I.
Late morning brimmed the horizon as four well-groomed cubs raced over a small hill and proceeded to engage in a game of wrestling. A large adult Nala came trailing unhurriedly after them. She stretched her off-white neck back and motioned for someone who lagged behind her to keep up, finding amusement that they didn't act more enthusiastic. The red-gold cub trotted up with an unsure look on her face, peering up questioningly at her mom.
"It's been forever since he last saw me," Kiara mentioned, "what if I don't remember."
"Kiara, dear, it's been two weeks."
"To me that feels like forever," the cub hung her head as her mother cradled her close.
"I don't want you clinging, Kiara." Nala told her with a slight sternness in her tone, "your uncle is the leader of a pride and he's too old to be playing around with you." She nuzzled her daughter with her purple nose. "I know you love him. But give him a break this time."
"I can't hang out with him at all?" Kiara nearly whined.
Nala smiled and chuckled, straightening up. "I suppose." her turquoise eyes turned more lenient as she reasoned gently. "Just give him his space when he asks for it, don't cling."
"Right." a bright smile formed across her daughter's mouth. "Don't cling."
The sight of a golden-yellow lion appearing over the smaller hill before them gave Kiara an idea. 'What if I didn't stay here?' she thought to herself and grinned at what they would all say when she asserted herself. Kiara was the future queen, she needed to take her stand.
"Uncle Chumvi!" the lioness cub cried happily, genuinely excited to see him.
With her plan working itself around in her head, Kiara raced to see the dark-colored lion.
ooo
Chumvi looked up from his distance behind Tojo and broke into a wide smile at the sight of his little niece racing towards him. The lion charged towards her like he was about to attack - making Nala raise her hackles and the shoulders between them - before scooping her up and rolling along on his shoulder to keep from squishing his niece. The others watched on.
"Uncle!" Kiara giggled and snuggled closely into his chocolate brown chest fur.
"Hey baby," He said lovingly before engaging in a small game of chase and pounce.
The cub finally got down into a crouch as he lowered himself down to her level.
"So," Chumvi smirked coolly, "How's my favorite juvenile delinquent?"
"Good." She smirked back impudently.
"Getting into trouble with your mom and dad?" He leaned in closer to her.
"Yep!"
OoO
Simba came over the small crest of the hill his wife stood on while talking animatedly to Tojo. His mahogany eyes roved around the bottom until he saw his half-brother and cub below, naturally fooling around with each other. But when Chumvi's eyes caught sight of him, the lion's similarly colored ones took on a look of instant understanding - it was not every day that a pride leader accepted the presence of another male and especially the presence of two. Simba, Chumvi and Tojo considered their prides exceptions to this rule.
The young kings beamed at each other and ran to embrace one another in a lasting, one - armed hug. Simba then turned his attention to his cousin and friend Tojo before going in to give him a quick hug as well. The last two to arrive were Tama and Kula and neither three lionesses - Nala of course included - wasted time in head-butting and greeting each other.
Kula had remained in Simba and Nala's pride while Tama had went to catch up with Tojo and Chumvi who had their own pride together. Malka had been the last male lion originally from Tama, Tojo and Zira's pride to join the late king Mufasa's pride before being banished on his second birthday. Neither six friends had heard from him or knew if we was still alive.
But then, no one knew Simba had survived either. Circumstances aside.
"Hey," Kiara suddenly interrupted them. "Does anyone want to talk about the Outlands?"
ooo
"Why don't you go play with the other cubs?" Chumvi suggested to his niece.
Kiara shook her head in disagreement to that idea.
Before he could inquire why the sight of Timon and Pumbaa made him grin wickedly.
"Hey!" Chumvi gave chase after the frightened, fleeing pair, pounced on them and then went into a similar yet rougher roll then before he came to a hard stop when his shoulder bumped up against a downed tree, "So," he brought them closer in a headlock up to him.
"So?" Timon winced.
"Did you two son of a guns think you were leavin' without greetin' your ol' Uncle Chum?"
Pumbaa grimaced. "Uh…?"
"How've you boys been doing?" He laughed loudly before knuckling their heads.
As the adults started gathering together, Kiara soon found herself left out of the fold.
To be continued…
A/N: