I just came back from Barbados. Had a great time. Thanks for the reviews: Silverbellsb, lilMonkeyCupcakes, 5 and KellyEliz. :D Anywho, here's chapter 9. :)
~9~
"So you're gonna be a father, huh?" Simba said with a smile. "Well it's about time!"
"It's true," Zazu answered in high spirits. "I'm sure he'll make the best royal advisor when the time comes."
"I bet he will. Now when's he supposed to hatch?"
"In about 2 or 3 weeks. No more than a month."
"Great!" the auburn maned lion exclaimed. "I want to see him when he's old enough."
"That's if Kovu allows him...he still doesn't know."
"So just tell him." Simba proposed. "He's a father too, ya know? He's bound to understand."
"I suppose,"
"There he is right now. Talk to him about it."
Zazu took his advice and flew over to Kovu.
"Good morning, Sire!" he saluted nonchalantly.
"Good morning, Zazu!" Kovu responded with vigor. "You already gave the morning report. Is there something amiss?"
"No, Sire." Zazu replied. "All is well, I just needed to talk to you—about Zula and I."
"Go on," he insisted with a cocked eyebrow.
"Well, I found out that Zula and I are, well...err—expecting, and—."
"Congratulations!" he said.
"And I would appreciate it if you would uplift her ban so she and the chick could be allowed in Pride Rock..." he said timidly. "Especially since he'll be taking my place as the royal advisor when I retire."
"It's settled." Kovu concluded with a nod.
"Oh thank-you, Sire!" the blue bird rejoiced. "You won't regret this choice!"
He flew off to tell Zula the good news. She had just finished tidying the nest. The egg was in the center, on its side.
"That's wonderful!" she exclaimed.
"Regardless, I'm staying with you and the chick." Zazu said.
Zula replied with a weary sigh. She'd been up all morning protecting her egg from bigger creatures who were looking for breakfast. Birds, snakes, you name it.
"I'm sorry, Zazu." she yawned. "I'm just a little tired that's all."
"It's alright, my dear." Zazu assured, kissing her wing. "You were just protecting the young one. As any good mother would. If anything, I'll just make the morning reports less frequent so you could get your rest."
"Thank-you, Zazu." she smiled. "I love you."
"I love you too."
A brief pause took place in the tree.
"So, have you thought of any names?" Zazu asked.
Zula nearly drifted off, but bolted when she heard her husband.
"Oh," she said lovingly. "If it's a girl, I'd name her Isabis. That was my grandmother's name." She looked off into the sky. "She was such an admirable woman. She had these puce colored feathers with burgundy tips. And she also had this long crest, just a shade darker than her tips, running from her forehead to her tail. But the most comely feature she had were a pair of mauve colored eyes she possessed. They glistened on even the darkest hour, and they shined even as she lay on her deathbed."
"She sounded beautiful," Zazu said in awe.
"She was more beautiful in person."
"And if it's a boy...?"
"I'd probably name him after my father," Zula said with a small hint of anger in her tone. "Even though the last time he saw me, he treated me like dirt."
"Care to tell me?" Zazu asked softly.
She took a deep sigh before she told him the story. She told him about the time he beat her for not wanting to marry the rich hornbill, the words they exchanged, and his favor for her other sister rather than her.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that." Zazu said remorsefully. "No one as pretty and unique as you should ever go through such circumstances."
Zula snuggled into him, a meager smile curled on her beak.
"If you promise to be as good of a father as you say you'll be, please don't make our child go through the same thing I did." she said in a whisper. "God forbid I don't live to see it grow up..."
"Don't say that, dear." Zazu interjected. "We'll both see our child grow big and strong."
"Things happen, Zazu." she said. "Hopefully they won't happen before we see it grow. But things DO happen."
The peace was cut short when two familiar cranes flew over to greet Zula. She looked a little uncomfortable with their presence.
"What do you two want?" Zazu remarked rather coldly. "Come to cause more dilemmas?"
"No, we just wanted to send our thoughts." Pili sang. "Soon, you'll hear its little feet pitter-pattering through—."
"And its tiny little wings flapping when it first takes flight." Oni added joyfully.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Zula reminded, still looking dissatisfied.
"Oh right!" said Pili. "Zula, I'm SO-SO-SO sorry for all the trouble we caused."
"WE?" Oni scolded. "It was your plan."
"You could've talked me out of it!"
Oni rolled her eyes.
"And, Zazu, we're sorry for all the foolish things PILI put you and Zula through.." she added. "I'm sure you'll be a splendid father to our little niece or nephew."
"Apology accepted," said Zula.
"Don't mean to be rude, but we gotta run!" Pili said in a hurry. "Oni and I met these two cranes from the Congo and they asked us to brunch."
"Have a great time!" Zula said joyfully.
"Feh..." Zazu added blankly.
"And don't hesitate to let us babysit the little munchkin!"
"Never in a million years." Zazu sneered.
Once the two were out of the picture, Zula fell asleep in Zazu's arms, and the curve of the egg brushed against her underbelly.
"Sweet dreams, my love." he said tenderly to his slumbering wife.
ZAZU'S POV
"My! Spring has barely arrived and there's enough rain to make a replica of the Nile." I said to Kovu.
"I've seen worse." he replied neutrally. "It doesn't get bad until the winds kick in."
"It looks like the cubs aren't going anywhere for a while." I added.
"It seems so. They'll be devastated, especially the younger ones. They were so excited to get out of that stuffy den."
"Oh well. It'll be worth the wait once summer comes. Don't you agree, Sire?"
"Yeah. And when they're old enough, I'll teach my boys how to fight like real kings."
"And the princess?"
"Kiara and the other lionesses are teaching her, Shani and Doli how to hunt."
"I bet you're proud. They'll grow up to be fine young lions."
"Yeah..." Kovu said as he looked off into the lands.
The sky was a bluish-gray with little portions of it managing to escape the clouds and bring light to the shady lands. Little droplets of rain fell from the sky, causing a slight drizzle. I was never a fan of rain. It annoyed me whenever I flew and raindrops kept falling onto me. And whenever it rained too hard, my feathers would get drenched and I would have to stop before I could fly again.
"Sire," I asked modestly. "Do you think I'd be a good father?"
"Of course!" he assured. "You've been around a lot longer than most of us and you'll raise him to be an educated, wise young bird. I'm sure of it."
The thought of being a father was exciting and all, but it left me pondering about the future. What if I was too bland? What if he turned into a rebel and fell into the wrong crowd? What if he didn't like me?
"Thank-you, Sire." I said with a nod, despite my fears. "Is there anything else I can assist you with?"
"No thank-you, Zazu." Kovu replied. "You're dismissed."
Eagerly, I rushed back home to my tree and looked for Zula. When I saw her, she looked ecstatic.
"Oh!" she said with relief as she rushed to kiss and hug me. "You came just in time. It's hatching! Our egg is hatching!"
"W-w-what?" I stammered in shock.
She ran back to nest and I followed. When I got there, the egg had a small but noticeable crack in it.
"My son," I said warmly.
In a couple of minutes, my son was going to enter the world. A beak broke through the oval enclosure, making both of us jump back in shock. Zula laughed at me but soon focused her attention on the youngster. He broke through with all his might and was soon free from his egg. Zula rushed to hug the new addition to the family. He didn't have any feathers yet, just a few white, fluffy ones that did very little to cover his naked pink body. He emitted a soft chirp as he snuggled in Zula's arms. The sight of it melted my heart.
"Give me my boy." I said softly, my eyes never leaving his perfect face.
"Don't you mean your GIRL?" Zula chuckled. She handed her to me. "I checked before I held her."
Though I was expecting a son, a daughter was more then welcome.
"Boy or girl, I'll love her the same." I said with a tear running down my cheek.
Her eyes opened for the first time. It was a magnificent shade of purple, a lot like the eyes Zula's grandmother had—or so she said. Nevertheless, she was very beautiful.
"The name will fit her perfectly." she said, fighting her tears. I could tell she truly loved her grandmother. "Isabis..."
"Isabis, the royal advisor."
Zula laughed a little before she held me tight and cried joyfully. I immediately did the same, with Isabis still in my grip. She wriggled out and wobbled drunkenly towards the center of the nest, where she fell asleep. Zula was too excited to sleep, but I managed to convince her to get some rest. Cause we'd barely get any in the weeks to come. She slept next to our new daughter while I thought to myself.
"Me, a father!" I said to myself. "I still can't believe I'm a father."
Isabis was a great daughter. Once she grew her feathers, I realized she had a baby blue coat with navy blue and white tips. She had inherited my Birdtain tongue and spoke quite eloquently. She was overall an energetic young girl who would make a fine advisor one day.
"Daddy!" she repeated as she tried her hardest to wake me up. "Time to wake up!"
I groaned a little before muttering something under my breath.
"Up, sleepyhead!" she said while she pulled my tail feathers.
"Why are you up so early?" I uttered sleepily.
"Because YOU promised to take me out today."
I completely forgot. Once a week, we'd always do something together. Just the two of us. So Zula could get her rest.
"Where's your mother?" I yawned.
"Out getting some berries for breakfast." she answered giddily.
I replied with a faint sigh. I stretched my legs, accidentally kicking her out of the nest. Once I heard her scream, I jumped. I looked for her at the edge, but couldn't find her. My heart raced. She could've been hurt—or worse. I called out her name. No response.
"Isabis, where are you?" I panicked.
"Here I am!" she giggled.
I swiftly turned around and latched onto her when I saw her landing gently back into the nest.
"You scared me half to death." I said with relief.
It's a good thing she knew how to fly. That would've been a nasty fall for any bird, let alone one of her small stature.
"Mommy's coming back!" she said cheerfully.
I turned to see Zula with a leaf full of berries and nuts. She landed by us, making the food roll across the nest. Isabis lunged for the blueberries and the passion fruit seeds. Those were her favorite. Zula and I laughed at the sight. She gobbled them down in one sitting. It was amazing how much she ate and how frail she was. Then again, she was an active little bird.
"Isa..." Zula called.
"Hmmm?" Isabis muffled, her beak filled with food. Her feathers were sodden with the sticky purple juice, from the blueberries of course.
"Come, you're all messy." Zula said. "You can't go out looking like this."
She wiped her cheeks with one side of her wing. Some purple could still be seen, but it'd wash off eventually. Suddenly, I realized what time it was.
"I'm late, I'm late!" I squawked.
"Wait, Daddy!" Isabis said, flying after me.
I scanned the lands to see if I could find Kovu.
"There he is!" I said.
"Where?" Isabis asked me.
"Follow me!" I told her.
I darted to where I last saw him and she followed. By the time I got there, I was fatigued and nearly collapsed from exhaustion. Isabis landed gracefully just in front of his paws.
"Salutations, King Kovu!" she greeted with a brief curtsy.
"Good morning, Isa." Kovu responded.
"Checking in for the morning report!" I said heartily once I regained my composure.
"I'm listening."
"Well, early this morning, the hippos complained that—ISABIS GET DOWN FROM THERE!"
The curious chick flew into one of the trees and was nearly a hundred feet above the ground. When she heard my voice, she lost her balance and slipped off the branch. I ran to catch her but I wasn't fast enough. Fortunately, she landed right in Kovu's mane, which cushioned her fall. He bent his neck, lowering her to me. She slid down towards me, giving me a sheepish grin.
"Uhh...hi, Daddy." she said nervously.
I didn't buy it.
"Go keep quiet until I'm done." I ordered sternly.
"Alright," she whimpered.
For a moment, I thought she would cry. But she held up and sat herself on a rock, kicking her feet back and forth while she gave an occasional sigh. I felt bad for doing so, but she didn't realize that there were so many things out there that could hurt a small fledgling such as herself.
"Now where was I? Ah, yes! The hippos are complaining that the waterhole is too crowded during noon and demanded that you look into the matter and do something about it since—ISABIS!"
She had wandered out of her seat and peered into a murky lake. These waters swarmed with crocodiles around this time. I swiftly pulled her away before she lost something important.
"I'm so sorry, Sire." I said with the fidgety chick held between my wings. "As I was saying—."
"It's alright." Kovu insisted. "Don't worry about the morning report today. Take care of your daughter."
He turned away, probably ready to tend to his own kids, who had grown a lot themselves. I don't know how he did it. If I ever had three chicks like Isabis to look after, I'd be done for. I turned to her, who turned red in the face.
"I'm sorry, Daddy." she said sadly.
"Oh, it's alright." I assured, hugging her. "I just wish you wouldn't be so hyper."
"So where are we going now?" she asked fervently.
"Well, since most of my work is done, how's about we sit down to a meal?"
I never did get a chance to eat, since I was late for the morning report. She lit up almost instantly.
"Okay!" she said.
The two of us flew off to the field with the ripest berries. It was also the place where Zula and I revealed our love for one another. Isabis landed in a bush, picking as much of the plump berries she could.
"Don't carry more than you can bear, Isabis," I warned, carrying a few of my own.
"Okay, Daddy!" she said impatiently.
I shook it off. Birds her age were usually that hungry. The habit dies when they get older. She waddled out of the shrub with about a dozen blueberries in her possession. She was in heaven. She didn't notice a stone in front of her and tripped, sending most of the fruits rolling down the hill. I caught about three or four of them. Isabis went after the rest, and got all but two. When she reached for another one, someone else caught it.
"Hey!" she thundered. "THAT'S MINE!"
"Finders keepers, small fry!" the other bird shot back.
Isabis growled before she lunged at him. Nothing could be seen but a flurry of blue and yellow feathers. I pulled her away before she got hurt.
"What has gotten into you?" I asked her.
"He called me small fry!" she growled.
Her feathers were unkempt and dirty, as were the other bird's.
"I'm so sorry, Sir." a female bird, the same age as the yellow one said apologetically. "It seems MY BROTHER needs to learn some manners." She dragged him by the wing. "Let's go! What would Mother say if she saw you like this?"
"Are you alright?" I asked worriedly, inspecting my daughter of any cuts or bruises.
"Yeah," she nodded.
"No light-headedness or difficulty moving your limbs?"
"Nope,"
"No blindness or inability to hear?"
"Daddy, I'm fine!"
I let her go and she rushed to her prized berries. I attended to mine. It was a small bunch. Just three fuchsia colored berries, two purple, pimply berries and four unattended berries that were just scattered around the fields. While I ate, I kept an eye on Isabis, who seemed to make a new friend. She was red like a rose, with a maroon colored streak running down the back if her head. She looked just about her age. Her eyes were ruby red and were full of life.
"Are you from the Pridelands too, Audi?" she asked the red chick.
"Yeah!" Audi replied jovially as she gulfed down another blueberry. "I live just by the waterhole, in that big umbrella tree. You've probably seen it a million times before."
Isabis nodded in response.
"Well come visit me sometimes!" Audi said back.
"Sure!"
Audi soon ran off, saying her mother was calling her. Isabis ran towards me, ready to tell me so much about her.
"So did you like your new friend?" I asked her.
"Oh yeah!" she replied. "She's so cool. Did you know she's already has a boyfriend? I wonder when I'll get one."
"It'll be a while before THAT happens." I said jokingly.
"Why?" she asked, still not getting the message. "Do you think I'm ugly or something?" she began to worry.
"Of course not!" I guaranteed. "You have the prettiest mother in all of Africa. There's no doubt her daughter would be just as pretty as her—if not, prettier!"
Isabis smiled bashfully.
"You're just saying that." she blushed.
"Nonsense! Once you're old enough, you'd be the most sought after bird in Africa. The point is, Isabis, is that there'll always be plenty of times for boys. So live your childhood now. And live it to the fullest. And by that, I don't mean diving or quicksand or pulling a crocodile's tooth."
"Alright," she giggled.
We stopped talking and feasted on our berries. By the time we were finished, it was about an hour or two 'till sunset. Isabis and I flew off, and returned to the nest.
"Do we have to go now?" she whined.
"Of course we have to go now." I replied. "Unless you want to sleep in a cobra's belly tonight, I advise you come back to the nest."
"That's not a very good reason." she smirked.
"Oh, is that so?" I answered in a playful matter. "Here's another reason: Because I'm your father and I said so."
"Yeah…that to." she said with a nervous laugh.
"Now let's head up." I ordered.
We flew up simultaneously and saw Zula tidying the nest. Isabis skipped to her mother like a Thompson's gazelle, hugging her tightly.
"Did you enjoy your day?" she asked.
"Yeah." Isabis answered.
She retired to her usual sleeping spot.
"I'm...so tired." she yawned.
"It looks like you two had a long day." Zula chuckled as she nuzzled me with her beak. "I've saved some seeds from lunch for you two. But you can always eat them tomorrow."
I took about two from the bunch and took my sleeping spot, followed by Zula. We both shared our good nights, while Isabis was already out. She blanketed herself underneath my wing and softly snored.
"Good night," I spoke faintly before I too fell asleep.
Well, I typed this on my iPod touch while I was in Barbados. And I finished this around August 18th? Maybe a little earlier. Any who, It's was great. But it was sohot! Thank goodness a little rain came in for a couple days. Anyway, my iPod doesn't have grammar check. So there might be some grammatical errors that I missed while revising it. Sorry about that. 3 Review please. :)
P.S. If any Sweet Revenge fans are reading this, the first chapter has been posted. I made some changes to it though because I didn't save the original chapters. Hope you still like it though. :)