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Kovu paced outside the cave anxiously.
What could he do? He wasn't prepared for this. No one taught him how to be a father, how to help his mate during this time.
Shaking his mane, Kovu took a deep breath as he walked into the cave.
There he saw his young mate on a bed of grass he had made for her. The golden lioness grunted, softly.
At least someone knew what to do.
"Kovu?"
Maybe not.
"Y-yeah," Kovu said.
"I'm scared." Kiara said.
Kovu quickly made his way over and grabbed her paw in his. "I'm right here."
"What do I do?"
Kovu thought for a moment. Then he remembered one of the lionesses from his old pride who had given birth to her own cub. But due to malnutrition, its didn't last long, but Kovu remembered the steps the lioness's friend gave her.
"All right, all right, um...keep taking big breaths. In and out. And when you feel another pain, push, all right?"
Kiara nodded.
After a few deep breaths, Kiara pushed.
Kouv closed his eyes as he pressed his head against her. Soon he heard. Soft mews.
He opened his eyes and saw two little hairballs curled up. Kiara repositioned her self and placed them in her paws.
Kovu's eyes widened and his heart swelled with pride.
The oldest, a male, had a golden pelt, similar to his grandfather's.
The second, a female, a dark brown pelt, similar to her father's.
"Their...their beautiful." Kovu whispered.
"What should we name them?" Kiara asked.
The male wriggled his way to his father's paw and mewed making Kovu chuckle. "How about we name this one Ahadi?"
Kiara tilted her head. "After my great grandfather?"
"Yes, the stories you told me about him were amazing."
Kiara smiled. "Okay, and this little one can be Uhuru. It means freedom."
Kovu smiled as he nuzzled his mate.
TLK
"Kovu..."
Kovu opened his eyes, peering into the darkness of the cave. Ahadi was sleeping peacefully in his paws while Uhuru was nuzzled with Kiara.
"Kovu...
Kovu looked up as Scar approached. "Go. Away." He said.
"A fine boy you have." Scar whispered as he circled.
"Yes, and I won't let you get your filthy paws on him." Kovu growled.
Scar smirked. "You don't know what the future holds. He may grow with the same darkness you bore."
"No! I'll teach him!"
Suddenly thunder cracked outside. Ahadi awoke and mewed. Kovu frowned as he began to lick his son, to calm him. Then he turned to Scar, but he was gone.
Kovu glared before closing his eyes once more.
Early the next morning, Kovu left the cave, leaving Kiara and the cubs to sleep.
The dark lion smiled as he took a deep breath.
A small wind rustled the grass as a herd of zebras grazed, peacefully.
Kiara would love some zebra, Kovu thought as he made his way over.
Kiara yawned as she awoke. She was surprised to see that Kovu was gone. "Kovu?" She called. Ahadi and Uhuru awoke and started to mew.
As the cubs ate, Kiara relaxed, awaiting her mate.
Kovu wasn't the type to just up and leave. But maybe fatherhood came a little too quickly.
Kiara admitted that she wasn't planning on being a mother this young. Kovu didn't even have his full mane yet.
But the cubs were here and the two lions were happy. Still, the young lioness couldn't help but worry.
"Kiara?"
Kiara turned and sighed in relief as Kovu walked into the cave.
"I thought you might be hungry." He said, dragging in a zebra. Kiara smiled as she licked her mate.
"Thank you."
While the cubs slept, the adults ate.
"I bet Uhuru is going to beat her brother in every play fight." Kovu said, swallowing a hunk of meat.
"Why, because your sister beat you?" Kiara laughed.
"Oh, har har."
"Hopefully, she'll be a better hunter."
"Hey! You're a great hunter!" Kovu said.
"I had a good teacher." Kiara said.
Kovu frowned as he noticed a tearful look in her eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, it's just... my parents. They would have loved to meet our cubs."
Kovu nodded. "Yeah..." he said, quietly. "I should never have opened my mouth. You would still be with them now."
"I don't regret coming with you, Kovu. I love you. But I love my family too."
"You can go back." Kovu said, softly.
But Kiara shook her head. "No," She said as she nuzzled under his chin. "If you can't go, then I'm not going."
"But-"
"Shhh, you'll wake the cubs." Kiara smirked.
Kovu sighed, knowing there was no use in arguing with the stubborn lioness.
TLK
A few weeks passed and soon the cubs were old enough to walk on their own.
Kovu and Kiara took them to a grassy area and allowed them to play while they watched.
As Kovu thought, Uhuru beat her brother in all the play fights they did. She was strong, no doubt, but Ahadi was cunning and after a few minutes, he was able to pin his sister.
Kovu laughed as he watched his cubs. "That's my boy!" He said, proudly.
Kiara rolled her eyes, amused. Soon the clouds began to gather.
Rainy season was near.
"Come on," Kiara nuzzled her mate. "Let's get the cubs inside."
TLK: A few months later...
"Dad! Dad! Come on! Wake up!"
Kovu groaned as he placed his paw over his eyes. Then he felt a sharp pain to his ear.
"Ahadi-"
"Come on, Dad! You said you were gonna take us hunting!" Ahadi said as he jumped on his father's mane.
"Come on, daddy, please!" Uhuru said, smiling.
"You promised them, Kovu." Kiara said, as she lay against Kovu.
"Okay, okay." Kovu yawned.
Standing, the dark lion stretched as his cubs raced out the cave.
"I thought we agreed that you were going to be the one to teach them to hunt."
When no answer came, Kovu turned to see that his mate had already fallen back alseep.
Kovu sighed as he followed his cubs outside.
"All right," Kovu said, quietly to his cubs. He had found an area with tall grass over looking where a flock of birds had their bug meals. "Relax, feel the earth under your paws so it doesn't shift and make noise."
The cubs followed their father's demonstration carefully.
"Okay, now what?" Ahadi asked, impatiently.
"Shhhh." Kovu shushed. "All right, on my signal, Ahadi, I want you to pounce on that bird at the edge. But don't kill it."
"But, Dad-"
"Don't kill him."
Ahadi sighed. "Fine."
"All right, one, two,"
Ahadi crouched low.
"POUNCE!"
Reow!
Ahadi growled as he pounced onto the unsuspecting bird. The bird squawked, warning his flock to run before he used his foot to push Ahadi away. But Ahadi was cunning and grabbed the foot with his fromt paw and slammed the bird to the ground.
The bird was dizzy, but unharmed.
"Well done, Ahadi!" Kovu said.
The golden cub beamed.
"All right, Uhuru, you ready?"
"Yes!"
"Okay, I have a different hunt for you."
TLK
Kovu led his cubs to a small river where fish could be seen wriggling around.
"Now, Uhuru, for this hunt, you'll need your claws ready to swipe. Like this," Kovu extracted his claws and with one swipe in the water, he caught a fish and threw it on the bank.
"Wow!"
Kovu chuckled. "Your turn."
Uhuru took a deep breath as she peered over the bank. Raising her paw, she swiped it on the water, but she lost her grip and fell into the water.
"Uhuru!" Kovu cried. "Are you all right?!"
Uhuru coughed as she nodded.
Ahadi laughed as he rolled on the grass.
The younger cub glared before looking up at her father. "Can I try again?"
"Of course!"
Uhuru shook herself to free herself of the water before walking back onto the bank. She rose her paw once more amd swatted it into the water, hitting a fish which landed on Ahadi.
"Ahhh! Get it off! Get it off!!! DAD!"
Kovu laughed as he flicked the fish off. "Well caught, Uhuru." He said.
Ahadi pouted as Uhuru puffed out her chest in pride.
"Come on, Ahadi, you try." Kovu said.
TLK
"Mom! Mom! I caught a fish!" Uhuru said as she raced up with her sad and brother behind her.
Kiara smiled as she met her mate and cubs outside. "Really?"
"Pshh, that's nothing! I caught a bird!" Ahadi said.
"You both did excellent, you're going to make very fine hunters." Kovu said.
"What's for meal time?" Uhuru asked.
Kiara smiled. "What sounds good?"
"Zebra!" The cubs said together.
"Sounds good to me." Kovu said. "You want to watch us hunt?"
The cubs nodded.
"All right, let's go! You can watch the master."
Kiara laughed. "Oh, please!"
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