"Kiara, Kiara," Nala nudged her new friend. "Wakie-wakie,"
Kiara's eyes were still closed but she smiled to herself. Nala always wakes her up like this.
"Why so early?" Kiara mumbled, still keeping her eyes closed. Unlike her father, she was not a morning person.
"Early? The sun is half-way across the sky!"
"Really?"
"Yeah. Now get up!" Nala giggled as she rolled Kiara over.
"Very funny," Kiara laughed as she pounced playfully on her. They tumbled out of the cave and met up with Nala's and Simba's mothers.
"Hi everyone," Nala chuckled uncertainly. She didn't expect her mother would be happy with her fighting with their guest.
"Hi Nala, and a very late good morning Kiara," Sarabi laughed.
"Where's Simba?" Nala asked.
"He went out with his father." Sarabi said.
"Just us girls here today. Why don't you introduce Kiara to the other cubs." Serafina suggested.
"Sure mom, bye!" Nala kissed her mother and bounded off her new friend.
"Kiara certainly is a quite one." Sarabi said.
"Poor child, all alone. I'd expect her to be." Serafina replied fondly.
"A sweet child though,"
"Yes, I guess once she's settled in she'll start talking. What did Mufasa say about her?"
"Nothing, I haven't told him yet. I will tonight. I don't think he'll mind that much. Do you?"
"Not at all."
"Are the other cubs nice?" Kiara asked as they headed towards the plains.
"They're alright but real boring. All they do is sit around and talk and they never want to play. Simba is much more fun to hang out with," said Nala.
"How about Simba's dad, how's he like?" Kiara felt strange saying her father's name out loud, but she was also curious to know what her grandfather was like.
"Simba's dad? Well he looks and sounds tough and scary but on the inside he's really nice." Nala described. "Great, we're here at last." Nala put on a fake smile and strut towards the girls. "Hey guys," Nala said breezily.
"Hi Nala," A young lioness with burnt peach fur said. A few others followed suit.
"I'd like you to meet Kiara, she's new here." Nala drew Kiara closer and pointed to each cub. "The green-eyed one is Sophia, the one with the dark fur is Cora, the tall one is Zynza, the golden girl is Sheyesha and the dark peach one is Mimi."
Kiara nodded to each cub as they gave a friendly 'hello'. They look the same as before. Even acted the same with the usually bubbliness when someone had a new gossip story.
"Oh Nala, you've got to hear this…" Zynza said excitedly.
"What?" Nala replied in a bored tone. Kiara also rolled her eyes because gossip was boring.
"Okay, so I heard from my mom who heard from Sophia's mom who heard from her aunt who heard from Simba's mom that you are betrothed to Simba." Cora shrieked.
"Betrothed?" Nala asked uncertainly. Betrothed? She thought. Oh yeah, that ment I'm going to marry Simba. But we'll make sure it will never happen.
"Yes betrothed!" Sheyesha said, thinking of her reaction as a surprise not a question.
"You're really lucky Nala, wish I was betrothed to him," Zynza said dreamily.
"In your dreams," Cora teased.
"Hey, I could have a chance okay?" Zynza snapped.
"What are they talking about?" Kiara whispered to Nala.
"I don't know, but I think it's our time to leave…" Nala slowly inched her way from the crowd and Kiara followed after her. "Hey look, Simba's back! SIMBA OVER HERE!"
Kiara winced at Nala's loud voice and glared at her. "Opps, sorry."
"Hello guys, guess what! Dad took me to this place where the water falls from the sky and ends up in a pool below. The water is so cool, he even let me slide down it, wanna see?" Simba hopped up with excitement. His eyes were cheerful and his grin reached his ears.
"Sure but are we allowed?" Nala asked.
"Since when do you care?" Simba chuckled.
"Since you're dad nearly killed you for taking us to the elephant graveyard," she replied.
"Fine," he grumbled. "Oh, Kiara you're gonna love it…" Simba described all the places and seemed to be only taking to himself. Kiara took the time to ask Nala what 'betrothed' ment.
"It means that I'm going to marry Simba." Nala whispered. "But don't worry it'll never. Don't you think it'd be weird marrying your best friend?" She laughed.
"Yeah, weird," Kiara agreed half-heartedly. Kiara thought that her mom had always loved her dad and wanted to marry him. She couldn't imagine her parents with anyone else. Although she did feel some relief knowing that they'll marry each other eventually and end up having her.
"Dad, can we go to the waterfalls again. I want to show Nala and Kiara what it's like…" Simba asked innocently but got cut-off.
"Kiara? Who's Kiara?" Mufasa asked curiously.
"You haven't met her? She's our new friend that we met. She doesn't have any parents apparently-"
"Simba be nice,"
"Sorry dad, and mom said that she can stay with us…"
"Did she?"
"Yeah, dad, so anyways can we go?"
"It's too late now son, why don't you and Nala run along, I'd like to have a word with Kiara." He gestured towards the rather familiar looking cub.
"But dad!"
"Go on now, Kiara will join you shortly. Come Kiara," Mufasa commanded. Simba and Nala sullenly left the nervous Kiara as she followed her grandfather on a walk. "Kiara, you seem to look very familiar."
"I do?" She said, not wanting to give anything away.
"Yes, you seem to be the child of two lions I know very well,"
"Um, Nala's mother did say that I'd look like Simba and Nala's daughter if they had one" Kiara recalled.
"That's it!" Mufasa grinned. "But it couldn't be possible."
Kiara giggled nervously. She felt as though he was on to her. It was very hard, keeping the secret. She can't tell Nala or Simba, they'd think it'd be to strange. Serafina and Sarabi are out of the question as well. They would just say that she needed bed rest. But her grandfather looked trustworthy enough. Zazu and the other lionesses had said that he had been an understanding and fair king.
"King Mufasa, can I tell you something?" Kiara looked at him nervously.
"Sure,"
Kiara took a deep breath, "You might think I'm crazy for saying this but…" she paused "I am Simba and Nala's daughter. I don't know how I even went back in time, Rafiki did some of his baboon magic…"
"I knew it." Mufasa beamed with pride. "Simba and Nala would get married."
"So you don't think I'm crazy?" Kiara gave him an unreadable look.
"Rafiki does have a gift." Mufasa acknowledged.
"I guess the real reason he sent me here is show me that daddy isn't an overprotective worry-wart after all. Or to spend more time with cubs my size. Or get to know you…"
"Get to know me?" He looked worried.
"Yeah, you died before I was born. That's what they told me." Kiara looked at the saddening king. He seemed to hear more and more about death. First telling Simba about the great kings and if he wasn't there with him physically he'd be up in the stars to guide him and now this.
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to make you sad." Kiara touched his paw.
"I suppose this is the only time I get to see you huh?" He reached over and gave her a hug.
"Yes, granddad." Kiara snuggled in deeper.
"So how is Simba doing? Is he a good king?"
"He's a very fair king though he gets really secretive when he talks about the outsiders. He says that they are all bad and I should never talk to them. In fact, I can never talk to any strangers-I have to come straight home."
"Outsiders?"
"I don't know what they are either. Mom or dad won't say anything."
"How about Nala? Is she well?"
"Mom's just fine. She's exactly how she is now-except she's much bigger than I am."
"Sarabi? What about her?"
"Grandma is okay, but she is kind of old. She still tells good stories and she is a much better babysitter than Timon and Pumbaa."
"And who might Timon and Pumbaa be?"
"Daddy's friends from the jungle. They're funny but are just as protective as dad."
"Why do you think you're father is so protective?"
"To keep me from having fun I guess. You're a much more carefree parent than him though! He is always afraid that he might lose me."
"Oh Kiara." He patted his granddaughters head. "Kiara, Kiara, Kiara, let me explain something. Is you're dad scared of anything besides that?"
"Nope, I don't think so."
"Neither am I. I've battled with rogues and hyenas but I wasn't scared. I've jumped from high waterfalls and I wasn't scared."
"Then what does scare you granddad?"
"That I might lose Simba. Children mean the world to parents, Kiara, you'll understand once you have your own."
"Granddad, can I ask you one last thing?" Kiara said as she gazed up in the night sky.
"Of course."
"I don't know how to say this but when you guide my dad up there, can you help me as well."
"Dear Kiara, every great king will be up there to guide you. No matter who you are. I'll make sure that I'll pay very close attention to you. So is there anything fun your dad does with you?"
"Yeah," Kiara remembered. "We look at the sky and make shapes from the stars. It was to help learn the great kings of the past. See the tip of that rabbit's nose, daddy said that's King Nivana, Oh and sparkly part of the antelope's tail is King Hababu…"
My son has done a fine job, carrying on in his place in the circle of life. Mufasa thought. Even though I've died, he'll always carry on the legacy. Well done my son, well done.