Hello all! Here is chapter 7!
This one turned out to be a bit longer since there were key things that were supposed to take place in this chapter specifically, so more conent for you all to enjoy in the end.
Thank you all so much again for your support that you show me and my fellow author's content. If you like what you see then please don't forget to follow if you're new and leave a review to tell me what you think.
With that being said, I hope you all enjoy chapter 7 of "In a Perfect World!"
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Chapter 7. The New Life
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That night, everyone slept soundly at Pride Rock. With yesterday's grand event, everyone enjoyed a peaceful and relaxing sleep. Even as morning approached the pride remained in their slumbering state, all but one.
The moment the light began to break through the dark sky and shine into the main den, Mufasa's eyes began to open as he let out a loud yawn. Smacking his lips together he began to look around and see how everyone was doing. It was still very early in the morning and everyone was still sleeping. Looking to his right, Mufasa smiled as he saw his mate and son peacefully resting next to each other. This was probably the first time Mufasa remembered being able to sleep so well without Simba crying in the middle of the night. Still, he'd like to keep it that way.
Slowly rising to his feet, Mufasa quietly began to make his way around the sleeping pride members and outside to the savannah. He wanted to get a head start on the day so that he could come home early to see his family, but at the same time he wanted to clear his mind on some matters that had recently come up. The kingdom was currently fine and his son was healthy, but yesterday that newcomer shook Mufasa's world a bit.
That new lioness… Kiara… just baffled Mufasa. She looked to be a little over two years old, barely an adult, and yet she was traveling as a rogue. Rafiki vouched for her, which put the Lion King's mind at ease on whether or not she could be trusted, but there was something else about her that made Mufasa feel strange. Her smile, her laugh, her innocent personality, it all reminded him of someone. She reminded him so much of… her.
"No… no…" Mufasa quietly shook his head as he tried to keep the tears from forming in his eyes, "It's too early to dwell on such things."
As the Lion King made his way outside the den, he was about to walk to the ledge to look out at his kingdom and see what was going on, but as he did he stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes widened and he just stood there in shock, for there was already someone sitting on the ledge looking out over the kingdom. It was a lioness with a golden pelt.
"That pelt… that face… it can't be." Mufasa gasped, not believing what he was seeing. But that's when he heard the lioness speak.
"Oh…" she let out a loud sigh as she laid her ears back and looked out over the kingdom, "What am I supposed to do?"
Mufasa looked at the lioness in shock. He knew it wasn't who he thought it was, but he was still surprised to see this lioness up so early in the morning
"Kiara?" Mufasa asked, "is that you?" Kiara gasped and whipped around clumsily to see the strong and stocky build of King Mufasa's body standing behind her at the mouth of the den.
"Oh! um….hi, King Mufasa," Kiara managed to stutter out. Her cheeks turning red as she realized that he was right behind her this entire time.
"What are you doing up so early?" Mufasa asked as he walked over to the young lioness. Kiara watched as the King approached before taking a seat right next to her. He didn't seem upset, but he looked rather curious
"I… well…" Kiara thought of something to tell him," I'm just… used to getting up this early. That's all."
"Really?" Mufasa asked in his deep and gentle voice.
"Yeah…" Kiara trailed on, "My… father. He used to wake me up when the sun came up. He… said it would help be ready for the start of another day in the Circle of Life."
"Hmmm…" Mufasa scratched his muzzle, "I see." Mufasa followed Kiara's gaze towards the hillsides where the sun was slowly beginning to rise and cover the land in a vast shadow.
"Getting ready for another day in the Circle of Life…" Mufasa repeated out loud as he thought about what Kiara told him, "Heh, that's not how I view it." Upon hearing this, Kiara turned and looked at Mufasa with confusion.
"It's not?" she asked.
"Well, for some maybe." Mufasa explained, "But for me, it's not just another day. Each Circle is different than the last. Though each day starts with a sunrise and ends with a sunset, neither of them are ever the same. Each day in the Circle of Life is unique when a zebra falls as prey for a predator, there are two more waiting to take their place in the herd. Will they learn from their predecessor's mistakes or will they repeat the same folly? Only time will tell. In the same way, no conflict is the same. With each one that happens between herds, the young watch and see what is happening before them. Will they repeat the circle of the families or will they learn and make a new one of their own?"
As Mufasa spoke, the sun began to rise which caused the shadow over his face to brighten as he continued to speak to Kiara. Kiara just looked up at Mufasa in awe as he explained this to her.
"So," she asked, "That's why it's the king's job to preserve the Circle of Life?"
"It's not our job, but rather our pleasure," Mufasa looked back at Kiara and smiled, "For if we can't see the truth, the goodness, and the beauty behind the Circle of Life, then we lose its value and forget what it is we are truly trying to preserve and protect: the next generation."
Kiara just sat in silence and listened to what Mufasa was telling her. She knew the Circle of Life was what tied everyone together and gave them purpose, but the way Mufasa explained it to her gave her a whole new view on the matter entirely. It was more than just a way of life, it was a principle, that every new generation had its very own unique Circle and that it was the Lion King's job to make sure they helped that generation along to the best of their ability.
Strangely, Kiara couldn't help but relate this to her situation, coming back in time to help this generation from falling apart.
"Ahem, well…" Mufasa cleared his throat as he stood to his feet, "If you would excuse me, Kiara, I have a busy day ahead of me." That being said, Mufasa quickly turned and began to walk away. He didn't mean to prattle on for so long, but he just couldn't help himself. Talking about the Circle of Life with Kiara just seemed so relaxing for him. She just seemed so young and curious and he just couldn't help himself but talk. It kind of made him wonder if he would be able to have the same talk with his own son Simba, when he came of age.
"Wait!" Mufasa stopped in his tracks and looked back to see Kiara look at him, her body and posture appeared to be hesitant as she spoke, "Do you mind if I come with you?" Mufasa hesitated for a moment when he heard this. She wanted to come with him while he was working? That was unheard of in the pride.
"Kiara…" Mufasa sighed with a chuckle, "I'm flattered, truly, but might I remind you that you met my mate and son the other day? Besides that, you are way too young for-"
"What?!" Kiara practically exclaimed in appalment, understanding what Mufasa was talking about, "Oh nonononono! I didn't mean it like that!" Kiara felt her face begin to heat up tremendously as she thought about her and her grandfather… together? The thought made her want to vomit. Of course, when she heard Mufasa's laughter she realized that it wasn't the case.
"Relax. I was only joking." Mufasa confirmed, "Still, it is a rather boring routine that I must do. Patrolling, speaking with Zazu, fixing petty problems and checking on the animals, are you sure you wish to come?"
"Um… yeah." Kiara nodded, feeling herself begin to recover from the joke, "I just thought it would be a good way to… well… see the kingdom. I am still new here of course." As Mufasa thought about the offer, Kiara mentally prayed that he would say yes. Ever since she had entered the pride she had wanted to spend more time with her grandfather. She wanted to know more about him, what he thought, what he liked. Plus, these Pride Lands were a lot different than the one she knew back home. If there was anyone who could show her these lands it was Mufasa.
"Well…" Mufasa pondered for a second as he looked at Kiara. She was giving him a pleading look, the same kind a cub would give if it wanted something desperately. She was doing it… just like she used to when she wanted something from his father. Eventually, Mufasa decided to give in to Kiara's offer: "Very well then."
"Oh, thank you so much, your majesty!" Kiara said graciously.
"However," Mufasa replied, his voice growing serious, "at the first sign of trouble, I'm sending you back to Pride Rock. Is that understood?" Kiara replied with a small nod, but her excited expression from before now became confused. She knew what would eventually happen, but she wasn't aware of any troubles happening before that time.
"Ok…" Kiara stated as she and Mufasa got up and began walking down the slopes of Pride Rock, "But the Pride Lands look so peaceful. Is there a conflict or something I didn't know about?"
As Kiara and Mufasa continued their conversation, little did they know that there was someone else who was up early in the morning and he had been listening in on their conversation. Standing in the shadows near Pride Rock's wall was a dark figure of a lion. Even though the light had begun to shine in on the Pride Lands, the lion's features were hidden in the darkness of the shadows. All that could be seen was his narrow muzzle and emerald green eyes of which his left one held a noticeable scar across it.
"No… there's no conflict here." the lion in the shadows stated to himself as a smile appeared on his muzzle, "Just something to keep the Pride Lands… lively for my brother."
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As noon approached, the two lions were still casually strolling along the border of the Pride Lands. While they talked and made their way through the grass, Mufasa was impressed by how Kiara was able to keep up with him. For most of the morning, he had checked on the buffalo, made sure the wildebeest were alright and checked the western border, and all the while Kiara didn't show any signs of getting tired or wanting to go home to Pride Rock. This told Mufasa that Kiara was either a very active lioness, or this wasn't her first time walking such a long distance.
"So, tell me, Kiara, where exactly did you come from again?" Mufasa asked, which caught Kiara a little off guard. She hadn't really thought up of an answer for that. She knew she couldn't tell Mufasa exactly where she was from, so she did her best to remain truthful while remaining discreet.
"Oh… well…" Kiara stuttered for a moment before she gave Mufasa an answer, "I came from a pride far away. It was… past the desert and… just very far."
"Really now?" Mufasa replied, intrigued by Kiara's answer, "How was it? I mean, was it a good pride?"
"The best." Kiara replied as a smile came onto her face, "There were lush grasslands, plenty of food and water, and my family were the absolute best." As Mufasa looked at Kiara as she spoke, he noticed that she wouldn't make eye contact with him. The way she spoke made it sound perfect to him, but that just left another question in the back of his mind.
"It sounds like a great place to live," Mufasa commented, "What about your family? I know you have a father, but are there any others?"
"I have a mother and two brothers." Kiara replied, "I was close to my parents and younger brother, but…" Kiara began to trail off as she came to the subject of her other brother.
"But what?" Mufasa asked, becoming concerned by Kiara's change of attitude.
"I… never knew my older brother."
"Oh…" Mufasa stated, catching on to what Kiara was saying, "I'm so sorry, Kiara," Kiara the looked up her eyes meeting the amber orbs of Mufasa, "If it is a sore subject, then you don't have to talk about it."
"No, it's alright." Kiara felt her voice begin to crack for a brief moment as she tried to keep herself composed, "I only learned about him a few days ago anyway. You don't need to worry about it."
"What?" Mufasa replied, a bit shocked by this, "You only recently found out about your other brother? How?"
"My parents were a bit…" Kiara paused as she thought on the best word to use, "overprotective. They wanted to give me a happy life. So they kept my other brother a secret so that I didn't have to feel bad and miss him."
This time, Mufasa didn't reply to Kiara's comment. He just looked back at the ground and remained silent. Kiara looked at him closely and saw that he appeared to be completely oblivious to everything else going on. Did she say something wrong? Did he get angered by something? Kiara was about to ask but that's when another voice suddenly spoke up.
"Good morning, sire!"
Mufasa shook his head and looked up at the sound of the hornbill's voice. Sure enough, Zazu came swooping down and landed on a large boulder in front of him.
"Ah, morning Zazu." Mufasa greeted, going back to a more chipper tone, "Here for the morning report?"
"Indeed sire. Oh!" That's when Zazu realized Mufasa wasn't alone, "And good morning to you as well, Kiara. I didn't realize you would be here."
"Morning Zazu." Kiara bowed in response, "I was just accompanying his majesty on patrol."
"Well, you're in luck." Zazu said as he puffed out his feathers, "I'm about to go over the morning report."
"Oh…" Kiara replied halfheartedly, "Goody…" she remembered when Zazu did this when she was younger. Back then it bored her to death and she expected this one to be just like the others.
Before she could say anything more, Zazu cleared his throat and began to address Mufasa in a rather… upbeat tone of voice.
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It's an honor and a privilege, a duty I perform, with due sense of decorum and with pride.
With deference and great respect, very much the norm, plus a hint of sycophancy on the side.
To lay before my ruler all the facts about his realm, to fill him in on all the beastly news…
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"Yes, yes, Zazu." Mufasa groaned, "Get on with it." Kiara chuckled at Mufasa's response. It seemed as though she wasn't the only one who wished for the report to be over with. Unfortunately, Zazu continued his introduction speech.
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In… order-that-His-Majesty-stands-sturdy-at-the-helm, aware-of-all-the-fauna's-latest-views.
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"Zazu!" Mufasa growled, "The morning report!" This time, Zazu flinched at the sound of the lion's booming voice. Seeing that he had made his point clear, Zazu straightened up and continued on: "Er… yes, Sire. The morning report!"
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Chimps are going ape, giraffes remain above it all.
Elephants remember, though just what I can't recall.
Crocodiles are snapping up fresh offers from the banks.
Showed interest in my nest egg but I quickly said "No thanks!"
We haven't paid the hornbills and the vultures have a hunch.
Not everyone invited will be coming back from lunch.
Heh…
This is the morning report!
Gives you the long and the short!
Every grunt, roar, and snort,
Not a tale I distort.
On the morning report!
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As Zazu continued on, Kiara couldn't help but let out a yawn. Sure, the bird had some spunk in his step, but most of the topics he talked about were just so, boring.
"How long does this go on?" Kiara whispered into Mufasa's ear.
"Don't worry," Mufasa stifled a laugh, "He'll be done after a few more lines."
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The buffalo have got a beef about this season's grass.
Warthogs have been thwarted in attempts to save their gas.
Flamingoes in the pink and chasing secretary birds.
Saffron is this season's color seen in all the herds!
As far morning reports go this one is quite the best.
Quite frankly the only issue are some hyenas in the west.
"WHAT?!" Mufasa roared in surprise, causing Zazu to fall off his comfortable perch on the large rock, "Hyenas in the Pride Lands?!"
"Yes sire, but there are only three of them." Zazu replied as he straightened his ruffled feathers, "On the western border near Makuni Woods. The gopher team spotted them just a few-"
"Grrrr…" Mufasa bared his teeth and groaned, "Next time, you spot just one of them mangy mutts in the kingdom you make it your first priority to inform me immediately! Understood?"
"Note taken." Zazu replied, seeing how serious the situation was, "Hyenas first, morning report second. Understood."
While Mufasa and the hornbill talked, Kiara thought about what was taking place before her. She always had mixed feelings when it came to hyenas. Back in her time, she knew Janja and his clan were vicious and repulsive, and they even tried to kidnap her a few times. But not all hyenas she knew were bad. There was Jasiri, and from what she knew from Kion, she was a kind and caring hyena. So what were these hyenas doing that earned them Mufasa's anger?
"Are these hyenas bad?" Kiara asked, which earned rather surprised looks from both Zazu and Mufasa. After a brief moment, Mufasa looked back at Zazu with urgency.
"Zazu, take Kira home." He ordered, which surprised the golden lioness.
"But Mufasa," Kiara tried to argue, "I can help with this. I have some experience with-"
"No!" Mufasa responded seriously, "I told you, you would go home at the first sign of trouble and I meant it. Go back to Pride Rock this instant." Having said that, Mufasa ran off towards the western border. While Kiara sat there in shock at how dire Mufasa sounded, Zazu decided it was best to move things along.
"Come along, Kiara." Zazu chided, "We best get a move on." Begrudgingly, she followed the hornbill as he began to fly back to Pride Rock. She didn't understand. Why was Mufasa so adamant about her going back to Pride Rock? These were only hyenas and there was no telling whether or not they were dangerous.
"Was it something I said?" Kiara spoke out loud to herself as she followed behind Zazu. The hornbill heard her, however, and looked back to see her disappointed look.
"It has nothing to do with you, Kiara." Zazu replied casually, "His majesty is only trying to look out for you and the kingdom's wellbeing. After all, hyenas are quite dangerous."
"If they're so dangerous then why didn't he let me come with him?" Kiara argued, "I've had experiences with hyenas before. I could have helped talk with them."
"Ha!" Zazu quickly covered his beak when he saw Kiara's agitated glare, "Sorry, but I highly doubt you would make an impact. These hyenas are quite different than the ones you are used to. They are dangerous, ruthless, and impossible to reason with."
Kiara opened her mouth to respond, but that's when she thought about where she was and what Zazu was telling him. This was a much different time. These hyenas weren't the same as the ones in her time. They were working under Scar and they would have a part to play in Mufasa's demise. It was possible she could try and reach out to them, but that didn't seem like a possibility right now. Maybe in the future, she would have a chance, but right now she had to stay out of Mufasa's way.
As Kiara and Zazu made their way to Pride Rock they suddenly heard a loud and agonizing roar pierce the silence.
"What was that?" Kiara asked as she and Zazu quickly hurried to the main den. They were immediately met by Sarabi who was standing outside giving orders to several other lionesses.
"Zazu! Thank goodness!" Sarabi gave a sigh of relief when she saw the hornbill, "Sarafina has gone into labor!"
"What?!" both Kiara and Zazu exclaimed in shock.
"We don't have much time," Sarabi said before giving out orders, "I've got some of the lionesses to watch Simba, but Zazu I need you to go tell Mufasa what's going on."
"Um… about that…" Zazu replied nervously, "He's currently trying to deal with a small band of hyenas who have entered the Pride Lands." This answer of course did not put Sarabi's mind at ease.
"I don't care if he's dealing with a herd of stampeding wildebeest!" she growled, "You go and tell him what's going on, now!" Seeing how Sarabi was not in the mood to be questioned, Zazu quickly did what he was told and flew back towards Mufasa's location. Though Sarabi turned back and began to once again instruct the other lionesses, Kiara found that response to be rather strange.
"Sarabi," Kiara addressed the queen as she followed behind her, "I understand Sarafina needs help, but Mufasa is out dealing with hyenas. Don't you think he'll need help?"
"Are you kidding?" Sarabi flashed Kiara a cheeky smile, "My mate wouldn't be much of a Lion King if he couldn't handle a couple of scavengers. Mufasa will be fine, it's Sarafina who needs help right now."
As Sarabi spoke, Rafiki came walking out of the den, and he seemed rather serious.
"Sarabi," the shaman said with urgency, "dat cub isn't waiting anymore. It's coming out now."
"We best not waste any more time then," was Sarabi's reply. She then looked back at Kiara and asked: "Tell me Kiara, how much experience do you have with berthing cubs?"
"Uhhhhhhh…" Kiara was at a loss for words, and not in a good way. In reality, she had absolutely no idea on how to go about helping a lioness through the birthing process. She'd used to observe how other animals in the Pride Lands do it with their young, but to actually be apart of the birthing process was… intimidating. It also didn't help that the lioness who was currently in labor right now was also giving birth to her own mother, which made this even more nerve-racking!
"What do I even do?" Kiara began to panic mentally, "I don't know anything about helping someone give birth! What if I do something wrong? What if something happened to the cub? What would that mean for the future, for me?!"
Upon seeing Kiara's jaw drop and her eyes widen in a panic, it became very obvious to both Rafiki and Sarabi that Kiara had no experience in helping a lioness give birth to a cub. This didn't worry them, however. It wasn't the first time they had to introduce someone to process of birthing a cub.
"Don't worry, Kiara," Rafiki smiled he patted Kiara's back to comfort and ease the nervous lioness, "It's a very simple process. We'll help you through it, after all, we've got de easy part. It's Sarafina who actually has to give birth."
Upon saying that, another loud roar of pain echoed from inside the den.
"We better hurry," Sarabi stated, "I'll talk you through it as we go along, but we really must get back to Sarafina." As Sarabi went ahead and Rafiki led Kiara forward into the den, the golden lioness couldn't help but cringe at the thought of what she was about to see. Her mother was about to be born right in front of her. Part of her was excited while the other was… not so sure.
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The hours continued to drag on at Pride Rock as the Pride assisted Sarafina with the birth. Mufasa was thankfully able to quickly drive out the trespassing hyenas who right in time for Zazu to bring him the news about Sarafina's condition. He came back to Pride Rock as soon as he could, for it was one of the king's duties to be present at the joining of a new member of the pride, no matter how small they are.
After dragging hours of constant pain filled roars, and encouragement, and helping Rafiki with whatever he needed, the cub was finally born. The roars that filled the cave were now replaced with the crying of the newborn cub.
"Well done, Sarafina." Rafiki congratulated the cream lioness as he set a small bundle of fur in her paws, "the Kings have gifted you with a beautiful daughter."
"My little girl…" Sarafina breathed a sigh of relief as a smile grew across her muzzle. She took the crying cub in her paws and began to clean her with her tongue. Never in Sarafina's life had she felt so much joy after such pain. It was truly incredible!
On the sidelines, everyone watched as Sarafina admired her new daughter. Mufasa, Sarabi, and all of Sarafina's friends were so happy for her. Kiara, on the other hand, was having a bunch of mixed feelings about what she was witnessing. For one, she just helped deliver a baby for the first time, which was both amazing and strange. The other thing was that this cub wasn't just another lioness being born, this was her mother… her future mother.
"Congratulations, Sarafina," Sarabi proudly said to her long-time friend, "She's beautiful."
"Thank you, Sarabi." Sarafina replied with tears in her eyes, "I couldn't have done this without you."
"Kiara also helped some," Rafiki pointed out, "We couldn't have done dis without her you know." Kiara frowned when she heard what Rafiki told everyone. She really wasn't all that much help. Sure Sarabi showed her a few things and she had to get water for Rafiki on occasion, but in truth, she was more of a hindrance rather than a help.
"No, no," Kiara shook her head modestly, "I really didn't do much."
"Nonsense," Sarabi dismissed the thought, "Any role you play in helping bring another life into the world is a major role." Not knowing what else to say, Kiara slowly approached Sarafina and crouched down low to get a better look at the newborn. In a way, she resembled Sarafina greatly with her pelt, but Kiara knew one thing that was different. She would have teal eyes and a spunky personality.
Though no one heard her say it, Kiara silently whispered to the cub: "Hello, Mom. It's been a while, hasn't it?"
End of Chapter 7
And so Nala has entered the World! Yipee!
Now as far as the musical number goes, I know I usually do those in a more scripted style, but I've been reading JRTolken's works and saw how some of his songs are written so I based "The Morning Report off of that version. Let me know whether or not you liked it. (and of course all rights go to it go to Disney in case I've got some lawyers reading this chapter. Lol)
Kiara seems to be getting well acquainted with the rest of the Pride, but I wonder what will await her in future chapters. Perhaps a run in with a certain evil lion? Hehehehe...
Until next time guys, this is Rogue Lion signing off
(Salute's the Audience)
(Due to a lack of guest review's I'm putting in account reviews to hit the 10 response mark. Yes, all my guests have vanished. Lol)
Review Response
Lara:
If Rafiki says that a lioness is ok then who's going to question the monkey? Plus, Kiara is kind of in those pre-millennial phases in terms of age, so they view her more as a teen rather than a fully developed lioness.
Guest:
It's still building up. I personally thought if Rafiki says it's ok then everyone would go with it. Plus, we'll also get to see how Mufasa looks at Kiara. For as we now know there is something about her that is... familiar to him. That also could have played into why he let her into the Pride Lands.
LouisianaFan1 m:
Thanks. Glad to know you still enjoy the content after all of this time.
LionKingAlex:
Yeah, it's always the first meetings that are the oddest.
I guess I could have made him more formal. There were just other elements I was thinking about at the time. I'll see if I can do better in the future.
NoRatCat:
Glad chapter 6 was to your liking. I figured that a lot of mystery would surround the death of Scar's Lion Guard but would be confirmed later on after Scar's betrayl was uncovered. So the best thing I thought to do was make it known that Scar lost the Guard, but the details behind it were at the time unclear for everyone.
ZabuzasGirl:
Yep, we'll start seeing more movie references as the story progresses. Who knows, we might even see a certain warthog and meerkat in later chapters. :P
Reference Man:
Oh don't worry. Kiara and Scar's confrontation is just around the corner, and believe me, I've been excited about this one. MWAHAHAHA!
WolfBLitzk03:
Hmmm... perhaps. Remeber she got some tips from Kovu since TLK2. She might be a bit better then she was before.
mrbean52:
Hmmm... it's possible. Kiara does remind Mufasa of someone. Hmmm I wonder...
Lionkingfactsguy3:
Lol, I'll have to find that comic. It sounds like a funny read. Glad you're enjoying the content.