Hi :) This time I'll do a short story. After the ending of LK2 I always wondered what happened next, after Kiara and Kovu's "wedding". Here I'm going to try to answer that; to show how it was for the former Outlanders to become Pridelanders.

Hope you enjoy!

Better Times Ahead - Chapter One

The inhabitants of the Pride Lands were mostly surprised when they saw the four lions that stood at the promontory of Pride Rock. The royal family was there, as usual. But between King Simba and Princess Kiara was a young dark-furred lion with green eyes… the same lion that Simba had exiled a day ago, and the same that had been rejected and insulted by all of them as he was driven out of their land. The Pridelanders had never seen such a sudden turn of events. Behind the rulers and the ones who would succeed them were more lionesses, and it was easy to tell that the most aggressive-looking were the new ones. Regardless of their initial weariness, the animals jeered when the lions roared in unison, as they understood what this meant.

The conflict with the Outlanders was over.

Exhausted from the recent battle, the lions rested at Pride Rock until the next day and for the first time, the former Outsiders slept peacefully, without the freezing cold or the termites crawling on them. But despite sleeping well, they did not sleep much and were already up when the rest of the pride started their day. Even Kovu, who had been staying there for longer than the newcomers, was not used to oversleeping.

The days that followed were quiet and normal, allowing the lionesses from the outcast pride to interact with their new clan sisters and learn of the laws of the Pride Lands. Their new home had more rules than they had expected, but they did not give it much thought, for if there was one thing they had learned in the Outlands, it was to obey their leader.

Because her First Hunt had to be re-scheduled, Kiara was preparing once again, this time with the lion who made her be glad of being stuck in that wildfire that ruined her hunt the first time.

"Remember what I told you," Kovu whispered, crouched beside her in the tall golden grass. "Relax…"

Kiara heard him but did not respond. She was focused on the zebra herd ahead of her. She took a silent breath and before she made any move, she glanced at the ground to make sure there was nothing she could trip over. She took one step, without the herd detecting her presence, but when she tried to get closer the herd became alert and ran off. Kiara sighed and rose from the ground. Kovu approached her in confusion.

"What was that? You were doing good, even I couldn't hear you." he told her in disbelief.

Kiara chuckled. "I don't think it was me. Zebras tend to panic and run at the slightest thing."

Having grown up hunting smaller creatures, Kovu did not know about the zebras' particular habit until now.

"Oh." he muttered before turning to Kiara. "Well, in that case, you did great. I think you're ready."

Kiara smiled and nuzzled him. "Thanks for the lessons."

"After this I'll be the one getting all the lessons." Kovu said with Kiara still leaning on his chest. He was thinking about his recent discovery about the zebras and wondered if that was part of the role he would have someday.

"You'll be fine." Kiara reassured him. "Besides, it will be fun. We'll get to attend many events together… it'll be a good way to introduce you to the rest of the kingdom."

"Yeah, I guess that sounds nice." Kovu said a little more relaxed.

When she glanced at the spot where the zebra herd had been, Kiara noticed two lionesses standing nearby; two former Outsiders and they seemed to have no intention of hunting. I hope that's not why the zebras ran… she thought.

"What's wrong?" Kovu asked. After a few seconds Kiara looked back at him, her expression more serious.

"Have you talked to Vitani?"

Her mate gave her a puzzled look. "Yeah… why wouldn't I talk to her?"

"Well, a lot has changed in the last few days." she said.

Kovu sighed in realization. "You mean if we talked about… about what happened at the gorge."

"You haven't, have you?" Kiara said, disappointed. "If you don't want to talk to me about it, at least talk to your sister."

"What's the point?" Kovu asked. "I want to move on and so does Vitani."

"You can't keep running from it, Kovu. If my brother and I had gone through what you two went through, we'd talk about it."

Kovu rolled his eyes. "My family's not like yours, and my pride is not like yours either. They just need time."

Kiara nodded in understanding. "Fine, I won't rush you. I'm just worried that they don't feel comfortable here."

"C'mon, all we wanted was to leave the Outlands. It just didn't happen the way we expected." Kovu said, before quickly changing the subject. "Let's get back, we need to plan your First Hunt again."

Although she was not completely satisfied, Kiara walked with her mate back to Pride Rock.

The lionesses of the pride were resting under the shade of a big tree and the two former Outlander lionesses that Kiara had seen earlier sat with the group.

"What's with the zebras in this place?" one of them asked. Her chipped fang noticeable as she spoke.

"What d'you mean?" asked a scruffy lioness, who was also from the Outlands.

Her friend gestured to the lioness she had arrived with, whose right eye was half shut. "Me and Lazy Eye were hanging around and the herd just ran off."

"Well, you're huntresses, what did you expect?"

"But we weren't hunting."

"They're zebras," said Vitani in a bored tone as she rested on a rock close to them. "They run every time they get spooked out."

Her friend scoffed angrily. "See? They're scared of us!"

"Why wouldn't they be?" muttered another voice that all the lionesses nearby heard. It came from Zuri.

"D'you have a problem?" she snapped.

Sensing her companion's rising anger, Vitani sat up. "Chippy…" she warned, calling her friend by her particular nickname.

Zuri did not seem affected by Chippy's aggression. "They always get scared with… new animals, it's normal." she said with a shrug.

Chippy stood up. "I think you meant they get scared of Outlanders!"

"Judging by that temper of yours, maybe I did." Zuri stood up as well, despite Tiifu's advice to let it go.

The two lionesses' faces were inches from each other. If she were back in the Outlands, Chippy would not hold back the way she was doing now.

"You don't wanna mess with me!" she threatened.

"Try me!" Zuri yelled.

Tiifu ran to them and stood in front of Zuri, blocking her way. "Let's go, Zuri." But her friend did not listen.

"Come, little one!" Chippy teased.

Zuri got past Tiifu and pushed Chippy with one of her paws. The push was not very strong, but it was enough to make the lioness' blood boil. Then Vitani decided to step in before the clawing and the biting started.

"Stop! Right now!" she yelled in Chippy's face.

Chippy growled as she turned away and sat on a rock nearby, her friends telling her to calm down. Vitani glanced at Tiifu and Zuri as they walked away, before giving her clanmate a scowl.

"She started it," Chippy said.

Vitani did not say anything. She just growled in irritation and left.

So, Kiara finished her hunting lessons with Kovu, but she's more concerned about how her mate is dealing with everything that has happened to him while Kovu is trying to avoid the subject as much as he can. I also made a little feud between Zuri and a former Outsider named Chippy (I'll explain that later). I know it was kind of… rushed, but the Outsiders were trained to fight all their lives, so it's not surprising that they get a little aggressive, especially with the pressure of fitting in with a pride that's so different to them. And you know Zuri… she tends to make others mad (even me but I don't hate her).

The names of the Outsiders are all fan made and some of them are well-known (like Dotty, Spotty, etc.) They're basically nicknames based on physical features.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for Chapter 2! ;)