Nalalicious, I missed your reviews and updates! I'm glad you like the story and the characters so far.
To CandyCane21 and Nalalicious, you two are asking for Simba. There will be a Simba, just no time soon.
Enjoy and happy reading.
Felicity shook her head before looking into the brown eyes of her best friend. "Huh, did you say something?"
Kaidan was about to respond when Zazu landed in front of the cubs.
"There you are, young masters. Former Queen Uru requested I escort you while the dangers of the hyenas trespassing is at large." the azure hornbill announced after perching on a rock.
Almasi pinned her ears before moving her eyes towards the princes and Felicity. "Great. Now how are we going to ditch the dodo?" the greyish-beige she-cub asked in a hushed whisper.
It was silent for a few moments before Kaidan's brown eyes widen. "I know how," the light golden prince announced in a quiet, hushed tone.
The group whispered among themselves for a minute or two before their attention went to Zazu.
"Look at you Kion and Almasi! You too, Kaidan and Felicity! Little seeds of romance blossoming in the savannah. Your parents will be thrilled, with Kion being betrothed to Almasi and Kion to Felicity." Zazu said.
"Be-what?" Kion and Kaidan asked in unison.
"Betrothed! Intended," Zazu saw the look on all the cub's faces, "affianced!"
"Meaning…?" Felicity asked.
"One day, Kion and Almasi will be married and so will Kaidan and Felicity!" Zazu said.
"EW!" Felicity said.
"Yuck!" Kaidan added.
"Why?" Kion asked.
"You can question it all you want, but this is a tradition going back generations!" Zazu said.
"When I'm king, that'll be the first thing to go." Kion said.
"Your father set up the pairings, and he is the king!" Zazu said.
"So, Kion is the future king." Almasi said.
"Yeah, so you have to do what I tell you!" Kion said, poking Zazu in the stomach.
"Keep this up and you're shaping up to be a pretty pathetic king indeed." Zazu said.
Kion shared a look with Kaidan, before turning back to the hornbill with a smirk. "That's not the way we see it!"
...
Kion, Kaidan, Almasi and Felicity ran away from the scene. They had successfully lost Zazu, with help from the animals. The last straw, was a female rhino sitting on the bird. Kion laughed.
"We lost him!" Kaidan said.
"I am a genius!" Almasi said.
"Hey genius, it was Kaidan's idea." Kion said.
"Yeah, but we pulled it off." Felicity said pointing a creamy paw at Almasi and herself.
"What is it with this girl power?" Kaidan asked.
"Cause girls rule!" Almasi said.
Kion and Kaidan looked at each other and smiled.
"Oh yeah?" Kaidan asked. Kaidan pounced on Felicity, and Kion on Almasi. But it was Felicity and Almasi who ended up on top.
"Haha! Got you!" Almasi said.
"You guys!" Kaidan said.
"Let us up!" Kion said. Felicity and Almasi pranced away, only to be pounced on again. Felicity and Almasi once again, ended up on top, ending up in a darker place.
"We got you again!" Felicity said. Steam rose from a geyser, scaring the four cubs. The cubs all straightened, seeing bones. They perched themselves atop one, seeing an elephant skull.
"Whoa!" The cubs said in unison. They walked towards the skull, Kion in the lead.
"I wonder if it's brains are still in there?" Kaidan asked.
"I don't know, but let's go check it out." Kion started walking into the skull. Zazu suddenly appeared in front of the Prince.
"Wrong! The only checking out we're doing is checking out of here!" Zazu said.
"Aw man!" Kaidan said.
"We're way beyond the boundary of the Pridelands!" Zazu said.
"Look guys, Banana Beak is scared!" Kion chuckled. Zazu pressed a feather to the golden yellow cub's nose.
"It's Mr. Banana Beak to you, fuzzy! And we are leaving!" Zazu said. The laughing of hyenas stopped the cubs in their tracks, and Zazu tried to keep the cubs behind him.
Three hyenas appeared, drooling at the mouth.
"Hey! Looks like we've got company! What do you think, Banzai?" The female asked.
"I don't know Shenzi, what about you Ed?" Banzai asked. The third hyena laughed.
The hyenas circled the cubs and Zazu. Kion was scared out of his mind, he didn't hear any of the conversation until Shenzi leaned near Zazu.
"Wait! You're Mufasa's little stooge." Shenzi said.
"I, madam, am the King's majordomo." Zazu said. Banzai looked at Tama, who cringed.
"That would make you…" Banzai began.
"Future King!" Kion snarled.
"Do you know what we do to Kings around here?" Shenzi asked.
Kion scoffed, "You can't do anything to me or my brother."
"Actually, they can. We are on their land." Zazu said.
"Zazu! You said they're whiny, mangy stupid feabags." Kaidan said.
"Iksnay on the upid-stay." Zazu murmured.
"Who're you calling 'upid-stay?'" Banzai demanded, Zazu tried getting the cubs away from the hyenas.
"My, look at the time! It's time to go!" Zazu said.
"We'd love for you to stick around for dinner!" Shenzi said. While the hyenas conversed, Zazu shushed the cubs towards the elephant skull, telling the cubs to keep running.
That was when they lost Zazu. Kion became worried for the majordomo, leading the cubs towards three big shadows and one small.
"Let's see the majordomo hop all the way to the birdie boiler!" Banzai said, setting Zazu inside it.
"No! Not the birdie boiler!" Zazu was sent flying.
"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" Kion and Kaidan asked in unison.
"Like… you?" Shenzi asked.
"Oops." Kaidan said. The cubs started running, the hyenas on their tails. Kion, Kaidan and Almasi were at the top of a pile of bones.
"Kaidan!" Felicity called. Kaidan stopped, urging Kion and Almasi to continue on. He saw Felicity slipping, the hyenas near her. He made his way down the bones and slapped Shenzi on the cheek, three claw marks emerging on Shenzi's flesh as Kaidan and Felicity escaped.
They made it inside an elephant skull, where Kion and Almasi were. The cubs tried climbing up a wall, to no avail. The four cubs ended up on the ground, cornered by the hyenas. Kion stood in the front, tried roaring at the three.
Shenzi laughed, "That was it? Try it again, c'mon." Kion roared again, a mighty roar emerging. Kion knew it hadn't come from him, and found out where the roar had come from when the king emerged, beating on the hyenas. He had them pinned. They were murmuring apologies.
"SILENCE!" Mufasa roared.
"We're really sorry!" Shenzi said.
"If you ever come near my sons and their friends again…" Mufasa warned.
"Oh, those are your kids?" Shenzi said.
"I didn't realize that!" Banzai lied. Banzai and Shenzi looked at Ed, who nodded. Mufasa roared again. The hyenas shrank.
"Toodles!" Shenzi said as they all ran. Zazu landed next to Mufasa, smile on his face. Mufasa glowered at Zazu, who cowered. Kion stepped forward.
"Dad, I…" Kion began.
"You've disobeyed me!" Mufasa said. Kion and Kaidan stepped back.
"Dad, I'm sorry." Kion said with his ears against his head.
"Let's go home." Mufasa said. Kion put his head down and started , Felicity and Almasi followed.
"Kion, I thought you were very brave." Almasi whispered once she was by his side. Kion gave his friend a sad smile.
Once the five lions were back in the Pridelands, Mufasa beckoned Zazu to his side.
"Yes, Sire?" Zazu asked.
"Take Kaidan, Felicity and Almasi home. I have to teach my daughter a lesson." Kion shrank in the grass. Almasi looked over to Kion, her pale blue eyes concerned. Zazu flew over to the cubs. He looked in Kaidan, Felicity and Almasi's direction.
"Come you three," Zazu said, turning to face Kion he put his wings on his shoulders, "Prince Kion, good luck." Zazu flew off. As Kaidan passed Kion he bumped heads with him, but it didn't help the Prince's nerves any.
As Kaidan, Felicity and Almasi left, they looked back at Kion with concern. Kion stood up, ready to follow them, hoping his father wouldn't notice.
"Kion!" Mufasa ordered.
Kion flinched, tears welling in his orange eyes. He forgot, his father noticed about everything when it came to his antics. He turned around, walking towards his father. Kion tripped, and noticed he stepped into one of his father's paw-prints. He lowered his head and continued to his father's side, sitting down next to him. Mufasa grimaced.
"Kion, I'm very disappointed in you." Mufasa said.
"Dad, I—" Kion began.
"I don't want to hear excuses. You, as my heir...future king must be more responsible. The reason why your brother isn't here. That said, you could've been killed, and what's worse, you put your brother, Felicity and Almasi in danger as well!" Mufasa scolded.
Kion sniffled. He dare not say anything else. He felt a tear run down his cheek. Mufasa looked at his crying son. He relented.
"You were just trying to be brave, weren't you?" He asked softly.
"Like you." Kion sobbed.
"Kion listen, being brave, doesn't mean you go looking for trouble." Mufasa said.
"You're never scared of anything." Kion hiccupped.
Mufasa sighed, "I was today."
"Really?" Kion asked quietly.
"Yes," Mufasa paused to look his son in the eyes, "I was afraid I might lose you, and Kaidan."
Kion smiled and said, "I bet those hyenas were even scared-er."
Mufasa laughed, put a paw out to catch Kion, and said, "Because nobody messes with your old man, c'mere you!" Mufasa noogied Kion, who struggled to get away.
"Dad! Quit! Ah, let me go!" Kion said, trying to get out of his father's arms. He succeeded and pounced on the golden lion. The two played a little bit until Kion was in Mufasa's mane, and biting his ear.
"Dad, I love you." Kion said.
"I love you and Kaidan, too, my son." Mufasa said.
"We'll always be together, won't we?" Kion asked.
"Tama, let me tell you something that my mother told me," Mufasa said, "look at the stars. The Great Kings of the Past look down on us from those stars. Now remember, whenever you feel alone, just look to the stars, they'll always be there to guide you, and so will I."
Kion snuggled into his father's mane and said, "So Grandpa and Great Grandpa are watching over us?"
"Yes, as I will watch over you and your brother one day." Mufasa said. Comforted, Kion fell asleep in her father's mane. He heard his son's light breathing and smiled.