Kiara was coming home from hunting in the Pride Lands with Tiifu and Zuri. All three lionesses were well fed from eating a large greater kudu bull that was ripe for the picking. Their bellies were full, and they all called it a day from hunting for food all day, where Simba and Nala were looking at the horizons over Pride Rock.
The king and queen of the Pride Lands were happy to see their one and only daughter back home. The future queen of the Pride Lands went inside the rock and decided to relax with her two best friends after a long day of hunting and looking for food.
While lounging, Kiara was greeted by her parents. "Did you have fun out there?" Asked Simba. "You didn't get hurt, did you?"
"Dad." Kiara groaned. "Do we really have to go through this again?" She felt embarrassed by her own father being a little worried about her safety.
"Sorry." Simba said flatly. "It's just that... you're my daughter after all, and I love you so much."
"Come on, daddy. I'm always careful when I'm hunting, and precise on what I choose, and I had my friends with me."
"I know. Did you get something good today?"
"Uh-huh. We all caught a kudu bull that was rogue, wondering the Pride Lands."
"You should have seen how big it was." Said Tiifu. "It was as big as a tree."
"And yet you didn't save food for all of us here?" Said Nala jokingly
Kiara smirked. "It's like you you guys said, mom. We can only have our food for a short time, otherwise, flies would buzz around it, and the meat would rot."
Zuri then said: "And it can be every lion for herself out there."
"That's my girl." Simba said proudly. "I know you did a good job in your hunt."
"Yep, we're gonna be full for a whole two days after eating that bull kudu." Said Tiifu. "I wonder how Kion's doing."
"Yeah, Where is Kion?" Asked Kiara
"He's just playing with Kovu." Said Nala. They all looked over to see Kion being playfully tormented by his brother-in-law. Kovu was giving him noogies on his red tuft of hair on his cub head.
"Haha! Try and get out of this one, buddy!" Said Kovu playfully. "You're the new leader of the Lion Guard, right? You can get out of any situation, can't you?"
"I'll get you for this, Kovu!" Kion grunted while laughing. On the upside for him, Kovu wasn't as rough with him like Vitani. No, Kovu was far more gentil than his sister she. She would play with him, for he would show mercy on him.
Kiara smiled seeing at how much fun her mate and little brother were having together. "Oh, boys." She muttered. Kiara then went to the small cave in Pride Rock where the paintings and drawings of old were drawn on the stone walls, ones that Rafiki would make in his baobab tree.
One of them was an illustration on the birth of Kion when Kiara was a teenager, and exactly when the Pridelanders And Outsiders reunited as one huge pride.
She remembered it like it was only yesterday. The birth of Kion was certainly one of the greatest things that ever happened to her in her life. Another illustration painted was when she and Kion were playing in the savanna grasslands, and a third of them rolling around together while laughing.
This was almost enough to bring a tear of sentimentality down her cheek. She wished she can go back in time and do all those fun things with her little brother again. At last, she let a tear of happiness and nostalgia run down the left side of her face.
Sure, she was proud of Kion for being a proud leader of the new Lion Guard, but she really loved all those fun times she did with him together when he was very little.
Another tear unexpectedly went down her left cheek and the nostalgia was probably getting the best of her. "Oh. I wish we can do all those fun things again." She sobbed very softly.
"Kiara, you gotta take a look at what Vitani Just-" Kovu walked in the cafe, and noticed his mate sobbing with more tears streaming down her face. "Kiara, what's wrong?" He stood next to her.
"Oh, it's nothing, Kovu." She whimpered. "I'm just sad by how Kion is growing up so fast. He's not the same adorable baby cub I played with when he was so tiny."kovu couldn't help but hug her side to comfort his mate.
"It's okay, Kiara. I mean, Kion is still a cub after all."
"I know that." Kiara admitted. "I just loved doing all those fun things with him when he first came into this world. Oh, now i'm Starting to forget all those fun times we did together."
"Come on." Kovu doubted. "He'll always be your little brother, nothing will ever change that."
"You're right. I just miss all those good times I spend with Kion so much, and now he has his duty to be the leader of the Lion Guard, and he might not even think about so much about me anymore."
"Maybe I would understand this from Nala, but come on. Why don't you just ask to spend some time with him?" Kovu suggested. "I mean, if you really want to spend those old times with Kion again, the least you can do is ask him to take a day off to spend time with you."
"Oh Kovu, I wish I could, but I don't want to put the Pride Lands in danger by removing Kion from his duty as leader. He has the Roar of the Elders on his side, and it's so powerful. There might be a time when he will need it against something he can't take down without it."
"That's crazy." Said Kovu. "I highly doubt something terrible will happen because you asked him to take a Day off to spend some time with you."
Thinking inside of her head, Kiara was thinking what her grandfather, Mufasa, would think of this decision in her head. "Of course, she never met the great king in the flesh, but she has heard so many true stories of him and his compassionate rule over the Pride Lands.
Ultimately, Kiara figured that her deceased grandfather wouldn't mind this of her. "I guess you're right, Kovu."
"There you go. Kion will love it, trust me." Said Kovu.
Kiara smiled and looked at Kion who was being given a tongue bath by Nala. He was a little uncomfortable with this, mostly because he was open and other lions would see his little bath. "Mom," lion groaned in embarrassment. "Must you give me a bath now?"
"Yes." Said Nala with a warm smile on her face. "There's no need to be embarrassed. Besides, you see other Cubs getting bathed by their mothers, and they don't seem to mind."
"True."
"I'm only doing this because I love you, Kion." Said Nala. "Just relax, and you'll be clean in no time."
"Okay, mom." Said Kion. He didn't sound quite happy, but his mother was the queen after all, and he needed to respect her queen-like autuority. Well, at least baths do not last forever, and he was almost done anyway, and he felt Nala gently lick his head four more times before saying she was done.
Nala smiled, and immediately let Kion escape from her arms. "There. All clean." She Said.
"Thanks, mom."
"Heh, way to enjoy a bath, Kion." Vitani teased him.
"Oh shut up." Kion Said in an annoyed sound. "Anyway, when is the next bath?"
"I would say... next week."
"Next week?" Said Kion. He groaned in embarrassment, and nodded his head sideways in disapproval. "Well, at least it's still a long time." He muttered. He was about to eat a few bites of the kudu, and before he could get his sharp teeth on it's flesh, he was stopped by his big sister.
"Kion,"
"Yeah Kiara?"
"Listen. I was thinking... maybe... we can spend some time together tomorrow. Just you and me doing a little sibling fun time." Kiara sounded a little uncomfortable, but she didn't stop there. "I mean, think about it, we can do things that we love, and go hunting together."
Kion was touched by his big sister's words, and he ultimately said "I think... that would be great." Kiara smiled, knowing she did the right thing by asking for a little family time with him. "But, what about the Lion Guard? They need a leader like me. I don't want anything bad to happen to the Pride Lands."
"Oh come on." Said Kiara. I'm sure your friends will manage themselves." Kiara said. "Besides, Janja and his clan of hyenas are small-time in my eyes."
"Maybe so, but what if they decide burning the Pride Lands again like before? What if they come and eat me in my sleep? What will happen then if I am dead? Everything would be a disaster." It sounded like Kion was panicking now. "The Pride Lands would fall into chaos without someone like me helping keeping the circle of life in check, and how will my friends and family manage without-"
"Kion!" Kiara stopped him. "Sorry if I yelled at you, but do you know how crazy and ridiculous you sound right now?"
"Yeah, son." Said Simba. "I really appreciate your great concern over the animals and the Pride Lands, and the Circle of life, and I am very proud of that, but come on, your friends can manage without you, or at least, another strong leader on their side."
"Like who?"
Simba had his thinking face on, and he said: "what about Kovu?" Then he looked at his son-in-law. "Kovu, do you think you can be a substitute leader for the Lion Guard for one day?"
The future king of the Pride Lands was thinking, and he said: Well, I guess why not." Then he smiled. "I mean, it would be good for me to know this since the Pride Lands will he mine and Kiara's someday."
"I'm sure you'll do fine, Kovu." Said Kiara. "His friends are very good fighters and you know how to hunt very well."
"Guilty as charged."
"Good. We'll have so much fun together, Kion. I know we will. It will he just like the old days when you were still a cub."
"I'm still technically a cub, Kiara." Kion corrected mildly.
His big sister couldn't help but chuckle. "I know, but I mean when you were three months old and we were playing together. We can hunt together, look at the clouds in the sky I know we'll have fun."
Kion smiled. "I'm sure we will Kiara." He agreed with her he let out a small yawn and stretched his legs out. "But right now, I really need some shuteye for the day. All that patrolling has sure made me exhausted."
"That's fine." Said Nala. "I mean, you guys should have fun together, and Kion, I think this would be a good time to take a little break."
"I know what you mean, mom. I just worry about the Pride Lands."
"You're not the only lion in the Pride Lands, Kion." Simba said. "We are all a family here."
"I know that, dad." Kion said. "yeah, you're right. I'm probably being a little... paranoid in trying to protect the circle of life, and what Grandfather Mufasa loved. Oh, and what Grandmother Sarabi loved, too."
"I'm sure they would understand why you would take a little break from being Lion Guard leader. At least for a whole day."
Making another smile on his face, Kion said: "I know, you're right. Okay, we'll hang out together tomorrow." he suddenly felt Kiara pull him close to the right side of her body, obviously hugging him in gratitude. The cub felt his cheeks being squished in between her right arm, and her body.
"Yay! I know we will have fun." said his big sister with joy. "Just you, and me having fun together tomorrow, taking a little swim in the lake nearby the rock, hunting for something delicious while out in the savanna, looking at the clouds in the sky, I know we will have the time of our lives."
The Next Morning
a beautiful ray of sunlight has shown upon the whole Pride Lands once more on this fine and beautiful morning. Kion was still fast asleep next to his big sister, who had her right arm keeping him close to her like her own little teddy bear.
Birds were chirping in the distance, and a small flock of Saddle-bill storms were flying under the sun in an arrow pattern. Many antelope such as springbok, wildebeest, impala, and dik-diks were landing in the grass without a care in the world, going about their business.
Today was a day where Kion and Kiara will have fun together while the little leader of the Lion Guard was on his day off. So much to do when they wake up, so much to see, and possibly some animals to hunt together as their breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Just about everyone in the pride were getting right up into the swing of things, and were more than ready to face the morning.
Kiara was the first to get up, and she looked down upon her brother still sleeping so soundly like an infant or a swan. Smiling at him, she gently rubbed her paw against Kion's left side of his body to awaken him.
"Kion." She murmured to him softly. "Wake up. Little brother." Kion began to stir a little more, and he made a big yawn with his mouth snowing his canines and teeth. "Rise and shine, Kion." Kiara added.
"What time is it?" He asked in a groggy voice.
"It's morning." Simba answered him.
Vitani made a small growl of irritation, then turned over to the other side with a huff. "Can you guys keep it down?" She said in her own groggy voice. "I'm trying to sleep here."
Kovu just nodded his head and said "that's my big sister." With a smirk. "Come on, let's give her some privacy. She can get very awry when she is woken up from her sleep."
It was just then Vitani awoken with a grumpy look on her face. "I do not! Why does everyone keep saying that about me?!" She saw that everyone had a raised eyebrow on their faces, telling her: "really?" Or "isn't it obvious?" A nervous smile crept on her face, and said: "Oh. Right." Then she went to another part of the rock to continue her nap in peace.
"Well, today I substitute for the Lion Guard." Said Kovu. "I really don't know what to expect."
"Just think of it as a learning experience for you when you become the king of the Pride Lands." Nala suggested.
"Yeah. You're right, Nala. How hard can it be to lead a group of kids who are part of the legendary lion guard?"
"Well, why don't we just go and explain to them why you will he their leader for a day?" Simba suggested. Just then, Fuli, Beshte, Bunga, and Ono came inside Pride Rock, obviously looking for Kion. "Never mind, they came to us."
"Morning, Kion." Said Bunga. "Ready for another day of patrolling?"
"Well guys..." Kion tried to explain to his closest friends, but he still felt unsure about this. "Today i'm... I'm actually... this is hard for me to say. But..."
"What he means to say," Kiara stepped up to help him explain better, "is that, Kion is going to spend some quality time with me, his big sister. I missed having to spend so much time with him like when he was way younger, and he agreed to take a day off to spend some quality time with his big sister." Then she pulled him close to her again.
"Oh." The other kids said, understanding what their friends was going to say to them. "Well, we understand," said Fuli. "But who's going to be the leader for the day? That's the problem about this."
"Not to worry, guys." Kovu stepped up. "I'll be the leader for the day."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Besthe muttered to Ono
"Come on." The cattle egret replied. "It would he a good way for Kovu to learn how to he king of the Pride Lands someday." Turning back to Kovu, he said: "okay, we'll go along with this, Kovu."
Kion's brother-in-law smiled gratefully. "Thanks guy. I know I can be a good help to you guys."
"Even though you don't have the Roar of the Elders like Kion does?"
"Oh just because I don't have that, doesn't mean I am completely powerless to take on a group of stupid hyenas or angry buffalo. Besides, I have more experience in hunting than Kion. No offense."
"None taken. He'll be a good leader for you, guys. It's just for one day."
"We know that." said Bunga. Then he suddenly hugged Kovu. "We'll have so much fun!" The future king laughed uncomfortably, and he slowly got Bunga off of him, but the honey badger just latched onto his right front leg again.
"Well, alright." Kovu was thinking of what the beginning phrase was, and he ultimately said: "Oh yeah, till the Pride Lands end,"
"Lion Guard will defend!" said the other members, ans Kion of course. Kovu led the young children to patrol the Pride Lands his own way. Vitani made a smirk on her face, indicating this wouldn't go so well for her younger brother.
Simba and Nala looked at one another. "You two have fun now. And Kiara, please don't try to get hurt."
"Dad." Kiara groaned.
"And watch out for snakes. Don't be afraid to come back to us if you want, sweetie."
"Mom," Kion groaned. Turns out both these siblings were facing a little bit of embarrassment from their parents. Simba can be a little overprotective of Kiara at times, but not as much. The same was said for Nala and Kion, and how they would get along, like the little bath for instance.
"Sorry. Have fun." Said Simba with a warm smile. Running like there was no tomorrow, Kion and Kiara went out into the savanna to spend their little time together. To start it off, they played a game of tag with one another, and they had good laughs.
Kion would try his best to catch up to Kiara whenever he was it, and she would try and chase him whenever she was it. He was a lot smaller than his big sister, Kiara was already starting to catch up to him, prompting him to try and run faster than before.
Despite being faster than before, Kion felt something touch his back, and he immediately stopped in his tracks. "Tag, you're it!" Said Kiara.
Panting, Kion ran after Kiara again but he was already getting a little tired, especially after the extra sprinting trying to playfully get away from her.
"Wow, you're almost as fast as Fuli." He panted. Despite him being a little tired, he was able to leap over Kiara with a mighty pounce and touch her back. "Tag." He said.
Kiara laughed. "That was an impressive jump there."
"Thanks."
After a while, they took a little break from all that game of tag and decided to lay on the grass on a small knoll to look at the beautiful sapphire sky. There was hardly any clouds at the moment, but there will be some passing by.
"You know, I'm glad you asked me to spend some time with you, Kiara." Kion admitted. "That was fun back there."
"And I'm glad you accepted it, little brother." She pulled him close to her left side. "This takes us back a long time ago when you were younger."
"I know. I can't forget about the mane ruffing you did to my head."
"Ah, you know I was just playing with you. Right?"
"Right." He was silent for a moment, but ultimately, something came to his mind, then Kion asked: "Kiara, what do you think if Grandfather Mufasa was still alive?"
"Hmm..." his older sister was in her thinking face, and she said "well, it would have been nice if he wasn't killed by Scar, but, on the other paw; Kovu wouldn't be here and he wouldn't be the perfect mate for me."
"True. That is so true. You and Kovu are really meant to be. I mean, look at you guys. You are the perfect mates."
"Oh, thank you, Kion. Still, I wish i could have met Mufasa before he was betrayed and killed. I heard he was a very great lion is what I heard from mom, dad, Zazu, Rafiki, and the other lions who knew him. And Grandmother Sarabi said that he was a very humble lion too."
"You knew Grandmother?"
"Uh-huh. For only a short while." Kiara admitted. She had a mildly sad expression on her face and sighed. "She died when I was still a cub. Ypu would have loved her. She was a perfect definition of a queen, even better than mom. Don't tell her I said that."
"Don't worry. I won't tell. But look at it this way: she's with Grandfather Mufasa now, and they have reunited."
Kiara grew a smile on her face again. "That is true." She admitted.
Kion was thinking of how he first met Sarabi as a spirit, and she was everything Kiara said she was: kind, motherly, caring, and a loving lioness. He was glad to have met her in that state. "To be fair, I don't think you..."
"I what, Kion?"
"That you wouldn't be greater than Grandmother Sarabi when you will be in mom's place." In his head he thought: "what did I just say that for?"
Kiara then had a playful, evil smile on her face. "Oh really?" She said. She made a small growl, which scared Kion a little, and slowly walked up to him snarling while baring her teeth. It looked like she was going to eat Kion after what she just said. "You don't think I would make a great queen?"
Kion gulped and crawled backwards in fear. "Come on, Kiara. I was just saying, i- I didn't mean to offend you."
His big sister continued ganging on him with that evil smile on her face, which she didn't take off. The poor cub was becoming a little scared of what she would do to him.
She readied her claws and Kion found himself touching a baobab tree with his back. He could have run on either the left or right side, but he was feeling quite scared, and it looked like Kiara was going to kill and eat him. watched as she raised her left paw, and he found himself being tickled all around with her claws. The cub was laughing hysterically under the mercy of his big sister, who was easily overpowering him since she was far larger than him in height
"You don't think I won't be a great queen?" she said playfully. "I'll show you who would be a terrible leader." she laughed in a mock-evil tone and continued tickling him with no mercy.
"Stop!" he laughed. "Sto-o-op! Hahaha!" despite her brother's pleading, she still didn't stop. "Kiara!" Kion shouted "please! Bahahaha! This is too much or me!"
"Oh ho. Care to say that I am going to be the greatest queen ever? Huh? Huh?"
"Ok! Ok! Hahahaha! I admit it. You will be the greatest queen the Pride Lands will have! Now please stop! Hahaha! I can't take this anymore!"
"Hmm... I don't think so." Said Kiara, still not taking that devious smile off her face. She then grabbed him by her right arm and began pressing her fist all over his mane, making playful growls every once in a while. "I want you to say it again!"
"You're going to be the best queen of the Pride Lands ever!" Kion repeated, still under his sister's mercy. It looked like she was trying to kill him, but she was only paying with him.
"Better." Then she immediately let him go. She then noticed Kion looking a little injured and grunted. She was worried that she might have injured him after playing with him like that, and went to check on him. "Kion, are you-" all of a sudden, Kion pounced on his big sister with a pounce, making a playful roar. Rolling around down the knoll like a cartwheel, Kiara then pinned. "Heh, pinned you." And she let him up.
"Wow. That was fun. But that wasn't fair. You're way bigger than me, and i'm Still a cub."
"Come on Kion. It's okay. I know you had fun."
The cub smirked, and then made a small chuckle. "Okay okay. You got me." And he was thinking of something deep in his head.
"You Okay?"
"Just Fine. I was just wondering how the Lion Guard is doing with Kovu as leader for a day."
"Come on. I have known Kovu long enough to see how much of a good leader he will become of the Pride Lands." Said Kiara. "I bet they are doing so well with him."
"You're right. I can imagine how well they are doing.
Meanwhile
Kovu was... struggling a little being the temporary leader for the guard, for he and the kids were fighting off a group of mean, Rogue crocodiles that were nasty pieces of work.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Asked Fuli
"I Said we can take them." Kovu replied. "Ono, create a distraction from above."
"Got it." Then the cattle egret zoomed and pecked on one of the crocodile's back multiple times in a fast streak. It gave him the perfect oppurtunity for the irritated croc to try and bite at Ono ad eat him as a snack, but the bird flew off just in time.
"Beshte, now!" Said Bunga
The hippo nodded his head boldly. "I'm on it!" Then he tried shooing them away with his mighty mouth, but to no avail. After scaring them off, the team was feeling quite exhausted and they rested back on land.
"Wow, I never thought how hard it was being a leader of the Lion Guard." Said Kovu. "Kion makes it look so easy."
"You need to work on your strategies, Kovu." Said Fuli
"Working progress, Fuli, working progress."
