A few years later, Nuuli was watching Kovu again. She had regretted what had happened with Kopa and vowed to protect Kovu to atone. Kovu looked around, even if Nuka was supposed to be watching him, he was glad he had Nuuli there with him. He didn't appear to wear any shoes.
Nuuli watched him, smiling. "Hunting, Kovu?" She says softly.
Kovu looked back to her with a chuckle. "There's nuthin' for miles. 'Cept those crocks."
Nuuli smirked. "Careful, or they might eatcha and I'll have to wrestle them to save ya." she says, playfully.
Kovu smirked. "I'm brave, I'm not scared of what's out there.."
Nuuli nodded, smirking.
Kovu grinned. "I could take 'em on."
"Yeah, but if one of 'em got ya, I'd protect ya." she says, hugging the boy.
Kovu chuckled as they did wandering themselves. Nuuli started to play along with him. Kovu laughed, despite his living conditions, he seemed so happy and care free. Nuuli nudged him playfully.
"Hey!" Kovu called, playfully.
Nuuli looked innocent. "What?" She asks quietly, pretending to be innocent.
"You know what you did..." Kovu smirked, then tried to do the same to her when she looked off a moment.
Nuuli knew he was going to do it but let him. She squeaked as she 'fell from the nudge'. She then lay there, setting a trap to tickle him when he checked on her.
Kovu crawled on top of Nuuli and chuckled. "Pinned ya." He said, reminiscent of an adult woman who used to do the same with her then arranged marital partner before he was even born.
Nuuli turned over and started to tickle him. "You fell for it!" She giggles.
"Augh, no!" Kovu cried, laughing suddenly.
Nuuli giggled and then when he was on the floor laughing, she stopped. Kovu was left in a fit of laughter. Nuuli smiled, then hugged the boy.
Kovu smiled once he stopped laughing for a moment. "I love you, Nuuli..."
"I love you too, brat." she says softly, the brat bit fond, so obviously not bad.
"Old lady." Kovu added as a joke.
Nuuli huffed. She would never do this, and the boy knew it. "Hmph, why don't I feed you to the crocs huh?" She playfully huffs.
"Oh, no!" Kovu chuckled.
Nuuli smirked and lifted him up over her shoulder. Kovu chuckled.
"Do you want to be fed to a girl crocodile or male?" She teases.
Kovu smirked. "Boys are better, we rule and you drool." He chuckled.
"Well then, just for that, I'll feed you to a Mama Croc." she smirks playfully.
"Ooohhh... You'll be in a lotta trouble~" Kovu giggled playfully.
Nuuli smirked and put him down gently. Kovu chuckled. Nuuli sat against a bare tree. She watched him again. Kovu was walking around and exploring what he could. Nuuli kept him in her line of sight.
Kiara giggled as she started to chase a butterfly.
"Whoa, hold on there..." Simba stopped his daughter from going any further.
Kiara was caught by him. "Daddy~" she complains, but laughs.
Simba placed her back next to him. "Kiara, we've been over this, you can't wander alone, you could get hurt, or stomped-"
"Or stomped on, or even get lost." Kiara repeats.
"Mind your father, Kiara." Nala smiles.
"Yes, Mom." Kiara agrees.
Simba smiled down to Kiara.
"Come on, I'll go with her, we'll go on the path marked for us." Sumi assured the current king as she came out to keep Kiara some company on a walk out to the village.
Kiara hugged her father, then went off with Sumi. Timon and Pumbaa were about. Sumi walked with Kiara to explore the village a bit better since Kiara was often inside most of the time.
"Just make sure you don't go too far!" Simba called, then felt Nala looking at him with a knowing look, then looked down to her. "What?"
"Who does she remind you of?" She asks.
Simba tried to think for a minute, not realizing she was talking about him.
"She reminds me of you, when you were young." Nala says.
"Oh, yeah..." Simba muttered, then spoke up as he watched the girls go off. "Do you remember how much trouble we got ourselves into?"
Nala pushed him over, pinning him like when they were younger. "You mean the trouble you got us in... And she's with Sumi... They'll be okay." she says softly.
Simba chuckled at his memories, when Nala left, he wasn't so sure though, so he got Timon and Pumbaa to go babysit and help Sumi keep an eye on Kiara. The duo left to fulfill their friend's wishes and followed the path that Sumi and Kiara took.
Kiara was chasing the butterfly too. Sumi tried to make sure Kiara was close and not too far away. Kiara giggled and kept chasing it.
Sumi smirked as she watched Kiara with the butterfly. "You're like a hunter."
"Yeah... Mighty hunter has cornered her prey~" Kiara giggles quietly.
Sumi giggled, that was cute. Kiara lunged for the butterfly, but ended up seeing the outlands. Pumbaa snuck along with Timon. Sumi looked around the atmosphere. Timon and Pumbaa together were sneaking like a couple of jungle animals, but weren't intentionally trying to stalk and scare Kiara, just keep a close watch on her.
Kiara looked at the Outlands, amazed. Pumbaa popped up by Sumi. Sumi was so surprised by Pumbaa, she let out a startled scream. Timon screamed too, feeling scared of the sudden scream. Kiara screamed and fell into a shallow pond.
Pumbaa looked worried. "Don't worry Kiara, Uncle Pumbaa's coming!" He shouts, jumping in after her.
"Oh, man." Sumi covered her eyes.
Timon looked very nervous, then practiced talking about this with his new king. "Uh, Simba, the good news is, we found Sumi and your daughter, the bad news is, we dropped a fatso on her... That's not gonna be a problem, is it?"
Pumbaa looked around. "Kiara?" He asks.
"PUMBAA!" Timon yelled out. "Let me define 'BABYSITTING'!"
Pumbaa looked confused until he was pushed off. Kiara coughed and spluttered, then walked out of the pond.
"You okay, Kiara?" Sumi asked gently.
Timon quickly went to check if Kiara still had all her fingers and toes as though the girl was in a burning building or some other major disaster. Pumbaa mentioned how she had to be more careful or she could get hurt.
Kiara looked annoyed. "I'm fine." she says.
"You should stay out of the sun, someone of your complexion could catch wrinkles." Timon took out an umbrella and provided shade for Kiara.
Kiara swatted it away. Timon glared at her for that. Sumi was thinking that Kiara must have been suffocated from all this over protection. Kiara told them she wasn't just a princess.
"You feel ignored sometimes, don't you?" Sumi asked the girl. "Like, no one listens to you?"
"I'm sorry, did you say something?" Timon spoke up, not sure which girl said what. "I wasn't listening... You were saying, Princess?"
Kiara sighed. "Yeah, and a princess is only half of who I am..." she sighs.
"Who's the other half?" Pumbaa asks.
"Well, while you're thinking about that, maybe we ought to get something to eat." Timon cut off the pondering Kiara.
Kiara went to investigate the 'food'. Timon and Pumbaa collected the food they introduced Simba to when he was a kid which was gross to him at first, but they just loved it. Kiara was grossed out.
"Hey, let's get out of here." Sumi whispered as Timon and Pumbaa argued about which was better, not paying attention to the girls anymore.
Kiara nodded, sneaking away with Sumi towards the Outlands.
Sumi followed, then noticed where Kiara was getting too. "Kiki, not so far away!"
Kiara smiled, already crossing. "Come on, Sumi!" She smiles, but ended up tumbling into Kovu.
