The Lion King III: Pride Land Rogue
Disclaimer: All characters, original story references, and settings are Copyright The Walt Disney Company. Zuri, Azizi, Hodari, Zeru, Ua, Maovu, and all them other characters are Copyrighted to myself.
Author's Note: Yay! My LK fic is out! Please R/R!
Brief Summary: Zuri and Azizi, Kiara's twin daughters, must figure out who the true heiress is while at the same time battling the revived Zira and her firstborn, Maovu.
Night dispatched itself as the sun rose with slow readiness to start off the joyous day of celebration in the Pride Lands. Kiara, the proud and young heiress to the throne, awoke with reluctance, keeping something in her mind from coming back to her. She knew what it was, but shook the thought from her head entirely, stretching out her forepaws into the dusted stone inside her home, the den of Simba, on Pride Rock. Her newly betrothed, Kovu, was nowhere to be seen. In spite of her drowsiness, she was eager to wake the other lionesses and begin the preparations, for that night would be the celebration of Union, the first ever to be held in the Pride Lands, in which the united prides would be able to remember what had happened just barely a day before. It was that, Kiara thought to herself, that troubled her. Keeping close watch of her surroundings, she ventured to the water hole, deep in thought, reenacting the events of the past day. The vengeful Zira had come close to winning a long-running battle when her own daughter, now one of Kiara's closest and the den's midwife-in-training, Vitani, had turned the entire hold of Scar's remaining followers to unite. She thought of the cliff, and how Zira had not slipped, but let go of the rock. Surely no such villainess would simply plunge to her death without thinking she would somehow survive the fall.
"Kiara?" a voice from behind surprised her. She turned around to see a small blue and white bird, the hornbill advisor, Zazu, who would soon become advisor to her beloved Kovu. She nodded in approval, relieving Zazu of keeping his distance from a groggy lioness. He perched himself upon a nearby log, clearing his throat. Kiara rolled her eyes, anxiously awaiting the hornbill's news. "There has been an announcement I have been sent to give you, dearest Princess." He began, trying to sound as important as one of his kind could. "The preparations have begun!" Kiara gave a half roar, half shout of joy, leaping into a run, a startled Zazu struggling to find balance in the breeze over the savanna.
"Zazu, this is wonderful! I don't know what to think!" her mind quickly floated towards that dark space, to the thought she had tried and tried to push out of her mind earlier, making her sigh in dismay, despite her effort to run. As she reached the base of Pride Rock, she called up to her family, alerting them of her arrival. Nala ran to greet her, anxious to have her daughter return.
"Kiara!" She exclaimed, nuzzling her daughter. "Hurry, we must make haste if we are to prepare you for the celebration." Kiara grinned for just a moment, then allowed her emotion to slip back to her problem with Zira. Nala noticed immediately that something was troubling her, and became concerned.
"What's wrong?" Nala began, halting her lope. Kiara glanced at her, startled at her mother's ability to sense Kiara's problem so quickly. "What could possibly be bothering you in this time of celebration, of joy and unity?" Kiara shied away, toward the den, avoiding Nala's question. A prowess at fast and effective movement, Nala immediately appeared in front of her, her sea-colored eyes full of concern.
"Kiara," she said, laughing, "I'm not easily satisfied by your silence." The wise lioness sat down, blocking the cave's entrance, grinning. The golden lioness gave in, and plopped down onto the dusted floor.
"Well," she hesitated, unsure of what she was revealing would be good or bad, "It's about yesterday…Zira didn't slip, I saw her let go with my own eyes!" This stunned Nala momentarily, but she quickly resumed her stance, allowing Kiara to continue. "When she plummeted, she-she was laughing! I just don't understand… The only way such a hate-filled creature would do a thing like that would mean she must've thought she could survive the fall…" Nala's expression was blank with surprise, as she nodded in agreement.
"I fear you are right, Kiara, and if it's true, she must be found…" Kiara looked on, puzzled.
"What do you mean?" Nala shook her head.
"Later, Kiara, even at this shocking news, we must prepare you for the celebration!" Nala stood up, motioning for Kiara to follow. "Now, come, daughter, or we may be late!" Kiara followed, thankful that her burden had been lifted. All she needed to worry for now was that she be ready in time…
