The Pridelands are at peace for a moment. Three weeks have passed without any attacks from the pride in the Outlands, which is a relief to all. The lionesses, who, were injured in the battle have made full recoveries including Nala and Kiara. The new Queen, with Kovu's assistance, was completely able to leave the den, go to the waterhole and stroll around the Pridelands all the while being careful.
Walking through the grasses, a lion and lioness walked side by side. The brown colored lion turned to the gold lioness.
"Kiara, do you feel better than yesterday?" he asked.
At the sound of his voice, Kiara faced him. "Yes and it feels good to walk around with you."
Kovu chuckled and they walked along in silence. After a while, Kovu eyed his mate with a playful grin. He stopped, but watched as Kiara went on ahead not knowing he wasn't beside her. Just as he knew, Kiara also stopped and turned, facing him.
"What?" she asked.
The black maned lion only smirked and ran at her. He leapt into the air, pouncing. Kiara landed on her back but looked up at him with a grin. She pushed her hind legs into his stomach. With an urge of strength, she flipped the much stronger lion over head. She rolled to her feet, pouncing him. They rolled until they reached a waterhole.
Nearby, Nikisha, Misti, and Vitani watched. The lionesses called them over. No response. Vitani was going to roar when Nikisha placed a paw on her shoulder.
"Why don't we leave them alone? When they've had their fun, we'll tell them," she said.
Vitani nodded, as did Misti. They rose, walking home.
The two lions stopped rolling. Kovu was on his back with Kiara she playfully bit down on Kovu's neck.
"Help me, help me, I'm going to die soon!" Kovu yelled out in mock trouble.
As rustling was heard a sound was made. It was Pumbaa. "I'm coming to save you Kovu!" The warthog ran both his tusks into a part of Kiara's shoulder blade and a part of her side.
With the surprise impact Kiara stumbled off of her mate, roaring in pain. Kovu immediately rose to check her wounds, which weren't serious except blood dripped.
Timon appeared at his companion's side. "You okay Kovu?" he asked in a frantic voice.
The two lions were deeply angered. This made the second time, either the meerkat or warthog ruined their fun. The first time, Kovu and Kiara had been calm, but the second was too much. They snarled and growled dangerously at the animals. Pumbaa's eyes widened at this and Timon hit him gently. He wanted to say something but knew it would do no good.
Kiara's eyes snapped. She let out a growl like roar. The warthog took off but not fast enough as the brown lion ran, standing over the warthog, with the meerkat, cowering fear at seeing the King's teeth so close to his little body. While Kovu growled, saying in no uncertain terms, don't move, Kiara walked up, staring her former cub sitters in the face. "Don't ever do that again!" she said snarling, "If you do, you will be hunted down exiled! My father is no longer here. I'm afraid he cannot protect you!" She turned to Kovu. "Let them go."
Kovu was hesitant. He slowly rose, still growling. Kovu stood by Kiara and they roared which caused Timon and Pumbaa race off.
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Later that evening, Kovu and Kiara took a walk around the Pridelands with the stars shining brightly. The moon was completely full, immersing everything in a silver bluish glow. They talked about the events of the last few weeks and from a distance, just to be safe, Vitani and Misti followed. Kovu stopped, sniffing the air. He growled. Kiara looked up at him and sniffed as well. The fur along her back rose and evil voices coming from opposite where they stood began to speak.
"And just where do you think you're going?" The voice was feminine.
Kovu and Kiara froze in place as Queen Thema, Kadio, Krooger and two rogue lionesses appeared in front of them.
The Pridelands leaders growled angrily. Kovu was the first to speak. "What are you doing in our lands rogues?"
Thema shook her head in amusement. "Kovu, Kovu, Kovu… if I were you I wouldn't be saying that."
As if on cue and knowing something was wrong Misti and Vitani stood behind Kiara and Kovu. They prepared to attack when the outlander rogues ran past Kovu and Kiara. One lioness pounced on Vitani, biting into her neck. The gray sandy tanned lioness tried to shake the rogue off, but that made her teeth sink in deeper. Blood poured from Vitani's wound and soon she fell unconscious. The other lioness had followed her friend's strategy, pouncing on Misti, pinning her hard and sinking her teeth into Misti's neck with the same aggressiveness. Blood poured from her wound and like Vitani, Misti fell unconscious.
Kiara and Kovu saw their friends be taken down. "Misti!" Kiara yelled
"Vitani!" Kovu yelled, feeling his heart shatter at seeing his last remaining family member on the grass with an opened wound.
Thema chuckled. "Now, you see what happens when they try to attack first?" She laughed and turned to Kiara with an evil glare. "Well Kiara, did you really think I would let you go?" She turned to Kadio and Krooger.
The two lions leapt at Kovu. The King prepared and the lions pinned him to the ground. Krooger stared down at the scarred lion with an evil smile. "You're not going anywhere Kovu!" he spat.
Thema smiled and turned again to Kiara. "It's just you and me now Kiara," she said. "And this shouldn't take long at all," she added in a smirk. She allowed her claws to be shown. "Are you ready to die you pathetic weakling!" she spat.
Kiara snarled. "Don't you mean, 'are you ready to die'? Because you will!" Thema laughed.
Kovu tried to get out from underneath Kadio and Krooger so he could help his mate but was unable. "Kovu, this is a battle between Kiara and Thema only," a voice said in his mind. "Do not interfere. My daughter knows what she's doing." Kovu's eyes widened. He recognized the voice. "Simba," he said softly. Luckily Kadio and Krooger did not hear him.
The two Queens started circling each other waiting for the first blow to be given. Thema leapt at Kiara, but the gold lioness was too quick and Thema went sprawling to the other side of the ground. Kiara turned and jumped onto Thema's back biting down and clawing deeply as hard as she could. Thema roared in pain and wildly shook Kiara off of her.
Kiara was thrown, landing on her back but quickly rose, growling and her hazel eyes snapped. Thema quickly rolled to her own feet and jumped towards Kiara again, this time, slamming her paw at the young lioness's face. Kiara flew, her head hitting a rock but not too hard. Weakly, she got back to her feet when Thema ran, pinning Kiara to the ground and biting her left foreleg. Kiara roared and tried to push Thema off, but the Queen of the Outlands continued to hold onto her foreleg with blood seeping into her mouth.
Thema smiled evilly but Kiara kicked her in the stomach and flipped her over. The older lioness landed hard on the grass. Kiara rolled to her paws. She stood weakly but fell due to her injured foreleg. The flip had caused Thema to stumble, which Kiara used to her advantage. Being careful, she came to the older lioness.
Thema rose, growling angrily. She near pounced on Kiara, when the gold lioness reared to lunge for her neck. She missed and fell onto her stomach, slowly rolling onto her back. Thema smiled again and pounced, pinning Kiara hard and pushing her deep into the grass. Thema smirked, her eyes gleaming with pure evil. She prepared to sink her teeth into Kiara's neck but the gold lioness's right paw slipped out. With claws extended Kiara slammed her paw across Thema's face. The lioness screamed and leapt away, rolling across the ground. Blood dripped down her face and onto the grass, staining it red.
Kiara allowed Thema to get back on all fours, and Kiara jumped on Thema's back and bit into the back of her neck, but Thema threw Kiara off her and jumped at her. Once again her teeth was in Kiara's neck, biting aggressively. Kiara roared in pain but that made Thema bite down all the more, wanting to kill. Kiara felt herself grow weak as blood stained her fur. She tried gasping for air but she gagged and started choking. Satisfied, Thema released her strong grip but threw the near unconscious lioness in front of Kovu who was still pinned.
Kovu's eyes grew wide and horrified seeing Kiara unmoving. Thema walked away, laughing and licking Kiara's blood off her mouth.
Kiara was lying on the ground with shallow breathing. Her eyes were half way closed but her mind was speaking. "I can't let Thema beat me. If she kills me I will let everyone down. Who am I? I am Kiara, Queen of the Pridelands. I will live and destroy Thema!"
Out of the corner of her eye, Kiara saw Thema still laughing. She growled and snarled weakly. With any strength she had left, rage included, Kiara rose to her paws and turned to her adversary. She ran, jumping onto Thema's back, sinking her teeth into her neck, biting hard and holding on. Thema roared loudly and tried shaking the gold lioness off but Kiara still held on. Thema felt herself grow weaker with each passing moment and soon she fell to the ground, unable to move. Blood poured out of her neck, forming small puddles underneath her and the grass. Kiara removed her jaws from Thema's throat and got off her, panting heavily, spitting blood onto the grass.
Kadio, Krooger and the two rogue lionesses looked on in shock. The lions got off Kovu, allowing him to rise to his paws. Krooger looked to the lionesses and jerked his head in the Outlands direction. The lionesses followed and they left.
Kiara also felt herself grow weak. She fell to the ground, barely breathing, and her many wounds hurting.
Kovu ran to his mate, tilting his head and placing an ear to her sides, to see if she was still breathing. She was but barely. He put a paw to her forehead. She was warm. Kovu looked up and roared. As the roar echoed, he licked her cheek, nudging her carefully.
"Kiara, please wake up. Don't leave me now. What would I do without you? Please, Kiara answer me!" His voice was pleading. When no response was made, tears formed in his bright green eyes. He put his face near her soft neck and laid down, crying softly.
A few moments later pride members arrived gasping at the sight before their eyes. Vitani and Misti were still unconscious, Thema, the Outlands Queen was dead and Kovu was lying near Kiara who was unmoving.
Tears formed in Nala's eyes at the sight of her daughter. Blood stained her beautiful golden fur, mainly around her neck, back and her left foreleg. Regaining her composure, she turned to two lionesses, who, were standing next to her.
"Take Vitani and Misti to Pride Rock now," she ordered calmly. The lionesses nodded, doing as told. Next, Nala turned to Nikisha, "Nikisha, I need you to help me with Kiara." Nikisha nodded and they padded towards the fallen Queen and the weeping King. A lone lioness, knowing her friends and young Queen needed help, silently left to fetch the shaman.
Nala looked at Kiara's neck wound. It was deep. Tears streamed down her face as she licked the blood off her daughter's neck, most of her back and her left foreleg. Though her coat still had stains of dried blood, it was an effort on the former Queen's part. She pulled back with a worried look.
Kovu barely noticed. He slowly turned his head to look on Nala and Nikisha.
Nala smiled weakly. "Nikisha, Kovu, let's get Kiara back to the den."
Kovu nodded weakly and rose to his feet. Nikisha gently picked Kiara by the nape of the neck as Kovu slid himself underneath. Nala saw that they were settled and they headed for Pride Rock.
When they arrived, going into the den, Rafiki was already there and waiting for them. Vitani and Misti were put in the back of the cave for privacy and room. Kovu went and placed Kiara there as well. The King stood back and waited until the mandrill was finished taking care of the injured lionesses.
After awhile, Rafiki walked to Kovu and Nala, who stood outside the den with worried looks. He sighed, looking up at them with hopeful and yet sorrowful expression. "Vitani and Misti will be fine," he started. "Just give them the medicine I have laid beside the cave wall each day and they will make a full recovery." He paused, looking down at the ground. Seeing this Kovu and Nala feared the worst but the mandrill smiled weakly. "As for Kiara… she's lost a lot of blood and is in critical condition. I was able to stop most of the bleeding, but I can't guarantee that the bleeding from her neck will stop. The wounds were pretty deep. I've done all I can. Her back and left foreleg will also be fine but her leg will hurt for a while. For the time being, she needs plenty of rest. Use the medicine and place them on her wounds every morning and every night. I will come and check the wounds tomorrow just to be safe. It should be enough but it will also be about three or four weeks for her to recover completely. I should warn you that Kiara will go in and out of consciousness every now and then…" He stopped for a moment and stared at the lions. "Kovu, either you or Nala should be with her when that happens alright?"
Nala and Kovu nodded sadly
"Thank you Rafiki," Nala said kindly. The mandrill smiled and embraced her. Kovu watched as Rafiki took his leave, going back to the Tree of Life. They went back inside the den. Nala went up to the royal stone and fell asleep. She was glad her friends and daughter would be all right.
Kovu went to the back of the den, lying down beside Kiara. He looked on her with pain in his eyes. He leaned over, gently whispering. "You'll be fine. I swear, I won't allow them to hurt you again. I love you." He gently nuzzled her.
Kiara heard him. Her ear flickered slightly. She stirred but didn't open her eyes. The pain was still there and her head throbbed but she managed to speak. She smiled faintly. "Thank you Kovu, thanks for saving me. I love you too."
Kovu sighed with relief as he heard her voice. He smiled warmly. "You're welcome. Goodnight Kiara."
"Goodnight Kovu," she replied.
The black maned smiled again and put his head down near hers. Tears came streaming down his face. They were tears of relief and joy. His sister and his mate were going to be all right.
Well, what did ya think? Plenty of action and intensity? Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter.
Anyway, expect another Update soon, okay?
But for now, Please R&R!!
-Kovu W.
