I never thought I'd come so close to finishing this story, but here I am a chapter or two from the end. It's been quite a trip.
And Ochi, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your reviews. They were nothing short of amazing. I'm glad I could smuggle in a third fan of this long-winded tale.
I'm resubmitting this with some errors corrected.
A cold breeze drifted idly over Pride Rock, ruffling Winda's fur. The mottled lioness's brown eyes stared blankly across the lands as she listened to the dead silence of the Pridelands, a silence matched by that of her Pride. The lions and the land were both in mourning for their King and Queen.
It had been only two days since the battle on Pride Rock which had taken the lives of Kovu and Saga. Aujilo had tended to Maten's wounds, and the heir to the throne was slipping in and out of consciousness as life drifted past him. He hadn't even moved when he had been told that Kiara had died next to her king. Winda had watched the episode, and it had been truly heartbreaking.
The black and white lioness closed her eyes with a heavy sigh, bowing her head as another wind brushed over her fur.
The broken daughter of Simba and Nala let off a scream as she watched Kovu land firmly on Saga's back. Maten was stumbling backwards, panting and reeling with exhaustion, as King fought with King. Kovu thought he was going down with his most hated enemy, but unknowingly he was being cheated of his prize. He forced Saga to the edge, hoping to simply push him off, but the golden lion surged back. Kovu felt the move, and knew what he must do to end it.
He turned his blind eyes towards the sky and roared before suddenly jerking forwards with all the strength left in his body. The confused cry from Saga was the last sound the brown lion heard before the stones reached up to meet him.
The Pride was still, until Maten collapsed with a grunt. A small group of lionesses were spurred into action and they rushed to help him, but Kiara's paws took her to the slope down Pride Rock. Winda followed her Queen, crouching behind a rock some distance away from her and watching.
Kiara threw Saga's corpse off of Kovu's and sank her teeth into his scruff, pulling him off the rocks. Winda started to stand up and help, but Kiara had no problem pulling her love off of his deathbed. Kovu lay stretched out before the Great Kings, with only Kiara to stand over him. Her mind was wandering as a paw trailed softly over his drenched mane, and Winda could even see the tears in her eyes as she remembered everything they had been through.
"Until death, we promised," the mottled lioness heard. Kiara's body gave a shudder. "Together forever, until death. If Zira's hatred could not part us, nothing in the world could. And come that day we would join the Great Kings together, and as one watch our daughter."
But it would not be... At least, not the promise of watching Arina flourish.
Kiara nuzzled her way under Kovu's paw and rested her nose near his. Her broken voice whispered, "Until death..." one final time before her ruby eyes closed, and Death stole the breath and spirit from her body, granting her the vow she had made with Kovu under that starry sky so long ago - until death.
She had died of a broken heart - everything she had held dear was stolen from her, and instead of living longer to suffer through life without Kovu and Arina, she had let herself drift into her final peaceful sleep. The Pride was minutes late, and when they finally arrived they had found Kiara and Kovu in their final embrace.
Winda shivered, shaking the memory out of her mind. Her head raised to the sky as she heard a quiet whistle. The green majordomo of the Pridelands landed before the lioness and bowed quickly to her, his small voice gasping out as he spoke between breaths.
"Elata and her group have brought Kiara... And Kovu around the side... of Pride Rock, to a ca... Ve where they can be with us forever. Saga's body was thrown in the... Gorge."
Winda nodded slowly, turning her head towards the cave. She could see the outline of Maten's body where it lay. Aujilo hopped out of the cave and to her, his eyes still dull with grief. He had lost his mentor and his dear friends in the bloody day, and despite his training it was hard to keep himself calm while he tended to the wounded prince.
Aujilo breathed out quietly, "He will live. And when he is well enough, I shall name him as the King of Pride Rock."
The fishing eagle took to the sky with no further words, and the green messenger followed him. Winda watched them until they were mere specks on the horizon before she padded slowly down the slope of Pride Rock to the flat stone she fondly called the Queen's Stone. She crawled onto it and curled up tightly, closing her brown eyes as a tear rolled down her furred cheek.
"Winda, why haven't you run yet?"
"Why should I?... I have you."