~Chapter 6~
A few days passed and Kovu was constantly spying on Nuka and Mila and their cubs. Eventually, he found out their names, Kito and Minara. He was curious how long Nuka would keep it a secret. He figured they must have wanted this time for themselves to be a family. Zira would be a complication. Though not too long after, Nuka introduced the cubs to Zira, Vitani, and Kovu before the rest of the pride. Zira swatted at Nuka for siring cubs without her knowledge or permission. She detested the distraction from his duties within their pride. Other than that, Zira never acknowledged the cubs much. Though for Nuka, Zira sent Nuka out on longer missions that would keep him purposefully away from Mila and the cubs for extended periods of time. Kovu talked to Mila alone one day when they weren't at the termite mound and at their secret cave dwelling.
"In front of Zira, I can't bring attention to the cubs, but out here, I'd be happy to play with them. If you need to go hunt, I can keep an eye on them for ya."
"Kovu...such kindness." Mila muttered, "I'd be grateful for that."
So from that day forward, Kovu kept his word and in secret watched the cubs whenever he was able. Some days he'd be so tired after his duties for the pride and playing with the cubs, he'd practically be falling asleep by the time he went to meet up with Kiara. After several days of this, Kovu took it upon himself to request to Zira to give him the brunt of the missions that Nuka had to do. The cubs were growing every moment and he didn't want Nuka to miss a thing if he could help it. Nuka never knew what Kovu had done, but Zira put it together. She was happy to see Kovu finally taking more initiative in her plans.
Kiara, on the other hand, wasn't having the same family dilemmas that Kovu did. Kion was following in Simba's paw prints with each passing day in his youth. Growing more mischievous and curious than three cubs combined often getting himself in situation after situation. Simba and Nala sometimes asked Kiara to look after her little brother to keep him out of trouble. With each meeting and parting with Kovu, it only made her miss him more. Every night got harder and harder to say goodbye until the following day. One day, Kiara's worst fears were realized when Simba cornered her after everyone else left the den.
"Who's the lion you're going to see night after night?" Simba asked, raising a brow.
"Daddy, what are you talking about?" Kiara replied innocently.
"Please Kiara, I have eyes. You're out late, but always make sure to return when you say you will so your mother and I don't question you too much. When you leave, you brush your fur against the baobab tree to make it extra soft and I have on occasion caught you rolling in African orchid flowers. Trying to impress someone clearly." Simba smirked.
"Wow daddy, you've been busy with spying haven't you." Kiara complained.
"Are seriously going to tell me I'm wrong, Kiara?"
"Okay fine." She grumbled hanging her head, "But don't be mad, I-"
"I'm not mad, in fact, I'm happy for you. Instincts really begin to kick in at your age, now is the age where lionesses your age start falling in love and settling down. Dare I say it." Simba winced.
"Daddy, don't bring this up again, please." Kiara whined.
Moments later, Nala casually walked back into the den.
"Come on slow pokes, what's keeping you?" She asked.
"Mom, dad is giving me the mating talk." Kiara complained.
"Simba." Nala scolded.
"What?" He shrugged.
"I'm leaving." Kiara grumbled feeling mortified.
After their daughter left, Nala playfully crouched low and swiftly pinned Simba like she had done so many times over the years.
"What was that for?" Simba asked.
"Simba we had our suspicions, but you don't corner her like that. Geez, an easy way to push our daughter away."
"I'm sorry." Simba said sincerely holding back a laugh.
"So were we right?" Nala asked.
"Would Kiara have acted that way if we weren't?" Simba smirked, "I guess only time will tell when she introduces him to us. I wonder who the lucky lion is…"
With each passing day, Kovu grew stronger and matured in many ways. Zira was proud of the muscle he had developed in recent weeks. His mane grew longer and his claws even more sharp. A full grown adult now daunted by what task Zira would ask of him. Kiara had grown into a beautiful adult lioness with brown eyes matching that of her father's and golden, rich fur like her mother. Kiara was excited because in a few days, her parents told her she would be off on her first hunt finally on her own. It was time. With the success of a series of challenging missions, Zira had already started devising an idea for her ultimate plan to give the Outsiders a start at a brand new life.
One long afternoon, Kovu was on a dangerous mission for Zira. She wanted to clear a path where a small herd of elephants had been grazing, but a small group of hyenas had scouted the area first. Now Kovu had two dangers to deal with. If the elephants were alerted by the hyenas a stampede would surely occur. Kovu used his agility and stealth to his advantage and eliminated the trio of hyenas before scaring off the elephants out of the area. His heart raced during the entire mission and came home to the termite mound with a few scratches on his back from the hyena leader, but nothing deep or dangerous. Kovu was greeted with a couple of roars from the pride as Zira approached him.
"Well done, my son." She praised, "It is time for us to strike."
"What do you mean? When?" Kovu asked trying to not show his immediate apprehension. Kovu knew Zira was up to something, but wasn't sure what.
"You will know more that day, but let's just say it involves the hunt of the Pride Land princess." Zira laughed with a toothy smile as if she had already won. Kovu hated this. He wanted to protect Kiara and keep her safe, but how could he when he was keeping up the facade with Zira? He thought of an idea that would eliminate the issue all together and he would tell Kiara tonight during their meeting.
There was no time to rest before his meeting Kiara. Zira had his go on missions all up until the time he went to meet Kiara at the usual spot. The moment he saw her, he wasn't sure if it was because he was so tired or the fact that he hadn't seen her in a few days due to all his missions, she looked stunning. Her fur was highlighted in the moonlight and her eyes lit up when she locked eye contact as he ran toward her. Kiara's smile turned into a frown when she saw Kovu's injuries.
"What happened?" Kiara asked nervously.
"I had a disagreement with some hyenas…"
"Let me guess, you won."
"You think I look messed up, you don't even want to see them." Kovu smirked.
"I'll take your word on that." Kiara laughed lightly, "What do you want to do tonight? The sky is full tonight. You want to play our star spy game?"
"Uh maybe later…" Kovu muttered, "Kiara, I think Zira will be making a new move soon and we need to be on the defensive. I know how to keep us safe."
"Yeah, how's that?"
"Let's runaway together. C'mon just you and me. We'll leave the Outlands and Pride Lands and find some place new. What do you say?"
Kiara smirked at first wondering if he was being serious, but then she realized he was. Her ears fell as she leaned her head against him.
"Kovu, I know you mean well, but we can't do that…" Kiara muttered calmly.
"Sure we can. We'd be safer away from Zira. I won't have to be a part of her awful scheme and you would be safe."
"What about my family? I love them...I can't leave them behind."
"Even for me?" Kovu's ears drooped.
"Kovu, don't you want to fix what's been broken between the prides? If we leave, I'm afraid they'll be divided forever with prejudices keeping them apart. Zira is the problem...not the whole pride."
"You sure your father will see it that way?" Kovu grumbled rudely.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kiara snapped.
"Well, he didn't want the two of us meeting or speaking didn't he? I doubt he would welcome me into his family."
"Awfully presumptuous, Kovu." Kiara glared backing away from him.
"He couldn't even recognize the cub of his so-called best friends, Siri and Kenta. I'm a Pride Lander by blood and yet there is so much judgment.
"Kovu, you better leave if you know what's good for you. My father is far from perfect, but I can't stand here and listen to you insult my father and your king."
"He's not my king." Kovu growled.
Kiara immediately roared in Kovu's face
"If you have a problem with him, then you have a problem with me." Kiara snapped
and quickly turned running away out of sight.
Rain swarmed the savannah. Three days went by before they met up again. Both still fuming over the argument, but on that third night they both ended up at the usual spot. Kovu took the initiative and ran up to her nuzzling her with his head gently.
"Kiara, forgive me. It was a stupid idea and a selfish one. What I said about your father...I didn't mean it."
Kiara gently licked the side of his face, which took Kovu by surprise, but made his heart race.
"I know." She smiled,
"Please say you forgive me?" Kovu replied.
"I dunno, I'll have to think about it." Kiara laughed as she ran off ahead of him.
Kovu chased after her as they ran across the savannah. Kovu took the lead and brought Kiara to a cave long forgotten by their parents. At least it was dry and warmer inside. They didn't talk much and ignored the noise of the rain splashing all around them. They had each other and that was all that mattered in this moment. This night, Kovu and Kiara became one forever tied to each other.
The following morning, Kovu woke feeling sore and his muscles ached. Kiara didn't stir and so he went out to hunt some breakfast for his mate. He brought back a small antelope for them to share and Kiara was just stirring upon his return.
"Morning." Kiara smiled with a stretch of her paw.
"Hungry?" Kovu asked.
"Definitely."
As they began to chow down on the fresh meat Kovu caught, Kiara was only picking at the meal looking deep in thought. Kovu stopped looking at her curiously.
"What's wrong?"
"I just wish I knew what was going to happen."
Kovu licked her head.
"It's going to be okay. Zira doesn't know where my allegiances are. I'm the key to her plan."
"The plan you don't know…"
"All I know is that it involves your first hunt and me infiltrating the Pride Lands, but whatever it is, you need to be on your guard." He nodded nuzzling her head, "I'm not going to lose you to that crazy lioness, I used to call mother."
"A good huntress is always vigilant." Kiara nodded.
"So we gotta eat and keep our strength up." Kovu nodded.
Kiara sat up still looking anerved. Kovu stopped himself from taking another bite. How could he eat happily while Kiara looked so perplexed.
"Kiara…" He muttered.
"Kovu it's time to talk to my father…"
"Now?" Kovu said with wide eyes.
Kiara held back a laugh snorting through her nose.
"Not now, but the sooner the better. Sometimes a good offense is defense and defense comes with telling my father about what we know about Zira's plot. It won't be easy and we just get to be patient and try to get him to listen…" Kiara nodded with a smile.
Kovu's ears fell suddenly as Kovu laid his head on top of Kiara's.
"Will he accept me?"
"He has to, we know the truth and so does Rafiki, but I think it's time to repay my father on some of the lessons he's taught me over the years."
Kiara and Kovu spent the morning together and as they left the cave together. They ran about a mile from the cave headed for the Pride Lands border. Soon, Kovu caught the familiar scent of his sister among the breeze.
"Kiara, go on ahead of me. I'll meet you there." Kovu said nudging her to go.
"Kovu…" Kiara muttered nervously.
"I'm right behind you." Kovu nuzzled her head gently, "Hurry and go."
Kiara hesitantly ran off as Kovu met up with his sister.
"Kovu, mother is looking for you. You have to go home!" Vitani growled.
He glanced over toward the direction of Pride Rock knowing Kiara would be anxiously waiting for him to meet her, but he had no choice in this moment. He followed his sister's lead heading to the termite mound in the Outlands. Upon his approach, Zira scrutinized him from head to tail. He was walking stiff and sluggish.
"Where have you been?" Zira growled.
"None of your business." Kovu grumbled as he laid down in a defiant slump.
"Insolent child! I'll deal with this later, but for now, my plan…"
Zira began to explain specific instructions to Kovu as his eyes fluttered open and shut in a sleepy stupor. Zira wouldn't tolerate this weakness. Kovu would learn that she wasn't playing games with her plan.