Author's Note: Hello, readers! This story will have a few extra scenes based on Athena and Simba's childhood before moving into the tragedy in the movie trilogy.

The Lion King and its characters belong to Walt Disney. I only own my OC, Athena.


The Lion Princess

Chapter 2: Tour of the Kingdom

Clouds roil over the savannah while thunder rumbled and curtains of rain fall in the distance.

The smooth surface of a river became disrupted by the heavy rainfall.

Thunder boomed and lightning zig zags across the sky, illuminating Rafiki's lone baobab tree.

Inside, Rafiki uses a gourd to paint a lion cub and a human girl as lightning occasionally lighting up his paintings of Simba and Athena.

Rafiki chuckled after finishing the paintings of the royal siblings.

"Simba and Athena."Rafiki commented with a smile.


A couple of years have passed and Athena grew up to an adorable five year old girl.

Simba was so happy to have Athena as a sister even though she was different.

He didn't care if his sister didn't have fur or claws.

All that mattered to him was that Athena had the heart of a lion.

Growing up with the lions has given Athena an exciting life.

After she was accepted into the pride, Sarabi took it upon herself to raise her as her own while also tending to her first cub, Simba.

As the years went by, Athena learned how to walk and run like a lion, by using both her hands and feet to help her run. She learned how to fight like a lion, thanks to the playful fights she had with her younger brother. She even learned how to hunt like a lion by Sarabi's hunting party.

The sun began to rise for a new day as Simba went out of the cave to watch the horizon with complete excitement.

Simba was now a young cub with brownish-gold fur, a lighter cream colour accenting his belly, muzzle and paws. He had large, bright eyes with red irises and yellow scleras; his upper lids were a deep tawny. Additionally, he had a light pink nose, four black whiskers on either side of his muzzle and the insides of his ears were tawny and rimmed with black. He boasted a small tuft of hair on top of his head and a short bushy tail.

Today was the day that their father had promised to take him and Athena to the golden meadow that was just past the watering hold to the east.

Simba closely on how far the sun began to rise before he sped back into the lion's cave in pride rock where the rest of his pride were asleep.

"Dad! Come on! Dad!"Simba's voice rang out. "Wake up!"

The young prince went past several lions, lionesses and cubs that were his friends until he arrived to where his parents and sister were.

Athena wore a cream-coloured piece buckskin crop top which exposes her midriff and navel with a matching skirt. Her dark golden blonde hair was loose curly and stopped at the end of her back.

Athena groaned lightly as she rested near Sarabi and Mufasa while hearing Simba's excited voice in the background.

"Your son's awake."Sarabi commented.

"Before sunrise, he's your son."Mufasa replied with a groan.

Simba placed his paws on Athena's stomach causing her to shriek a little.

"Whoa! Simba!"Athena spoke up. "What's with all the rush?"

"Dad is going to show us the whole kingdom today!"Simba remarked. "Help me wake him up!"

Simba went off of Athena's stomach as the young girl covered her mouth to yawn lightly and rubbed her tired eyes.

"Dad!"Simba called out.

The young cub then head-butted his father to wake him up.

"You promised!"Simba snapped.

Mufasa looked up to see Simba frowning at him.

"All right."Mufasa responded. "I'm up, I'm up."

"Yeah!"Simba cheered brightly.

Simba trotted off in excitement as Mufasa let out a yawn.

Mufasa and Sarabi followed Simba and Athena out of the cave.

Simba went around his mother's legs and Sarabi pushed him towards his father.

Athena gave Sarabi a hug before she followed after her father and brother.

Mufasa, Simba and Athena stood together at the top of Pride Rock as it was illuminated by the rising sun.

"Look, Simba and Athena."Mufasa said. "Everything the light touches is our kingdom."

"Wow."Simba commented.

"It's very beautiful."Athena added.

"A king's time as ruler rises and falls like the sun. One day, Simba, the sun will set on my time here and will rise with you."Mufasa declared as he ducks down to Simba's level. "As the new king."

"And this'll all be mine?"Simba asked.

"Everything."Mufasa admitted.

Simba strides along the edge of Pride Rock, overlooking the Pride Lands.

"Everything the light touches."Simba commented. "What about that shadowy place?"

Mufasa and Athena approached Simba.

"That's beyond our borders."Mufasa declared. "You must never go there, Simba."

"But I thought a king can do whatever he wants."Simba said.

A smile sprung on Athena's face.

"Little brother, there's more to being king than getting your way all the time."Athena giggled and looked at Mufasa. "Am I right, daddy?"

"Yes, Athena."Mufasa answered.

Simba smiled. "There's more?"

Mufasa strides away causing Simba and Athena to follow after him.

Mufasa, Simba and Athena headed into the Pride Lands as gazelles prance across the savannah.

"Simba, everything you see exists together in a delicate balance."Mufasa explained. "As king, you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope."

"But, Dad, don't we eat the antelope?"Simba asked.

Mufasa ducked down to Simba and Athena's level.

"Yes, Simba. But let me explain."Mufasa responded. "When we die, our bodies become the grass and the antelope eat the grass. And so we are all connected in the great Circle of Life."

Mufasa gestured with his head to a river, where gazelles cavort and giraffes graze from trees.

"Wow."Simba whispered.

Athena smiled. "Awesome."

Zazu then swooped in from overhead and greeted the King of the Pridelands.

"Good morning, sire!"Zazu greeted.

"Good morning, Zazu."Mufasa responded.

Zazu landed on a nearby boulder to tell the morning report.

"Checking in with the morning report!"Zazu declared with a bow.

"Fire away."Mufasa insisted.

"Chimps are going ape, giraffes remain above it all."

"Elephants remember, though just what I can't recall."

"Crocodiles are snapping up fresh offers from the banks."

Simba spotted a mole pop up out of its hole in the ground and tried to pounce on it, but it got away.

"Showed interest in my nest egg, but I quickly said 'no thanks'."

"We haven't paid the hornbills and the vultures have a hunch."

"Not everyone invited will be coming back from lunch."

Zazu gave a nervous laugh while Simba continued to chase the small mole.

"This is the Morning Report!"

"It gives the long and the short."

"Every grunt, roar and snort."

Athena turned towards Simba and smirked when she saw him struggling to catch the mole.

The young princess ended up deciding to help him in his obvious losing battle against the little creature.

"Not a tale I distort!"

"On the Morning Report!"

Simba jumped to catch the mole, only to land on a small rock.

"Owww!"Simba groaned.

Athena covered her mouth to giggle as she walked forward and bent down to look at Simba.

"Are you okay, Simba?"Athena asked.

"I'm fine."Simba replied with a dizzy look.

Mufasa looked at his children and tried hard not to laugh at the sight of his son.

"What are you doing, son?"Mufasa asked.

"Pouncing."Simba answered as he rubbed his head.

Mufasa smirked and ducked down conspiratorially.

"Let an old pro show you how it's done."Mufasa insisted. "Stay low…to the ground."

Mufasa pushed Simba's lower half down towards the ground.

"Yeah, okay."Mufasa said. "Stay low to the ground, right? Not a sound."

Simba stared intently on Zazu while Athena quietly snickered, knowing how oblivious the hornbill was to her brother's surprise attack.

"Take it slow."Mufasa instructed. "One more step and..."

Simba moved closer and closer to Zazu before the young Prince pounced on the hornbill.

Neither Mufasa and Athena couldn't contain their laughter before Simba began to sing.

"This is the Morning Report!"

"It gives the long and the short!"

Athena laughed as Zazu scowled at her before joining Simba's singing.

"Ever grunt, roar and snort!"

"Not a tale I distort!"

Zazu tried to escape the two siblings, but Athena blocked his path and Simba caught his tail with his teeth.

"On the Morning Report!"

"AAAHHHH!"Zazu screamed loudly.

Zazu yelled out as he was thrown onto the ground by Simba.

Mufasa laughed and Athena lightly chuckled at the whole scene.

Simba glanced over his shoulder at Mufasa and Athena, grinning before they returned to them.

Zazu laid on his back in the dirt as the mole pops out of a hole in the dirt right beneath the hornbill's head.

"Zazu!"the mole spoke up.

"Yes?"Zazu asked.

The mole salutes Zazu.

"Sir!"the mole reported. "News from the underground!"

Mufasa wrapped a paw around Simba as Athena gave her brother a small hug.

"Well done, Simba."Athena remarked.

"That was very good."Mufasa chuckled. "Now, this time–"

"Sire!"Zazu shouted as his head emerges from behind a rock, his eyes wide and terrified. "Hyenas! In the Pride Lands!"

Mufasa started to bound away, but paused to look at Zazu.

"Zazu, take Simba and Athena home."Mufasa ordered.

Simba and Athena went after Mufasa.

"Awww, Dad, can't we come?"Simba asked.

Mufasa shook his head.

"No, son."Mufasa replied.

Mufasa runs off into the savannah to get rid of the hyenas.

Simba and Athena frowned as they stalked off with their heads low.

"Pah!"Simba scoffed. "We never get to go anywhere."

"That's for sure with those hyenas showing up."Athena retorted.

"Oh, young master, one day, you will be king."Zazu remarked as he takes to the air and flies over Simba and Athena, who were heading toward Pride Rock. "Then you and the young mistress can chase those slobbering, mangy, stupid poachers from dawn until dusk."

Athena suddenly bent down and ruffled Simba in a quick way before smirking at him.

"Race you back home!"Athena sneered.

"No fair!"Simba chuckled. "That's my line!"

Simba and Athena took off running to get back home as Zazu followed after them.

"Young master and mistress! Slow down!"Zazu protested, flying after the two children. "Not so fast!"


Back at Pride Rock...

Scar prowled along a rock ledge before he paused to agitatedly knock a bone off the edge.

As Scar continued to slink along, Simba and Athena went over to him.

"Hey, Uncle Scar, guess what?"Simba asked.

Scar paused before he turned and glowered at the young cub and his adopted human niece.

"I despise guessing games."Scar retorted with a glare.

Simba approached Scar and strikes a pose while Athena stood behind him.

"I'm going to be king of Pride Rock."Simba remarked.

"It's true."Athena agreed.

Simba bounds away with Athena following him closely as Scar scowled lightly.

"Oh, goodie."Scar said sarcastically.

Simba and Athena walked to the ledge to overlook the savannah.

"Dad just showed us the whole kingdom."Athena admitted happily.

"And I'm gonna rule it all!"Simba cackled greedily.

Scar glared at Simba and Athena, his back hunched.

"Yes."Scar replied. "Well, forgive me for not leaping for joy. Bad back, you know."

Scar flopped onto his side before Simba and Athena approached him.

"Hey, Uncle Scar."Simba said. "When I'm king, what'll that make you?"

"A monkey's uncle."Scar declared.

Simba tumbled off Scar as Athena lightly smiled.

"You're so weird."Athena giggled.

Scar lifts his head to meet Athena's gaze to give her a weird smile.

"You have no idea."Scar declared with a smirk before standing up to walk away. "So, your father showed you the whole kingdom, did he?"

"Everything."Simba responded.

"It was really amazing."Athena added.

"He didn't show you two what's beyond that rise at the northern border?"Scar asked.

"Well, no."Simba said sadly. "He said I can't go there."

"Neither of us can."Athena admitted.

"But he's absolutely right! It's far too dangerous!"Scar stated dramatically. "Only the bravest lions go there."

"Well, I'm brave!"Simba declared and tilts his head questioningly. "What's out there?"

"No, I'm sorry, Simba and Athena."Scar answered and looked away. "I just can't tell you."

Simba and Athena moved in front of Scar.

"Why not?"Simba asked.

"Come on, Uncle Scar! Tell us!"Athena begged. "We won't tell anyone!"

"Simba, Athena, I'm only looking out for the well-being of my favorite nephew and niece."Scar said with a smile.

Scar pats Simba's head with his comparatively giant paw before doing the same with Athena.

"Yeah, right."Simba snorted with a smile. "I'm your only nephew."

"And I am your only niece."Athena chuckled.

"All the more reason for me to be protective."Scar stated and lifts a claw like it's his pinky. "An elephant graveyard is no place for a young prince and princess."

Simba and Athena stood up excitedly as Scar placed a paw to his mouth in mock horror.

"Oops!"Scar replied.

"An elephant what?"Simba said in awe and looked at Athena. "Whoa..."

"Cool!"Athena sneered.

Simba and Athena smiled out of excitement, even if the elephant graveyard sounded like a frightening place to anyone.

Scar puts a paw to his head, feigning dismay.

"Oh, dear, I've said too much. Well, I suppose you'd have found out sooner or later, you two being so clever and all."Scar commented before pulling Simba and Athena close to him. "Oh, just do me one favor: promise me neither of you will never visit that dreadful place."

"No problem."Simba answered.

"We won't go."Athena responded.

"There's a good lad and lass."Scar remarked before nudging his nephew and niece away. "You two run along now and have fun. And remember..."

The two siblings paused and looked back at Scar.

"It's our little secret."Scar declared.

Simba and Athena ran off as Scar walked away, smiling deviously of the evil plan that he had secretly formed.