Hi, guys. I know it's been a while and I'm behind. I may or may not discontinue this fanfiction, heh, just because I have a heck of a lot going on. I'll keep you posted though, like I should've before I ghosted you. But the way it's looking, I've gone too far to abandon all hope now – so things are bright. I don't promise to post as frequently as I did, but I certainly hope to at least offer something each month.

There's reference to a plant in this chapter. If you'd like to look it up, they're called 'Savanna Blazing Stars'.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Lion King characters and/or plot, I only own Lela.

Kopa

"Whoa!" I place a paw under my little sister before she lands on the ground. I'm on the flat rock terrace busy babysitting. "C'mere you," I draw up my paw and place her next to me. She doesn't even fit in my paw. It's only been a few weeks since her birth.

Kiara goes about following her nose in any and every direction, and I try to draw her attention. "Hey, Kiara, look here," I call, but she persists to blindly follow. "Look at me," I roll over onto my back and make a dramatic scene before faking my death. "Blah!"

Through a slit in my one eye, I see Kiara curiously coming over to me. She isn't the least bit hesitant.

"Rowr!" I shout, spooking my sister out of her skin. "Haha! You should've seen your face!" I know she can't respond, but her expression reads fury. She comes full speed towards me and rams her head into my chest in a rage. "Ah, c'mon, Kiara. Take a joke." I nudge her gently with my paw, she's not having any of it.

"This is your idea of bonding?" comes my dad's voice. "Terrorizing your little sister?" he smirks at me. He comes to sit next to me under the mid-morning sun.

"What can I say, she's cute when she's wound up," I laugh, still amazed at her persistence in ramming into me. "And incredibly energetic." I roll over onto my side, facing my durable sister. "Look, Pop, she doesn't even know you're here. She's got her mind set."

Dad laughs, a smirk lingering on his muzzle, "She must get that from Nala. I'm not nearly as focused," muses Dad at the golden cub, still hammering my chest.

I look up at my dad. "Was I ever like this?"

Dad shakes his head without a thought of doubt in his mind. "You were always sort of scatter-brained."

I laugh a laugh of surprised insult, "Gee, Pop, gonna shame me in front of Kiara?"

"I'm not shaming you," chuckles Pop, his mane bouncing with his shoulders. "In fact, I'm pretty sure I reflected this onto you. You were always curious about everything and always wanted to why things worked. For about… half a year, you wouldn't stop asking why."

"Oh yeah! I remember that," I start. "I thought if I'd kept that up any longer you'd eat me." I laugh.

"Well, we were low on food that dry season," Dad jokes. "But as annoying as it was, is, it was good to see that you had an aggressive zest for adventure and the unknown, and doing things for the heck of it – like me. Even though you couldn't just accept an answer without dissecting it and scrutinizing any response you were offered."

Wow. It honestly hits a soft spot to hear Dad talk about me in such a connection to himself. A smile that starts genuine grows sneaky as I speak, "Does this mean that I can blame you for all the trouble I stir up?"

"I'll take half the blame," smirks Dad. "Your mother is due some credit. What king would I be if I wasn't a fair one?"

"I can think of a few lions," I chuckle. Dad and I look out at the plains ahead, the wildlife natural before us. All sorts of grazers graze, and all sorts of flyers fly. I examine my more immediate surroundings and, I make out a pair of gossamer starlings in a nest in a branch growing out of the side of Pride Rock. They chirp together, pecking at each other in a cleaning sort of action. "Hmm," I glance at my sister, she's pooped. Sleeping silently against my chest. "Pop?"

"Mm?"

"How'd you know Mom was right for you?"

Dad cocks his head to the side and smiles. "Well, she and I were betrothed."

I huff a laugh. "I know, I know, aside from that. I know you adore her, and likewise."

"There are too many reasons," starts Dad. "But if I had to pick just one, I'd say she smells great."

"Really? Smell?"

Dad grins, "I did say there were too many reasons to list." He gets down on his stomach. "But I trusted my gut before I discovered most of those reasons why I wanted to be with her. I just knew that she couldn't smell so good to me and not be for me. It just didn't make sense." Dad looks at me. "The natural order of life is established by many things. In the way of mates, scent goes a long way. Giraffes, hyenas, elephants, even lions pick mates using scent as a tool. Chances are, your mate will smell like your mate."

"I'm not talking about me here," I remind Dad.

He gives a questioning look. "You may not be saying what you're thinking, but it doesn't mean you aren't thinking it." Dad smiles. "But to answer your question, I knew that your mother and I were perfectly matched when I had trouble deciding what I liked most about her, when nothing about her seemed less important that another aspect of her – and I trusted my gut." Dad laughs. "Happy?"

"Yeah," I nod my head slowly. "Yeah, thanks Pop." I stand up, "You know, I need to go say goodbye to Afua. He said he'd be back before noon, and I'm sure he's on his way."

"You should go say goodbye," says Dad. "Send him my regards."

"I will, Pop," I glance down at my snoozing sister. "Can I take Kiara?"

"Hey, you're doing your mom and I a favour," Dad jokes. "Just be back before sunset, she's gotta eat."

"Done deal," I lean down and hoist my sister up by the nape of her neck before tucking her into my portable baby sling. "Bye, Pop. Be back soon."

I find Afua and Lela already chattering about who knows what at the watering hole. "What a venue for a departure!" I grin, approaching the pair.

"Guess I didn't have anything in particular planned," admits Afua.

"Hi, Kopa," greets Lela as I sit down between the two of them. "Oh! You brought Kiara," she swoons, leaning down to the dozing cub on the loose sling around my chest. "She's so sweet."

"When she's sleeping," I finish. "She's incredibly stubborn when she's awake."

"She's so darn tiny," remarks Afua, leaning in about half the distance Lela did. "To think we all started off like that at some stage." he sits up straight. "I'm glad I got to see her before I leave."

"We still have some time," Lela straightens up. "We could take a tour around all the places we've ever been throughout our lives. It sounds useless, but you'll miss home when you leave no doubt."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Afua adds. "Are you up to it, Kopa?"

"Pfft," I scoff my head rotating to one side in dismissal of such a question. "Does a warthog stink after a bath?"

"Alright, tough guy. Let's see how long you last," Lela laughs. "Maybe we could give Kiara a tour of the area when she wakes up?"

As if on que, the little cub stirs, yawing as she wakes up. "Hey, Kiara! Look, wake up," I start. I edge near the pool of water. "My friends and I used to be limited to the boarder it marked."

"Those days were so boring," adds Afua.

"Oh come on, you two," Lela smiles. "Don't taint Kiara's image of the watering hole just yet. It's a symbol of life after all."

"We don't want to bore Kiara with all of that," Afua says. "Come on, let's show her the pollen patch."

"Pollen patch?" I question.

"Yeah, Beba and I found this floral area not too far from here that I'm sure a cub would find interesting."

"Let's go then," Lela says and Afua leads the way.

"Why didn't I know about this?" I ask my friends.

"I'm sure it's a recent development," says Afua. "I didn't even see it what with all the crazy changes in temperature and rainfall all these years. I guess the flowers didn't make it past all of that."

"I suppose that makes sense."

"You seem sort of upset," Lela nudges me gently, mindful of Kiara whose eyes went from whoever was speaking.

"Me? No, no I'm fine," I shake my head. "I just, like to know the layout of my future kingdom that's all."

"Kopa, the Pridelands are a little tough to study detail for detail," Afua says. "Just take it in as it comes."

"It's not that simple," I start. They wouldn't understand. They're not carrying the burden of thousands of creatures' lives. What if some foreign plant pops up and the animals get sick? These are serious things to worry about. "But that's not what's important right now."

Lela gives an empathetic smile.

"Alright, animals, we're here!" announces Afua. In the near distance, a flurry of purple pops out against grass in tall stalks. Butterflies and bees alike bounce from bundle to bundle beaming and buzzing before us. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" Afua runs a short distance before launching himself into the wide area of densely grown flowers. Butterflies take flight, clouding the sky with multicolours that seem to match a rainbow – reds, blues, greens, even yellows, flutter about in the form of little wings.

"Alright!" I sprint into the patch, flowers parting at my entry and snapping right back into place at my absence. My sight is striped with green stalks on either side with purple petals blooming in clusters on them. I run around freely and blindly in the mini garden, butterflies batting their wings in flight as I thunder past them. "Yah!" I shout daringly, diving whatever direction I pleased, disturbing insects to see them light up the sky. My friends cheer their own cheers, sprinting round and round themselves. I climb up onto my hind legs, now chest high in the flowers. "Woo-hoo-hoo-ooh!" I croon, craning my neck and hooting up at the sun. A little giggle sounds from my sling, Kiara seems to be having a ball at the sights and the smells and the speeds.

Lela pops up into place, smiling as the sun spills on her face warmly. I work to keep my balance, admiring the silent symphony of satisfaction that sat on her features.

"Rawr!" Afua springs up beside me, making me leap out of my pelt.

"Ah, Afua!" I yell, and I swear I hear Kiara snickering at the taste of karma I sample.

Well, there you have it ladies and gents. I'll see you all next time, whenever that might be. Take care and keep well!