A/N: Hi! Welcome to Chapter Twelve! Oooh, what's gonna happen? Read and find out!

Chapter Twelve: Another Attempt

Standing quietly at the entrance to the den, Kiara peeked outside to make sure that everyone was asleep. Nuka, who guarded the entrance, lied in front of it on his side, snoring loudly. Kiara spotted Kovu sleeping under a tree beside his mother, Vitani, and the other lionesses a few yards away.

When she was sure neither of them would move or awaken, Kiara held her breath and very slowly and carefully took a step forward. She gently placed her paw on the ground-which came very close to Nuka's body-and took another step. Then, as cautiously as possible, she stepped over the sleeping lion without touching him in the slightest, then stealthily walked away from him.

As soon as Kiara was out of earshot, she let out a long sigh of relief. She had actually made it; she was home free. However, she knew she still had to be very careful. She decided right then to only travel at night and hide during the day. It seemed safer that way.

Kiara sped across the grasslands, her heart pounding, a small smile on her face-the first in a very long time. She couldn't wait to get home and see her family again.

I'm coming Mom and Dad, she thought, I'm on my way home. A sudden burst of energy burst inside her, causing her to run with great speed. She never knew she could run so fast. It felt so good after being cramped in that gloomy den for so long.

Up ahead, she could see she was nearing a familiar cluster of trees. It was the same jungle she tried to escape through before. Though it looked dark and mysterious, she was going all the way through it anyway. She could hide there at daytime if she didn't make it out that night.

Home, here I come.

The jungle was easy to pass through for Kiara, but where she was now, she did not know. She felt hopelessly lost in the dry environment surrounding her. The ground was hard and cracked and the scorching sun beat down on her. There was no water in sight and her throat was parched. Her stomach constantly growled, but food couldn't be seen for miles and miles. In fact, she felt like she was the only one out in the barren land. Kiara sighed, ears drooped, feeling disheartened. She sat and looked up at the sky. The blinding sun hurt her eyes, so she squeezed them shut.

Kiara!

Was someone calling her name? And why did that voice sound so unmistakably familiar? Opening her eyes, Kiara looked over her shoulder to see a blurry figure standing not too far behind her. It was a male lion, with gleaming golden fur and a reddish mane.

''Dad?'' Kiara said hoarsely. She stood and turned to face him, feeling dazed and extremely dizzy.

''Kiara!'' he called once more while slowly approaching her.

Kiara wanted so badly to run; to leap to him, but for some reason, instead of moving forward, she felt herself begin to fall. Her body heavily hit the ground; her vision blurred and her head swam. All she could see was the figure running toward her before everthing went black.

A/N: DUN DUN DUN!! Uh-oh…what happened here? Find out in Chapter 13! And by the way, do you guys think you can help me think of a title for Chapter Eleven? I hate to leave that stupid 'title' on there. Help me out please!