Chapter 11

It was the happiest day of Kiara and Kovu's lives. The animals gathered at Pride Rock as the sun rose meekly across the sky, mere silhouettes moving in droves to welcome the new heir. Rafiki climbed the stone stair leading to the ledge of Pride Rock, staff in hand, and embraced Kovu, smiled at Simba and Nala, and moved past them to Kiara. Kiara looked up to reveal a small, dark bundle of fur: a little male cub, covered in spots and sleeping so heavily that it didn't wake when Rafiki anointed it, but snored loudly and yawned. Kiara's girlish laugh finally awoke the cub. It blinked grumpily and even scowled at the intruding mandrill for waking it from its nap. Rafiki gathered the cub carefully, ruffled Kiara's head affectionately, and turned toward the edge of Pride Rock.

The clouds parted and the sun poured down upon the lifted cub, who had dropped off to sleep immediately and was hanging limply in Rafiki's hands. The animals stomped and bowed and trumpeted, the birds fluttered across the sky to sing the new prince's praises. But Prince Myetu merely slept on, completely indifferent of the world around him.

"Is it natural for a cub to sleep so much?" Kovu asked of Simba with wide eyes.

It was several days after the presentation of Myetu, and Simba and Kovu were sitting in the mouth of the cave, watching in awe as little Myetu continued a twelve-hour marathon of sleeping. Kiara carried the cub with her everywhere she went, even to the waterhole, and it continued to sleep, only waking to eat and go right back to sleep.

Now Kiara and the new prince were both sleeping within the cave. Kovu had brought Kiara a leg from a recent kill. She ate it thankfully, and then dozed off. Myetu never awoke.

Simba shook his head, ". . . I don't know. Kiara barely slept a wink when she was a cub and Kopa – Kopa always awoke before the birds. . . ." Simba's voice trailed off sadly, reflecting on his late son.

Kovu glanced sideways at Simba's sad, heavy eyes. The king was getting old: it was rare for a lion to live to see his grandchildren. Kovu remembered Kiara telling him of her grandmother, Sarabi, a lovely old queen who'd passed away when Kiara was still a cub. Both Simba and Nala had lived lengthy lives, had seen many seasons, but now it seemed old age was catching up with them at last. Nala was heavier and had lines under her eyes, though the blue spheres were as happy and shinning as ever. Simba, meanwhile, had began to move very slowly and grunted often if he moved too fast. Zazu was well, though faded and ruffled with age, and as for Timon and Pumbaa . . . both had taken the next step in the circle of life, which was death. For Simba it had been a heavy blow, burying his foster parents, and Pride Rock seemed miserably silent without Timon's loud remarks and the sound of Pumbaa's lips slurping as he ate bugs.

Kovu shuddered. He couldn't imagine living without Kiara – or dying without her. He gazed into the gloomy cave at Kiara as she slept and despaired to ever think of leaving her.

"Kovu."

Kovu's head turned to Simba again with startled eyes; the older lion was smiling at him.

"Death isn't always loneliness and despair," Simba said gently, "even those who are gone . . ." He closed his eyes with a smile as the wind ruffled their manes, ". . . they stay with us as we go on. You are never alone: I will be in the stars to guide you."

Kovu couldn't convey what Simba's words meant to him in that moment. Simba was saying he'd guide Kovu from the heavens like a father. Kovu had never known the joys of having a father and smiled gratefully at Simba: he truly was a king.

Simba suddenly laughed and Kovu asked in surprise, "What?"

"Nothing," said Simba, rising with a groan, "it's just that . . . you're nothing like my uncle: Taka didn't leave a Scar after all!" He laughed again, moving away down the side of Pride Rock with an old lion's careful steps.

"Taka?" said Kovu, wrinkling his nose in confusion. But he shook his head and followed Simba, grateful and proud to belong to Simba's Pride.

Later that night, Nala rose and slipped from beneath Simba's heavy paw. With heavy and slow steps, she moved quietly to the edge of Pride Rock and sat waiting, her tail lifting and dropping lazily behind her. After a moment of quiet reflection, a little blue bird fluttered suddenly down from the inky sky and hovered before Nala.

"Well?" said Nala eagerly. "How are things with Tojo and Timira, Tama?"

While Simba had Zazu as his majordomo, Nala had Tama, one of the many little blue birds which lived in the Pride Lands. Tama was younger that Zazu, at least Kiara's age in fact, and had been Kiara's friend in cubhood. Unknown to the others, Nala had been using the little blue bird to keep an eye on Tojo and Timira should her friends need her help.

"Timira had her cub!" twittered the little bird in much excitement.

"And?"

Tama giggled, "It's a girl! A little girl named Mya!"

"How wonderful for them both!" said Nala happily. "A little girl! I hope Sanhira doesn't influence her too much . . . I always thought she was a bit headstrong."

"Sanhira's been trying to behave, your highness, which for her isn't saying much."

"Anything else?"

"Report complete, your highness!"

"Thank you again, Tama, and goodnight."

"Goodnight!"

Tama fluttered wildly into the darkness.

"Nala? What are you doing out here?"

Nala turned to see Simba moving toward her from the cave. He gave a great yawn and sat heavily at her side.

"You know, I can never sleep when you're gone?" said the king after a pause.

"I know," Nala answered, nuzzling her husband.

They sat side by side in happy silence, but a scent on the wind filled both their hearts with despair. It was the dry, crackling scent of barren earth – a scent which usually only drifted in the Outlands.

"Oh, no," Nala whispered, "it's happening again."

"The second drought." Simba took a deep breath and his chest swelled as if he was preparing himself for whatever was to come. "Whatever happens, Nala, we'll face it together."

"Together," agreed Nala, smiling at Simba. She licked his cheek playfully and they rubbed ears. "We are one," Nala teased, to which Simba summoned strength to his old limbs and he chased Nala down from Pride Rock across the grasslands, where they pounced upon each other and lie beneath the stars: content, carefree, in love.