A/N: Ok everyone, I finally found time and came up with an idea for the
next chapter in my story. Enjoy and don't forget to review!
Chapter 9: Newfound Reality
Kiara caught up with Kovu and found him sitting down with his ears pinned back, upset. A lump formed in her throat as she slowly approached him.
Kovu had known she would follow him and sensed her presence. He pretended not to notice as he put a paw around Sumba, who was resting against his underbelly.
Kiara thought it best not to say anything at first, and instead walked up beside Kovu and sat. She stared ahead just as Kovu was doing and gasped. There was a sky-high metal fence in front of them, with sharp coils of wire at the top.
"What?" she gasped softly and peered at it.
"No!" came Sumba's small but high-pitched voice.
Kiara jumped back and gaped at the small cub.
"It's dangerous" he cried.
"What is it?" she asked worriedly.
"I don't know, all I know is it's evil. It shocks your body when you touch it," Kovu spoke in a dark tone.
"What's it doing here?" she cried.
"I'm guessing it's keeping us here," Kovu replied with the same dark tone but with a hint of anger.
"We've gotta go tell Timsu about this!" Kiara stood up confidently.
Sumba shrank back at Kiara's decision.
"No! Why do you trust that human like this Kiara? I can't believe you! Don't you get it? He's the one keeping us here" Kovu roared upset.
"No, he saved you, he saved all of us!" she defended Timsu.
"Yes but why? So he could capture us and keep us trapped in this prison forever!" Kovu unsheathed his claws in anger.
Sumba began to whimper as tears came to his eyes. "Then why didn't he save Chaka?" his voice cracked as tears streamed down his small creamy colored cheeks.
Those words stung Kiara and she pinned her ears back, feeling guilty.
Kovu drew Sumba close to him for comfort. He glared at Kiara, tears forming in his own eyes. "I'll tell you why, Princess. Because you forgot about her and ruined our new lives, not to mention the fact that our parents probably think we're dead. You ruined our plan to bring peace between our prides, to make our lives better," Kovu paused for a moment, and put his head down. "To bring us together," he finished. His dusty brown mane tuft concealed his eyes as a tear hit the ground.
Kiara shrunk back and stared at him and Sumba for a moment.
Sumba looked up at his alleged mother with sad eyes, waiting for her do something, to make everything be all right again.
Kiara whispered. "I'm sorry," and turned and fled from them.
Sumba managed to slip out of Kovu's comforting fatherly embrace and tried to follow Kiara. He only managed a few paces before he was lifted up by Kovu's paw. "Let her go, for now," he said quietly.
Sumba obediently nodded as Kovu brought him back to the sanctuary barn.
Kiara had found shade and solitude under an acacia tree. Kovu and Sumba's confrontation replayed in her head. Why did she have to forget about Chaka? Why, why, why? How could she? The question pounded in her head a thousand times when suddenly she felt something cold shock her back. She let out a scream and jumped up.
Timsu was grinning several yards away with a watering can one hand and was waving at her. "Look alive young lioness, you're too young to be tired out at this time of day!" he chuckled.
Kiara expected herself to laugh with Timsu and become playful again, but the shock of the cold water left her feeling heavy with guilt. She shook off the water and stared at the grinning African native.
He bent down and beckoned her to come to him. She took a step forward, but then Kovu's upset voice reverberated in her mind. "Why do you trust that human like this, Kiara?"
She stared at Timsu, and pondered the question again. Then Sumba's heart- wrenching comment intervened. "Then why didn't he save Chaka?"
Kiara bit her lip and hung her head.
Timsu furrowed his brow immediately, and walked over to her, concerned. "What's wrong, young lioness?" he stooped down to her.
She look up at him, her ears drooping. Then an idea struck her. She could show Timsu the fence and then he could get her out! Her ears perked up and she stood up excitedly on her hind legs and pawed at Timsu.
The old man chuckled. "Ok, you got my attention, what is it?"
Kiara trotted a few paces ahead and gave a friendly growl for him to follow her. He stood up and followed until they arrived about a foot away from the huge, electric fence.
Kiara frowned at the fence and then looked up at Timsu, hopeful.
However, Timsu's old, wrinkled face wrinkled up even more as he understood what she was trying to tell him. "Ah, yes young one. I know what you seek. You probably have a pride out der dat is looking for you," he began in a warm tone.
Kiara nodded enthusiastically as she sensed he understood.
Then his voice grew grim. "However, dey aren't de only ones looking for you out der. You see, poachers and hunters come from oda (other) lands now searching for your species and oda animals in Africa. Dey value your pelt, your fur, and to get it, you must be dead first."
Kiara's eyes widened with fear as Timsu's grim voice spoke, as dark rain clouds formed and filled the sky over the savanna.
Timsu crouched down to her and lifted a paw to pet her. "I value not just your pelt, but you as a whole lioness cub, and I intend to see you live until you are ready to leave dis Earth at a ripe, old age, as nature intends. De great Lord above gave us dominion ova all you animals, and I believe dat you should be free to live and hunt in da savanna in harmony wit nature, not killed off by selfish, greedy humans. You are one of nature's treasures in dis world, and in de Circle of Life, we are one," Timsu concluded with a gentle tone, as he ran his hand across Kiara's soft back fur.
"We are one." Kiara stared up at him, gaping as his words hung in the air. His simple touch seemed to bestow the translation to her. She remained still as she took in all that she had heard and all her emotions she had experienced.
A single raindrop hit her nose, bringing her back to reality. She looked up at the now dark sky as more drops began to fall.
"A mighty storm's a-comin', I can smell it," Timsu observed, sniffing the air, his nostrils flaring.
Kiara couldn't help but giggle, as Timsu bore a close resemblance to Rafiki, as she thought of the monkey's colorful, funny-looking face. She then began to miss Rafiki, and wondered if he knew where she was.
Thunder boomed above them, and Timsu jumped up and whooped. "Come quickly, young lioness, to de sanctuary barn!" he cried, beckoning her as he turned to sprint.
She sprinted along side him and skidded to a stop on the dirt floor of the barn, as Timsu hurried in and closed the door behind her.
Kovu and Sumba were nestled together off to the side in a bed of hay when the saw Kiara rush into the barn.
Sumba gasped and jumped down, excitedly, and ran over to Kiara, only to bump into Timsu's leg.
The small cub fell back onto his bottom, winced, and looked up in fright at the dark figure.
"Oh my," Timsu chuckled. "Careful der little one," he spoke gently as he reached down and helped the cub to his feet.
Sumba whimpered as he felt Timsu's large hands lift him, but when he was set onto his paw again, he relaxed. Looking up at Timsu, he blinked curiously.
"Der, der don't be afraid, little one, Timsu won't hurt you," he comforted Sumba with a gentle stroke across his back and a soft pat on the cub's head.
Sumba sighed, relieved and gave a small smile to Timsu, as the old native stood up and began to walk in the opposite direction as him, to check up on the other animals.
As Timsu walked past Kovu, who was sitting up in the hay bed, claws unsheathed and fur standing on end, glaring suspiciously at him, he gave him a look of sympathy, which Kovu couldn't recognize. He sighed. "I'm sorry, feisty one. I'm sorry you do not trust me, so I won't bother you," he said as he shook his head and walked continued walking.
Kovu watched after him until he had vanished around a corner of the barn before turning back to Sumba and Kiara.
Sumba had run over to Kiara after she had called his name out, and they were apologizing to each other for the day's events and how they had acted.
"Sumba, it was and still is entirely my fault; I did ruin everything for you and Kovu, but I promise I'll find her for you," she cried, nuzzling him.
"And for Kovu, and you," he added.
"Huh?" she asked, confused.
"You'll find Chaka for all of us, not just me, because we're all a pride, and a part of each now," the tiny cub spoke warmly.
Kiara gasped at the innocent cub's wise words that her father had spoken to her a few months ago. "We are part of each other."
Kovu jumped down from the hay bed, and walked over to them, slowly, wondering if Kiara would accept his apology as she had Sumba's.
"Sumba," Kovu broke the silence, and both Sumba and Kiara looked to him.
"Um, do you mind if I talk to the queen for a minute? How about you go be the pouncer and when I get into the bed, I'll be the prey, alright?" he grinned got into a playful pouncing position.
The creamy cub gasped excitedly. "Yeah!" He shouted in a high-pitched voice and bounded off to where their hay bed was.
Kiara raised her eyebrows. "What was that?"
"Oh just a game we made up," he chuckled weakly.
Kiara gave a small laugh. "Oh really? Since when do you know about games?"
"Oh since about many nights ago," he replied content.
Kiara furrowed her brow.
"Want me to teach you?" he prompted.
"I thought you wanted to talk," she asked shrewdly.
"Well, we can do both," he continued.
"Ok..." she looked around nervously.
"Ok, now stay right where you are," Kovu said.
"Ok," she nodded.
"Now turn a little towards your left, little more, little more, perfect!" he grinned to himself as Kiara was facing the opposite direction as him.
She sighed, annoyed by him avoiding talking to her. Then she turned around. "Kovu, what is going–"
She began to say, before getting cut off by Kovu pouncing her from the side.
She let out a yell as Kovu pinned her to the ground, and put a paw over her mouth, laughing softly.
"Shh! You want Sumba to hear?" he smirked.
"What are you doing, Kovu?" Kiara glared up at him, as she struggled to get up. Instead, Kovu let his whole body weight down on her.
"I'm trying to apologize, ok?" he confessed with a serious face.
Kiara's expression softened as her ears went back, shyly. "Well, you don't have to, because it's not your fault, it's mine," she looked to the ground.
Kovu reached his paw out and brought her face to his. "No it's not your fault. I shouldn't have let her out of my sight. You already had Sumba to take care of, and I was selfish to expect you to carry both of them. She was my responsibility at the time," he said while looking into her eyes.
"But I–
"No, Kiara, it was my fault and noone else's. And," he continued as he brought his face close to her's. "I didn't mean anything I said before. You did not ruin our new lives, nor our plan to bring our pride's closer together. If anything, they've picked up our scent and are on our trail now," he smiled.
"You think?" she asked, looking back into his olive-green eyes, while her eyes watered.
"I know so. And, you didn't fail to bring us closer together, because we are closer than I ever imagined," he grinned as he touched his nose to her's. "All of us are," he whispered.
Kiara smiled and closed her eyes as he licked her cheek and she nuzzled him.
"You really mean that, Kovu?" she finally spoke up in a whisper.
Kovu smirked. "You think that kiss was for nothing?"
Kiara giggled, and Kovu joined her as they shared one last nuzzle and kiss before Sumba grew restless and pounced on them both.
Kiara and Kovu let out a surprised yell, as Sumba rolled over giggling.
"Hey you!" Kovu growled playfully. He looked at Kiara and they both narrowed their eyes. Then they started tickling the tiny tan cub, who squealed with laughter and protests.
"Eek, no stop!" he giggled in a squeaky, high-pitched tone.
"I don't know, Kiara, should we stop yet?" Kovu smirked playfully.
"Please, please stop!" Sumba continued giggling.
"Well..." she pretended to think hard.
"KIARA STOP!" he continued.
"OK," she piped up.
The tickling ceased and Sumba panted hard and coughed.
"Aw, Sumba, are you alright?" Kiara asked, grooming him.
"Yeah, sorry about that, Sumba. Was that too rough?" Kovu asked, concerned.
"No, that was fun, Dad!" he grinned.
Kovu froze as the word "dad" hung in the air.
Kiara looked to Kovu, taken aback by Sumba calling Kovu his "Dad."
Just then the tiny "prince" yawned, indicating to Kiara that it was time for them to go to bed.
"Ok, I think it's some prince's bedtime now," she said, realizing, she was almost exactly mimicking her own mother.
"Yeah, let's get to bed," Kovu agreed as Kiara picked up Sumba.
They trotted over to the soft hay beds, and climbed into them.
Kovu remained standing until Kiara had lain Sumba down, who was fast asleep now, and was settled in herself before he nestled up close to her. Then they observed Sumba sleep for a few seconds before turning to each other.
"He sure is cute isn't he?" Kovu blurted out.
Kiara looked at him, surprised, and agreed. "I'm so glad we found them," Kiara smiled, and then sighed.
"Hey, don't worry, we'll find Chaka. I promise," he whispered to her.
"Me too," she whispered back, smiling. She couldn't describe this new feeling that had come over her lately. Ever since her and Kovu had found Chaka and Sumba, and they had been dubbed "King and Queen," Kiara began to feel like a different lioness. Not completely different, as she was still headstrong, playful, and optimistic, but she felt...what was the word she had heard her father say before? She couldn't remember it, but she knew how she felt, and that was what mattered.
Kovu felt the same way. He was beginning to feel like this was his new real life. He really was a "King" to Sumba, and Kiara was his "Queen." He also had felt more attracted to her than he had ever felt before since their journey had begun. He wondered what would happen tomorrow and the next day. Would this newfound reality last forever? He didn't know, but he wished above all other things, that him and Kiara would find Chaka and they could all be together for the rest of their lives. He looked over at Kiara as she had fallen asleep, and he sleepily lay his head protectively over her's as he slipped into a most peaceful sleep with his first and only best friend and "queen," and his newfound "son."
Chapter 9: Newfound Reality
Kiara caught up with Kovu and found him sitting down with his ears pinned back, upset. A lump formed in her throat as she slowly approached him.
Kovu had known she would follow him and sensed her presence. He pretended not to notice as he put a paw around Sumba, who was resting against his underbelly.
Kiara thought it best not to say anything at first, and instead walked up beside Kovu and sat. She stared ahead just as Kovu was doing and gasped. There was a sky-high metal fence in front of them, with sharp coils of wire at the top.
"What?" she gasped softly and peered at it.
"No!" came Sumba's small but high-pitched voice.
Kiara jumped back and gaped at the small cub.
"It's dangerous" he cried.
"What is it?" she asked worriedly.
"I don't know, all I know is it's evil. It shocks your body when you touch it," Kovu spoke in a dark tone.
"What's it doing here?" she cried.
"I'm guessing it's keeping us here," Kovu replied with the same dark tone but with a hint of anger.
"We've gotta go tell Timsu about this!" Kiara stood up confidently.
Sumba shrank back at Kiara's decision.
"No! Why do you trust that human like this Kiara? I can't believe you! Don't you get it? He's the one keeping us here" Kovu roared upset.
"No, he saved you, he saved all of us!" she defended Timsu.
"Yes but why? So he could capture us and keep us trapped in this prison forever!" Kovu unsheathed his claws in anger.
Sumba began to whimper as tears came to his eyes. "Then why didn't he save Chaka?" his voice cracked as tears streamed down his small creamy colored cheeks.
Those words stung Kiara and she pinned her ears back, feeling guilty.
Kovu drew Sumba close to him for comfort. He glared at Kiara, tears forming in his own eyes. "I'll tell you why, Princess. Because you forgot about her and ruined our new lives, not to mention the fact that our parents probably think we're dead. You ruined our plan to bring peace between our prides, to make our lives better," Kovu paused for a moment, and put his head down. "To bring us together," he finished. His dusty brown mane tuft concealed his eyes as a tear hit the ground.
Kiara shrunk back and stared at him and Sumba for a moment.
Sumba looked up at his alleged mother with sad eyes, waiting for her do something, to make everything be all right again.
Kiara whispered. "I'm sorry," and turned and fled from them.
Sumba managed to slip out of Kovu's comforting fatherly embrace and tried to follow Kiara. He only managed a few paces before he was lifted up by Kovu's paw. "Let her go, for now," he said quietly.
Sumba obediently nodded as Kovu brought him back to the sanctuary barn.
Kiara had found shade and solitude under an acacia tree. Kovu and Sumba's confrontation replayed in her head. Why did she have to forget about Chaka? Why, why, why? How could she? The question pounded in her head a thousand times when suddenly she felt something cold shock her back. She let out a scream and jumped up.
Timsu was grinning several yards away with a watering can one hand and was waving at her. "Look alive young lioness, you're too young to be tired out at this time of day!" he chuckled.
Kiara expected herself to laugh with Timsu and become playful again, but the shock of the cold water left her feeling heavy with guilt. She shook off the water and stared at the grinning African native.
He bent down and beckoned her to come to him. She took a step forward, but then Kovu's upset voice reverberated in her mind. "Why do you trust that human like this, Kiara?"
She stared at Timsu, and pondered the question again. Then Sumba's heart- wrenching comment intervened. "Then why didn't he save Chaka?"
Kiara bit her lip and hung her head.
Timsu furrowed his brow immediately, and walked over to her, concerned. "What's wrong, young lioness?" he stooped down to her.
She look up at him, her ears drooping. Then an idea struck her. She could show Timsu the fence and then he could get her out! Her ears perked up and she stood up excitedly on her hind legs and pawed at Timsu.
The old man chuckled. "Ok, you got my attention, what is it?"
Kiara trotted a few paces ahead and gave a friendly growl for him to follow her. He stood up and followed until they arrived about a foot away from the huge, electric fence.
Kiara frowned at the fence and then looked up at Timsu, hopeful.
However, Timsu's old, wrinkled face wrinkled up even more as he understood what she was trying to tell him. "Ah, yes young one. I know what you seek. You probably have a pride out der dat is looking for you," he began in a warm tone.
Kiara nodded enthusiastically as she sensed he understood.
Then his voice grew grim. "However, dey aren't de only ones looking for you out der. You see, poachers and hunters come from oda (other) lands now searching for your species and oda animals in Africa. Dey value your pelt, your fur, and to get it, you must be dead first."
Kiara's eyes widened with fear as Timsu's grim voice spoke, as dark rain clouds formed and filled the sky over the savanna.
Timsu crouched down to her and lifted a paw to pet her. "I value not just your pelt, but you as a whole lioness cub, and I intend to see you live until you are ready to leave dis Earth at a ripe, old age, as nature intends. De great Lord above gave us dominion ova all you animals, and I believe dat you should be free to live and hunt in da savanna in harmony wit nature, not killed off by selfish, greedy humans. You are one of nature's treasures in dis world, and in de Circle of Life, we are one," Timsu concluded with a gentle tone, as he ran his hand across Kiara's soft back fur.
"We are one." Kiara stared up at him, gaping as his words hung in the air. His simple touch seemed to bestow the translation to her. She remained still as she took in all that she had heard and all her emotions she had experienced.
A single raindrop hit her nose, bringing her back to reality. She looked up at the now dark sky as more drops began to fall.
"A mighty storm's a-comin', I can smell it," Timsu observed, sniffing the air, his nostrils flaring.
Kiara couldn't help but giggle, as Timsu bore a close resemblance to Rafiki, as she thought of the monkey's colorful, funny-looking face. She then began to miss Rafiki, and wondered if he knew where she was.
Thunder boomed above them, and Timsu jumped up and whooped. "Come quickly, young lioness, to de sanctuary barn!" he cried, beckoning her as he turned to sprint.
She sprinted along side him and skidded to a stop on the dirt floor of the barn, as Timsu hurried in and closed the door behind her.
Kovu and Sumba were nestled together off to the side in a bed of hay when the saw Kiara rush into the barn.
Sumba gasped and jumped down, excitedly, and ran over to Kiara, only to bump into Timsu's leg.
The small cub fell back onto his bottom, winced, and looked up in fright at the dark figure.
"Oh my," Timsu chuckled. "Careful der little one," he spoke gently as he reached down and helped the cub to his feet.
Sumba whimpered as he felt Timsu's large hands lift him, but when he was set onto his paw again, he relaxed. Looking up at Timsu, he blinked curiously.
"Der, der don't be afraid, little one, Timsu won't hurt you," he comforted Sumba with a gentle stroke across his back and a soft pat on the cub's head.
Sumba sighed, relieved and gave a small smile to Timsu, as the old native stood up and began to walk in the opposite direction as him, to check up on the other animals.
As Timsu walked past Kovu, who was sitting up in the hay bed, claws unsheathed and fur standing on end, glaring suspiciously at him, he gave him a look of sympathy, which Kovu couldn't recognize. He sighed. "I'm sorry, feisty one. I'm sorry you do not trust me, so I won't bother you," he said as he shook his head and walked continued walking.
Kovu watched after him until he had vanished around a corner of the barn before turning back to Sumba and Kiara.
Sumba had run over to Kiara after she had called his name out, and they were apologizing to each other for the day's events and how they had acted.
"Sumba, it was and still is entirely my fault; I did ruin everything for you and Kovu, but I promise I'll find her for you," she cried, nuzzling him.
"And for Kovu, and you," he added.
"Huh?" she asked, confused.
"You'll find Chaka for all of us, not just me, because we're all a pride, and a part of each now," the tiny cub spoke warmly.
Kiara gasped at the innocent cub's wise words that her father had spoken to her a few months ago. "We are part of each other."
Kovu jumped down from the hay bed, and walked over to them, slowly, wondering if Kiara would accept his apology as she had Sumba's.
"Sumba," Kovu broke the silence, and both Sumba and Kiara looked to him.
"Um, do you mind if I talk to the queen for a minute? How about you go be the pouncer and when I get into the bed, I'll be the prey, alright?" he grinned got into a playful pouncing position.
The creamy cub gasped excitedly. "Yeah!" He shouted in a high-pitched voice and bounded off to where their hay bed was.
Kiara raised her eyebrows. "What was that?"
"Oh just a game we made up," he chuckled weakly.
Kiara gave a small laugh. "Oh really? Since when do you know about games?"
"Oh since about many nights ago," he replied content.
Kiara furrowed her brow.
"Want me to teach you?" he prompted.
"I thought you wanted to talk," she asked shrewdly.
"Well, we can do both," he continued.
"Ok..." she looked around nervously.
"Ok, now stay right where you are," Kovu said.
"Ok," she nodded.
"Now turn a little towards your left, little more, little more, perfect!" he grinned to himself as Kiara was facing the opposite direction as him.
She sighed, annoyed by him avoiding talking to her. Then she turned around. "Kovu, what is going–"
She began to say, before getting cut off by Kovu pouncing her from the side.
She let out a yell as Kovu pinned her to the ground, and put a paw over her mouth, laughing softly.
"Shh! You want Sumba to hear?" he smirked.
"What are you doing, Kovu?" Kiara glared up at him, as she struggled to get up. Instead, Kovu let his whole body weight down on her.
"I'm trying to apologize, ok?" he confessed with a serious face.
Kiara's expression softened as her ears went back, shyly. "Well, you don't have to, because it's not your fault, it's mine," she looked to the ground.
Kovu reached his paw out and brought her face to his. "No it's not your fault. I shouldn't have let her out of my sight. You already had Sumba to take care of, and I was selfish to expect you to carry both of them. She was my responsibility at the time," he said while looking into her eyes.
"But I–
"No, Kiara, it was my fault and noone else's. And," he continued as he brought his face close to her's. "I didn't mean anything I said before. You did not ruin our new lives, nor our plan to bring our pride's closer together. If anything, they've picked up our scent and are on our trail now," he smiled.
"You think?" she asked, looking back into his olive-green eyes, while her eyes watered.
"I know so. And, you didn't fail to bring us closer together, because we are closer than I ever imagined," he grinned as he touched his nose to her's. "All of us are," he whispered.
Kiara smiled and closed her eyes as he licked her cheek and she nuzzled him.
"You really mean that, Kovu?" she finally spoke up in a whisper.
Kovu smirked. "You think that kiss was for nothing?"
Kiara giggled, and Kovu joined her as they shared one last nuzzle and kiss before Sumba grew restless and pounced on them both.
Kiara and Kovu let out a surprised yell, as Sumba rolled over giggling.
"Hey you!" Kovu growled playfully. He looked at Kiara and they both narrowed their eyes. Then they started tickling the tiny tan cub, who squealed with laughter and protests.
"Eek, no stop!" he giggled in a squeaky, high-pitched tone.
"I don't know, Kiara, should we stop yet?" Kovu smirked playfully.
"Please, please stop!" Sumba continued giggling.
"Well..." she pretended to think hard.
"KIARA STOP!" he continued.
"OK," she piped up.
The tickling ceased and Sumba panted hard and coughed.
"Aw, Sumba, are you alright?" Kiara asked, grooming him.
"Yeah, sorry about that, Sumba. Was that too rough?" Kovu asked, concerned.
"No, that was fun, Dad!" he grinned.
Kovu froze as the word "dad" hung in the air.
Kiara looked to Kovu, taken aback by Sumba calling Kovu his "Dad."
Just then the tiny "prince" yawned, indicating to Kiara that it was time for them to go to bed.
"Ok, I think it's some prince's bedtime now," she said, realizing, she was almost exactly mimicking her own mother.
"Yeah, let's get to bed," Kovu agreed as Kiara picked up Sumba.
They trotted over to the soft hay beds, and climbed into them.
Kovu remained standing until Kiara had lain Sumba down, who was fast asleep now, and was settled in herself before he nestled up close to her. Then they observed Sumba sleep for a few seconds before turning to each other.
"He sure is cute isn't he?" Kovu blurted out.
Kiara looked at him, surprised, and agreed. "I'm so glad we found them," Kiara smiled, and then sighed.
"Hey, don't worry, we'll find Chaka. I promise," he whispered to her.
"Me too," she whispered back, smiling. She couldn't describe this new feeling that had come over her lately. Ever since her and Kovu had found Chaka and Sumba, and they had been dubbed "King and Queen," Kiara began to feel like a different lioness. Not completely different, as she was still headstrong, playful, and optimistic, but she felt...what was the word she had heard her father say before? She couldn't remember it, but she knew how she felt, and that was what mattered.
Kovu felt the same way. He was beginning to feel like this was his new real life. He really was a "King" to Sumba, and Kiara was his "Queen." He also had felt more attracted to her than he had ever felt before since their journey had begun. He wondered what would happen tomorrow and the next day. Would this newfound reality last forever? He didn't know, but he wished above all other things, that him and Kiara would find Chaka and they could all be together for the rest of their lives. He looked over at Kiara as she had fallen asleep, and he sleepily lay his head protectively over her's as he slipped into a most peaceful sleep with his first and only best friend and "queen," and his newfound "son."