The Lion King 3 : A New Challenge
Chapter 1 : A New Beginning
Kiara sighed deeply and stared out into the night. It had been a week since the two prides had joined together and Kiara still felt restless. Kiara smiled at Kovu sleeping beside her and knew that she was just being paranoid. She settled down again and laid her head on her paws. Quickly, she fell into a comfortable sleep.
Simba yawned and stretched his muscles in the heat of the morning sun. Nala padded out of the cave and sat down beside him. The two gave each other loving glances as Kiara and Kovu silently crept down the 'steps' to pride rock. Simba's ear flicked as he heard paw steps. Nala turned and saw her daughter slink off with Kovu hot on her tail.
"Kiara, where are you going?" Simba called out playfully.
"Oh Dad, c'mon. We're just going to have some fun." Kiara winked.
"No you're not, you're going on a hunt with me, remember?" Nala recapitulate.
"Ok, fine. See you later Kovu." Kiara said as she ran over to her mother. She nuzzled her father and mother each in turn then sauntered off with Nala and three other lionesses in tow.
Kovu padded over to Simba and sat down where Simba's mate left him. The tow males rested in silence as they watched the hunters march out into the savannah.
"Kovu, you know one day I will not be here and you will be king now that you and Kiara are…" Simba started unsure of where to go from there.
"Mates." Kovu finished.
"Yes, well. You two aren't actually thinking of having cubs yet, are you?" Simba asked nervously.
Kovu pondered the question and said, "I don't really know for sure, but from what we've talked about, yes."
"Oh," Simba gulped. "Are you sure? I mean, raising cubs is hard, Kovu, and you two aren't more than cubs yourselves." Simba tried to make his argument sound sensible, but Kovu saw through it.
"Simba, we're adults now and I'm sure Kiara wouldn't take kindly to you saying that she's not much older than a cub." Kovu half chuckled.
Simba smiled despite himself, Maybe I am too protective of her.
*****
Kiara crouched in the grass and noiselessly tracked the scent of a group of zebra. Her mother and two others fanned out while she and the last lioness stalked around the back of the herd. Kiara and the lioness, Vitani, bolted from behind the herd and rushed them. The duo chased the zebra right into the waiting paws of Nala and the other lionesses. Nala made a quick kill as Vitani jumped onto the back of another zebra. Kiara grabbed the head and bit into its neck. Vitani's weight and Kiara's grip made the zebra falter and collapse to the ground. The other two lionesses, Kwaai and Mag, also made a kill. The five lionesses rejoiced with their good fortune and started to drag the carcasses home.
Kovu smiled as he saw Kiara and Vitani dragging a zebra carcass towards pride rock. He rushed out to help and thought, Kiara has become a great hunter. The pride will eat well tonight.
After the carcasses where brought onto pride rock and eaten, Kiara and Kovu lay beside each other to nap after such a hearty meal. Kiara sighed, but this time with relief as her and Kovu fell into a shallow cat nap.