The morning's first rays of sunlight made it's way towards pride rock as animals of all kinds stretched in order to greet the day or went home to slumber in the heat that was bound to come. In the cavern, Kamaria arose
along with the sun and gingerly walked out on top of the giant rock. Looking back, she noticed that nither Simba nor Nala were in their sleeping spots. Dismissing this, the lioness walked down towards the watering hole to get a drink.
******
Far off under a tree, the lion queen blinked as the sunlight penatrated through the leaves. It took her a moment to remember why she wasn't at pride rock and she smiled as she allowed the memories to wash over her.
She breathed her mate's scent before licking his cheek. Nala smiled as he mumbled something incoherently.
"Wake up my king," Nala whispered, but when he didn't move she nudged him, "Simba, wake up!"
"Huh?" Simba said, as he opened his eyes to see Nala's green orbs;
"Time to wake, rise and shine, stand up," Nala replied and smiled, feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She playfully tugged his ear, "come on, we gotta return back to pride rock,
before the others awake and find us gone."
"Alright alright, I'm up," Simba retorted as the royal couple disantangled from one another and began the walk back. The two royals walked in silence before Nala broke it, "Simba, do you think all will go well today?"
"Yes Nala, I know things will be fine, don't worry all of us are here for you."
As pride rock came into view, they sped up there pace and quickly climbed to the top and sat side by side. Nala looked down and saw Kamaria drinking,
"Simba, I'll be back." Stepping down, the queen walked over to her half sister, "Kamaria, how are
you?"
The lioness raised her head, "I'm fine Nala, where were you this morning?"
"I was with Simba," Nala retorted as she bent her head and welcomed the cool water to her dry mouth. After drinking, Nala turned to see Simba and the rest of there pride behind her, "Simba....."
He cut her off by raising his paw; "Nala," he spoke softly, "it's time to go."
******
The treck towards the Kani lands was silent, each member of the pride walked and kept there thoughts to themselves. After walking for what seemed like aternity, the pride landers finally reached the land.
"Thanks for pointing it out Kamaria", the king whispered, before roaring to make his presents known to Cuno.
Simba waited for a few minutes before he heard Cuno's roar in responce. Both sisters looked and saw king Cuno, a lioness with three cubs, and the rest of the pride behind them.
"This is it," Kamaria whispered as Simba threw incouraging glances towards Kamaria and Nala's way.
******
The pride landers watched as the Kani land's leader walked up towards Simba;
"Where is she?" Cuno inquired;
"Where's the cub?" Simba retorted as Cuno moved aside and motioned for the lioness with the three cubs to step forward. Instantly, the hair on the back of Simba's neck stood on end and he growled, "Zira."
"Simba," she retorted, bearing her teeth.
"Why, you know each other?" Cuno asked;
"He exiled me and my poor cub Nuka," she stated.
"You were loyal to Scar and therefor I exiled you when you refused to change," Simba replied.
"Nala, is this who you gave your cub to?"
Simba turned towards Nala, keeping watch on Zira while the queen replied, "no Simba, I didn't."
"Kamaria?"
But the young lioness only shook her head, no.
"I did, no one wanted her here; and, I didn't have the heart to kill her," Cuno said.
"I took her in, this is Nuka; my eldest son, then Vitani....."
"Vitani?"
Simba asked, looking at Nala; "I didn't name her, I never did," Nala said, glancing from Simba back to Zira.
"Oh yes, my youngest son, Kovu." Zira introduced the youngest cub who could bearly walk, "he was the last to
be born before you killed Scar," Zira sneered at Simba.
"Mommy," the female cub wimpered as Zira quickly hushed her.
"I suppose you want her back?" Zira asked, looking at Nala;
"After all, she is you and Scar's cub, not mine, I'll never be a mother of such a fine, sweet, darling daughter such as this," Zira pered.
"I asume that you are a member of Cuno's pride?"
"No, he came and got me," Zira retorted at Simba's question.
"He knows where the out lands are then," Simba answered.
"He, pursuaded me to come and help him, and I did," she said.
"What was in it for you?" Simba inquired;
"Food, I hadn't eaten in days," Zira explained.
"Then back to the out lands they go," Cuno retorted.
"Why not stay with Cuno?" Nala asked;
"Because of them," the king pointed at the two male cubs beside Zira, "they are a threat to my pride. Zira and the female are welcome to stay, but not them, I'll kill them."
"I've refused your offer once," Zira spat, "I'll not say it again!" She shouted;
"I want Kamaria back," Cuno said, focussing his atention on the silent lioness.
"No," Nala said, stepping in front of her.
"I took in your cub," Cuno shot back.
"You gave her up just as easily," Nala replied.
"We had a barggan," Cuno retorted.
"Yes, one you broke, it was that you'd take in the cub and raise her, not give her up to some lioness," Nala defended.
"Nala's right, that was our agreement, I don't have to go back with you because you didn't uphold your end of it." Kamaria stated, then smiled;
Cuno growled, "then I'll kill the little...."
Before the king could finish his statement, Nala and Zira lunged at Cuno, "no!"
The lionesses yelled, shocking Simba to silance, amazed that Nala and Zira were on one side of the argument.
"You want a fight?" Cuno snarled
"No, I..." Nala began then was pushed aside as Zira sank her teeth in to Cuno's paw;
He roared in pain, "you'll pay bitch!!"
"Stand back!"
Simba shouted as Nala rushed forward in order to reskeu the cubs; "Simba, shouldn't we help?"
Kamaria inquired as she extended her claws; "No, this is Zira's fight, I will not put my pride in danger," the king
retorted as Vitani began crying.
"mommy, I want my mommy," Vitani cried as Nala held her close, forcing her tears back.
"Shshshsh sweetheart, mommy will be alright."
Simba on the other paw, stood and watched as Zira jumped away from the fight, but Cuno did not let go of her ear, and a round chunk was pulled from it. The lioness screamed in pain as blood ran down the side of her neck.
"This is not over," she said as she turned and prepared to leep at Cuno.
"My pride," Cuno snapped. Zira stopped her motion and looked to see five lionesses quickly surrounding her from all sides. The queen of the out lands gazed around her, weighing her options. She focussed on the five
healthy lean lionesses that now blocked her, and knew that it would be suicide to try and fight them. Zira then looked towards Simba's pride, and the lioness that had her claws extended earlyer but she knew that none
would come to her aid. Her motavation to fight Cuno quickly vanished as her eyes gazed upon Kovu, who unknown to Simba was the one who would revenge Scar's death and take his place as king.
"Fine," the lioness spoke through gritted teeth, as she shoved her way through the lionesses that had been blocking her path.
"Leave the Kani lands at once," Cuno spoke.
"Do you want her back?" Zira faced Nala, ignoring Cuno;
"Mommy, I want my mommy," Vitani began crying again, as she managed to get herself free from Nala's protective grasp.
"Hmmm, seems like Vitani has made her decition," Zira stated, as the female cub shuffled over to her side.
"Do you love her, will you treat her well?" Nala questioned as her eyes flickered from Vitani, then back towards Zira.
"Yes, I do love her, and she will never know that you are her birth mother," Zira stated before picking up Vitani and placing her on her back.
"Zira, I must protest....." Simba began however Nala hushed him,
"Simba, I don't have the heart to take her away from the only mother she's known."
"I do not trust her Nala," Simba retorted, looking at Zira as she walked towards the out lands with Nuka at her side, Vitani on her back, and Kovu in her mouth.
"Simba, let them go," Nala said as the king of the pride lands reluctently turned his pride in the direction of home.
"Thank you Cuno," Nala said as she took one last look at Zira's retreating back, "goodbye Vitani," she whispered as she followed Simba home, her head hung in saddness.
******
A few months later, as the savanna sun rose in the east, hundreds of animals that lived at pride rock now made there way towards the looming structure in order to welcome the birth of the future heir to the throne. Zebras, birds, antalope, elephants, and all kinds of animals stood at the bottom awaiting the presentation. Inside the cave, Nala gentley licked the tiny female cub that lay in her paws, "oh Simba, she's beautiful; she looks just like you."
The king pered and nuzzled his mate, "yes, she is beautiful but I think she looks more like her mother."
Simba smiled as the two lions imbraised; "It is time," the couple looked to see Rafiki standing in the entrense of
the cavern.
"Yes," Simba answered as he walked towards Rafiki with Nala behind him, the cub in her jaws.
"What is the princess's name?" Rafiki inquired as Nala placed her in to his arms, "Kiara."
"Kiara," he repeated as Simba and Nala followed him out on to pride rock. As Rafiki performed the saramony, Nala looked around from where she sat. She saw all the animals, lined up and silent as Rafiki blessed the cub,
Zazu from where he sat, and her sister Kamaria, sitting with the rest of the pride for they had accepted her as one of them. After the blessing, he held Kiara up for all of the land to see. All animals cheered, and lowered themselves in respect for the future queen. After he lowered Kiara back down, Nala held her in her paws.
The proud king Simba turned towards his queen and nuzzled her, "come Nala, lets go raise our daughter."
Nala smiled in responce as they turned from the animals and walked back inside the cavern, safe in the knolege that the circle of life was now rightfully completed.
