Kiara choked back a sob. Burning grass surrounded her, she was all almost positive her back right leg was broken, and her front right paw was stained with someone else's blood. She dragged herself through the smoke clouded clearing, coughing as the black smoke filled her lungs. Her ears were ringing, a pounding in her temple. Everything hurt, so much. Her strength left her, and she collapsed, willing to just sleep, until she heard an odd sound. Looking up, she saw another lion cub sitting in front of her, biting at her claws, completely unharmed, and seemingly ignorant of what was going on around her. She had chocolate brown fur and, surprisingly for a female lion, had a small tuft of white hair on top of her head. She noticed Kiara, and her amber eyes took on a look of pity.
"Sad, isn't it Kiara?" She asked softly. "Everyone had darkness in their heart. Too bad for you that one of your closest allies gave into his darkness, hmm?" She looked up at something behind Kiara, and her eyes sparkled jovially. "Oh, Kion! We were just talking about you!" It was then that Kiara felt a pair of claws plunge into her back...
(3 WEEKS EARLIER.)
Kion blinked, the morning sun nearly blinding as he walked out of the den. He stifled a yawn, shaking the sleep out of his body. Strange, the den was empty when he woke up. Kion was usually one of the first to get up, Lion Guard duty and all, but this morning he found Pride Rock to be strangely empty. Sauntering down to the water hole, he dipped his head down to get a drink. Lapping at the water, he slowed at the feeling of being watched. He lifted his head up, and found none other than his sister staring at him with a cheesy grin plastered on her face.
"Uuhh... Hi Kiara?" He said, confused.
"Hey." Kion blinked. Was that all she had to say?
"Do you... know where everyone is?" Kion asked. Kiara leaned closer.
"It's a secret." She whispered with a slight giggle.
"Is it now?" Kion responded, put off by her strange behavior.
"Yep!"
"Uhh... Can you tell me the secret?"
"Not right now!"
"Why not?"
"Cause it's a secret silly!"
"...Kiara, you're acting REALLY weird right now." She blinked.
"Kion, have you forgotten what day it is today"
"Is it act like a lunatic day? Cause that's what I'm getting from you right now?"
"No." She giggled. "It's a special day today!" Kion was getting fed up.
"Where are the rest of the Guard?"
"Don't worry about it. You have the day off."
"What!? Says who!?"
"Says dad." Although in hindsight it probably wasn't the best idea to let Bunga be in charge today..."
"What!?" Kiara tittered.
"Don't you wanna know what today is little brother?" Kion huffed.
"Fine, what day is it?"
"It's a secret."
"Seriously Kiara!" Kion snapped. Kiara giggled.
"But I can tell you this secret." She motioned for him to come closer, and when he did, she whispered into his ear. "Happy Birthday Kion." The other cub reeled back, surprised.
"Wha- What are you... Huh!?" Kiara broke out into a fit of hystarics, falling to the ground on her back.
"You- you actually forgot your own birthday!?" She squealed hysterically. Kion blinked.
"I... I had a lot on my mind..." Kiara suddenly bolted to her feet.
"Hey, remember that game mom and dad told us about? The one they said they used to play when they were little?"
"Yeah?" Kiara pounced on him, rolling him over and pinning him on his back.
"Pinned Ya!" And then she bolted, laughing as she did so. Kion blinked, then took off after her, chasing her throughout the Pride Lands, maybe stepping on Ushari a couple of times. Eventually, Kion bolted up a low hanging tree, leapt off, and landed on Kiara, pinning her to the ground.
"How's that for pinning someone?" Kion snickered. Kiara laughed, before stopping, sniffing the air curiously.
"Do you smell that?"
"Uh, no? What is it?" Kion asked. Kiara had a much better nose than him.
"It smells like blood." She got up, pointing towards a nearby bush. Kion padded toward the bush, pushing aside the leaves to peer inside.
"Reirei!?" Kion snapped. The jackel mother looked up, her tongue having been lapping at a wound on her paw.
"There is a perfectly logical explanation-" She attempted to reason, wide eyed, only for Kion to tackle her, pinning her to the ground.
"You're not welcome here!" Kion snapped. "Get out of the Pride Lands now!"
"B-but we don't have anywhere else to go!" Reirei pleaded.
"Go back to your den!"
"I can't!" Kion peered at her.
"Why not?"
"We got forced from our den by a group of lion cubs!" The jackel explained. Kion reeled back, surprised.
"Lion cubs!?" He got off of her, ready to pounce again if this turned out to be a trick. She stood, keeping her injured paw off the ground.
"Yes, a group of lion cubs forced us out of our den! How do you think I got this?" She indicated her paw.
"You got overpower by cub?" Kiara snickered. Reirei shot her a glare.
"They were stronger then they looked! Especially the one leading them." She shot Kion a look. "Didn't look like Pride Landers."
"Could they be from Zira's group?" Kion questioned. Reirei scoffed.
"That hag!? No, they looked too well groomed." Kion sighed.
"Fine, let's go see if we can get your home back." Reirei's eyes lit up.
"Really? You'd be willing to help me?"
"If it gets you and your family out of the Pride Lands." He made to follow her, when Kiara stopped him.
"Kion! Dad said you have the day off! Let the rest of the Guard handle it."
"Do you really want to leave this kind of thing in Bunga's hands?"
"...Fair point."
"Besides, if they're like Zira's group, they might be more willing to negotiate with a fellow lion." Kiara sighed.
"Fine, let's go." Kion reeled.
"What? You're not going! It could be dangerous."
"As the future queen, this might be a good chance to learn about peace negotiations." Kiara reasoned. "Besides, I'll be with the leader of the Lion Guard." She shot him a look. "I'm not arguing Kion. Even if it is your birthday."
"Oh? Happy birthday!" Reirei stated. Kion shook his head, shooting Reirei a glare.
"This had better not be a trick Reirei!"
"Okay, just around here." Reirei explained, leading the two cubs to her den. When they got there, Kion looked around, not seeing anyone.
"I don't see any lion cubs." Kion stated. Reirei stuttered.
"Kion, I'm really telling you the truth! I swear, I know I've lied before but I'm telling the truth!"
"If you're lying to me..." Kion growled, Reirei whimpered. Then, out of nowhere, a figure leapt between Kion and Reirei. When the dust settled, the figure was revealed to be a lion cub. The cub had golden yellow fur, red eyes, and a black tuft of hair on his head.
"Told'ja to get lost lady!" The cub growled. Reirei laughed nervously.
"Uh, Kion?" Kion nudged the cub, gaining his attention and surprise.
"Wha- Who the hell are you?"
"I'm Kion, leader of the Lion Guard!" Kion exclaimed.
"And I'm the the future queen of the Pride Lands!" Kiara stated unnecessarily. The cub blinked.
"Never heard of ya." Kiara made to reiterate, but Kion beat her to the punch.
"This den doesn't belong to you. It belongs to Reirei and her family." Reirei nodded in conformation. The cub stared.
"Doesn't belong to her anymore."
"That's not your place to say." Kion exclaimed.
"Well, we don't have anywhere else to go."
"Why can't you go back to your pride?"
"All the adults are dead." Kion reeled back, surprised.
"Wha- dead!? How!?"
"Kinda personal dude."
"Sorry, sorry. Who's the leader of this group?" The cub sighed, motioning the three to follow him. He led them into the den, where Kion saw multiple lion cub sitting around, starting at them. The cub led them to the back of the den, where a chocolate brown cub lay against the wall, biting at her claws. Unusually, she had a white tuft of hair on the top of her head. She looked up as they approached.
"Hey sis, they wanna talk to ya." The cub motioned to the three. The female cub stared at them.
"Can I help you?" Kion stepped forward.
"Are you the leader of these cubs?" She nodded.
"Yes, I'm Jioni." She stated.
"Uh, this den doesn't belong to you. It belongs to Reirei." Kion indicated the jackel.
"We have nowhere else to go." Jioni stated, biting her claws. Kion sighed, then Kiara spoke up.
"If you need a home, you can come stay in the Pride Lands, our dad would likely let you stay!" Jioni blinked, as if she had somehow only just noticed Kiara.
"Uh, and you are?"
"I'm Kion, and this is my sister Kiara." Kion explained. "Our dad is the King of the Pride Lands, and Kiara is the future queen." Jioni blinked, surprised.
"Really now? You think your dad would let us stay?"
"Of course!" Kiara exclaimed. "He wouldn't leave a bunch of cubs to fend for themselves! Well, unless they were Zira's kids..." Jioni blinked.
'I don't know who Zira is." She smiled. "But I'll accept your offer." She turned to the rest of the cubs. "Pack up! We're moving!"
"Aww! I just got settled in!" A cub whined. Jioni rolled her eyes.
"Can it Mwuaji."
Luckily, Simba was there when they led the cubs to the den. Kion and Kiara explained the situation to their bemused father, who, after scolding Kiara for entering the Outlands, decided to let Jioni and the rest of the cubs stay. Nala's hunting party had brought back some zebra from outside the Pride Lands in celebration of Kion's birthday. Kion loved the taste of zebra, but rarely had it, due to the fact that he was on a friendly basis with the Pride Land's zebra herd. Eventually, the rest of the guard finally returned, not in the best shape mind you, mostly due to Bunga leading. Full was in a particularly foul mood, but seemed to cheer up when offered some of the zebra, though the guard was a bit weary of the new lion cubs, except Bunga of course. Jioni in particular seemed to keep to herself, staying in a secluded part of the den, to where her brother had to go get her.
"Sis! Come on! They got zebra!" The cub whined. Jioni was playing with a mouse she had caught, giving it hope of escape, only to snag its' tail at the last second.
"Damu, let me ask you something, what do you think about Princess Kiara?" Jioni asked softly.
"Huh?" Damu cocked his head. confused.
"She seems... Unfavorable by my standards..." She twirled the mouse in her paws.
"Uh, yeah, I guess so."
"She's incompetent. She's unfit to be a ruler, did you see how she acted in Reirei's den?"
"Uh, I was there."
"Now, I feel like Kion would make a much better ruler, I already know he's a natural leader."
"What's with the sudden interest in Kion? Ya just met the guy!" Jioni smiled, a wicked one.
"He's... Unique... Trust me little brother, when we're done here, Kion will be the future ruler, not his incompetent sister."
"Sis, we just got here! I don't think we have any right to make that kinda decision." Jioni shot him a look. There was silence, then, she slammed her paw down on the hard ground, the mouse clasped in it. There was a sharp squeal as blood splattered across the ground, the mouse's struggles ceasing. Damu winced.
"It will be alright little brother." She whispered, standing. "Now, you mentioned a zebra?"