A/N:Thank you for the great reviews,guys!Things get pretty interesting from here on out.I hope I didn't confuse anyone last chapter.Anyway,that's again for all the support.
I.
The many herds moved warily through the jungle.There wasn't much room to graze and the herbivores didn't take advantage of the greenary around them,neither did the carnivores.There was still too much grief to feel that it evaporated any appetite.
Timon and Pumbaa walked miserably through the crowds,the merekat mumbling incoherently after a sleepless night and his friend making half-hearted grunts as they came upon a stream.
When the other animals reached this point,they all paused in one great hesitation.Looking from one to the other.They had seen what came from rushing in,now fear consumed them all.
"Okay,Simba..."Timon said with a yawn as he headed into the body of water with closed lids."I'll go get some water for you."
The uneasy warthog caught his tail between his trotter before he fell face-first in the cool water.Glancing from side-to-side,he lifted Timon up into the air and let the drops of water fall into his open mouth.If I drank from the river I'd be a huge hippocrite.
He continued thinking as the drops fell onto his parch tongue.If Timon ever woke up and saw me doing this he'd kill me for sure...
Pumbaa sucked in his lips when Timon opened his eyes to find that he was hanging by the tail above his friend's open mouth.
"Uh...it's not what it looks like?"
"Oh,SURE it's not!"The merekat crossed his arms,looking away.
"I swear,ask anyone!They'll vouch for me."He looked around,a hopeful grin plastered on.Everyone now drank with a purpose.
Timon sighed heavily,yanked his tail free and made his way to the stream to splash water in his face as Pumbaa now joined.
"Psst,Timon."A voice whispered from behind some ferns.
The merekat raised his ears,half-expecting to receive an order from his second best friend.Drooping them in remembrance,he was about to continue drinking when a flying stick hit his head.
"Hey!"He whirled on Pumbaa.
"Hey,yourself."
"You hit me!"
"Eh?I didn't hit you.You must be delirious from lack of bugs."
Timon instantly seized the warhog's ears and pulled his face to his level."Listen Tubby,you're already on my list this morning.I suggest you not make it a second time..."he trailed off."Hello?"
Pumba watched as he wandered toward the bushes,poking in the shadowy parts.He was about to turn around when hands grabbed onto him and he was instantly planted with a big kiss.
"Ahh!Mom,stop-"Timon paused when he realized that she was at arms length and instantly embraced her."Long time no see."
"Almost a whole year,"she added with touch of hurt obvious in her voice."I know you're a big boy,Timmy,but it would've been good to here from you.I-I've been lonesome without you,son."
"But where's Uncle Max?And the other merekats?"
"Gone.They left here the night He came."
"He?He who?"Timon asked in puzzlement.
The old merekat sat down upon an exposed tree root and put a hand upon his shoulder to make him have seat upon the earth.
"One night almost four days there was a terrible buzzing like none we'd never heard before.The sky blackened and the air got so still even though it was a very starry,breezy night out.
When things returned to normal,we thought we were all safe again.That is,until a large animal came in the night.We couldn't see him since were not nocturnal,but he saw every one of us-"
"Ma,"Timon interrupted."What happened to our family?"
His urgency was clear,but his mother went on undeterred:
"He demanded we all use our digging skills to make a pit at the end of the jungle.We had no choice as he threaten to devour us otherwise.After helping our family dig all night,I fell asleep."
"And when you woke up..."Timon encouraged her.
"He was gone,"she buried her face in her hands."And they had left too.They're still alive,I know that.But they left me a note in the sand saying they took off when they couldn't wake me and when he had gone...it also said I was too heavy to be carried."
"Well,I won't leave you.Ever."He said as he hugged her again.
"Yeah..."Pumbaa backed away slowly."This is more of a mother and son thing.I'm just going to wait over here where it's safe."
x.x.x
Kovu composed himself as he approached the spot where the hornbill had told him Kiara was by herself,the young lion had to be strong for his spouse.He had to love and motivate her now.
Her deep,honey-colored coat was clear through a flourishing of amber flowers,head bowed reverently and tail curled at wrists.
"Dear?"his words were as soft as the dew on the bright yellow orchids."I need to talk with you,to discuss all our future plans."
"What plans?"she asked,almost as if what he had just spoken was absolutely absurd."Daddy makes the plans with my Mom."
"And they did a fine job,"Kovu agreed and cmae near her in a gentle manner."So will we,Kiara.But we've got to both work at this together.We'll help one another make decisions,we'll rule."
"As one?"She smiled slightly.
"As one."He replied,thankful he had her back.
"My Father once told me we were one,he told me everything."
"He was a great lion,"Kovu confirmed and came up from behind to place his paw on hers."So was your mother.We can be too."
Kiara stayed on her own memory track."He's just like all of the Great Kings of the past,"she mused on."I told you,remember?"
He instantly regretted having not taken the controversial topic more to heart just two nights ago when Simba brought it up.All of his words returned to Kovu in a swirl of memory and of grief.
"I know this is hard to ask of you,it's hard for me too.But we've got to move the herds on to reach these Inlands.We can't stay here.The focus needs to be finding a stable home for all of us."
"We can't leave until Mom and Dad say so."she said firmly and turned to look Kovu in the eye."You know that as well as I do."
"They want what's best for you and this kingdom."
Kiara's agreeable smile crumped his insides."Of course."
"And that's clearing out of here,"he continued."With what has happened since we got here,it isn't safe to live here.Kiara,we need to take our places as king and queen.That's our mission."
"There's already a king and queen,my parents."The lioness got up and stared at him more closely."You're suppose to love me regardless of the fact that I'll someday be the queen and here you are talking as if we are already.News flash,we aren't yet!"
"Kiara,they need us."Kovu told her patiently."And I need you."
He saw tears collect in her eyes and rose a paw to wipe them.
"We need each other..."
"No!"she swatted it away and glared at him furiously."Kovu,I don't want to be queen yet!Understand?My parents are still..."
Kiara moved back as a trembling sob caught in her throat and a dark look crept to her eyes.She spoke,in a sensless,denial-free rage that seethed just below the surface.A terrible insinuation.
"You wanted my father gone all along,and last night with Mom already gone you had a great chance."Even as she said these things he knew they weren't true and yet they did sting badly.
Coming from her,they stung alot.She had been the only who'd been there for him in his hour of need.The only one who cared.
"I love you."He said more as a statement then a comfort.
With a hard look,Kiara turned to run into the bushes in flight.
"Kiara..."Kovu stared to call in annoyance and then,with more gusto."Kiara,please!Come back!Kiara,you'll die too if you go..."
Her form disappeared completely as he gave chase into bushes of xanthous blooms,which he had to tear and claw through as he called her name in vain.Until his voice became incredibly dry and parched from not drinking for two days.Still,he called out.
And continued calling until he could speak not another word,all that what he wanted to say had to be locked inside of him.She reappeared at the top of a hill and looked back at him,shaking.
"I'm sorry!"Was her last words before she headed out into the desert.Kovu nearly tripped over himself when he realized they were in the direction of the large pit and pushed himself faster.
"Kiara!"he called loudly,hoarsely."Kiara,please wait!"
And than he stopped at the giant square space,it was covered over by broken logs and mossy grass by the other animals.It's presense both disturbed and relieved the frazzled,burnt umber lion when Kiara was within his eyeshot,fleeing into the desert.
Exhausted from a sleepless night and weighed down by a very huge burden,Kovu fell upon the soft foliage covering the grave.
Into a deep,almost drugged sleep.
x.x.x
"Kovu?"Vitani called out,she hadn't seen her brother in hours and it was growing late.After resting all day,they needed to go travel by night and yet no one could find the king or the queen.
I hope he convinced her,Vitani thought as she arrived at a large bustle of sun-dipped orchids.Taking little time to admire any of these,she decided on circling the flower embankment instead.
"I couldn't find them."Tu said from behind her wearily."We've been combing this jungle top to bottom and there's no result."
"Except in the one place people refuse to look,"She replied in a solemn voice and they walked on silently to the burial grounds.
Her brother laid upon the big mass covering the pit and seemed to have been looking out upon the savannah.Curious,she went to investigate.Fresh paw prints gave the impression that some lioness had ran headlong out of there and wouldn't return,ever.
"I just thought of something."Vitani caught Tu's eye beside her and nodded to continue."Well,Kovu is suppose to be the king.I guess that's not happening...but you're his only relation.There were never any other heirs choosen and you know the rule..."
"There must be one,younger natural blood heir."She said.
"Right and Kovu has none.Kiara,bless her,has none."
"That's insane."Vitani turned to leave."I could never take away what belongs to my brother and Kiara.They united our prides."
"And yet one of them is forsaking these prides now.It could be you and I,Vitani.I mean,what other options do we really have?"
"Tu..."
"Just give it some thought.Kovu was going to be king one way or another,you said it yourself.But with Kiara gone there's very little point in searching out for her and it's apparent with Kovu."
"He'd choose no other."Vitani closed her eyes.
"Right,"Tu looked at her from the side intently."As I wouldn't."
The young lioness lifted her lids to gaze out,contemplating now.
II.
Kovu gave a smile as he sensed Kiara's presense beside him,in all of his life he had never known a greater experience.The lion began to reach a paw out to touch her when he saw darkness.
The paw he touched belonged to a sitting Vitani and the event proved enough to make him jump to his feet to search around.
"Have you seen-"he quieted as a chilling wave of memory broke through in him."What's going on now?How long was I out for?"
"I can't answer three question at a time."She replied patiently.
Kovu shook his head to rid himself of what had went on earlier that day between him and Kiara.Now he choose a single query.
"What's happening?"
When she held his gaze tightly he knew she was holding back her own feelings."It's night time now and we've got to keep on going while it's cool out.But,of course,there needs to be a king."
"And a queen."He inserted,aware of where this was going.
"What is your decision?"They were on the same plane.
"I suppose what it was destined to be,"Kovu sighed heavily as he looked up to see animals gathering around him,they were in the trees and covered three-hundred yards of full jungle space.
He would never choose other queen,he had no way to lead the herds without getting lost and with most everything that had represented Kiara gone,he had only a want to do what would be best for everyone and keep a mutual peace toward this Tu.
Just the name made him inwardly cringe.
"I give over my title to you,Vitani.Choose your prince charming."
His sarcasm did little to cease the frantic chatter among all the animals or the piercing roar Tu gave out to forward his kingdom.
To be continued...