Kiara stepped through a puddle on the ground that she didn't see due to the long grass. She didn't mind though as there were more pressing things on her mind. Her, Tiifu and Zuri had failed to catch a gazelle and Kiara had promised Simba that she would bring back a kill for dinner tonight. Things weren't going to plan for her and she hadn't seen Kovu all day either. She sighed as she carried on after getting her paws wet and heard her friends behind her complain about the moist ground.
"What are you going to tell Simba?" Tiifu asked.
"I don't know. He won't be angry but he'll have expected me to be able to catch something by now. He might be disappointed." Kiara replied.
"Just hope for the best." Zuri said.
"Yeah." Kiara remarked.
As the three lionesses continued on their way back to Pride rock, the sun was starting to set, earlier than it ever had done before. The light stretched out across the landscape as it slowly, very slowly descended. It probably wouldn't fully set for another hour yet. And they also saw a shape heading towards them, golden yellow from the setting orb of light in the sky. As it got closer and closer to them Kiara recognised its face. Dark green eyes and brown fur with a black mane. Kovu!
"Kovu! Over here!" Kiara called.
Kovu came over and stopped by his mate and her friends. He was breathing heavily from the run and Kiara noticed a look of what could only be described as horror across his face.
"Kovu, what's wrong? You look... Frightened." She asked.
"Do I? It's probably just the light. I didn't think the sun was supposed to set this early." The dark lion replied.
"It usually doesn't. Anyway, what are you doing out here?"
"I was looking for you actually. I haven't seen you all day and I was getting bored wandering around Pride rock on my own."
Kiara sighed and glanced down momentarily before looking back up to her mate.
"Well, things aren't much jollier out here I'm afraid. Tiifu, Zuri and I failed to catch a gazelle earlier and I promised my dad I would bring something back for dinner."
Kovu looked over Kiara's shoulder at Tiifu and Zuri stood behind her. He then returned his look back to Kiara.
"I can help you with that if you want." He suggested.
"No, really Kovu, there isn't any time to find another herd and catch one in time. Simba will understand when I explain to him what happened anyway."
"Nonsense. You promised your parents you'd bring them a prey animal tonight and that's exactly what they're gonna get."
Kiara thought for a moment. Kovu was certainly a good hunter and she knew that if he said he could catch something for them by tonight then he meant it. She decided to let him go ahead with it.
"Alright. Surprise me. Get us a big juicy animal before the sun sets."
"Challenge accepted." Kovu said in a slightly cocky tone of voice.
The four lions then left to find a fresh herd of prey creatures for Kovu to take his pick from.
As they ventured Kovu was toying with the idea as to whether he should tell Kiara about what happened amongst the trees earlier. On one hand he wanted to because then he might be able to get help, but on the the other hand he didn't want to worry her.
He would have to make a decision on the matter later on because right now the small group was approaching a small herd of antelope by some rocks. Kiara was stood right beside Kovu and she gave him a nudge and whispered to him.
"Psst. You see those antelope there?"
Kovu took a look at where Kiara meant. There were only about twelve of them at the most, probably less actually.
"Yeah, I see them." Kovu whispered back.
"Antelope are Simba's favourite, you know. If I took one of them back he'd be really impressed."
"Is that so? Well, stay down and let me do the dirty work."
Kiara took a couple of steps back and got as low down as she could go along with Tiifu and Zuri behind the rocks. Kovu made sure the three lionesses were well hidden before he began to creep up on the unsuspecting herd. The dark lion managed to move silently round the side under the cover of the grass and rocks until he was mere inches away from one of the younger animals. They were totally unaware of the predator currently eyeing them up, getting ready to make the kill.
It looked as though it would be an easy kill. Kovu readied himself to pounce and, when the right moment came, he struck. His body landed on the young antelope, preventing it from getting away. He quickly finished off the creature as the others ran for safety. The job was done.
"Got it!" Kovu called out to the girls.
Kiara and her friends emerged from behind their cover and joined Kovu by the dead animal. Despite being only young it was quite a sizeable beast, easily enough to feed the pride for one night. Kiara looked at it, pleased with her mate for catching it for her.
"Good job. Thank you, Kovu." She said.
"It was nothing." The brown lion replied.
"Do you want a hand getting it back to Pride rock?" Tiifu asked.
"Sure. You and Zuri take the rear end and Kovu and I will carry it at the front." Kiara instructed.
"Why do we get the rear end?" Zuri protested.
"Because it's the lightest end." Kiara answered before bending down to pick up the antelope corpse and put it on her back. Tiifu and Zuri did the same at the creatures' rear end. Kovu was reluctant to help Kiara at the front however.
"Kovu, what's wrong?" His mate asked.
"Nothing." He said, rather unconvincingly though. "Actually, Can you three handle this for now. I wanted to go and see that monkey guy."
"Rafiki? What do you want to see him for?"
"I'll tell you later, OK?"
"Well... Alright. But don't leave it too late before you get back will you? We don't want a repeat of last night."
"Course not."
There was nothing more to say so the three lionesses carried their dinner off back to Pride rock. Kovu on the other hand headed off towards the huge tree that was located in the opposite direction. Perhaps Rafiki could give him some idea as to what it was that happened earlier.