Phew, a shorter chapter :)!

Chapter 7:

Unfortunately, Simba's thoughts about Kazia were wrong. Earlier on that day, she had met someone she really didn't want to meet…

"Ha! Gotcha, Kazia!"

As he said his, Chaka pounced on his sister and the two tumbled along with Arina gambling behind them, until Kazia finally pinned him down using the trick her grandma had often used as a cub.

"What is wrong with you? Why are you so annoying and childish?" She growled, still pinning him firmly to the ground.

"Geez sis, what's wrong with you? I was only having a bit of fun!" Replied Chaka, rolling his eyes, but with a defeated air.

"Yeah, don't you ever play?" Said Arina, raising her eyebrows and wrinkling her nose.

"Playing's for babies, we should really start training to hunt!"

"Well that's rich coming from you, Kazia." sniffed Chaka. "Besides, it's the girl's job to do the hunting!"

"While what, the men just sit around and eat first?" Kazia rolled her eyes. "Honestly Chaka, don't you know anything about being king?"

"Well no, after all, I'm not going to be one, am I?"

"But you're still a male in the pride, and you're expected to do a job."

"Like what?" Asked Arina in her innocent voice.

"Protect the pride from other lions, duh! Didn't Dad go with Grandpa to meet Kopa and the others when they thought they were rogues? Surely someone told you that."

"If you say so, but will I have to fight the rogues? I'm not good at fighting…"

Kazia smirked at her brother. It felt so amusing to be giving her older sibling a lecture about growing up. She knew he hated violence; He was a bit weak and cowardly in some ways.

"Your decision, so, want to go hunting now?"

"Well…"

"Oh, but I don't want to learn hunting sis! There isn't anyone to teach us at the moment, it's so hot!" wailed Arina.

"For a baby like you, of course it would be!" snapped Kazia.

"Sis, stop it! I'd like to, but Arina's right. It's much too hot, it's the middle of the day! The lionesses barely ever hunt at this time! Maybe later, ok?"

"Fine! You go play with your best little sister! I don't need any of you!" yelled Kazia, then stomped off, trying to hide the hurt in her eyes.

"Kazia! Wait! You can stay here…!" but Chaka couldn't chase her, as she broke into a run away from Pride Rock.

Oh sis, I really don't understand you sometimes… thought Chaka, gazing out after her.

Hmph, I don't need any of them. Besides, he's always too busy playing kiddy games with his oh so precious Arina! She's such a spoilt brat! Kazia sighed, she knew deep down that she was just feeling jealous, but couldn't admit it. Really she depended quite a lot on Chaka, he took care of her a lot, but whenever he spent some time with Arina as well, she felt robbed of his attention and imagined all sorts of favouritism from him to her sister. Arina couldn't help it, she was such an innocent cub, but even she realised the rift that was forming between her and her sister, and her brother's troubles to keep them together.

She was so lost in thought, that the royal cub never noticed what she was walking towards, until she stepped on something furry and a roar pierced the air. Before she even knew what was going on, a dark lioness suddenly rose from the tall grass and towered above Kazia.

"And exactly what do you think you're doing?!" yelled the lioness, flicking her tail viciously in anger. "This isn't a play-thing you know!"

"I-I'm sorry, miss! I didn't mean t-to wake you up!" whimpered Kazia, rooted to the spot with fear.

For a moment, the lioness looked as if she was about to eat the little ball of annoyance, but seemed to reconsider as her dark brown eyes suddenly blazed like fire for a second.

"Hey, hey, hey…aren't you from the Pridelands?" she asked, flickers of hatching plans passing through her eyes every now and then.

"Y-yes!" sniffed Kazia, and just to make herself sound too important to eat, added: "A-and my grand-d-dad's the king of the Pridelands!"

"O-oh-oh!" A twisted smile spread across the lioness's face. "I'm really scared now (!) Silly little cub! I could eat you in one bite! Though I could be merciful and swallow you whole!"

"No! Please!"

Cackling wickedly, the lioness circled the terrified cub, getting closer, and closer. As instinct switched on, Kazia made a mad bolt away from the lioness, but found that she was too quick for her. She blocked every path she tried to take, always advancing even closer. Petrified, the cub shrieked as the lioness finally lunged, and grabbed her by the tail. Growling, she struck Kazia, but didn't have her claws out.

"Quiet, foolish cub, or I'll use my claws next time!" she snarled, as Kazia shut up and lay there whimpering. Smiling cruelly at the sight of the cub, the lioness dragged her even closer.

"Now listen here, you. I ain't about to hurt you. I just need you to do me a liiittle favour." Suddenly, the lioness put on a patronizing voice that is often used when talking to little children.

"A-anything!"

"Calm down, calm down, alright? I'm sorry if I scared you too much, I just like to make it known I don't like cubs jumping all over my tail all the time, and you should really keep it quiet. All I want you to do is sneak us some food every now and then, and tell us what's going on in your pride. Y'know, whether you're doing well, anything exciting, who's in your pride…"

"Us?"

"Yeah, I'm allowed to have friends, aren't I?"

"O-ok. I'll see if I can get some food. Where will you be?"

"Same place, same time, every day. Though I don't expect you to bring food down every single day."

"For how long will I have to do this?"

"Oh, not long. We're…friends…of your father's and grandfather's… (She had figured out that Kazia was Kovu and Kiara's son) but they don't like us much. We're just passing by, and it's tiring travelling in a group. I have a son, you know. So what do you say, could you help us? Just for a little while?"

"I…I guess so…"

"And don't tell anyone." The lioness added rather sharply. "Simba and the rest don't know I'm a nice lioness, they won't understand and arguments could go up in the air. Also, your family might not be too glad to see you've been talking to strangers at sunset. I imagine most cubs should be back by now."

"Oh gosh, I never realised!"

"And your brother will have even more a reason to favour your other sibling over you."

"How did you know about-?"

"I'm not deaf you know, and I'll give you a tip for the next time you go wandering through the savannah; Don't start talking to yourself."

"Oh…ok. I gotta go…" At this, Kazia got up (The lioness had let go of her tail by then) and slowly turned away from the lioness, who didn't do anything to stop her.

"And remember…it's our little secret…"