Here's the next chapter. There is a major time change, but it'll be explained later in the story. I hope you enjoy.
Shangazi = Aunt
Sunlight breaks over the horizon as I step outside at dawn. The humid air swirls around me as blink, yawn and starch. Different herds begin to wake and start a new day. It doesn't seem possible that two years have passed in the Pride lands. Two years since Zira's own pride was banished. My heart pounds as I try to keep my tears at bay and I stare out to the horizon. Clear blue skies starch across the sky with birds chirping overhead. Out west, mountains are cast in shadow while a full river runs smooth into the watering hole. Zebras, elephants, and other herds drink their fill in the early morning light, the cool water refreshing from the normal heat of the savanna. Again, I starch and yawn as I look out toward the horizon. In the distance, I see a bird flying toward me; the sunrays catching glimpse of blue feathers. Other birds cry out in greetings, but Zazu ignores them as he flies toward me. I wave him over and Zazu flies down and settles down in front me and bows low.
"Good morning, Madam Kimaria," Zazu says.
I roll my eyes and nod. We have formed a compromise on the name, but still it hurts. Where has my friend gone? Where is he when I needed him the most? My friend who tried to shield me from Mufasa's death had let me hear of my own child's death. Tears rim my eyes, but I suck them back down. Something rubs against my legs and I look down and see Kiara rubbing against my leg. I force a smile and run my fingers through her fur. She has grown so much in the last two years, her fur closer to her father's, but her eyes shine with her mother's bright blue eyes. A fine soon to be young adolescent lioness stands before me and again I feel my heart chip away.
"Is everything all right, shangazi Kimaria?" Kiara asks, looking up at me.
I nod and ruffle her fur. "Yes, I'm fine, Kiara. So are you excited about your first hunt next week?"
"Oh yes, it should be so much fun," she says, smiling with a spark of mischief in her eyes.
I smile. It still amazes which much alike she and her father are. Even as a cub, I saw the same playful, adventurous spirit that Simba had as a cub. Getting into trouble was certainty a family trait among the royal family. Mufasa had told me once of his own adventures as a young cub. I bite my lip, wondering which parent my child would have been more like. My heart skips a beat as I look down at my niece and hear her light purr as she rubs against my leg as though sensing my sadness. I shake my head as I hear Simba behind us. Turning around, I see Simba walking over toward us.
"Good morning, Kiara, Kimaria, Zazu," Simba says, smiling at all of us.
All of us return the greeting, but Simba just looks at Zazu with anticipation. Beside me, I feel Kiara stiffen as she listens to Zazu give the morning report to her father. I kneel down next to her and smile at her. Kiara returns the smile and clears her throat. Yet, neither of them pay any attention to her. She rolls her eyes and starts to walk off. Instantly, Simba turns his head and walks over to his daughter.
"And where do you think you're going, young lady?" Simba asks, looking down at her. Kiara shrugs. "Just around."
"Well I've have Pumba and Timon go with you," he says, looking for his friends.
Kiara sighs. "Daddy, please I'm almost an adult. Please can't I just have one day to myself?"
"You're not an adult yet, Kiara," Simba says.
His words echo in my eyes as my hand presses against my necklace. A necklace worn by the grown women of my old home. Yet, now I feel less and less like an adult as I watch Simba and his daughter. Silently, I slip away from them and begin to climb down the stone steps. Off to the left, I hear the other lionesses beginning to prepare for the morning hunt. My stomach twists as I watch them start to head out. I can only hope they spare the young animals. I watch Nala lead the main group out east, but none of the lionesses notice me. Over the past two years, I have been distancing myself from the other lionesses. Still, I cannot understand my change in my behavior toward them…my family. The lioness who had betrayed me was banished from the Pride lands with her followers. Despite the heat, I shiver, hug myself to keep warm, and begin to walk out in the savanna.
Calls of good morning echo across the land between all the animals. Cubs huddle with their mothers as they try to stand on their own. My heart sinks down into my stomach as I turn and run out toward the mountains. My feet pound against the grass, but I can't stop as the same images keep circling through my mind. Adballa would be just about walking like those cubs and I will never see it. Will the pain ever go away? I feel my heart pound against my chest as I sink down next to the river bank. Pressing my hand against my chest, I try to calm myself down as I stare at my reflection. My dark hair falling over my white shirt just below my shoulders. Only nineteen, but my eyes shows an older woman. A woman who has lived with so much, all connected through death. When I was younger, Mufasa and my parents had taught me not to fear death, but how can I not when death takes all the people I love away from me.
My head snaps up as I spin around. Something rustles in the tall grass behind me, the sense of being watched washing over me. I spring up onto my hands and feet, my eyes narrowing as I growl in a warning. Everything fell still as I wait for the thing to emerge from its hiding spot. The flapping of wings breaks into my thoughts as I turn and look up at Zazu. The hornbill sails down and lands beside me, concern shining through his black eyes. Slowly, I lower myself back onto the ground, and look over at him.
"Don't you know it's mean to sneak up on people like?" I ask.
"What are you talking about, Madam Kimaria?" Zazu asks, walking over to me, confusion etched onto his face.
I open my mouth and pause. I had heard him flying toward me and the rustling was louder than a simple bird. I shiver and I feel Zazu place his feathers on my leg. I shift away and glare at him, fear still running through my body. For a moment, I see a glimmer of hurt fill his eyes, but I try my best to ignore it. Quietly, he says, "Is something wrong?"
I shake my head and turn away from him.
"Kimaria, something is-"
"Oh so now I'm just Kimaria, again? Zazu…I…never mind I just…"
Zazu flies up and looks me in the eyes. A tiny smile forms on his beak as we stare at each other. For a moment, I see a glimmer of the old Zazu, the one I used to tell all my secrets too and the one I turned to during Scar's reign. The one who helped keep me sane through it all.
"Why did you change?" I ask.
Zazu pauses for a moment and settles on the ground. His head bends low toward the ground and he mumbles. "You changed too, Kimaria."
"How?"
"You became queen," he says softly.
"Nala is queen," I say in frustration.
"You're my queen Kimaria," Zazu says quietly as he looks back up at me.
My breath catches in my throat as his words roll over in my mind. How can he say that? I have no royal blood or any connection to the pride. What does he see in me? I have not done anything wonderful or helped the pride in a huge way. Taking a shaky breath, I sigh and look down at him. I bite my lip and sigh. What can I say to him now? How can I respond to that? A loud roar breaks into my thoughts as I hear Simba calling for his advisor. Without a word, Zazu bows to me and flies back east toward Pride Rock. After a few minutes, I stand up and start to head back too. Something in the grass rustles and I spin around.
"Hello?" I call, but no one answers. For a moment, the grass parts and I catch a glimpse of brown fur sliding through the grass.
Dun dun dun. It's not as long as I would've liked, but I hope you enjoyed and please review. IWhat did you think of the interaction between Kim and Zazu? What about her reaction to Kiara and Simba? Please review and again I hope you enjoyed.
