A/N:This is a lot of storytelling,but it all pretty much intermingles with the storytelling so far.As well as sets a point for culmination at the end.
I.
The desert heat felt grueling beating down on Kiara as she made her was blindly through sand dune after horrible sand dune.For they meant more desert,more walking in this oven.
Images blurred before her red-brown eyes in a misty,warm steam.Distant objects she saw blended as one before they separated back out on their own,so on and so forth it was.
"Dad,"she murmured quietly as her toes were embedded in the sturdy grains once more."Mom,where're you?Answer me please.I won't be-I can't go on much longer like this.Please."
Her desperate pleas fell to a hot gust of air that ripped right into her,filling her senses so heavily the lioness had to tuck her muzzle under her sweat-matted paws.There Kiara cried.
Tears seemed blistering and stinging as they streamed at a relentless rush down her cheeks.She almost buried herself in the sand altogether when a lion's paw touched her forepaw.
"I'm Kiara."her voice sounded small to her."Who are you...?"
The male lion wearing a troubled expression resolved into a smile at her name,his head eclisping the entirety of the sun.
x.x.x
Vitani looked behind her to see that some animals seemed to be lagging behind,some even appeared absent.She made it a point to also look over at Kovu who looked expressionless.
As he often use to before he came to the Pridelands.
"We need to take a rest,the animals look exhausted."
Tu peered over at her and than behind him to see that they were in deed weary-appearing as the sun was high above in the deep cerulean sky.Taking this in,he sighed rather huskily.
"They rested all night and drank this morning."
"The youngest and oldest ones..."She started to say.
"There aren't any cubs or senior lions."
"Vitani meant the zebras,the antilope and the others."They both stared as Kovu moved toward them."And the carnivores haven't ate in days since the grazers have no grazing room."
The other lionesses met the newly-proclaimed King's eyes in a meaningful stare,until he took note of the way a lot of the animals struggled to keep up or just to take a steady breath.
"Tu,"Vitani persisted."How much longer will it take to get to the Inlands?To ice clear waters and sprawling green grass?"
Even as she said this she knew it sounded phoney.
"The baboon said it would only be four days."She concluded.
"It will take a while,"he stepped up to her and gave her neck a nuzzle."But we'll get there.In the meantime,I know where we can rest nearby.Where did that blue Dodo bird get to?"
"Hornbill,"Kovu corrected sardonically under his breath.
"You called,sire,"Zazu landed in front of him from where he'd been overhead,obviously trying to keep annoyance out of his voice as sweat went down his orange-yellow beck in rivulets.
"Fly overhead and see if you come across a tall,grass area."
He turned to give Vitani a reassuing smile,to which she gave a smile in return.News of stopping again travelled among the rest of the Pridelanders and Kovu moved back in to the pride.
She felt her brother's loss,but she believed Tu knew what he was doing.He was going to give them all a future;her as well.
x.x.x
"Must be parched,"The young lion said thoughtfully,dragging over a big papyrus leaf filled with water toward Kiara."Drink when you're ready,"he told her,creating space."Whenever."
She lifted her head up to get a better look now.The shadows were light and shifty beneath the selected tree,with tall and faint green grass as a backdrop.It was all so peaceful to her.
"Where did you come from?"Kiara asked curiously.
"The better question is,where did you?"
"I rather not say."
"All right,"he tilted his head a bit."Where's your pride?"
"I'm old enough to be on my own,"She insisted and looked down at herself in the pointed,oval-shaped leaf where small tides of water revealed her wide,red-rimmed eyes.Like a cub who had cried too much because she had yet to get her way.
"Where are we?"
"The edge of a marsh,"he answered."It's not poisonous."
"Huh?Oh,the water..."Kiara looked from the water and back up to the bright golden lion."There's something about you..."
"You don't have to look so suspicious."He laughed,but began to somber at her entreating."You are suspicious of me,huh?"
"I'm not."she lied,but got up to move toward him."You just..."
"What?"
"Forget it.Forget I ever mentioned it."Kiara stalked away but casted a sidelong glance back at the full leaf cateen thirstily.
When she made a move for it,the male lion leaped in front of her."No way,not until you cue me in on your thoughts."he let her take a few steps back before sitting down."You need to."
She was about to argue why when she saw the sincerety in his light,sea green eyes.He honestly wanted this knowledge.
"I was thinking you reminded me of my father."
The lion didn't even blink."How ironic."
Kiara felt dumbfounded at this reply."Did you know him?"
"Through stories,"he reached up to scratch behind his ear in a casual manner with his hind foot."A lot of them were about you and Queen Nala.I loved listening when I was a tiny cub."
"Okay,that's nice.But who told you about us?About me?"
"A long distance friend told me and especially about you."
She should have been awkward,but it was mostly flustered.
"Tell me directly,"her patience won out this time."Who?"
"He took part in our births."The lion grinned proudly.
Knowing she was getting nowhere,the lioness walked over to lap up the luke-warm water and headed out for the marsh without even a small "thanks."Manners were too much effort.
"Queen Nala,"he said suddenly."Is my mother."
Her body erected."And Simba...?"
The lion came up to sit beside her."Remember when I said it was ironic we looked alike.Well,there's more to it.I was born in the time after the Pridelands turned green again.To Nala."
Kiara felt a feathery feeling,light and blissful.She had always secretly wanted a sibling.Could he be, could this lion be her...
"Brother,"she spoke softly,endearingly."You're my brother."
He smiled kindly,concernedly."Why are you out here on your own again?It was by chance I stumbled across you,y'know."
"I'm sorry,"her voice returned in embarrassment."There has been so much going on in my life,I suppose I've lost my way."
"We all do sometimes.I know my way around every last sand bar like the back of my paw and than I happen upon this one lioness today,head stuck in the earth like a shocked ostrich."
For the first time in days Kiara felt her lips curling up.
"Be honest,now is that an actual smile or just a polite smile?"
She felt laughter escape,the familiar sensation covering all of the deep wounds like a thin layer.It was carefree feel to her.
"No,I shouldn't feel this way.My parents are gone and now my kingdom."Kiara tried standing on her rear legs to gaze on over the tall,split grasses."How far away is it to the Inlands?"
"The Inlands are a legend around the desert.I've travelled a lot around and there's many glades people claim are it.But I only go for so many days,some say it'd take a whole month."
"Rafiki said it would take four days."Her disbelief showed.
"Rafiki?He's the one who told me those stories."
Kiara looked at him in renewed,focused interest.
"Your wondering who my father is,right?"He raised a brow.
"Was,"she corrected."He died in grief over Mom's death."
"Everyone thought Simba was my father,but he isn't.Kiara,I want you to understand I hold nothing against him.It's been made clear to me that it was nothing personal.I'm banished."
"Who was your father?"She pressed on.
"Taka.Or how others put it,Scar."
He wasn't my father,but he was still a part of me.Kovu's voice echoed in her mind.If her mother hadn't left that night she'd have been binded to Scar,this lion would have been the heir.
"What?!"Kiara felt her empty stomach lurch."But...but..."
"That's why our mother ran away,because she was a mating subject for him.It was only later when Simba took the thrown that she learned she was expecting."he looked at her when he spoke,as if this were rehersed."Nala told Simba later on."
"You sound like you were trained to say all this."
He smiled ruefully."Rafiki didn't go into all that.I was raised by a merekat coloney and news would travel around every so often.I wasn't meant to hear it as a cub,but I sort of did."
"My father exiled you?"
"There were many out there who felt the effects of Taka in a number of ways,"he explained firmly."Out mother and Simba didn't want me in the Outlands,but he just couldn't stand my resemblence to him and the fact that I was Scar's living son."
"I can't believe he would do that,but he did it to the others as well.The Outlanders."Kiara sighed deeply."What'd I do...?"
"You do what any sensible lion would,you rejoin your pride."
She looked to the lion who was her half-brother.
"Will you come with me?For a while,anyway."
"As a half-brother,hardly..."
He grinned at her surprised look.
"But as a second cousin once removed,sure."
"Thank you."Kiara smiled gratefully,trying to sustain the joy of discovery."By the way,what's your name?You know mine."
"Call me Kopa."
To be continued...