Much time have passed. The Pride Landers have met new friends in the months and they have been traveling to the Tree of Life, though it's very far, Kion managed to stay calm in the company with his new friends, sister, old friends, and new mate.
First, there was the honey badger name Bunga. Kion and Bunga have quickly became friends and they were inseparable and treated each other like brothers and won't ever leave each other.
Then they were the hippo name Beshte. Like Bunga, Kion have grown an connection to him and they were friends. Beshte had strength and power, but he's the kind giant and always love to make friends.
After that, there was the egret name Ono. Kion has also became his friend and the two have a bond now and became much more closer.
Then, Fuli. She wasn't the easiest one in the mud but Kion managed to have her become soft and the two now treated each other like brother and sister.
Kion guessed it was best for him to leave the Pride Lands and being framed because he have met new friends, along with old ones and they have promised to stay side-by-side. What was odd is their past because considering they have lost their parents at young.
The group were walking side-by-side, getting closer to the Tree of Life each passing day, but it is a long trip. "So how is the cub, Thibiti?" Kiara asked softly yet playfully.
"Who said it's just one cub?" The leopard grins teasingly, "Besides, looks like your own also slow you down." Both the leopardess and lioness were respectively showing at their bellies their pregnancies.
Kiara blushed. "Shut up." she said, rubbing her growing stomach. "I'm going to kill you Kovu for putting this into me."
Thibiti smiled upon seeing the pass. "Greetings, Ullu." She greeted the bird, er owl. And then sat, waiting the arrival of the Night Pride lions. "Patience. They need to check and confirm, just as done in the Pride Lands woth visitors." She however kept an eye on Bunga.
"Wow, zuka zama! Bees!" Bunga exclaimed, running up to a bee hive and beginned eating.
"Move!" Thibiti yell seeing the unsteady rocks, moving fast as she could to gently push Kiara out of the way of a rather large one, saving her cubs just as well. But now a rockslide wall separated her and Kiara from the rest of the group.. "We're alright!" She alerted them.
Kion growled and storm up to Bunga, who laughs innocently at almost killing not only Kion's mate but his sister as well. "Who the hell told you it was a good idea to do that?!" Kion snapped, rubbing at his eyes.
Fuli got infront of Kion, sending a side-way glare at the honey badger who laughs nervously. "Kion, calm down. Bunga here clearly was fooling around."
"Well, honey badgers are called such for a reason." The badger friend spoke, taking Bunga by his paw. "You caused this, you clear it..Course we'll help, but keeping Kion calm is important." And with that had Bunga help with the blockage.
"Ugh! This is so tiresome! Do I have to?!" Bunga exclaims, moving another rock.
"Responsability. I'm not going to do all of your work for you. Luckily you got friends here, so it shouldn't take too long." The badger continued, as the hippo and other friends helped out while the lions took turns trying to calm Kion enough.
"Ok, ok, I'm calm." Kion says softly yet frustrated still.
Bhaashan also try to help Kion, whispering "Well, Bunga means Fool in Swahili language." He smile though.
"Hey! I heard that!" Bunga shouted.
Bhaashan giggle, "Unfortunately, it's true. Ahh, but don't worry about it. Pumbaa in same language means Foolish."
Meanwhile, Thibiti look to Kiara. "You alright, nothing stuck?"
"Yeah, fine, but I'm going to kill that honey badger." Kiara snarkily said.
Thibiti giggle herself, but looking behind her then to the lioness, "I uh, don't think I'll be moving from here anytime soon. Am a bit... stuck." Despite her pain though, she was firstly concerned about Kiara and her cubs, before her own.
"Great. Now I'm going to double kill him if our cubs are hurt." Kiara frowned.
"I believe they're fine, but myself is another story." She looked to see whether or not Kiara would take a look. The leopard mother's hind left paw and tail were trapped under a good sized boulder.
"Oh perfect! Can this day get even worse?!" Kiara thundered.
Thibiti flinched when the lioness said that, she hissed "Never say those things out loud" Her ears were back, a small fear in her eyes as she now looked around more frantically. But she try to pull herself free, succeeding luckily with the paw but her tail still trapped.
Not for long though, for the Night Pride arrived and helped her as well as helped clear the last of the blockage. "Princess Rani. The rockslide was but an accident. My... mate and myself need healing from venom. Catch is, I'm expecting cubs. And my mate's sister is expecting cubs as well."
Thibiti had been here before at one point so knew exactly who these lions were and what their pride was like. She knew that regardless what she said, they'd examine both herself and Kiara, then the unborn cubs first of all.
Nirmala helped Kion to help Thibiti along to the Tree of Life as the leopard found it difficult to walk with her injured leg and not having the balance required due to the growing cubs.
Finally, in the Tree and laying down she nuzzle Kion to help him calm himself down. "Hey, everything will be okay." She however let him nuzzle her as much as he needed. Keeping his attention to her face as the respective lions examined everyone.
Thibiti smile to herself for she had another surprise, but that was to wait - as difficult as it might have been for them as it was for her and her group.
"Now where is that Bunga?!" Kiara snarled, unsheathing her claws with anger in her eyes. Tiifu and Zuri got into her way, blocking her from the shaking honey badger behind the rocks. "Woah! Easy, Kia', you're pregnant. Hurting him may hurt the cub." Zuri pointed out.
"Kiara, please. Listen to them." Thibiti pleaded, "Shwari. Aramakaro." Suddenly though, the leopardess cries out.
"Thibiti, what's wron..." the dark golden Princess didn't finished that sentence and cried out with pain. "Kiara!" Tiifu and Zuri both cried.
"What's wrong?" Kion questioned to his sister and mate.
Nirmala and the adults of the Night Pride lions reacted instantly. Having help with Tiifu, Zuri and Vitani made things easier.
Meanwhile, Rani and Baliyo had Kion and Kovu respectively stay with them by Queen Janna. "Life. Although, a bit... early. Luckily, you all made it here in time." Though old, and thus unable to move from her spot still was quite wise for a lioness.
To say Kion was determined to see his mate was an understatement. He was eager and ain't exactly making it easy. The two Tree of Life protectors had to keep blocking him, while Kovu just make it easy. "Ugh! Can you two move so I can see my mate?!" Kion demanded.
"Patience, Kion." One said... then, after what seemed like forever but wasn't even five minutes some little mewls were heard from both Thibiti and Kiara. The respective cubs were gently transferred to their respective mothers' front paws.
"Kion, come see them. Our cubs." Finally the Night Pride cleared enough to let both parties see their respective children. Thibiti just smile, looking towards Kiara. "Let's just enjoy this moment, we can figure out tradition issues later..."
"Yeah. I guess so." Kiara states with a shrug and an small smile. "Never been into tradition." she frowned at that.
Thibiti lick her cubs, causing them to squirm. One though opened their eyes to look at it's known family. A dark tuft on his head, and bright green eyes. The second cub to though was mostly white, and female. On opening her eyes, revealed nice blue eyes. The other two covered their cute faces with a tiny paw, trying to get a bit extra sleep causing Thibiti to laugh a bit at what they did.
Kiara licked her cubs as well. One had brown-coated fur and neon eyes like their father but had a small black tuff on his head. The other had golden fur like Kion but dark like hers and amber-brown eyes and were clearky a girl.
Thibiti watched as her boy cub waddled his way over to Kiara's cubs, and looked at them. The brown-coated cub trotted up to Tiifu and Zuri and trotted a paw at them. "Quite a flirt isn't he?" Kiara laughed.
"Hi, little one, hi." Tiifu says playfully yet softly.
"Quite the cute one are you?" Zuri asked.
"Unlike his uncle..." Tiifu 'muttered' to Zuri and Kiara, making them laugh slightly.
"What was that?" Kion asked, hearing the word 'uncle' by Tiifu. Tiifu give an innocent smile and waved him off. "Why, nothing, Kion. Enjoy fatherhood."
Kion smiled at Tiifu and Zuri. "Can't wait until you two get pregnant." the golden lion laughed. "So I can tell them stories about you two and spoil them and make sure they get everything they want."
"You're funny if you think that would happen." Tiifu says.
"I don't think, lionesses always must get pregnant." Kion declares.
"Well, not these lionesses but you better enjoy fatherhood." Zuri states.
Kion smiled, walking up to his mate and laying down beside her. "Now I feel old." Kion said placing his paw on his face.
Thibiti just smile at him, looking at her other two cubs. Kiara nudged him on the shoulder. "Have fun with four cubs while I have two." She smiled at Thibiti. "Also, make sure this one don't disturb the cub's sleep."
Thibiti place a paw on Kiara, "Now, just a minute you..." She grinned sneakily, though playfully. "Given I was injured in the accidental rockslide, at some point that leg and tail of mine will need to undergo a physical therapy, which will take it's time. And obviously, while I have those happen, someone's got to watch my cubs for me. And not to forget the venoms, either..."
Thibiti started to move her cubs to the side, one at a time. The male cub of hers had returned shortly to his mother. Nirmala just grin at the two mothers, "She's right. For that therapy sessions start today, Kion you come too, for you have your own sessions."
Thibiti laugh a bit, "Ah, but don't worry. When it is your time for a break or whatever, I'm happy to look after your cubs..." And with that, getting up though with help from Nirmala as they left the interior of the Tree of Life, revealed not just four cubs...
Kiara rolled her eyes. "When did I became an mother of six cubs?!" the dark golden Princess demanded having a bit of playfulness in her voice as she glance at Thibiti. "You do realized that it's going to take me forever to sleep tonight with these cubs!"
Janna smile to Kiara. "Not just six, deary. But if they get hungry while their mother's away, well, you're the best one for the job. As I'm not able to leave this rock, I can still help some... Now, Rani and the Night Pride have their duties to do. The rest of you, mind lending them a paw?" Of course, by that last part was directed to Kovu, Vitani, Tiifu and Zuri.
"I'm starting to hate you two." Kiara joked towards Thibiti and Kion, who whisled innocently. "Welcome to motherhood, Kiara." Kion smirked. "Now, the cubs are hungry and need an bath. Have fun."
"Oh, and some are more leopardy those you'll know when they get climbing. Might wish to keep an eye on them in that case. And more daring about everything." Thibiti mentioned, as she left with Kion and Nirmala.
While Bhaashan gave a brotherly nuzzle to Kiara, "Wish I could stay and help, but am required elsewhere in the Kingdom here."
"Ugh, admit it, you are going this to get out of this." Kiara states. Bhaashan whistles innocently yet had an cocky smile plastered on his face.
A wolf poked her head around the corner, "Actually, I'm here to escort him to where he's needed. Sorry to bust your bubble, princess."
Bhaashaan just sent a sly grin to Kiara, "Gotta go!" And with that the two were off.
Kiara growls lowly. "I have an surprise for him." she said lowly. "Now, Tiifu, Zuri, Vitani, Kovu, you four are helping me watch and help these cubs - especially you Kovu since you put these two cubs inside of me."
The group sighed, having an feeling this would be an long day, but better get started before it could get worse.