Chapter 30 – I Almost Do

We could feel it all coming together. I glanced to my left, seeing into her fiery eyes, Sarabi and I nodded to each other, remaining silent as we stalked forwards to our targets. Just beyond her, Nala and Winda had taken their places. To my right, Sarafina and Inja were crawling through the grass a little behind but taking a wider angle. We were all leading this hunt, even if Sarabi and I had devised the bulk of the attack. Some other lionesses were a small distance further back or to our sides, allowing a large scope. It was the kind of plan Sarabi had taught me to use. This time though, she was letting me be the one who gave the commands. With each step I took, I could feel how the earth shifted beneath my paws, my body staying low as we neared our targets: antelope.

The fact they were our target, and in numerous numbers just showed how far things had progressed in the sixteen months that had passed since Kiburi's death. Every member of the pride did their part to help improve the quality of the Pridelands. Some even argued that through our efforts, we had improved upon the mark of Simba's own father, Mufasa. Neither of us had taken that comment in too much, instead striving to improve further. The fact we had such an enormous task ahead meant that I felt my own transition to acting queen was as smooth as I could have hoped. It gave me something else to focus on, rather than think about how my own status had changed within the pride. In truth, we weren't quite at the state that Mufasa had left the Pridelands in. It was always going to take longer to heal something than it would take to destroy it, such was the delicacy of the kingdom Simba and I were now ruling over. Even through that, we still had much to learn, putting additional stress on Sarabi to an extent. However, she seemed more than capable of handling it, the joy of having her family back giving her what seemed like an endless fountain of energy. The lessons she gave both Simba and I were intense, even to the point where she would be remarking either one of us for forgetting. It felt like I was back in school. In that time as well, it could become more difficult to focus as Simba and I spent more time together, growing even closer than before. I couldn't help but lean into the love that he was offering. It wasn't one sided either, the Pridelands' new king often being showered with affection by me. There were times when we almost seemed joined at the hip, and although this did help improve morale of Pridelanders when we would welcome them back, it did mean that sometimes Sarabi would give us our lessons individually. The amount of times I did apologise to her, only to see Simba appear not far from her, giving me that flirting look I'd only gotten used to. Sometimes I couldn't hold back my laughter enough, prompting yet more little frustrations for his mother. Often, she would look around to see him, even chasing the king away. As annoying it could be for her, I could see her come back with a small smirk. Even the king would run away from his mother.

Nguvu had returned once in the time since, not many months after he first left. Although he came back with a heavy heart, he explained he was still committed to helping us restore the Pridelands. Along with some of his own pride members, they threw themselves into the work required of them, travelling out of the Pridelands to seek out animals that used to call it their home. Time after time, he would return with a different group of animals, all looking a little tense upon coming back to a land they saw start to die out. At first, they would agree to have a small look around at the state of the land, deciding if it was viable to come back. Nguvu did a fantastic job in showing these animals around, though he did an even better job at convincing them to give the Pridelands a chance again. I was fortunate to witness him in action, listening to how he spoke to the animals in a way that calmed their hesitations to a point where they might agree to staying for a short period of time before reviewing and making a decision. Without fail, that decision always came to be that they were going to stay. Once that work was done, there was still more to do. Despite them agreeing to stay, there was still a large amount of distrust from those animals towards the lions. Nguvu put it in simple terms for them that we were not going to be ruling like Scar did. After seeing him do this a few times, I started to contribute when I accompanied him. One time, I was with Nguvu and a group of zebras who were considering coming back, and as the king of Kifalme was telling them about Simba and I, it felt impossible not to speak as well, telling them how I can understand why they would be nervous, but that the priority of each pride member was to restore the Pridelands and the circle of life within them. I would tell them that I knew it would take some time, and until there was progression, they wouldn't have to worry about their sudden presence changing our priority. When some would ask about hyenas, I followed along with what Nguvu told them, and said that they were still around, albeit in fewer numbers. I would understand that it would make them feel uncomfortable, but every pride member has committed themselves to protecting the circle of life until a more permanent solution is devised. As good as I had gotten, I knew I still hadn't the persuasive skills his majesty had. As with living in any of the lands, there would always be some risk, we just had to make sure that all the returning animals felt that the risk where we were was lowest. As good as Nguvu and I were getting at convincing, it still wasn't easy and as a result, Simba and I sometimes found we were unable to sleep. More than once, we had to lean on each other for support when we didn't feel like we were going to do as good a job as some had hoped of us. We took turns making sure the other knew that they were more than capable, often referring to how we ended up finding each other and how we got to the point where Scar was overthrown.

A small blessing in communication between species came in the form of Timon and Pumbaa, who had returned when Nguvu did. The two of them had proved invaluable, showing their support for Simba to species that would still be too worried about staying in a land ruled by lions again. It wasn't uncommon that when re-visiting some of these animals, they would reference Timon when he had talked about how he raised not only Simba, but also me. Whilst it wasn't the most accurate re-telling, it seemed to put some of the animals at ease. The two of them were happy to work at their task, keeping animals at ease with the situation we were inviting them into. Things became a whole lot easier though, when Sarabi and Simba found particular former residents of the Pridelands: elephants. The return of the elephants, led by Amanifu was essential, and the fact that they had been so quick to return at request made things even better. With the elephants being some of the most enduring animals within the Pridelands, their influence on other species was significant, bringing in more, with less hesitation. The trust the elephants had built with the animals hadn't diminished since they left the Pridelands, which meant our own workload was decreased a little. The return of the elephants and further discussions with them, agreeing on a long-term plan of action, meant that Nguvu felt comfortable enough to return to Kifalme, where his own subjects needed him. Still, the members that had stayed before remained with us, determined to still help out, in addition to the fact that some were viewing it as their home now. He and I said our goodbyes, his promise to return the moment he is given his notice, and then all his family would visit. At that point, we would give each other knowing looks before I would let him go. That day I could remember how I watched from the edge of pride rock, as the sun set and Simba was next to me, holding me close. We made it almost a weekly habit to do that, giving us more time together. We didn't often speak in that time, but we did adore each other's company.

A few months after Nguvu left again, that was when Simba and I were informed by Zazu that some antelope were seen near the Pridelands. Simba and I met them and found out that their whole group was further away, but they had heard rumours the Pridelands was under new rule. I remember feeling overjoyed that things were spreading as well as they were. We explained the situation with them and outlined the intended plan was. They were the first that Simba and I had welcomed as just the two of us, and the fact that we did it showed me just how far we had come. The antelope came back to their home not much later, adding to the sense of joy all pride members had. In the time since, more had arrived, the herds growing as well. With that, it brought us all to where we were, stalking towards our prey, intent on providing food for everyone who needed it.

I could feel my ears flick to coordinate myself, understanding where the wind might have been blowing, and if we weren't alone in this hunt. I stopped, looking back to see one of the Kifalme lionesses had gotten closer to me. Without a word, I kept an intense gaze at her. When our eyes met, she read the message and distanced herself again. I didn't want to come across as harsh and unreasonable, but I didn't want the plan to be affected. I made a mental note to speak to her afterward, apologise for being as intense as I was about it, though I knew she would understand when I gave her the reasons. Having dealt with that, my attention went back ahead to the targets. We had already discussed that we would need to catch a couple extra than usual, but not to exceed that additional number. We had no argument, at least for the large part. The only exception was from Zira, although she soon backed down when Sarabi and I put our thoughts across to her. One thing that hadn't changed since we got the Pridelands was Zira's sour attitude towards me. She even acted civil around some of the other lionesses, but anyone linked closer to me, she treated with contempt. Still, the lioness would rather be hunting than not, so she agreed, albeit with a reluctance there.

It wasn't long before everyone was in position. None of the antelope had a clue, content to be grazing where they were. Shooting one more look to Nala and Winda, I gave them the signal, both of them leaping out, alerting the targets to their presence. The problem for our prey was that wherever they ran, at least a couple of our lionesses were already there, waiting to strike. Sarabi and I stayed focused on the one that charged our way. It was clear in its movements, it was just panicking, sprinting in whatever way its legs carried it first. That made it dangerous, but it also emant that we didn't have to think much before it would expose any weaknesses to us. Sarabi launched herself to its hindquarters from one side, whilst I took advantage of its lack of mobility, sinking my teeth around its neck and feeling the tell-tale crushing of its neck, suffocating it. Having done this many times now, I wasn't as affected by it like I used to be. Through the initial thrashing around it gave, I had to dig my teeth in more, soaking my maw in a small layer of its blood. It was nothing unusual. Once it was over, I dropped my hold and surveyed around to see the others were either in the process of, or already had taken out their target as well. Licking at my lips, I could taste some of the blood, and when I looked to Sarabi, we shared a smile in victory, "It looks like we did a pretty good job then." I commented.

The older lioness allowed herself a small chuckle, "I wouldn't expect anything less from the queen of the Pridelands." There was a decent amount of pride in her voice, her smile only growing the longer we took in the achievement. Looking around again, it was clear we had caught every antelope we intended to, some of the others running away in the distance. "This will be more than enough for everyone we'll need to feed. We are fortunate that the antelope have a herd the size it is. The last time this was the case, Mufasa was king." She explained, trying to boost the mood even more. She knew both Simba and I weren't against hearing comparisons between our rule and their rule.

"Well, it's gonna have to be enough, because I'm not sure things would go as smooth if we tried this again. Plus, like you said, we shouldn't take more than we need. I appreciate it's a big occasion, but we don't need to go over the top for it...but I'm still glad we did go a little beyond." I shot her a little grin, feeling my tail flick with the happiness I could feel welling up inside. I knew she felt the same way, after all, the occasion was a large one, and had been looked forward to by many. Turning my attention back to the task at hand, I saw all the others waiting for our call, "Great job everyone. We need to bring these all back now. Make sure when we leave them, they're left out of sunlight if possible. I know that everyone will appreciate that very much." The pairs or trios of lionesses helped each other carry an antelope with ease. "Shall we?" I asked Sarabi, prompting the two of us to do the same as the others, following the leads as we headed back.

It wasn't much after that I looked up to see a familiar feathered friend circling above, only to start gliding down to flap just above my eye line, "Your majesties," he bowed for a moment before propelling himself upward again, "it has come to my attention that the guests are arriving. I was flying by the borders and could see them in the distance. It seems a lot of the parties have merged together. It should make meeting them easier, but it is still your duty to greet them as they arrive, especially as they are all arriving for yours and the king's benefit." He informed me, though didn't get a response at first, other than the fact I had to stop to listen to him. The other lionesses noticed and stopped as well, so as to not leave us behind. "Tishala, we don't have much time before they will arrive, and with all due respect, your majesty, I feel that greeting them with a blood-soaked face will not be what they are expecting of a reformed Pridelands." He let out a nervous chuckle, as if I wouldn't respond too well to his comments. In truth, I didn't mind, but had to pause because I knew he would get uncomfortable for no reason, and that was a little fun to watch.

Still, it wasn't fair to leave him like that for too long, "Thank you, Zazu. I may just have to sort myself out. Have you told Simba as well?" I asked, getting a quick nod from him. "So, is he ready to meet them as well?" I continued to probe.

My major-domo took a moment before answering, "The king said he would be ready in time. Whatever the king meant by that, I can't be sure, though I have no reason to believe he won't be there on time. Of course, that does mean you will need to be there with him." He nodded, urging me.

I turned to look at Sarabi, "Do you think I have time to help get all the food back first?" The older lioness seemed to ponder the thought for a little bit, but before she could answer, I opened up again, "Thinking about it, there's not really much of a chance that I can get everything back, then go to the watering hole to then get back and greet everyone." I looked over to one of the trios acarrying an antelope. "One of you, I'll need you to take my place." I then looked out to the rest, "Everyone, follow Sarabi's lead, and if not, listen to Sarafina, Nala or Winda. Thank you all again for helping with this. We couldn't have pulled it off without any one of you. Unfortunately, it seems I have a lot of guests expecting an immediate, immaculate appearance from me. I will fill you all in later." I looked to get a nod of approval from Sarabi as a member of the trio took my place in carrying the antelope Sarabi and I were responsible. "Zazu, do I have time to make it to the watering hole and then back so that I can meet them in time?" I looked to him.

The bird took no time to reply, "You do, but you will have to make sure no silliness, and if you see his majesty, please make sure he moves with haste as well. You know how his mind can sometimes wander." I nodded, chuckling a little at that. I was about to speak, but at this point, Zazu was used to me and took the words before I could begin to say them, "I will see if I can stall them just a little bit, but don't push the time for it, please, your majesty. There's only so much a major-domo can do." I gave him the acknowledgement for it and then allowed the bird to flap his wings and soar away as I made for the watering hole, gathering myself into a gentle run to cover the distance.

With the literal weight off my back, I enjoyed the feeling of the wind rushing past me as I started to go faster and faster. As I rushed through the land, I started to think ahead, wanting to make a good impression on the lions who were arriving. They were all from royal families, so I knew I had to represent the kingdom as best as I could. My smile grew as I thought of not having to talk over something serious for a change. The calm day reflected how I was feeling on the inside, the lack of clouds just adding to the freeing sensation I was getting just from this small journey to the watering hole. Once I had it in sight, I slowed a little, feeling the pleasant warmth against me as the wind settled.

The moment I got there though; my calm smile shifted to a smirk when I saw who else was at the watering hole. Without being spotted at first, I could see Simba was there, looking like he had only just arrived at the watering hole as well. Alerting him to my presence, I tutted, "Zazu will be disappointed. He told me you would be ready before me." I teased.

In a heartbeat, the king responded to me, his own smirk forming, "I'll be ready when I'm ready. You know as well as I do that Zazu can sometimes hold back some parts of the truth as long as it gets us to move quicker." He snickered, letting me join his side., a small embrace between the two of us before he started to speak again, a low purr to his voice, "Can you believe that we're finally here?" He asked.

He was lucky to get any sort of response from me, almost dozing into his soft mane, "Hm? No, I still have to make sure I'm not just going crazy. Then again, maybe I was going crazy anyway...y'know, because for some reason I'm still with you." Both of us grinned at each other for a second before we were back to holding to each other. "I'm so happy that it isn't a dream though. After everything everyone has done for the Pridelands, I feel like we could use this win...not just for the two of us, but for everyone else." I had to lift my head away from his mane, so my words weren't muffled.

Simba beamed down to me, "You're right. For so long we've been building to this, looking forward to it, and now that it's just a day away, I can't help but start to feel a little nervous. I'm excited as anything, but it just doesn't seem right that it's so close now. Time has really gone by since we got the Pridelands back, hasn't it?" He got a nod from me. Just a moment later, he was pressed against me again, "And just think, we're excited about tomorrow, but after that, we have everything else to be excited about."

Shuffling back so I could speak without getting a mouthful of mane, I smiled up at Simba, "It's crazy. It's scary. It's exciting. I guess that's how it is supposed to feel. Now, "the smirk returned to my face, "As much as I do love having these little talks with you, and believe me, Simba, I really do. However, we still have guests on the way, and even if Zazu wasn't telling us the truth on how close they are, I think it would still be better if we were the first to arrive, don't you?" I raised a brow his way.

The lion rolled his eyes in front of me, letting his head swish his mane a little bit, "What would I do without you?" He asked, a cheesy grin surfacing on his face, though he still didn't do anything.

Joining him with a raised brow, I leant forwards, "I think you'd struggle without me. In fact, you're still looking a bit messy even with me. Come on your kingliness, I think I got some of the bloodstains on you. We need to make sure we're presentable." I urged him, nudging at his shoulder towards the water. "This is what you'd be missing without me." I finished, snickering as I struggled to budge him.

He relented and moved himself to the water, but only in a way that meant I almost stumbled into him through my effort. "All I think I heard from that was the I'd just have to clean myself less often. Look at you, criticising my appearance when you, the queen, is here looking like there, with blood and dirt all over you." He flashed me a wink, knowing those words would trigger a reaction.

Feigning being hurt, I gasped, a paw up to clutch at my chest, or as close to it as I could manage. Then, I lowered myself, ready to pounce, growling up toward him, though he didn't flinch, more than aware it was all an act, "Perhaps you shouldn't criticise the one who brings you food in." I spoke into his ear, "All I have to do is talk to your mother and the other lionesses and we can make you wait just a little bit longer." I trailed off, sitting in front of the water next to him, a smirk plastered on my face.

Feeling that I was only joking around, those words still held a small amount of pressure on him, prompting him to respond in kind, "What an empty threat. You know my mother wouldn't let me go without food. You might have some say, but not all of it." He winked, joining with me as we let out playful little growls. Before I knew it, Simba had me pinned on my back, leaning down as his mane flopped either side of his face. His eyes were half lidded and staring into mine, "You wouldn't do that to me either. Wanna know why?" My response was a little tilt of my head, waiting for him to respond, "You wouldn't do that to me either because you love me, like a fool." He pressed our foreheads together, my paws having to rest on his shoulders. I couldn't move when like this.

However, before anything could go further, I swatted at the side of his head with a paw, chuckling, "Simba! Enough playing around, we both need to make sure we are clean and presentable for the other royal families arriving, okay?" I swatted at him again, making us both laugh as he got off, letting me sit at the water's edge again. "Thank you." I huffed at him, still smiling as I caught my breath. Looking into my reflection in the water, I could see just how much I had changed, never quite used to seeing the reflection I had. Looking at Simba's I could see a lot of his father in him, but I could see the more subtle traits he'd picked up from his mother. I didn't spend too long staring at my reflection though, actually wanting to get on task and get ready. Seeing where the blood was on me, I made sure to dip my face into the water, brushing a paw over, swishing to make sure I got all of it. Once the water settled again, I could see I'd got it, but there were still specks of dirt on my fur that I could reach. With a rather lazy sigh, I got to work, grooming myself until the dirt was gone, and I looked satisfied with how I would look in front of the others.

Turning to Simba once more, I smiled and looked up at him, "How do I look?" I asked, beaming.

Simba got close, inspecting me for any sign of dirt or anything else I might need to clean off me. He didn't say anything for a little while, keeping me on edge. "You look like a queen to me." He grinned, though that turned to a frown almost in an instant, "But..." the lion looked away from me for a second. I wanted answers and got even closer to him as if to bring it out of him. I didn't know that I had fallen for his trap, "you can't meet all our guests soaking wet." I raised a brow and lifted myself up at that, only realising what he was playing at when it was too late. In a flash, I was shoved to the side, gasping just as I fell into the water. It happened so sudden that my senses were confused, the sound of splashing and water rushing past my ears took over everything. I composed myself enough to get out of the water, everything adjusting again when I opened my eyes to see the king letting out full belly laughs as I gasped again for the breath I wasn't quite able to get, the cool water a shock to my system. "Kings above, that was hilarious. You should have seen the look on your face when you realised, you'd fallen into my trap." He tried to say in between fits of laughter.

His little prank put me in a foul mood for a few seconds whilst I kept myself up, kicking my legs as I got to the side, "What did you do that for!?" I looked up at him from within the water, holding onto the edge. "We have some important guests to mee, and you thought it was a good idea to throw me into water just as I got myself into a state where I might not actually concern them?" I growled, though it did nothing to stop his laughter. In fact, it grew as a result of my complaint.

Frowning up at him, I kept myself in the water for a little longer, knowing that doing nothing would calm me faster. Simba stood over me and smirked, "I don't think a bit of water was going to make a difference." He teased, knowing I wouldn't appreciate that. His mistake came in that he got close, not expecting any sort of fight back from me. He was looking ahead, proud of his little victory. It meant he didn't notice when I grabbed hold of his mane any way I could and pushed away from the edge, throwing Simba into the water as well as submerging myself again. When we both came up again, I heard double the splashing and saw Simba flick his mane back so he could see me, frowning like I had been, "Don't do that!" He shouted, letting out a frustrated growl.

Matching him in every way, I responded, "You did it first! Doesn't feel good, does it?" I sneered, both of us glaring at each other.

Just as soon as our tempers exploded, we both started laughing, throwing a few splashes at each other before pausing to giving an adoring stare to each other, "Right," I started, smirking at him, "come on, stupid. We really should get going now. We'll just have to dry on the way over." We snickered as we climbed out of the water, shaking off the excess water before heading to pride rock, side by side.

Simba and I stood in front of all the arrivals, having dried off enough that none of them would be any the wiser as to what happened before. Looking down to them, I could see so many different families of lions. They each had a distinct look to them. The first lions that I recognised were none other than king Taji, his queen, Safi, and their son, Fedha. As expected, Fedha didn't look too thrilled to be there, though his father had a bright smile on his face when he looked up to Simba and I, giving me faith that he was a good lion. Around theme, I could see other royal families, some with distinctive pelt colours, though when there were so many of them, they almost seemed to blend. Taji's fur was a sandy gold, another lion family having a somewhat darker pelt. Soft brown with blue eyes and wavy mane, thick, light red mane with green eyes, rich dark brown pelt with yellow eyes. The differences between them were noticeable, but in a way, pleasing to the eyes. From where I was standing, a part of me was picturing all their faces when they were cubs, just as a little bit of amusement for myself.

It wasn't much longer before I realised, I was looking back into the eyes of queen Amali of Kifalme. My smile grew as it was like seeing an old friend. Only when I could see her in front of me did I realise how much I missed her, feeling an additional pang at my heart when thoughts of her fallen son resurfaced. Before I could focus too much on that, I was taken aback when I realised who it was next to her. I gasped a little bit when I worked out the young lioness next to her, looking like a feminine version of her father, was Zahra, the youngest of Nguvu's children. She wasn't an adult, but she had grown so much. She was stunning, and although attention wasn't on her, I could tell both parents sitting either side of her were just as proud with her as they were with both their sons. I gave Simba a little nudge to get him to see. When he did, our eyes met in agreed surprise, our smiles matching before we looked out to them all again, getting their attention as I spoke up, "Hello everyone, thank you so much for coming here. I know Simba and I are grateful for your appearance." I started, watching their smiles.

The Pridelands' king took the lead from there, his voice booming out to them with a confidence that only came with the experiences he'd had, "As Tishala said, we are excited to welcome you to our kingdom. For some of you, this will be the first time you've come here, and in that, I hope it can live up to the stories you may have heard." He paused, allowing everyone to settle before he continued, our eyes going down to the Kifalme family again. "For some of you, this is a repeat visit, and you will be able to see the changes we have made since starting our time here, since my uncle was removed from the throne. We invited you all to come to be a part of the celebrations that we feel the Pridelands deserves, having been through so much, but come back even stronger." He puffed his chest out.

Taking over, I gave Simba an encouraging nudge, "We really do mean this to be a celebration of the Pridelands, so please, enjoy and embrace everything we have to offer whilst you all stay here." I gave them a warm smile, taking the initiative to step down, getting closer to them all, "I apologise if I start repeating myself. I know if I keep saying how grateful we are, a lot of you will stop listening, so I'm gonna take a bit of a risk here and jump away from what Simba and I planned to say." I continued padding my way own to them, getting in front of the Kifalme family before looking across to the others, stepping back so I was in clear view, "As we said, you are all welcome in the Pridelands, especially during this time of celebration. However, with the situation I'm sure you will all be aware of soon, if you aren't already, everyone in the Pridelands would appreciate it a lot if you all respect the circle of life in the same way we have been doing. This doesn't mean you can't do anything of course, but we feel that we need to be clear that even with things improving, it wouldn't take much to see our progress cut at. We know that none of you would have the intention of doing that of course, but sometimes these things can happen. If you feel unsure, just ask any of our pride members, Simba and I included, and we will let you know what you can do. Other than that, we really are giving you free run." I started walking among them all, taking in all the different faces again, "Now, because you are all our guests here, you all are allowed to stay in the den on pride rock. With this many, it may be a little crowded, but there will be enough space. If some of you feel that you would like space of your own, then don't hesitate to come to me and I will see what we can sort out, but again, I'll remind you that regardless of where you are staying, we still expect the circle of life to be respected. That being said, I don't think that will be an issue for any of you. I just thought I'd offer to help find other places, because I understand that some of you aren't used to sharing with so many others. Just know I've got you covered." I shot one lioness a confident wink before starting to head back to Simba higher up.

The amused look on his face told me it all, "As Tishala has said, we will help out. What the queen of the Pridelands forgot to mention though, was the order of events tomorrow. As we've explained, it is a celebration of the Pridelands first and foremost. However, you all were also invited here, knowing it was going to be the day when Tishala and I would officially start our reign, starting it together with the day also containing the ceremony in which will unify Tishala and I together, where I will be her king, and she my queen. The fact we have so many other lions from distant lands coming to witness this, well, I know it makes both Tishala and I smile, and we hope you will enjoy this time as much as we have been looking forward to it." Once he finished, I got to his side, brushing up against him as a little display of affection I had for the king of the Pridelands. "We will start the proceedings tomorrow as the sun starts to lower. Until then, please take the time to adjust." He nodded.

For some reason I found it impossible to keep quiet, chuckling as I nudged Simba, "What my king meant to say was that you can use this time however you want, be it rest, eat, whatever really. We know some of you have come from very far away kingdoms and might need the rest more than others." I let my smile grow a little before finishing, "Without further ado, let us start celebrating!"

It took no time for the noise levels to increase, all the lions talking amongst each other, families meeting families. Simba and I joined the mass, taking notice that Sarabi had also arrived and was making quick on talking to others. I was sure that some of them must have met a long time ago, but I couldn't know for sure. We couldn't keep our eyes there for long when a lion and lioness approached us, both with warm smiles on them, "Congratulations to the both of you. King Simba, I know that your father would be looking down on us with one of those big smiles of his." The male spoke to him.

Simba took it in his stride, bowing his head, "Thank you. I'm sorry, I don't know if we would have met when I was younger or not." He gave a rather bashful smile at that, ducking eye contact.

Both the lions shared some amused laughter between them, the male speaking up again, "No need to worry. We only met your father when we were all younger. It was only a few times, but we were able to get along well enough in those times that I could consider him a friend. We both could." He smiled.

The lioness added, "I'll bet you didn't know Mufasa once got scared by a baby bird." She chuckled, "The look on his face was golden. He took it in good spirit of course. It is a shame he isn't here too."

Before things could start getting gloomy, I stepped in, "He is here with us. Simba and I were saying earlier how we can feel him around us all." I smiled up to Simba, who showed his appreciation with a subtle smile. I could tell things were getting a little awkward even with my save, so I made eye contact with the first other lions I could, "Oh, it looks like we're wanted elsewhere. We'll chat again soon." I gave an apologetic grin as Simba caught on and nudged me away. With the new set of lions to talk to, I walked in with another smile, "I hope everyone is enjoying themselves so far." All three lions in question nodded, though they were less inclined to talk it seemed, already in the middle of conversation with each other. Feeling awkward about it, I kept my smile and started to back away, "Great to hear, just let us know if you need anything." Once I turned around, Simba pressed against my side, letting me say to him in a hushed tone, "Can you believe how awkward I just made that?"

With a smirk growing, he hummed for a second and then replied, "Yes. You can make anything awkward. Don't worry though, I find it adorable." He snickered.

My expression shifted to somewhat amused, though I spoke through gritted teeth, "I swear to the kings above if you call me adorable in front of everyone else, I will make a scene." He opened his mouth to retort, but I stopped him, "The scene I make will embarrass you more than me." I winked.

Once more, Simba kept his mouth closed after that, though my threat only made him smile more. He wasn't able to say anything though as we were approached by Taji, without his queen or son by his side. I always felt he was nicer than I gave him credit it for when I was younger, and he was proving it again as he approached the two of us with a broad smile. "King Taji, it has been a while since I saw you." I bowed to him, the older lion returning the favour. "Not since before I found this guy." I gestured to Simba, who just rolled his eyes, letting me nudge him.

"It has been a while. When we last met, you had to look up a lot more than you do now. I think it's safe to say the growth spurt suits you." He complimented, bowing his head again, "I'm glad that our kingdoms have held no ill will since what happened." He chuckled, "Looking back on it, I can't say I'm surprised you found someone else. Even then, you weren't fond of my son. I love that lion, but I know he is...an acquired taste, shall we say?" He winked, confirming he really didn't harbour any resentment towards Simba or me. "He's just lucky he has his mother's looks." He chuckled again.

I batted a paw at him in a playful way, "Oh don't say that I can see plenty of you in him too."

The king of his lands, Taji let another rumbling laugh escape him, "You flatter me, your majesty." He paused for a moment, "Whilst I have your attention though, perhaps you can tell me how Zira and her group are doing. I'm never happy to see my pride members leave, but I wasn't going to stop her when she seemed so insistent. I know she put a lot of effort into her role when...your uncle was king." He looked to Simba at the end, fading in his words a little.

I wasn't in the mood to let a third talk become awkward, so I interjected, "Well, Zira and her group have adapted well enough. Sometimes she can be a little standoffish though. It isn't a major issue, but it does make things difficult sometimes. If I can be honest with you, whilst she hasn't hindered the recovery of the Pridelands, she hasn't done much to help, other than when she has been prompted to. There are a lot of traits I admire about her as well though. Sorry if that came off bad." I blushed.

The sandy furred king shook his head with a knowing smile, "No, I was sort of expecting you to say something along the lines of standoffish. For a long time, she's been one of the hardiest lionesses I've known. She is a great leader to her team, no doubt, but I felt that maybe sometimes she could have showed some restraint. Still, if she was actually bad, I don't think either of our kingdoms would tolerate it for long." He paused and looked back to his family, seeing them gesture for him to come to them, "Apologies you two, I'll have to speak again with you later. Family duties." He rolled his eyes with a gentle chuckle before heading over to them.

Just as he left, Simba and I felt a familiar presence let itself known to us. "Mind if we take some of the happy couple's time?" Amali introduced herself, Nguvu getting beside her.

For some reason there was no one I wanted to speak with more, actually wrapping my front legs around her in a hug, getting off soon after as she and I broke away to talk whilst Simba and Nguvu did the same. "I am so happy to see you here. Amali it has been far too long. I almost started to forget what you looked like." I teased, winking at the lioness.

Giving me as good as she got, the queen of Kifalme responded, "I don't think that's true. You couldn't forget me." She paused, "For a short moment, I couldn't recognise you, Tishala. When we last spoke, you were a lot smaller than this. You've really transformed from the little lioness I knew. Seeing you addressing us all earlier, I can tell that ruling has given you a new confidence. Not only that, but I can see you're in love. That is what love can do for someone. You should have seen Nguvu when he would talk to me about how the two of you would be convincing herds to stay in the Pridelands again. It sounds like he learned a great deal from you." She gestured over to her love.

I felt my cheeks go red hot from that, "Oh, I don't think I taught him anything. I was learning from him. It was amazing to see someone change the minds of some animals that were so unsure. He has a talent for it. If he wasn't a king, he would have still been good as a diplomat." The two of us smiled over at our respective lions, watching as they talked with each other, "What do you think they're saying?"

The next thing I heard was Amali snort a small laugh, "Oh, no doubt in my mind that Nguvu is giving Simba some advice. Sometimes I think he forgets that he doesn't have to turn everything into a lesson. Sometimes he just needs to enjoy the moments. Then I remind myself that I fell for the lion who adored sharing his knowledge. We all have our little things. Of course, he's had to give plenty of lessons in recent times as well. No matter the workload, I have only seen him stressed out by it once. That one time was when he was new to being king. I imagine when he's talking to Simba now, he's picturing that he's giving Fikiria another one of his lessons." We both chuckled at the thought of it.

Even though the mood was good, I couldn't avoid thinking about their other son, "If you don't mind my asking, how has everyone been since...Kiburi?" I asked, cautious not to want too much on such a delicate subject. I knew I was upset anytime I thought of it, so could only imagine how his family would feel when the subject of their deceased sibling and child, "You don't have to answer." I added.

Rather than hold any silence, Amali looked at me with a saddened smile, "No, you're quite okay to ask. He was your friend too. When Fikiria and Nguvu came back, they were carrying him together. I couldn't have hidden it from Zahra if I wanted. She saw before me. We were all devastated. For a little while, I couldn't bring myself to say goodbye to him. Zahra was still quite young, so she didn't get the full weight of it, but it still upset her. It was a tough time for all of us, not just our immediate family. Kiburi was liked by so many others, so to find out he wasn't going to be coming back, I think the whole pride needed time to mourn. The fact we were all together in mourning though, it brought all members closer together. I felt my spirits lifted by them, enough that I could go to where we laid him to rest. I was able to pay my respects to him, and as painful as it is for a mother to do that for her child, I knew he would always be with me, much as I was always with him. I have no doubt he's watching right now, smiling at the sight of you and Simba, and the day, no, the life you're going to have." She smiled, letting me take the words in. I didn't have time to answer though, Amali predicting what I was going to ask, "Fikiria took it especially hard, and at first we didn't see him often. It couldn't be easy for him. Not only had he lost a brother, but all of a sudden, he had all this expectation on him. He had never thought himself as a future king. He knew he may get betrothed to a princess in a different kingdom, but to him, that was never becoming king. He didn't mind though, but then everything changed, and he felt the pressure of living up to the example that Kiburi set. It took him a while, but he started to lift that shadow off, and become heir in his own way." Again, the Kifalme queen was able to see what I was going to ask, speaking to me with a confident expression, "He will be here, don't worry. I know you two were good friends. He left later than us and is travelling alone. He'll be here."

"Good. I've missed him a lot. I hated how he had to leave. He was so sad, and I just wanted to be there for him. It will be nice to see him again." I sighed, smiling back to the queen again, both of us sharing a knowing look.

Sunset had come faster than I hoped. After mingling for a little while, I decided to perch myself at the end of pride rock, just watching over the kingdom. In reality, I was waiting to see Fikiria arrive. I was told if he didn't arrive before sunset then he would arrive in the morning. I knew I couldn't wait for morning, but I was making myself wait for the sun to set fully. Simba showed the visiting lion families to where they would be staying and invited me to join him inside, though I declined, telling him that I was just going to stay out and have my thoughts to myself. Of course, I knew that Nguvu and Amali would inform Simba why I was so insistent on waiting where I was.

The sun had almost disappeared into the horizon, getting a disappointed sigh from me. With that, I guessed I would have until morning to see Fikiria again. A pang of sadness hit me at that. I lifted myself to start making my way to the den. I couldn't even take a step before I swivelled my head along with my ears, having been alerted to a small sound of a paw dragging along the surface of the rock beneath it. When I saw the owner of the sound, I was greeted to a large lion, impressive in size and bulk, yet not overwhelming. His rich pelt a familiar sight as I could feel my heart beat faster when taking in his features. His mane was long, flowing and a deep colour to compliment his pelt colour. I knew who it was, but a small part of me was worried what might happen if I looked into his eyes. I pushed past it and our eyes met. Once more, I found myself staring into those teal pools, getting lost in them for just a moment. There was something comforting as well as worrying about being kept in his stare. I adored it as much as I wanted to push away. "Now that doesn't look like someone excited to officially be queen tomorrow, as well as having a king to rule alongside. Come on, the least you can do after not seeing me for so long is give me a smile before the big day, hm?" The lion shot me a challenging smirk.

Fikiria had arrived.

A/N: I am so happy to have brought this chapter to you guys as soon as I did. It's no secret, at least to those I've talked to that I am super excited about the next chapter, and have been waiting to get to work on it for a long time! I do not own The Lion King franchise in any way. I'd love to see what you guys think, so please drop a review or message me, either is fine! See you all next time!