: Chapter 5:
Hero from the fire
Many years had passed and Kiara had grown into a beautiful young lioness, she was now full grown ready to take her life into her own hands. Finally after all these years she was free to determine her own destiny free of her father and this would be the beginning, her first hunt. The whole pride had gathered in celebration for it. Kiara made her way down pride rock where the pride awaited she was greeted by her grandmother Sarafina, she wrapped a paw around her and hugged her.
"My how you've grown Kiara." She said sweetly.
"Thank you grandma." Kiara replied returning the hug.
Breaking the embrace she was approached by her other grandmother Sarabi, "if only Mufasa could be here to see this, we're all proud of you." She told her with pride.
"Thanks for being there for me along the way." Kiara said in response.
"always Kiara." Sarabi said.
They smiled at their granddaughter, "you can do this Kiara." Sarafina said with certainty.
Kiara smiled back and headed forward to her parents, Nala embraced her, "good luck Kiara." She told her.
"thank you mother." Kiara said gratefully.
she then approached her father who looked uncertain, "father you have to promise me you'll let me do this on my own." She asked.
Simba looked conflicted, "alright I promise." He relented.
Kiara smiled and hugged her father before heading off to the jungle.
Simba felt his concern returning there was so much out there was she ready, he still questioned if after all this time even he was, and if he wasn't certain about himself surely he couldn't be certain about Kiara, he gestured to Timon and Pumba.
"Make certain nothing happens to her." He requested.
Timon looked at him uncertainly before relenting and heading off. Simba regretted lying to Kiara but he had to it's never completely safe and he'd never forgive himself if something happened to her. He would rather lose her trust than lose her.
The outlanders had gathered at the termite hill it was time, Kiara had started her hunt and Vitani had already headed to the elephant graveyard to begin her mission, Kovu was ready, everything was in place.
"It is time, let us go Kovu quickly!" Zira demanded.
Kovu followed her as if he were some machine.
Zira turned to Nuka, "why are you still here get into position now!" she commanded.
"of course mother, I will not fail you." He said bowing.
Kovu chuckled showing his first sign of emotion in days. "how could you, your mission is so simple to the point that you're irrelevant." He said cruelly.
Nuka glared at him and stared him in the face, "to proud to admit you need me." Nuka hissed.
Kovu smirked at him and grabbed him around the neck dangling him by his feet, "you're nothing, and you've had no power at all." He said arrogantly before dropping him.
"enough do your part all of you Kovu with me!" Zira demanded.
Kovu complied as the two of them left. Nuka was making his way to the borders, he heard Kovu's mocking words, "you've had no power at all"
Nuka chuckled to himself, "you have no idea Kovu, no idea at all." He said amused, if only the brute knew, he had been nothing but his puppet since the beginning.
Hours later, Kiara was making her way through the pride lands attempting to catch a wild antelope and failing miserably, every time she moved a branch broke or she rippled the grass or simply her breathing alerted them, as far as lioness hunts go it was an embarrassment. As she was hunting in the loosest of terms, she was being tailed from behind literally. Timon and Pumba trailed behind her stealthily, or at least that's what they claimed they were doing, in truth they were making as much noise as Kiara was, and Pumba's tail was sticking out of the grass like a telescope in a sunken submarine. Kiara attempted to pounce again but they were already on the move she saw another one on the opposite side a tail sticking out of the grass, unknown to her it was Pumba's, she pounced. it was much to soon and incredibly reckless, the only thing worse than it's execution was the fact that Timon and Pumba were so bad it hit them, they both toppled over and were pinned to the ground screaming, Kiara was about to attack when she recognized them.
"please don't eat us!" Timon cried.
Kiara felt her anger growing, "Timon what are you doing here?!" She demanded.
Timon begun stuttering, "we'll we were just in the neighborhood up for an afternoon stroll." He tried to explain.
Kiara knew better, "my father sent you didn't he, he promised me, he lied!" she said angrily.
Timon looked at her regretfully, "he just wants to keep you safe can't you understand that why wouldn't a father want to keep his cub safe?" Timon asked her there was something very personal in his voice as he said the last part.
Kiara turned away in fury, "I should've known he'd never trust me." She said before running off.
"I'll do this on my own away from the pride lands!" she called back angrily heading for the borders.
Pumba began to panic, "we've gotta stop her!" he said frantically preparing to follow her before Timon stepped in front of him.
"no Pumba!" he said.
"but she could get hurt!" Pumba reasoned.
If we follow her we'll just push her further away." Timon said slightly disappointed that Simba hadn't yet realized this, "And if it were Simba would I" he asked himself before dismissing the thought those days were over long over if they ever actually real which considering what Simba went through Timon highly doubted.
Kiara had made it to the borders of the pride lands, she looked around for any sign of prey but could see none, they couldn't all be gone.
"darn it! Can't the blasted things hold still!" she heard an angry voice say.
she hid herself to not be noticed, "great now they're heading off the border, I'll never catch them in time!" she heard the voice say, she saw that it belonged to a skinny and frail looking lion.
perfect he had just told her where they went, and in his state he wasn't catching them but she could, she snuck past him and headed past the borders.
Nuka smiled, Kiara was heading toward Vitani he had done his part of the plan, "pretty girl, high on the looks, brains not so much." He said out loud, now it was time for Kovu to do his part, then the next phase could begin.
Vitani watched from afar as she saw Kiara approaching a pack of antelope that the pride had secretly herded there, and good thing too because Kiara certainly couldn't of done it, her technique was painful, Nuka was a better hunter. Thank the kings she was here now and Vitani didn't have to endure this anymore.
"if you saw how bad you were you'd thank me." She said.
"no offense Kopa." She added.
Vitani rushed off holding a stick of fire and lit the grass ablaze the flames spread almost immediately engulfing everything in their path. Kiara was closing in on the antelope when she saw a herd heading right toward her, she dived for cover as they scattered in different directions it was then she saw what they were running from, a massive fire that was spreading and heading her way fast. Kiara panicked and took off running the flames following her as if they were some kind of predator. Vitani watched it unfold and turned away she did her part it was all up to Kovu now.
"build us a better future my brother, I believe in you." She quietly said before departing.
Kiara ran as fast as her paws could carry her, but no matter how fast she ran the fire seemed to catch her it was rising higher and the smoke was beginning to obscure everything, it was beginning to become difficult to breath, she coughed and gasped, choking on the smoke, she had to get to higher ground now! Kovu and Zira watched as Kiara fought for her life.
"excellent the plan is in motion." She told Kovu who stood silently.
"go!" she commanded, without hesitation Kovu dived into the water below.
Simba was pacing back and forth worriedly.
"you need to calm down Simba there is nothing for you to worry about." Nala reassured him it didn't last.
Simba looked and far ahead he saw a massive smoke cloud rising in the distance, a fire! "No Kiara!" he cried out frantically.
Nala could see it too, "oh kings, Simba Kiara's out there!" she said panicked.
"gather the lioness now!" Simba cried.
Nala complied, but Simba was already gone, heading straight for the smoke.
Kiara desperately hung from a ledge a mountain of fire building behind her she clang frantically to the ledge climbing her way to the top the smoke assaulting all of her senses she felt like she was going to pass out but knew if she did she was dead, knowing that she continued to climb and with one final pull she threw herself up onto the ledge coughing and gasping her vision blurred she struggled to take a step before collapsing.
Kovu emerged from the shadows seeing her unconscious form, she had gotten even more beautiful, he took the image in for a moment and memory came flooding back, fun, passion, betrayal. Anger contorted his features he seriously considered just leaving her, but then all this would have been a waste. Kovu growled with frustration and threw her on his back the flames were rising up to the ledge and the smoke was overwhelming. He kept her clung to his back and ran into the fields which would be ablaze any second dead tree's were falling all around him, he jumped over burning grass and dodged falling trees, he could see the entrance to the pride lands, but his path was blocked he saw a river below which led straight to the kingdom. Kovu dived for it crashing into multiple rocks in the process and painfully landing in the water. Kovu emerged from the river and took a breath of air he looked and saw Kiara's unconscious form which nearly sunk, gorgeous as she was she really wasn't worth all this trouble, he reached and grabbed her pulling her to shore and out of the fire's range, finally the helpless princess was safe. Kovu noticed that Kiara was finally waking up her eyes opened, finally helpless, she was, she was, great kings she was beautiful her eyes entranced him they were like rubies maybe if rubies could light up the world, the light from them shined brighter and more beautiful than a sunrise. Kovu became lost in her eyes, lost in her, lost in Kiara. Kovu regained control of himself she abandoned him she meant nothing to him now.
Kiara felt dizzy when she came to all she could remember was fire and smoke, what had happened.
"where am I?" she asked.
"your safe in the pride lands." Her rescuer said with a bit of confidence in his voice, her response was not the thank you he expected.
"the pride lands no! why did bring back here?! Who do you think you are?!" Kiara asked angrily.
Kovu looked at her confused, "I think I'm the guy who just saved your life!" he said annoyed.
"I had everything under control!" Kiara fired back.
"yeah you were doing a great job getting yourself killed." Kovu replied in force.
"I don't need your help now get out of my way!" she yelled.
Kiara tried to jump past him but a moment later he was right in front of her she tried again backwards but he was right in her path again looking at her with confusion.
"what are you doing?" he asked.
Kiara recognized his words, after all these years it couldn't be, "Kovu?" she asked.
Kovu gave no response but a confident somewhat smug smile.
Kiara couldn't believe it was really him and he had gone from cute to downright handsome, despite this she could still see the young cub she knew buried somewhere, even though Kiara did not know the full extent of Kovu's change she was right, that cub was still there and not buried nearly as deep as anyone thought.
Their moment was interrupted by massive roar as Simba came charging into the grass with Kiara's mother and the entire pride, growling.
Kiara stared at her father with anger, "father how could you break your promise!" she demanded.
Simba was unmoving, "it's a good thing I did I almost lost you no more hunt's for you ever!" he said firmly.
Kiara was in disbelieve, "but it wasn't my fault everything was fine even before Kovu" she begun to argue.
"Kovu!" Simba roared turning his attention to the lion growling in fury.
an insane laugh came from a nearby tree, "hey you how dare you save the king's daughter!" Rafiki called out.
Simba was stunned by his words, "you saved her why?" he demanded.
Kovu looked down humbled, "I wish to join your pride your majesty." He requested.
Simba's growl grew as he pushed him away, "no you were banished with the other outsiders." He seethed.
Kovu had anticipated this, he stepped forward pridefully, "I have left the outsiders judge me as I am now the great king Mufasa proclaimed that all would have a chance to prove themselves." Kovu said his words filled with self sympathy, humbleness, yet certainty.
Simba glared at him but Kovu did not blink, he returned it, "or I am to once again be punished for the sins of another?" Kovu said lacing his words with sorrow, he saw Simba's expression soften, he knew bringing that up would work.
Simba looked to Nala, "Simba you owe him your daughter's life." Nala told him, it was decided then.
"my father's law will prevail for now I withhold judgment we'll see who you really are." Simba said while departing the lionesses surrounded Kovu leading him back to pride rock, though nobody could see it there was hint of a smile on his face.
The pride arrived back at pride rock by nightfall and everyone was exhausted and ready to sleep for the night, they retreated to the den, Kovu prepared to join them only to find a furious Simba jumping in front of him, he gestured him away glaring the whole time. Kovu gave a bewildered face before making his way to a rock on the side, he watched Simba return to the center of the den, fine with him he'd take a better bed over his corpse.
Kiara made her way toward Kovu, "hey sorry about how I acted earlier, thanks for saving me." She said in a soft whisper.
Kovu groaned at her so called kindness he had fallen for it once he wouldn't again. "What kind of hunter are you anyway?" he asked mockingly.
"what's that suppose to mean?" Kiara asked angrily.
"you almost got yourself killed on your first hunt." He answered.
"I could've handled it." Kiara fired back.
Kovu chuckled, "please you wouldn't last three days on your own." He stated, he honestly felt he was being generous with that statement.
Kiara turned back to him, "you think you could do better impress me we start at dawn." Kiara told him before leaving.
"I look forward to it." Kovu said to himself before going to sleep.
Zira and Nuka were watching the whole thing, "ah come on you idiot at least get a little fun out of it, she was right there!" Nuka complained.
Zira pushed him aside, "enough the fire plan worked perfectly and Simba fell for it now the closer he gets to the daughter the closer he gets to Simba and then when he has him alone" as she finished the words Zira swung her claws and sliced a dead tree branch reducing it to splinters. "
He actually understands unlike you." She finished before turning away.
"keep an eye on them." She called back to him and then she was gone.
Nuka was pleased as well everything was on track just a few more secrets revealed, and moments to live and it would all fall into place.
Nuka smirked as he watched Kovu, "don't worry mother I'll never lose sight of them, wouldn't want to miss the first date." He said grinning, he was so predictable, and it wouldn't be long before Kovu fell right into the next phase.
"Not much I know but you need to establish the rest of the story. I wanted Nuka and Kovu to have an actual rivalry in this Kovu doesn't know how intelligent Nuka really is but neither of them like each other Kovu because he was raised to be strong and as such Nuka defies what he was raised to believe and Nuka for far more obvious reasons. The bits with Timon were something I always wished the movies would've focused on more because it is true and I'm shocked 1 1/2 didn't really use it I mean yes they mention it but it was mostly used for humor I wanted a more serious perspective on it. This isn't a main plot point but it will be brought up a few more times.