will no longer be in line for the throne..."

Grandpa nodded. "Yes, I know that Makosa. But you could also rule still in a different land. Start out your very own pride."

I thought about it for a few moments. Grandpa is right. Even though I wont be future King anymore, I can still be King some place else. Creating my own pride wont be easy, but I can give it a shot. It's going to take some time to build and find strong lions. Maybe longer than months...

I have never done this before. This is definitely new! But at least I still have the King lessons father had taught me while growing up. Heri didn't have much of that, only when he was a cub before his disappearance. I actually have a chance at surviving outside the Pride Lands.

I smile at the thought. "Your right grandpa."

"But before you start, you need to let go of your hate. I can still see it in your heart. You need to love and care more again. I worry for you grandson. I dont want you to end up like my Uncle Scar. He didn't get a chance to become one of the Great Kings like me and my father. He let too much hatred get in his heart which had resulted a very short life. I dont want that to happen to you Makosa. Please, try to learn how to be good again. When I awake you, I want you to spend some time with Amwa Rafiki's daughter at her baobab tree. She will help guide you and show you to your new land that I've created."

"Y-You created a home for me?"

"Yes, I am a god now so I can technically do whatever I want. It's called magic! Do you believe in it?"

I nod, "Yes, I believe."

Grandpa used his other large ghostly paw and had point it directly at my heart. "Good. Now I really want you to start refreshing your heart. You can do it Makosa."

"What happens if I fail?"

"You will be taken away by darkness like Scar."

I gasp frightened at the thought. I dont want that to happen to me. I want to be good forever and live a long happy life with no worries.

"Okay Grandpa, I promise!"

He smiled while nodding his large ghostly head. "Good, I truly do hope that you have understand our long private talk Makosa. I will remember this serious promise you made to me. It will follow and remind you forever."

"Forever?"

"Yes, forever. Now I am going to awake you. I sense someone is coming straight towards you. Perhaps, a lioness. She looks worried and in distress. You may need her..."

I look surprised. "Wait, does she has hazel eyes, long hair tuft on the head, and creamy colored fur?"

"Ah, you must know this one?" Grandpa asked, chuckling.

"Yes, her name is Bahiya. She is my wife. Gish she must have been worried sick about me. I left home to fight Heri without even telling her. She's going to be so confused."

"You must tell your wife the truth..."

"The truth about what? Heri and I ? No way, she'll hate me forever. I cant tell her of what I have become. She will leave me!" I said, worried.

"Makosa, the first step in clearing your heart is to tell Bahiya the truth. Trust me, she will understand. You are no longer the lion you were once before. When I awake you, you will be reborn just like I did with your brother. Your brother doesn't remember anything that occurred and so won't you." Grandpa explained.

"Wait, so once you awake me...I wont remember this talk I had with you?"

"No. But to give you a special hint, listen to the sound of the winds. They also will guide you."

I nodded. "Okay, I will. Thank you!"

Grandpa had sat me back down on a cloud. "Now, close your eyes. I am sending you back to the real world so you can talk to your wife. Remember, clear your heart. Learn to be more loving, caring, and calm. It'll you get you around better in life."

"Okay."

He's right. I agreed with every thing Grandpa Simba had discussed with me. I am glad we had this talk. I now feel awful for #1 trying to kill my brother and #2 hiding everything away from Bahiya. Now it's time to face what I have created and try to end it with peace. This is my chance to start over and become a new lion.

Grandpa begins counting softly. "1...2...3...."

He blew winds on me. I felt myself being blown away but I still kept my eyes closed. I am being traveled back to the real world.

"Oh my god, Makosa!" A voice loudly cries.

"Huh?" I replied, clueless.

I slowly crack open my reddish brown eyes. I find myself laying down in the grass. In front of me close stood Bahiya, my gorgeous wife.

I smile, "Bahiya, is that you?"

She nuzzled me with full affection. "Oh thank the Great Kings you are alive! I was worried sick. You haven't been home. What are you doing out here alone away from the Pride Lands?"

"I -I don't know. Strangely, I don't remember much of anything. Maybe perhaps I had come out here to nap?"

"Oh Makosa..."

Bahiya hugged me. I sat halfway up hugging her back with a purr.

"There was a big ceremony today at home."

"Ceremony? For what??"

"Your brother Heri is officially crowned future King of Pride Rock."

My eyes widen at her. "R-Really?"

She nod her head and looked down at her colorless paws sadly. "Yes. That means we are no longer in line for the throne. He's betrothed to Auni. I am no longer Future Queen."

"Hey, it's okay don't be sad. I mean we knew this would happen the day he came back to the Pride Lands."

"Yeah, but it happened all so sudden. His parents rushed to make the changes. They didn't even explain to me or my mother why. But your right, it is what it is. He was the original future King anyways. I  just really had hope to be Queen. All those lessons with Queen Kiara are now put to waste!"

Bahiya cried on my shoulder. I rub her back in circles with my paw.

"Ssssh, it's okay my love." I cooed. "How about we run away and create our own kingdom someplace else. How does that sound?"

"You mean leave the Pride Lands? But what about my mother? I cant just abandon her! She's all that I have besides you. She would be alone."

"Well, she can come with us!"

Bahiya looks unsure. "I dont know Makosa..."

"How about we both discuss the plan with your mother and see what she thinks about it?" I ask.

"Alright, that sounds much better. But you know you can't come home right? You're basically exiled."

"I know. We can meet up some place later with your mom and talk about the runaway plans."

She smiled and placed her head underneath my chin. "Okay."

"Now, you must return to Pride Rock. I don't want none of the Pride members sensing you gone. Since i am no longer a member of the Pride, I am now a threat to them."

"I know, it's sucks! But your right, I better get going quick. See you later?"

"Yes, see you later. We can meet here again in the evening."

Before leaving, Bahiya gave my right cheek a kiss.

"Goodbye Makosa, love you. Stay safe!"

"Bye Bahiya, love you too. I will!"

With that, she disappeared in the tall grasses. I laid back down this time underneath a tree to keep away from the boiling sun. I start picking at the dirt with my claw nail boredly. I got to tell Bahiya the truth later about me trying to get rid of my brother for the crown. There's so many secrets I had kept from her. I just don't know where to start. She's going to dislike me for it, I can just see it coming.

I sigh sadly at the thought and then looked up at the pretty blue sky seeing the birds fly across.

I just hope things turn out okay for my sake...