Hello everyone. Yes, I'm alive.

Though... I honestly want to appologize to everyone. I know I blacked out for several months unannounced. Things have just been... hectic. Real life problems, my health, my career, not getting contacted by my friend working on the story with me. Things have been rough.

Even still that's no real excuse for all you fans of this work. I want to do right by you all and I want to make it up to you all somehow. I'm going to try and open up some connectivity on the amino app in the lion king section. First lion king one that pops up, just look for Rogue Lion and my pfp should match the one on this site.

Though on the bright side, chapter 12 is out! Hope you all enjoy!

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"Look at the Stars, Remember the Sky"

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The walk back from the Graveyard was a quiet one. Mufasa was at the front of the group with the lionesses, including Sarabi and Kiara, trailing behind. Behind them were Simba, Nala, and Zazu, and Timon and Pumbaa were at the far back. Besides being slower than the adults, the cubs didn't really want to face them, knowing that they were all probably still upset about earlier. The babysitters meanwhile were keeping a close eye on the two trouble makers, making sure neither of them would run away again, though they highly doubted it after what everyone had just been through.

Despite this, no one was as on edge as Kiara. What Sarabi told her back at the Graveyard replayed over and over in her head. What would Sarabi do? What would she tell the queen? None of this happened like Kiara thought it would. As her mind drifted back to the Graveyard, she couldn't help but notice something. They hyenas… the ones who tried to kill Simba and Nala… they knew she was going to be there. They had expected her to come. The only question she couldn't answer was, how?

"Zazu!"

Everyone halted in their tracks as Mufasa's voice could be heard. Zazu flew past the lionesses and landed in front of the Lion King, having a very submissive posture as he looked up at the lion before asking: "Yes, sire?"

"Escort everyone home," Mufasa said with a serious tone in his voice as his eyes glanced towards the back of the group, "I've got to teach my son a lesson."

Upon hearing this and seeing his father look in his direction, Simba laid his ears back and sunk into the long grass. He was nervous, no, terrified of his father when he was angry. He would… well… the cub honestly didn't know what his father would do, but he hated it when he was mad at him.

"Alright everyone," Sarabi suddenly called out to the group, "Let's head back." Immediately Sarafina, Akina, and the other lionesses began to follow after the major domo. Kiara lagged behind though and thanked Timon and Pumbaa for their help.

"Thank you both so much." She told them with a smile, "I owe you both big time for your help."

"Hey," Timon pointed up at her with a cheeky grin, "We'll hold you to that sister." This caused Kiara to chuckle and hugged them both. The two friends were a bit taken back by the hug but quickly returned the embrace. They had to admit… this golden girl was starting to grow on them, Simba to. They had really found a loving family here in the Pride Lands. Pulling away, Pumbaa began to walk off into the distance with Timon riding on top of him.

"So long Kiara!" Pumbaa called back.

"So long… Mr. Pig." Kiara chuckled back. The sounds of warthog grunts began to slowly fade into the distance as the duo walked into the long grass. Kiara watched as her good friends walked off and it wasn't until her name was called that she snapped out of her thoughts.

"Hey Kiara! Hurry up!" Akina called out to her, "It's getting late and I don't know about you but I need some shut eye after all of this excitement."

"Coming!" Kiara called back. Walking towards the group with the last rays of light shining just barely over the horizons, Kiara looked back once more at Simba. He… her father… looked so sad. Looking back at the golden cub and the king, she saw someone else. She saw her… and her father… back when she was little and would get in trouble. She wanted to go to him, to comfort him, to tell him it was going to be alright. But she had to catch up with the others, and it wasn't her place. Looking back one more time, Kiara sighed and walked off with the other lionesses.

In the long grass, Simba watched as Kiara walked off. He saw how bruised and battered she was. He didn't mean to get her hurt… he didn't mean for Zazu to get his tailfeathers burned… he didn't mean for Nala to get in trouble. Actually, he knew they could get in trouble, but never did the cub imagine getting caught. Part of him was really worried about-

"Simba!"

The young prince winced as he heard his father's voice break the silence and echo in the savannah. Looking over his shoulder with his ears laid back against his head, Simba saw Mufasa who had his back turned to him. Slowly, nervously, Simba began to approach his father, knowing and fretting over what was to come.

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Kiara, Zazu, and the lionesses were approaching Pride Rock, slowly and quietly. Suddenly Sarabi turned to the group, having a serious look on her face.

"Everyone head back," she told them, "I would wish to speak with Kiara alone." Kiara looked up at the queen with surprise while her friends looked back at her with mischief on their faces.

"Oooooh…" Akina nudged Kiara with a playful grin, "looks like someone is getting the royal treatment. Probably will thank you for saving the little trouble maker eh?" Kiara looked at Akina and forced a smile. She had a feeling she knew what Sarabi was going to say to her, but a congratulations wasn't one of them.

"Uh… yeah." She laughed nervously as she rubbed the back of her head with her paw, "I'm sure that's what it's about. Heheh…" Akina saw Kiara's expression and how she fidgeted, the brown lioness figured she was just being modest.

"Hey come on Kiara, lighten up." Akina told her with a firm nod, "Just know that whatever the queen has to say to you, you've earned it." Having said that, she walked off to join the rest of the pride, feeling accomplished for giving Kiara some encouraging words. However… that did anything but encourage Kiara. Looking back at the queen who was now sitting in the long grass and staring at her intently, Kiara could tell that there looked to be no way out of talking with Sarabi about the Graveyard.

"Kiara," Sarabi told her gently but it held a rather authoritative tone to it, "Would you please come here?" Kiara put on a straight face as she approached the queen and stood in front of her. Though the young lioness looked nervous, the queen looked as cool as a crocodile with a rather confident smile. She sat in front of Kiara and asked her: "You're not hurt from earlier, are you?"

"Oh um…" she hesitated, caught off guard by the question, "No, your majesty. I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes." Kiara nodded with a small smile.

"Good."

Suddenly Sarabi cuffed Kiara on the side of the head with her paw.

"Owe! Jeeze!" Kiara responded in shock. It didn't hurt but it sure didn't feel good. Before she could respond properly, Sarabi's smile turned into a deep frown.

"What in the name of the Great Kings were you doing back there?" she exclaimed like a disappointed mother, "Going after my son on your own? What were you thinking?"

"B-But Sarabi," Kiara tried to defend herself, "I had my friends with me. If it wasn't for them-"

"And we are all grateful for their help," Sarabi cut her off as she narrowed her eyes at the young lioness, "But your first priority shouldn't have been to handle that situation on your own without us!"

"Well what would you have expected me to do? Let them all get eaten?"

"Don't ask a stupid question if you already know the answer to it." Sarabi replied sternly to the young adult, "You should have told me, or the king when you had found out, but you didn't! If it wasn't for Zazu then Mufasa wouldn't have been there in time to stop those mutts who were going to eat my son. My son, Kiara!"

Sarabi took a few breaths after she said that. Kiara could tell by the desperate tone of voice that the queen was indeed racked with worry… and something else. Kiara couldn't quite put a claw on it, but the queen of the Pride Lands seemed upset about more than not being told about her son's whereabouts. In the stillness of the evening sky, and the sun setting in the background, Sarabi turned around and looked Kiara in the eyes with a saddened expression on her face.

"I'm disappointed in you Kiara."

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"Simba I'm very disappointed in you."

Meanwhile in another part of the Pride Lands, Mufasa was scolding his son on his actions today. The young prince didn't try to argue. He knew he was in the wrong. Looking down at the ground with his ears laid back he sighed in defeat: "I know…"

"You could have been killed! You deliberately disobeyed me!" Mufasa continued, "And what's worse, you put Nala and Kiara in danger." The Lion King's tone went from frustration to that of hurt and disappointment. He knew Simba was better than this. He just couldn't fathom why his son would decide to do something so reckless. Sure, he had been mischievous growing up, but he always respected his father's wishes. Why would he do something so stupid?

"I…" Simba whimpered, trying to hold the tears back as he felt so guilty about everything, "I was just trying to be brave like you." This answer earned a soft expression from Mufasa. He could hear the remorsefulness in Simba's voice but there was still much that needed to be addressed.

"I'm only brave when I have to be." Mufasa instructed softly as the young prince looked up at his father, "Simba… being brave… doesn't mean you go looking for trouble."

"But you're not scared of anything." The young prince replied as he began to wipe the tears from his eyes and compose himself better. Upon this answer, Mufasa looked at the ground. If only his son knew just how terrified he was. He hadn't felt fear like this in a long time… for something very similar.

"I was today," He replied to his son gently as he suppressed the memories to the back of his mind.

"You were?" Simba blinked in surprise.

"Yes…" Mufasa nodded as he bent down to get eye level with the golden cub, "I thought I might lose you."

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"I thought I was going to lose him Kiara…" Sarabi told the lioness. Behind them, the rays of the sun began to disappear over the African horizon as they spoke. Kiara just remained silent as the elder lioness spoke. She didn't know what to say or how to respond to the queen. She was only doing what she thought was right. Wasn't that good enough? Sighing, Kiara hung her head in remorse as she felt she was talking to a stone mountain with no way around the subject.

"Kiara…" Sarabi said, now much more composed, as she laid down in the tall grass, "Do you know what it means to be part of a pride?"

"Huh?" That question came out of nowhere for Kiara, "Um… to live together? Hunt together? Be stronger together?"

"And what does that look like?" the queen asked as if they were having a mature conversation.

"…" Kiara remained quiet, not really knowing how to respond to that. She thought that the answers she gave were good ones but… was there something she forgot? Suddenly Sarabi motioned for Kiara with her paw.

"Come. Sit." Sarabi gestured suddenly. Kiara slowly approached her before laying next to the queen. By now the African sun had set and the black night sky covered the Pride Lands in darkness. There was hardly anything visible… save for the sky.

"Kiara," Sarabi instructed, getting the golden lioness' attention, "Look at the stars."

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"The Great Kings of the Past, look down on us from those stars." Mufasa told his son as he laid in the long grass.

"Really?" Simba asked as he sat on top his father's head and looked to the sky where there was a constellation of a lion roaring.

"Yes," Mufasa nodded, "So remember whenever you feel alone, those kings will always be there to guide you…"

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"And so will I…" Kiara mumbled under her breath as she recalled her own father telling her this tale when she was but a young cub. She listened intently to the queen, despite feeling as though these were subjects, she already knew about.

"The kings guide are steps and are there to watch over us," Sarabi said but then looked back at Kiara, "But where would they be without the sky?"

"The… sky?" Kiara blinked in surprise, "What does that have to do with the stars?"

"Because my dear, that's where we go." Sarabi explained to her, earning Kiara's full attention, "The Kings of old become stars, shining example of great leaders who watch over our kingdom, but their queens and subjects go up and make up the sky. For in life they were what made him king and allowed him to rule, and at the end of their circle it is they who hold our kings high in the sky, shining for the world to see."

Kiara listened to every word Sarabi told her, finding it odd that she had never been taught that by Simba. Was it an oversight? Of course… events had kept him from completing his training as a king back in her time. Was this one of those teachings lost to him? Never the less, Kiara still had questions of her own.

"But doesn't that seem… unfair?" she asked. This question caused Sarabi to look at her oddly.

"How?"

"What of the queens who help their king? They were leaders as well. Don't they deserve to be stars?" Kiara pressed.

"Oh Kiara," Sarabi sighed with a gentle smile she would give to a curious child, "Our duty isn't to bring glory to ourselves. Our king is the head so that is what is seen, our job is that of the eyes, ears, and feet. Though not as recognized they are still extremely important, if not more so, in the running of our kingdom. That is what you need to learn here today, Kiara. This is what it means to be in a pride. We are not just hunters for a king, or queens who are never noticed. We are the backbone to our kingdom. We are one."

Kiara could only look at her in shock and amazement. Never had she looked at it that way before. She saw now what the queen was trying to explain. By acting alone, she threatened her pride. They should have all been notified of where Simba was so that they could all act together. In not doing this she risked the life of Simba… of Sarabi's son… of their kingdom's future.

"Sarabi… I…" Kiara tried to apologize but suddenly found a paw against her muzzle to shush her and Sarabi smiling at her.

"I understand your intentions, Kiara." The queen said softly, "And I'm grateful for you and your friends charging in for my son's rescue. Just take this lesson in for next time. That is all I ask."

As Kiara looked at her grandmother, she could faintly see the stars in the background, glistening just right around the lionesses' head to form a shining crown. This caused her to smile, having a lesson to remember and confidence to the times ahead. Though… now that was something new weighing on her mind after what she had been told.

"Um… Sarabi?" She began. She wanted to tell her about her past, how she got here… who she was. But things in the graveyard had not happened like she thought they would. Simba was still almost killed, and the hyenas appeared to have prepared for her. If she was to say something now… would it keep her from knowing what was to come next? Alter the future in a way that was unavoidable?

"Yes, Kiara?" Sarabi asked. Kiara was silent for a moment, contemplating this. She thought on these matters and knew she would have to come clean one day, but for now she would work on what her grandmother had told her.

"Thank you…" she said graciously, "For everything."

Having said that, both lionesses relaxed together and watched the stars. Sarabi had a friend whom she didn't know was her future offspring, Mufasa had a son and a fate he was unaware of, Simba had a destiny and new friends to help him reach it, and Kiara… she now had a new future to craft and a pride to help her do it.

End of Chapter 12


So that's chapter 12. My drive for writing these stories isn't gone folks. It's really strong. Things have just been extremely difficult lately. I'm sorry for not communicating clearly and I want to do better but I could use some input and help. Hopefully opening up some chats and connecting with others through Amino will help. Remember, First lion king site that pops up, and look for the name Rogue Lion. With that beings said guys, this is Rogue Lion signing off.

P.S. Please review. I want feedback and your thoughts. They help encourage me in these times.

(Salutes audience)