"Smoke ahead," Anga warned the group from the sky. Ono and Zazu sat perched in Simba's mane as the frigid air was getting to them.
"That's odd," Simba remarked. "I've never heard of fire at this elevation." They had put great distance between themselves and Shujaa, and were halfway down the mountain, but Shujaa had driven them down the wrong side of the mountain, and they were traveling in an area that Simba wasn't familiar with.
"Most odd," Zazu remarked.
"Gah!" Simba cringed with a shiver. "Zazu, your toes are like ice, please stop fidgeting!"
"Terribly sorry!"
"You two are like an old married couple," Surani snorted as she continued walking. With a flick of his paw, Simba kicked a small puff of powdery snow across her shoulder. "Hey!"
"Oops," he didn't show a speck of remorse.
"After what happened today, you're really going to kick snow at me like everything's fine?"
"Sorry, I wasn't aware you needed a bereavement period."
"Don't get sassy, is this your way of dealing with it? By being irritating?"
"I promise I will not attempt to lighten the mood again," he rolled his eyes.
"That was just you being a cub, you weren't-"
"I hate to interrupt this adorable bickering," Anga swooped over their heads, "but we've got company, it's the walking snakes."
"What?" Simba stopped short.
"They're crawling up the rocks like spiders," she circled around Simba's head. "We need to go a different way."
"How far away?"
"A couple hundred-"
A loud shot rang out, and the bark of a tree beside Surani's head seemingly exploded as something struck it.
"Allaenat, hdha bisawt eal!" Surani nearly screamed as Simba lunged forward and pulled her back.
"Simba, now is the time!" Zazu called as he and Ono hastily joined Anga in the sky. "Use the Roar of the Elders!"
"Not yet!" Simba shouted back, trying to see where the blow had come from, trying to get a glimpse of the approaching enemies.
"Red, please use it," Surani begged quietly.
"Anga!" Simba called out. "How many are there?"
"Four that I could see sir, but I really think-"
Another shot rang out, but didn't seem to hit anything. They all cringed at the loud sound.
"Red," Surani whimpered.
"Shh!" He stepped forward, exposing himself. "I need to get a better look."
"No!"
He ignored her, bounding forward to the edge of the path, peering down the slope towards where the shots had originated. Far below him, he saw a strange, long-limbed creature standing on two legs, holding a dark staff of some sort, but was holding it and not leaning on it as Rafiki did. "Anga, I only see one of them, where are the others?"
"Simba, with all due respect, get out of the way!" Ono shouted. "You'll get hit!"
"Behind the first one!" Anga shouted. "What's your plan?"
"I don't have one!"
"What?" Surani was horrified. "Just roar at them!"
"Not until I know I won't hit anyone else!"
"It's clear, it's clear!" Anga called.
"Simba," Zazu cautioned, "this is not the time for delay!"
"Surani," he whipped his head around. "On my signal, back me up!"
"No! You can't-"
"Fine, stay here!" He turned and leaped over the edge of the slope, breaking into a run towards the creatures, snow spraying under his stride.
"Go after him!" Anga shouted at Surani.
"But-"
"Now!" Ono shouted angrily.
"I curse the day I met him!" She snarled and ran after Simba, stumbling down the snowy slope in the tracks he'd left. Below her, she saw that he'd already reached them with a snarl, the mane at the back of his neck raised in anger. The creatures clumsily backed away from the cat, two struggling with their strange staffs.
"Don't let them point the staffs at you!" Ono warned them.
"Got it!" Simba growled at the first creature, who fumbled with its staff. With a avian scream, Anga dove at its face, causing the creature to shout. He dropped the staff. Seeing an opportunity, Simba leaped closer and struck the creature with a swipe of his paw. The creature tumbled backwards, striking its head on a rock. The three remaining creatures seemed stunned, as if they hadn't been expecting to be attacked. Out of the corner of his eye, Simba noticed a small fire enclosed in a circle of stones. It had been made intentionally. Could these strange creatures control fire as well as magic? He felt surer that whatever they were, they needed to be eliminated. The first creature scrambled to right itself, red streaming from its face. Two of them froze as Simba advanced, his teeth bared. Behind him, Surani approached.
"I'll keep him where he is," she referred to the one Simba had debilitated.
"Kill it," he hissed dismissively. "I've got these three." Surani lunged and did as she was asked, her jaws enclosing on the animal's neck. Distressed by the sight of seeing one of their own slain by the big cat, the walking snakes became angered, one standing and aiming his staff at Surani.
"Staff, staff!" Ono squawked. Simba leaped, but as he landed on the animal, a loud explosion rang in their ears. Though his ears rang, he recognized Zazu's shout of distress.
"Zazu!" Simba shouted, his eyes darting to the sky. He didn't see the blue bird. "Zazu!" He stepped back as the creature tried to strike him, but didn't give it a chance before he opened his jaws and unleashed a roar of fury. Above them, the sky became electric, a tangible static gathering as the forms of the Great Kings roared above them. In a split second, the full force of the Roar struck, blasting everything before him away like a great breath. The walking snakes, small trees, rocks and snow were all swept back in a flurry of white, exposing the dark rocky build of the mountain as it shook and rumbled. It was like a flash flood, but thicker and more tenacious, stripping the mountainside as it flowed.
"Simba!" Surani gasped as she lost her footing on the vibrating snow, and snow began to pour from the overhangs above them. "Make it stop!"
"I can't, I'm not doing this!" He tried to shout above the din. She screamed as packed snow and rocks began to fall in sheaths. Simba roughly grabbed her head and thrust it under his chest, shielding her as best he could.
Then, with a loud clatter as a few stray stones rolled and bounced to a stop below them, the lands grew quiet.
"Zazu!" Simba called out anxiously while Surani still huddled under him. "Anga, Ono, Zazu!"
"We're fine!" Anga called out from one of the overhangs.
"It was a bit of a close call, but I'm alright," Zazu assured Simba, his blue head appearing beside Anga and Ono. "Just a little too close for comfort, that was!"
"It got his tail feathers, most of them are broken or gone," Anga deadpanned. "He can't fly."
"Zazu, are you sure you're okay?" Simba pressed as Surani tentatively stepped from under him and looked curiously at the now-barren slopes below them. "You can't fly?"
"I'll have to give it a proper try," Zazu sighed, "but my tail feathers appear to be damaged beyond repair, I might as well pluck them and wait for them to regrow. I don't know how well I'll be able to fly without them, I'm afraid."
"I'm so sorry, can you get down here to me?" Simba fretted.
"Um, Simba?" Surani asked from behind him.
"Just a minute," he dismissed, watching anxiously as Zazu carefully spread his wings and clumsily flew down to where Simba was, landing in his mane, falling forward into Simba's fur. "Oh, and you're bleeding," he cringed. "Zazu…"
"Quit your doting, I'll be fine!" Zazu shook his head. "Better a nick on me than a direct shot at you! What were you thinking?"
"I wasn't, I get it," Simba sighed. "Ono, Anga, are you two alright?"
"I'm fine," Anga shrugged.
"Same here," Ono answered.
"Simba," Surani firmly called. "You need to look at this."
Simba turned, and his eyes widened.
"Whoa," Ono breathed as he flew closer to the view before them. As Simba stepped beside her, he clearly saw what she was looking out.
The mountain range had split down the middle, and plumes of steam were rising from the center, as if they'd exposed something hot deep within the mountain's core. But strangest of all, something deep between the two towering peaks, something buried deep in the exposed base, was glowing. The gentle blue glow cast upward shadows across the split rocks. There was something serene and ancient about the light.
"What is that?" She whispered.
"I have no idea," Simba admitted. "Zazu?"
"I haven't the foggiest."
"Did..I do that?" The lion breathed.
"Yeah, I think you did," Anga perched at the edge of the rocks. "You split the mountains in half with the Roar and exposed whatever that is."
"Do we...go down there?" Ono asked.
"Yeah," Simba set his jaw. "Come on, everyone. Let's go check it out."
"Oh, that phrase does not invite pleasant memories," Zazu sighed as Simba began to pick his way down the mountain.
"I just got my freedom!" Kasi argued. "Now I'm pressed back into service? I don't think so!"
"How was that freedom working for you, huh?" Vitani shouted back. "You look even worse than you did before!"
"Bite your tongue, Vitani!" Shabaha warned.
"Make me!"
As Kasi, Shabaha, Imara, Tazama and Vitani argued, Makini, Rafiki, Nala, Kiara and the boys looked on helplessly.
"Should we like...break this up?" Tojo asked.
"Nah," Kovu scratched the back of his neck. "Not unless you see blood, it's better to let them duke it out."
"Not exactly how we do things here," Nala murmured.
"Also not exactly the group I'd entrust your safety with," Kion added, looking at his sister.
"Hey now," Kovu glared. "They may not look the part, but they're fierce and they will rip apart anyone who threatens one of their own, don't knock them just because they aren't up to your standards!"
"Oh yeah? Remind me what happened when they tried to take my dad down!" Kion shot back.
"Kion!" Kiara snapped. "Kovu! Enough, both of you! Kion, for your information they were excellent huntresses and the hunting parties haven't been the same without them, I'd be honored to work with them. And Kovu, my father said that they were uncoordinated and lacked real training, they have plenty of work ahead of them, just like the rest of us. Every lion here is going through a role change, and we're all tired and a little unsure. We are not going to pit ourselves against each other. Now apologize to each other."
"I spoke out of turn, I'm sorry," Kovu huffed.
"I took a cheap shot," Kion's apology seemed more genuine. "I'm sorry."
"Wait," Vitani stopped mid-sentence, her ears perking towards the horizon. "Does anyone else feel that?" The other lionesses also paused their animosity, but seemed confused.
"Feel what?" Kovu asked.
"I feel it too," Kion followed her gaze to the Thelugi mountains. With a loud 'crack' that echoed across the lands, the two largest mountains split apart. From their vantage point, it was a small change, each only moving a hair to the left or right, but they knew that Makini's vision had come true. Simba had revealed the fountain.
"Does Simba know what he just did?" Malka asked, shocked at the spectacle.
"Every animal for miles will have heard that," Nala stood. "Even if he didn't mean to split the mountain, he certainly knows it happened."
"Vitani," Kion glanced back at her, "how did you sense that before it happened?"
"I just felt in my gut that he was using the Roar," she shrugged. "Couldn't everyone else?"
"No, I think only you and I felt that," he glanced at Kiara.
"So?" Vitani wrinkled her nose.
"So," Kiara smiled, "I think that means you're the leader of the Lion Guard."
Everyone looked at Vitani with mixed emotions.
"Oh, hell no," Kasi made a face.
By the time they'd reached the source of the glowing at the base of the mountain, a sizable crowd of animals had gathered. Simba was immediately recognized.
"King Simba, what is this?"
"Your highness, our king is nowhere to be found and a rogue gorilla is claiming to be our king, what do we do?"
"Did you do this?"
"Where is your Lion Guard?"
"Was anyone hurt?" Simba asked loudly above the crowd. The answer seemed to be that nobody was aware of any injuries as they murmured and shrugged amongst themselves.
"King Simba," an ibex implored, "what does all this mean?"
"I'm not the king anymore," Simba answered in a voice that still conveyed authority. "My daughter has taken over for me, I'm here on her behalf. And I don't know. I used the Roar of the Elders on the walking snakes, but it opened up the mountains. I didn't mean to hurt your homeland, and I am truly sorry."
"Are the walking snakes here?"
"What do we do?"
"Who will stop Shujaa?"
"Where is our true king?"
Simba looked from face to face as the crowd began to gather around him, begging and demanding. In the Pride Lands, the animals had always carried a sense of personal space, a touch of fear. Here, they pressed close, tapping and brushing against him, their eyes boring into him.
There was only one animal who was not stepping towards him. He looked away from the crows and saw Surani stepping towards the source of light. Against the stone was a waterfall, but there was something that struck Simba as odd about it. The water was calm, flowing slowly, smoothly, and there was no spray. Or sound, he realized. It was quiet. Surani stepped a paw into the water.
"Surani!" He warned. "Wait!" She didn't stop, treading into the water without even a pause, the water now up to her elbows. "Rani, what are you doing?"
She waded through the water, which was neither warm not cool. It didn't even feel wet, flowing around her like silken grass. She felt drawn towards the wall of cascading water, as if it were calling to her. The cacophany of the crowd behind her faded, as if it were sinking in the distance. She heard Simba call her name, but it was so far away. The closer she drew to the flowing water, she more sure she thought she heard a voice from the other side.
"Mom." It was almost a whisper, but she knew the voice.
"Aisha? Aisha, is that you?"
"Mom, I'm here."
Surani put her paw out to touch the water, expecting the weight of the falling water to press it down. Instead the water felt gentle, and smooth. Light. She took a deep breath, and stepped through.
The world on the other side of the waterfall was not the one she had left. And it was immediately clear to her that she had left, for nothing around her felt real. The space was dim, dry, and lacking in boundaries, but it wasn't infinite. She felt suspended and grounded at the same time. Behind her, the waterfall flowed.
"Aisha?" She anxiously called out. "Honey, where are you?"
"I'm here," a set of familar amber eyes opened, as her daughter came forward.
"I was so worried about you," Surani stepped forward happily, "I thought you never wanted to see me-" She froze as her body met Aisha's. Instead of soft and warm, her body was like cold mist. Neither tangible nor intangible. She was there, but she wasn't. "You're not Aisha," she stepped back fearfully.
"It's me, Mom."
"What happened? What are you doing here?"
"This is limbo," her daughter stated simply. "We're all waiting."
"What do you mean? I don't understand, what's going on?"
"We're waiting for the fountain to have a guardian," another figure appeared, a male she didn't recognize. "The fountain must have a guardian."
"Otherwise," a scraggly youth appeared, "well, we can't let go."
"We need somebody to help put our souls to rest, so we can join our ancestors in the afterlife," another female explained. "We won't leave until things are made right."
"Wait," Surani whirled around to face Aisha. "You're dead?"
"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to say goodbye," her eyes softened. "I never meant for it to happen this way. I never stopped loving you, Mom."
"No," Surani sank to the ground, mist swirling around her as more beings gathered. "No, no no..." She felt a coolness as Aisha rested her paw on her mother's shoulder.
"It's okay, I'm at peace. But I'm not letting go yet."
"How did this happen?" Surani choked out through broken sobs. "Who did this to you?"
"It doesn't matter how I passed."
"But it does," Surani wept. "I have to know, what happened to my baby girl?"
"I got sick," Aisha stepped back. "The circle of life was short for me. But it's okay. I like being at peace. In life I was very...angry. I'm not angry anymore. I feel free."
"You were so young," Surani couldn't contain her grief, her shoulders shaking with each breath. "I would have taken your place."
"You can still help me," her daughter reassured her. "You can help all of us. We are the ones who wait, the ones who refuse to let go. The ones who are lost. The fountain has been opened, and we need somebody living to stay here and help us finish our unfinished tasks. Then we can ascend and join our ancestors, and our spirits will be unified. Right now we are neither among the living nor the dead. Our souls can't guide or strengthen, our spirits can't join to fuel the Roar or watch over the lands. We stay because there something each of us wants to make right. A danger approaches this land, and it can't be defeated, nor can it be kept at bay without us."
"I'll do anything for you," Surani promised tearfully. "Anything, I'd die for you, I never want to let you down ever again."
"The fountain needs a guardian. I need one as well."
"For what?" Surani looked up at her daughter through her tears.
"I need a guardian for my son. I can feel his pain, his grief. My son is alone. I will not ascend until I know he is safe and loved."
"You have a son?" She was shocked. "I-I didn't know, why didn't I know? When did this happen? Who's the father?"
"He has no father," Aisha answered coldly. Surani knew what she meant, her stomach twisting with hatred at the thought of someone hurting her daughter. "I left before I gave birth. Then, I became ill. I never wanted things to turn out this way, Mom. I really didn't. Please forgive me."
"Of course, Aisha, there's nothing to forgive," she smiled through her grief. "You would have been an amazing mother. I promise I'll find him, wherever he is. I promise I'll make this right. I will never let you down again."
"Then who would be the fountain's guardian?" Aisha smiled sadly. "The Great Kings want it to be you. They say you can speak in a language beyond words. You can feel grief and suffering, you're drawn to them. You feel most comfortable with those who are most lost."
"But I don't know how."
"You don't have to. It will come to you. Trust in yourself, and the Great Kings."
"So," she took a deep breath, trying to understand what was being asked of her. "If I become the guardian, I have to help all of you right each wrong so you can ascend and join the rest of the sprits? And that will help the living stand against this greater enemy?"
"Yes," her daughter answered simply.
"What if I can't do it?"
"The Great Kings do not ask us to do things we can't do," Aisha reassured her calmly. "Mom, I know you can do it. I think this is where you belong."
"So," Surani stood, looking into her daughter's heart with a pain that could only be described as her heart being torn in two, "when we find your son, you'll go?"
"I'll go."
"And you'll be gone?" Her voice broke.
"No," Aisha nuzzled her mother. It was like being caressed by the morning dew itself. "Never. I'll always be with you. One day, you'll join me. We are all reunited eventually."
"Without you," Surani looked away, "I have nothing to come home to. I don't have anyone else. If I stay here, will I be more alone than before?"
"You are still alive," Aisha reminded her. "We can't leave the fountain, but you can. But please, never be gone long. Every day, more arrive. They all need help just as much as I do."
"I'll do it," Surani promised, leaning her head against Aisha's. "I'll make you proud. But, wait," she sniffed as Aisha stepped back. "What's his name?"
"Chaka."
When Surani emerged from the waterfall, she was soaking wet, her body shivering in the chilly mountain air.
"Rani!" Simba waded towards her with wide eyes as the crowd looked on anxiously, his fur slick with water. "What is that? I tried to follow you but I couldn't get through, what's going on?"
Surani sat in the shallow pool of water, feeling drained to a husk, and began to sob emptily, her head hanging between her shoulders.
"Hey," he stepped closer, his voice growing more gentle. "Are you okay?"
"She's gone!" She managed to cry out, leaning her head against his damp chest as the grief poured out. Though the motion was light and hesitant, he put a paw on her back tp comfort her. "I'm sorry," she wept, her tears dripping into the water around them. "I know you hate me, but I-I don't have anyone else!"
"I don't hate you," he murmured. "But I need you to talk to me, who's gone?"
The group sat in silence for a moment at the base of the mountain. All of the lions bearing all manner of marking had followed Nala and Kiara to the base of the mountain, where Simba, Anga, Ono and Zazu had met them. Kiara and Kion had hastily explained all they knew, until they realized that their father hadn't seemed surprised by what they were saying. As if he already knew. It was then that he'd repeated what Surani had told him. Nobody had known what to say. Simba's eyes were dry, but he looked disturbed and distant. As if it hadn't quite sunk in yet. They weren't sure to what degree he was grieving. How did one grieve a child they'd never met?
"Where's Surani now?" Kiara asked quietly.
"Back at the fountain," Simba was staring at the ground. "She um, wasn't ready to leave yet."
"Did you...see anything?" Malka asked.
"No. I didn't try to."
There was another moment of silence.
"I think I know what our markings mean now," Kion spoke up softly. Everyone glanced at him expectantly. "If the fountain has been closed for generations, there's got to be lots of souls waiting for justice, or whatever it is that each of them wants. Surani can't help all of them. I think it's our job to help her. The more souls we help, the stronger the Roar and the ancestors become. This is all building to Kiara's dream, the great climax that involves the living and the dead. What if we're not the Lion Guard, but we're the Fountain Guard?"
"It's possible," Simba didn't seem particularly invested in the idea.
"Needs a cooler name," Malka commented. "Sounds like we're just guarding a watering hole. But the rest of that makes sense."
"Guardian Guard?" Tojo cringed.
"Nah, that's not it."
"Whatever we are, I think we have our first mission," Kion gave his dad a small smile. "It sounds like we need to find Chaka."
"That's just one mission of dozens or hundreds," Simba rubbed his face with his paw. "We don't need all of us, two of us will do."
"Just two of you?" Nala was skeptical. "Simba, getting to the jungle isn't an easy journey."
"I've already done it twice," he pointed out. "We cross the desert, reach the jungle, and look for Rais' pride, or whoever is in charge now, I'm sure he's long gone. I'll find someone who knew Aisha, and go from there."
"I'll go," Kovu surprised everyone by speaking up. "Simba, I'd be honored to help fulfill this mission with you."
"I'll be gone at least a few weeks," Simba seemed dubious of Kovu's intent. "It takes nearly a week just to get there, then we have to begin the real work of searching. A month isn't out of the question."
"I know. I want to learn from you, and I want to help."
Simba stared at Kovu for a long time, as if he was trying to read him, sifting for ulterior motives. Nobody felt it was their place to speak.
"You're on," Simba stated finally.
"What about us?" Imara asked.
"Well," Kiara took a deep breath. "It looks like the boys will be helping Surani help the dead, and those of you who want to will be training with me."
As Kiara somberly explained some of what might be expected of them if they agreed to join her Guard, placing careful emphasis around their free will after Kasi's earlier comment about being pressed into service, Simba gestured for Kion to follow him away from the group. Nala stood as well.
"You ready to give it back?" Kion asked knowingly once they had put some space between themselves and the rest of the lions.
"I am," Simba nodded.
"You're walking on your leg," Nala realized aloud for the first time, staring in amazement.
"Hmm? Oh," he looked at it. "Right. It um, it stopped hurting after Kion gave me the Roar. I don't know if it'll go back to hurting after I give it back."
"Do you want to hold onto it a little longer?" Kion asked.
"No," Simba shook his head firmly. "I don't like it. It's better in your care, anyway."
Kion placed his paw on his father's shoulder, and Nala watched quietly as Simba gave the Roar back to his son, looking more peaceful and relaxed after it was over. Above them, for a brief moment, Askari smiled warmly before disappearing.
"I'm going to go talk to Kiara and ask what she wants to do about Shujaa," Kion excused himself, seeing that his parents needed a moment alone. When Kion was gone, Nala looked to her mate.
"Simba, I'm so sorry."
"I..." Simba's gaze scanned the ground, searching for words. "I never met her. I feel horrible, but...I didn't love her like I love Kiara and Kion. I never had that chance. Right now, I think maybe that's okay. It's easier this way."
"I can't imagine."
"When I married you, I promised you I'd never go back to the jungle," he looked up at her.
Nala wanted to insist that he stay, that he let someone else go in his place. She wanted to tell him that anyone could find Chaka, that it didn't have to be him. She wanted to beg him to stay. To not leave her. But she knew that he had to go, that it would be selfish to ask him to stay for her.
"This is different. You need to find your grandson," she managed to say. She knew it was true, but that didn't make the words come easier.
"I'm sorry our life is so messy," he sighed. "But I want to make you a promise."
"What would that be?"
"The promise is," he moved closer to her and gave her cheek an affectionate lick, "that I will be back before you give birth. Nothing in the world will stop me from being there for you, and I wouldn't miss it for anything." She rested her forehead against his shoulder, her forehead settling into its place just below the curve of his jaw, burrowing into his soft, warm mane.
"I love you," she murmured.
"I love you too," he kissed her head.
Author's Note,
"Allaenat, hdha bisawt eal!" = "Damn, that's loud!"
In early drafts for the film Simba's Pride, Kiara was first named Aisha, and she was originally going to have a brother named Chaka. I liked the names and wanted to put them out to pasture as sort of a fun trivia reference.
I based Surani off of a 2014 leopard OC of mine named Saheijte.
Giant chapter that got divided into two, woo!
There was a death in my family and some other unsettling life changes that have mostly been a mix of good and bad (isn't life just like that though?) and I released the last chapter in a bit of a funk, but every time somebody comments, gives a kudos or favorites the story I get a notification on my phone and it's really made my day, even on the less fun days. It's the little things, y'know? I'm grateful for all the people in my life, online and irl, who have been supportive and kept me laughing. I started this story over a year ago and never imagined it would take me this long to finish, much less how many changes would be made to it, but it's been so much fun working on a bigger project and checking the story's stats and realizing that somehow, people are still engaging with my story and want to know how it ends. I've loved drafting the remaining chapters out as I've done with previous chapters, working some of the events of season 3 of TLG into the story has been a fun challenge. As of writing this, I'm 5 chapters into an unpublished crossover longfic that's a bit different from this one, and that's been a nice change of pace. This fic is my priority right now, but having another big project has been fun.
What initially bothered me about the last season of Lion Guard series was how much it deviated from traditional Lion King lore. New locations, a ton of new characters, and the complete revamp of Kion's Roar abilities, to name a few. Then, I kind of sat back, and realized that for me, all that was a good thing. It completely broadened the horizon of possibilities, and honestly? Writing fanfiction is supposed to be fun, and the last season presented a lot of opportunities to write something fun. For better or worse, I'm embracing that and it's been a blast.
To those who have been reading but haven't commented or "engaged," I see you, and I appreciate you! I hope everyone's had a lovely start to 2020, you all deserve it!
Corderbollie [AO3]: Yes, we love us some Kovu and Kiara, they're such a sweet couple!
Cheers!
- Dieren