Well hello everyone. Gulefritz here with another chapter of Life of Kiali.
Sorry for the long wait but I am very busy lately with school and exam begins in next month, but I have had some time to write this and I will try to keep up a somewhat steady schedule.
This chapter is a little more focused around Mpenda instead of Kiali, that will not be the case for future chapters.
Just a fun fact, did you know many of the names I use in my story means something?
Or according to Swahili name generator they do, example. Duma = Cheetah, so the cheetah from chap 2, is technicly called Cheetah, so he is Cheetah the Cheetah.
With that aside, lets begin with chapter 3.
Simba and Kovu was sitting on the tip of pride rock, looking over the vast pride lands. Both relaxed after spending most of the day ruling the pride lands, making sure all groups were content. Simba had to admit it was increasingly difficult with all these new lions, but it was manageable, mainly due to Kovu managing most of the new lions.
"Most of the new pride landers have settled in the region. There has been some trouble between some elder lions and prey animals due to them still not believing in the circle of life, but they are improving"
Simba nodded, he honestly did not like that these lions were allowed back, but he could never throw them out, not after Kiara and Kovu had spent so much time to unite the two groups. Speaking of Kiara, where is she, haven't seen her all day long.
As if on que Simba felt a soft touch on his side. Looking back he saw Kiara, both Simba and Kovu turned around to speak with Kiara.
"So, How has day been out in the pride lands, Kiara?"
"Awhh it has been quiet and comfortable, just like I like them. How has ruling with my dad been Kovu?"
Both Simba and Kiara looked at the brown furred lion, who smiled back, happy that he was being asked.
"Well, it has not been easy, but we manage to keep the herds and packs in check. I must say, I am learning quite a lot from your Father, Kiara"
To that both Kiara and Simba smiled, only for a minute though. Simba tilts his head and looks over to Kiara.
"Say Kiara. Why is Fuli followed by a leopard cub?"
Kiara smirked as she turned around and saw Mpenda and Kiali chasing eachother behind Fuli, both walking into the den of pride rock.
"That is Mpenda. He is one of Kiali's friends. Apparently, he is not doing well at home, so he asked if he could sleep over. Please, can he dad? I would not want to turn him away now"
Simba let out a minor sigh but nodded at Kiara.
"I can let him stay here at the den for a time. I will go and speak with Musa and Zahra tomorrow morning"
Kiara let out a relaxed sigh. She had no idea how her dad would take the fact a leopard cub would stay with them overnight. Leopards and Lions do not tend to get along well, but it seems he would let them stay for once.
"Well, I better go and see how Fuli is doing"
With that Kiara turned around and walked into the den. Kovu and Simba shared a look, but confused at the situation but choose to ignore it for now. Seems they have another soul to sleep at the den tonight.
Meanwhile inside pride rock den. Kiali is on the run, she is sprinting inside of the den, jumping over bones, rocks and relaxing lions. Some of the lions protest but they soon stop when they see what is happening. Kiali is running and laughing, chased by her best friend, Mpenda. Many of them sigh as they do remember how cubs tend to chase each other, some even remembering how the king and queen used to hunt each other. So far Kiali has always been too far away for Mpenda to catch.
That is until Mpenda catch her.
He caught her, and they wrestled on the ground, and for once, Mpenda pinned her. Both laugh, some of the nearby lions join in. Mpenda would shrink as he noticed the others looking at them, making Kiali tilt her head.
"Something wrong Mpenda?"
Mpenda shook his head and smiled down at her, but she did not buy it. Before Mpenda knew did he lie on his back. Surprised Mpenda noticed how he now is pinned by Kiali.
"Really, nothing is bothering you?"
She raised her eyebrow as she stared straight into Mpenda's face. The leopard let out a major sigh before showing a nervous look while smiling.
"Normally when only we laugh is it a good time. Back home Mosi laughs at me when he breaks whatever I am doing"
Kiali got off Mpenda and sat down and watched the leopard get back up. She smiled at him before punching him in the shoulder with her paw.
"Do not worry Mpenda, no one is hurting anyone here. This is the safest place in all of the pride lands!"
"Hey, who do we have here?"
Voices from behind them spoke up, Kiali and Mpenda looks in their direction and Kiali smiles immediately.
"Hey Panya, Hey Asya and hey Muraty, how you guys doing, this is Mpenda. He is sleeping over here tonight"
Panya, Asya and Muraty are three lion cubs, a litter that came a month after Kiali.
Panya is the smaller of the three, only two thirds of her older sister's size, but she is still quite happy and energetic, to the annoyance of some lions.
Asya, the first born of the three. First lion to be born after the fall of Kion and Sarabi. She and Kiali sure did revive the mood of the of the pridelanders.
Muraty, the only male cub lion around. True to his name, he has become friend with all he has spoken to.
"Mpenda, any friend of Kiali is a friend of mine. Are you three up for a game of hide and seek?"
Everyone but Mpenda nodded. He seemed to stop, unsure whether he should join these new lions or not. Muraty saw this and immediately walker over to Mpenda and put a paw around his shoulder.
"Come on Mpenda, it will be fun. By the way, you start finding. Count to twenty and then try to find us, okay?"
Mpenda nodded and turned around, facing a wall. He started counting and the others started hiding. Twenty seconds passed, and he turned around, trying to see if he could spot any of the four lions. He walked three steps ahead and stopped. He sniffed the ground and tried to catch a scent, he did not need to sniff long to find one.
One thing to note about the pride rock den. It has several small tunnels and holes to hide in, usually very cold for the lions or cubs to use when it is very hot, and it has a lot of bushes inside. Mpenda followed Kiali's scent into one of the holes and jumped down. He searched the area and sure enough, he found Kiali, hiding behind a rock. He sneaked up to her and pounced, only to find her waiting, pinning him to the ground.
"He, got you"
Mpenda laughed.
"You sure did, but I still found you"
"Yes, yes you did, and now you must find Asya, Panya and Muraty. Good luck on Panya"
Mpenda smelled the air and immediately regretted it. He put his paw on his nose, making Kiali laugh.
"These regions smell a lot, I do not know what it is, but I think it has something to do with this yellow, green and red dust coming from the cracks. Do not touch it though, it is very dangerous"
Mpenda nodded. Seems he had to find the others without smelling his way forward. He jumped out of the hole followed by Kiali. He searched the main den and looked down the tunnels and kept on looking until he found Muraty and Asya, one hiding under a bush while the other tried to blend in with the other lions, unfortunately it did not work, due to the other lions around the hider trying too much to look as if nothing was wrong.
Now he only had to find the Panya. It should be easy, right? He had already found three out of four hiders, how hard could it be to find one small lion cub.
After searching for half an hour, with three lions laughing, did Mpenda realize that this little lion is very hard to find. He sighed and looked to the three other who all looked up. Mpenda followed their view and right there sat a smirking Panya, resting on top of a rock sitting in the wall, with small stone steps leading up to the rock platform.
"Took you long enough to find, must admit, it was fun to see you hunt nothing but shadows down there"
All four laughed at Mpenda who remained silent for a moment. Kiali stopped and the others continued as she noticed Mpenda did not laugh with them, until she noticed the smile on his face and he soon joined them, all five laughing, all five enjoying the game.
Hours later, Kiali, Mpenda, Panya, Asya and Muraty are lying on the tip of pride rock, looking up at the sky filled with thousands of thousands of stars. All five are enjoying the views of the stars.
"Wow, this is awesome, never looked at the sky during the night before"
"Have you not, what are you doing at night Mpenda?"
Mpenda remained silent for some time before answering, all other eyes looking at him due to his delayed response.
"I… I usually sleep, my parents never let us leave the cave at night"
It was a lie, Mosi left the cave as he liked, but his parents would not let Mpenda leave, believing he is to weak or he might get lost outside.
"Well we are happy to keep you company during your first time under the stars"
Mpenda smiled and silence followed, that is until Muraty opens his mouth.
"Hey Mpenda, did you know that we are looking up at the old kings of the Pridelands right now?"
Mpenda turned to look at Muraty with a raised eyebrow.
"You tell me, that all the kings of the pride lands are looking down at us right now?"
Muraty nodded, Mpenda nodded back. Guess you learn something new every day.
Suddenly Kiali hit Mpenda on the shoulder. Mpenda turned to look at her.
"I have the best idea ever for a prank, want to join in?"
He nodded at her.
"Sure"
An hour later and he was quite certain he regrets that "Sure", as of now, he and Kiali are pushing turtle shells filled with Rafiki's berry paint.
"We are going to give the royal family a new coat"
They put the shells in front of Simba and Nala. Very gently they dipped their paws in the paint and started making stripes with green pain on right side of the king, and purple on the left side of the king. They both giggled and started letting the paint fall onto the mane of the king.
They ran away from the area and looked on from the side, leaving the turtle shells in front of the king. Both ran to their sleeping spots but did not go to sleep, instead pretended to sleep, looking over the king.
The sun started to rise, and light worked itself into the den. The other cubs were the first to wake up. All had they decided to go sleep, when Kiali and Mpenda ran for who knew what. They looked up, their eyes focusing on the king, and immediately they started laughing. Kiali signaled for them to not be so loud.
Slowly the king woke up. He shook his head and did what he usually do when waking up. Simba tends to stretch his body, before slamming his paw down into the ground before him. The moment the kings paw fall, does it not hit the ground. The turtle shell is in the way and all the paint are thrown into the air, landing on the king. The king lets out a load roar.
"What in the pride lands is going on!"
Every other lion wakes up startled at the roar. Some of them unsure of what is going on, but others see the picture and begins to laugh as they spot their colorful king. Nala joins in on the laughter. Kiara and Fuli share a look before looking at Kiali, clearly spotting indications of green and purple on her paws, as well as Mpenda's.
"Guess we found our mischiefs"
Kiara laughed and was joined by Fuli. Very soon the entire room was laughing except for the king, who was trying to get the paint off his fur. Nala let out a sigh, she turns to look towards Fuli and Kiara and smile at both of them.
"Why do I get the feeling of we have seen this before"
Send me any review, either by reviewing the chapter or sending me a pm over Fanfiction. Until next time. Bye.