Chapter 8

Simba's point of view

The nightmare began as it always did, I stood in the middle of the elephant graveyard yet again and from the darkness a figure emerged in the distance but this time it wasn't Scar, the light fur and the slender athletic body was a dead giveaway "Nala?" I call and I see that she's holding a newborn cub and that she's crying when she glances at me she then starts running away from me, I follow after her but she keeps going until she reaches a cliff jumping inside it as the green mist began forming around me but I can still hear Nala and the cub crying "Nala!" I called one last time before; I woke up and desperately looked around for my six months old daughter "Kiara?" I called and began to panic when I didn't saw her lying next to me "Kiara?" I called again as I stood up from my spot
"roar!" I gasped as I felt her pouncing on my back roaring as best as she could
"I sure scared you, daddy!" she giggled
"You sure did!" I said smiling down at her

"Daddy?" she then asks turning her head to the side

"Yes princess?" I nuzzle her

"Who's Nala?" she asks and my eyes widen, I was shocked to hear that name coming out of her mouth I've never told Kiara about her mother and I asked everyone else to keep quiet until I figure out a way to tell Kiara about her, but maybe someone accidentally mentioned her

"Where did you hear that name?" I raise an eyebrow at her

"From you" she answered simply "you were calling it just now"

"Oh…was I?" I ask trying to play it cool as I lick the top of her head

"yes daddy and it's not the first time you do" she raised her eyebrows at me "sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and you're mumbling that name, so… who is it?" she inquired and I sighed sadly looking away from her, despite how much I try to fight it I can't let go of Nala, she haunts my subconscious mind by constantly appearing in my dreams.

My daughter nuzzles my paw and looks up at me with a concerned look on her face and sigh before I begin "well princess…"
"Your majesty, are you in there?" Zazu called from the outside and while for once I was glad for his interruption she was annoyed

"Yes Zazu" I answer and the hornbill flies in landing in front of me

"Good morning sire!" he bows and turns to Kiara with a cheerful smile "and good morning princess"

"Hi Zazu" she greets him and began pouncing around the den

"Do you have the morning report?" I ask keeping an eye on Kiara in case she fell

"Yes sire but a new herd of giraffes requested to meet with you right away" he said moving away from her as Kiara swats at him with her tiny paw

"Princess, can you please go find your grandmother?" I tell her nudging her softly with my nose

"She already left with the hunting party. You told her you would watch me today, remember?" she tells me refusing to move and giving me a determined look "and you still have to answer my question..."

"Zazu… tell them that I can't meet with them at the moment" I tell him rubbing my face with my paw as my daughter smiles, everyone was out hunting and they wouldn't be back for a couple of hours.

"But sire its urgent" he insists "they've travel a long distance and we cannot risk them leaving and as you know they are a very important part of the circle of life and-"

"Yes Zazu, I know" I sigh "but I can't leave Kiara alone"

"We could… bring the princess along" He suggests and I glare at him

"Yeah!" Kiara cheered "can I go daddy? Please?" she said giving me her best smile

"Alright…" I sighed and picked her up following Zazu out the den

"Daddy I can walk there I'm not a baby anymore!" she squirmed and protested all the way to the acacia grove

"wait for me right here" I tell her setting her down on the ground "I don't want you running off like you did last time"

"I won't if you answer my question" she grinned

"Not now Kiara" I tell my daughter with a serious tone and pouts looking away "Zazu keep an eye on her while I talk to the giraffes"

"But sire-" he protests before up Kiara suddenly perks up and turns to him with an evil look on her angelic face

"I won't take long" I roll my eyes as he struggles to get away from her, k would Kiara actually behave this time? Probably not since she's just like me when I was her age and should I trust Zazu with hyperactive rambunctious daughter? Probably not since he couldn't keep up with me when I was a cub but right now I don't have a choice.

Kiara's point of view

I played with Zazu for a little while but I soon became bored and he flew up to a tree to talk to some other birds, he was so immersed on the conversation he didn't noticed me chasing after a pretty blue butterfly, I came close to catching it many times but it always managed to escape oh but I'll show this butterfly what a mighty hunter I am. I watched it landing on a small boulder and stayed low to the ground as I approached it careful not to make a sound and when I was close enough I pounced but I missed the rock and instead I went crashing into someone "hey! Watch it kid" an annoyed voice said to me as I rubbed my head

"Sorry…" I said looking up to see a lioness I've never seen before, she had light tawny fur and dark brown eyes and she was quite beautiful eyes but she didn't seem very friendly.

"What are you looking at?" She scowled

"Who are you?" I asked turning my head to the side

"That's none of your business" she scoffed walking away

"It actually is, you're obviously not from around here and you can't just walk into the Pridelands without permission-" I got up and followed her and she groaned

"I know that" she rolled her eyes before turning around and picking up her pace "now will you please stop pestering me?"

"I will if you tell me your name and what you're doing here…" I offered and she scoffed

"Just leave me alone you annoying little brat!" she sneered lowly getting in my face

I narrowed my eyes at her and took in a deep breath before yelling as loud as I could "Daddy!" I smirked at her and she gave me a confused look before my daddy's loud roar could be heard, he ran towards us and halted staring at the lionesses back for a moment with wide eyes before she turned away from me to look at my father, he shook his head and quickly jumped in front of me baring his teeth at her and growling loudly.

"Are you okay princess?" he asked and I nodded my head keeping my eyes on the frightened lioness "get away from her" she told her sternly

"t-this is all just a misunderstanding, I-I mean no harm to the princess…" the lioness took a step back before nervously smiling at him

"Who are you and how dare you walk in to my kingdom uninvited?" my daddy asked her

"My name is Bandia your majesty" she bowed her head "I have traveled for a long time looking for a new home and I humbly request to join your pride, I have nowhere else to go…" dad looked down at me and I wrinkled my nose shaking my head at him "please your majesty, I'm an excellent huntress and I promise to be your most faithful subject…" she continued getting closer to him and batting her lashes at him, he raised an eyebrow and moved away from her clearing his throat

"You're on trial" he said before picking me up

"Thank you so much your majesty" the lioness smiled and I rolled my eyes, a few seconds ago she was the rudest and grumpiest lioness I've ever met, why was she so nice all of a sudden?