laranichap1

The huge golden sun rose up over the African plain. Animals journeyed across it once again, to celebrate the birth of the king and queen's second set of cubs. Rafiki climbed up pride Rock to be greeted by Kiara and Kovu, the proud parents of twin girls. Rafiki took Larani, the oldest of the twins., and held her up for all to see. Simba and Nala watched from the cave, smiling at their daughter and her cubs and husband. Then Rafiki held up Savanna, the younger cub. The animals bowed to the new princesses.
Months later, Larani and Savanna wanted to go out and play with their friend Niran,who was also Larani's betrothed. They found him sharpening his claws on a dead tree.
"Hey Niran! Wanna go exploring with me?" Larani asked.
"US, not just you!"Savanna interrupted. Larani scowled.
"whatever."
   Niran looked up.
"Sure, I'll go. Mom!"
   "Yes, Nir'?" his mother, Aleiri said.
"Can I go exploring with Larani and Savanna?" Niran asked.
   "Well, Let me ask their mother first. Kiara!" Aleiri called. Kiara walked over to where the cubs and Aleiri were.
"Yes, Aleiri," she said.
"The cubs want to go exploring. Is that all right? I didn't know if you'd want them running all over-or out of- the Pride lands," Aleiri told her. Kiara looked at Larani, Savanna, and Niran.
"Well..." Kiara started.
"Pleeeeaaaase!" all three cubs said at the same time. Kiara laughed, then got serious.
"It's okay with me-as long as you DON'T cross that bridge(an old tree trunk) into the {former} Outlands. It's dangerous."
"Okay..."Larani said, only half hearing what her mother said.
"All right, guys, let's go!" Larani raced off. Savanna and Niran followed. Soon they had wandered far from Pride Rock.
"Maybe we should turn back now. We're pretty close to the bridge," Niran said. Larani looked at him.
"Yeah, I think so, too," Larani agreed. Savanna scowled at them both. She was tired of Larani looking at Niran and Niran looking at Larani. After all, Savanna liked Niran; she wanted him to only like her. So, she decided to try to impress Niran with bravery and boldness.
"No, come on, guys, don't you wanna see what's on the other side of this log? Or are you too scared?" Savanna teased. 'or lovesick', she thought. Larani and Niran looked at each other{again}.
"But Kiara said..." Niran started, but Savanna interrupted him.
"Of course. My mom said this, Mom thinks we should do that. Don't you want to make your own decisions once in a while?"
"Well, okay, as long as we don't tell mom," Larani said. They started across the bridge. "This is kind of neat." So, with Savanna leading, they made their way to the end of the bridge, then stopped.
"Wow! We can see everything in the Outlands from here. Hey, is that a cave over there?"Niran said.
Larani looked.
"It is! Let's go investigate!" Larani shouted. So, they leaped off the log and jumped through a patch of tall grass. The cubs were staring into the eyes of Lamaki and Kamaele, adolescents from an outside pride. The two lions growled, and leaped toward them. Larani screamed. Niran yelled "Run!" Savanna said nothing. The cubs ran straight into the strange lands, for they were too terrified to think straight. As they were running, Larani said breathlessly to Savanna
"Go to the Pride Lans to get help from our pride!"
Savanna went, and Larani hid behind a large rock to catch her breath. Then she heard a roar and a yell, so Larani ran toward it. Niran was hanging over a cliff, cornered by lamaki and Kamaele. Larani sneaked up and grabbed Laaki's tail and Kamaele's hind paw and pulled them down. They tumbled off a rocky hill. The Larani struggled to try to pull Niran up. He was too heavy. Then she felt a tug on her hind legs. It was Savanna! She and Laranipulled Niran to safety.
"Thanks, guys," Niran said. Savanna grimaced. "Girls, I mean," he corrected himself. The two females smiled. Then they turned around. Kiara, Kovu, Simba, Nala, and Aleiri were there, but walking toward them were Lamaki, Kamaele, and several mean-looking lionesses, and a huge lion with black mane and a scar on his shoulder. The lion, Mwangka, looked at Kovu with a surprised face and said,
"Kovu? Is it you, my son? Kovu looked at him.
"Son?? I'm not your cub. I don't even know you. I've never seen you before."
"Oh, but you are my son. Your mane and coat color are the same color as mine.
"Well, maybe you were, but this lioness isn't his mother," Kiara cut in. "Kovu's mom was Zira."
"Zira was my mate at the time, but then Scar took over and Zira is dead now, so Kamila is your mother now," Mwangka said.
"Yes," Kamila said, "And it's about time you come live with us. Come and be with your parents."
"Well, I... can't," Kovu replied.
"What?! You mean you actually want to live in those wretchedlands you call home instead of staying with us?" Kamila exclaimed. "Why, you've even got younger half-siblibgs." She gestured to Lamaki and Kamaele.
Now, Mwangka looked Kovu in the eye and said," I'm your father and I order you to come home now!"
"No, I've got a kingdom to rule and a family to look after," Kovu said, raising his voice. Then he said more quietly, "Kiara, cubs, we're going home now."
"You haven't seen the last of us!" roared Kamila. "You'll learn! All of you so-called 'royalty'!"
On the way home, after Aleiri took Niran home, Kiara scolded Larani and Savanna.
"I told you not to cross the bridge, Larani."
"But mom, it was Savanna's idea. She said we were too scared to have an adventure and decide things for ourselves!" Larani told her mother.
"I was curious!" Savanna yelled, defending herself.
"Don't blame each other, cubs," Kiara said. "Larani, you and Niran went along with Savanna."
"I'm sorry, mom," Larani said after a while.
"Me, too," Savanna agreed. Kiara smiled.