Hello all! I'm finally starting to post my version of The Lion King 3 that I'm now actively working on. Thanks so much to Calvin, Eris and my friends in the Lion King community who keep giving me words of encouragement and ideas. My story picks up right after the events in Simba's Pride and only references the film trilogy - nothing from The Lion Guard since I have friends and readers who don't follow the show. Regardless, the group still exists outside of my plotline. Hope you enjoy this new adventure and happy reading :) Synopsis and character descriptions included. Welcome to Hidden Kingdom!
SYNOPSIS
Now that the Pridelanders and Outlanders have united, King Simba can finally reign in peace with new additions to his pride. Unbeknownst to them all, Becia, a Scar and Zira loyalist, harbors extreme hatred towards Simba and forcefully assembles various animals to build a large army to train in an unknown territory to destroy the Pride Lands with the aid of her henchman Othieno the leopard.
Following a sudden ambush on her Birthday night, Princess Kiara gets kidnapped by a superb starling bird with a crooked personality named Taki and his partner in crime Pole the hippo to be delivered to Becia, but she later finds herself stranded in a hidden kingdom of timeless winter in the company of rogue lion queen Cheshi. Cheshi is Kiara's age but is fierce and a much more capable ruler than Kiara can aspire to be – in Kiara's eyes. In search of Kiara, Kovu unexpectedly crosses paths with Alkali, a lone wonderer who later turns out to be his actual father. Alkali reveals his dark past to Kovu and the reasons he left Zira.
As Queen Nala begins having visions in her dreams, Simba assigns his trusted friends Timon and Pumbaa to go on a mission to gather new allies in faraway areas so Becia can be defeated. Along the way, Timon and Pumbaa encounter a group of freedom fighters led by a courageous female meerkat named Seravi and her equally passionate friends: roller bird Nandi, warthog Odera, panther Gorro, golden wolf Russom and tiny jackal Jabari, and this could lead the duo to something more than just building connections.
Meanwhile at Pride Rock, Zazu helps Simba keep watch of any approaching danger with the help of a female hornbill named Binti, who has a secret of her own that she doesn't wish for Zazu to know, and Vitani is entrusted to welcome all the newcomers from other lands to prepare them for the final battle with Becia.
Will Simba's pride be able to evade Becia's attacks? Can Kiara convince Cheshi and her hidden kingdom to ally with her and take her back home? And is Cheshi the key to Becia's defeat? The Lion King 3: Hidden Kingdom brings you an all-new story filled with adventures, dangers, romances, secret societies, actions and heartfelt characters.
CHARACTERS & CAST
Returning Characters/Cast
Simba – lion (Major)/Matthew Broderick
Nala - lioness (Major)/Moira Kelly
Kiara -lioness (Major)/Neve Campbell
Kovu - lion (Major)/Jason Marsden
Timon – male meerkat (Major)/Nathan Lane
Pumbaa – male warthog (Major)/Ernie Sabella
Zazu – male hornbill (Major)/Rowan Atkinson
Vitani – lioness (Major)/Jennifer Lee
Ma – female meerkat (Minor)/Julie Kavner
Rafiki – mandrill (Minor)/John Kani
Shenzi – female hyena (Minor)/Whoopi Goldberg
Banzai – male hyena (Minor)/Cheech Marin
Ed – male hyena (Minor)/Jim Cummings
Mufasa – lion (in spirit)/James Earl Jones
Sarabi – lioness (Minor)/Alfre Woodard
New Characters/Cast
Cheshi – lioness (Major)/Jennifer Love Hewitt
Becia – lioness (Major)/Katey Sagal
Seravi – female meerkat (Major)/Nicole Kidman
Odera – female warthog (Major)/Christina Applegate
Nandi – female roller bird (Major)/Jenna Dewan
Binti – female hornbill (Major)/Jane Leeves
Russom – male golden wolf (Major)/Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Gorro – male panther (Major)/Gabriel Byrne
Jabari – male jackal (Major)/Matthew Morrison
Taki – male superb starling bird (Major)/Danny Devito
Pole – male hippo (Major)/Arnold Schwarzenegger
Alkali – lion (Major)/Javier Bardem
Sauda – female meerkat (Minor)/Eva Mendes
Trev – male meerkat (Minor)/Chazz Palminteri
Othieno – male leopard (Minor)/Daniel Riordan
Ejiro – male cheetah (Minor)/Idris Elba
Pumbaa's Mother – warthog (Minor)/Susan Lucci
Major Character Descriptions
Simba – Matthew Broderick
Simba continues to rule with grace after the Pridelanders and Outlanders have united. His family and friends are his support system, and he greatly values them. He's also very appreciative of all the animals within his kingdom. Simba's greatest challenge is to find ways to protect the entire pride from new attacks.
Nala – Moira Kelly
Always a stunning and fearless queen, Nala remains encouraging and positive – a calming presence for Simba and everyone at Pride Rock. She motivates Kiara to keep up with her training so the Pridelanders can see her worth as their princess. In Hidden Kingdom, she begins to have visions in her dreams. Although these visions are hard to decipher, she always hangs on to hope.
Kiara – Neve Campbell
A princess who craves endless freedom, Kiara has a challenging time focusing on her princess duties, but she has an adventurous heart. She dreams of traveling beyond the Pride Lands and see new places. Still madly in love with Kovu. Her life changes when she meets Cheshi, who rules the hidden kingdom beyond her territory.
Kovu – Jason Marsden
Respects Simba and learns a lot from him. Kovu remains supportive towards Kiara throughout everything. Life in the Pride Lands is satisfying for him. The only downside is he still has the desire to find out who his real father was/is. When Kiara goes missing, he immediately goes on a search for her, proving he is devoted to her.
Timon – Nathan Lane
Timon starts to live a life of responsibility now that he's entrusted to help keep watch of Pride Rock. Secretly, he harbors a longing for his own family. When a sudden attack happens, he offers to help his friend Simba gather new alliances outside the Pride Lands. His life changes the moment he meets Seravi.
Pumbaa – Ernie Sabella
Also dedicates himself to his Pride Lands duty. Pumbaa is very accepting of everyone and is often the peacemaker. Like Timon, he also offers to find Simba new allies upon learning the Pride Lands is under attack once again. Along the journey, he is in for a big surprise.
Zazu – Rowan Atkinson
Simba's majordomo who's committed to serving the royal family forever. Charmed by Binti the moment they meet at Kiara's birthday party. Zazu always looks out for the Pridelanders' well-being.
Rafiki – John Kani
Ever the wise mandrill, Rafiki keeps inquiring with Mufasa and the great kings of the past regarding what's best for the Pride Lands and what the next steps should be to bring about harmony and peace.
Vitani – Jennifer Lee
Now a valuable member of the pride, she helps keep the lionesses in check and makes sure they are performing their duties. She is a huge fan of napping and self-care. Finally freed from the dark side, she learns to relax more and be kinder to herself. Like Kovu, she also couldn't help wondering about their real father.
Becia – Katey Sagal
A Scar-Zira extremist, Becia is not satisfied with the loss of the Outlanders and the new union with the Pridelanders. The lioness remains hidden in her own shadowy territory and begins to recruit animals of all kinds to side with her so she could destroy the Pride Lands – many times by force and through enslavement.
Cheshi – Jennifer Love Hewitt
Cheshi is a young queen of her own kingdom in a hidden palace in a faraway land. While she can be cold and icy, the lioness is generally welcoming towards others. She has a bold but gracious personality and understands how to rule. Inspires Kiara to be her best self and motivates her to be a fierce queen in the future.
Seravi – Nicole Kidman
Her friends call her Avy. She is elegant and soft-spoken but also a fearless warrior meerkat with a sunny personality. Avy founded a freedom fighting group that rescues oppressed animals and would do anything to keep them out of trouble and danger, even if her life is on the line. She's on the run from Sauda and Trev, members of her old meerkat colony who want to turn her in to Becia.
Odera – Christina Applegate
Kindhearted and always trusting of others, Odie has ravishing looks and is dedicated to her duty as a freedom fighter. But she also dreams of finding love and settling down. Odie is involved with a secret society of warthog warriors. While she always uplifts her friends, she finds herself unworthy at times, and it takes great encouragement from them for her confidence to return.
Nandi – Jenna Dewan
Bubbly and cheeky, beautiful roller bird Nandi is a loyal friend and supporter of Avy and the freedom fighting group that she's also a member of. Nandi is a great asset to them and is always willing to help out when needed, although she usually lands herself in danger.
Alkali – Javier Bardem
A wanderer who goes from one place to another. Reveals himself to be Kovu's father. He is full of wise words and is willing to reconnect with his son. Alkali often takes shelter at Cheshi's kingdom and acts as her mentor and father figure, which surprises Kovu and Kiara when they find out. He always comes up with valuable advice.
Gorro – Gabriel Byrne
A mighty warrior and a respected member of the freedom fighters, Gorro is always on the lookout for danger and tries to make sure everyone's safe. Great partner and bodyguard for Avy and the girls, but he often goes MIA without telling the group. Could the panther have an agenda of his own?
Russom – Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Brave and fights like the true warrior that he is. Very dedicated to his group and keeps everyone in check. At first glance Russom might seem like the serious type but he sure knows how to have a great time after a fight. This golden wolf also values nap. He's a fast runner and can easily knock down enemies.
Jabari – Matthew Morrison
Jabari is always energetic and can lighten up any situation. While he initially joined the freedom fighters for the thrill of it, the jackal has learned to take his job seriously and knows how to tackle the enemies, especially after Russom and Gorro trained him.
Binti – Jane Leeves
A warmhearted female hornbill who arrives at the Pride Lands and takes up a new duty to maintain balance. She gets paired with Zazu, and they make a perfect team – except Binti has a secret that she's afraid to reveal to him.
Taki – Danny DeVito
This superb starling bird is crooked and sarcastic. Together with his partner in crime Pole, he runs a jungle bar far away from the Pride Lands where they overwork their female staff. When he gets hired by Becia to kidnap Princess Kiara (and different animals to be enslaved), he is up for the job.
Pole – Arnold Schwarzenegger
Taki's partner in crime. A silly hippo who loves to sleep. He enjoys challenging Taki to a duet at the jungle bar. Becia's invitation to commit a royal crime with Taki intrigues him, and he calls it the best job ever.
Sauda – Eva Mendes
A meerkat from Avy's colony with an immense hunger for power she fought her way to be queen. She claims loyalty to Becia and is set to hunt Avy down after Avy helped half of the colony and other animals in their territory escape from Becia's influence.
Trev – Chazz Palminteri
An accomplice of Sauda who once had an interest in Avy but she rejected him, and with his ego, he wants to seek revenge and make Avy suffer. When Othieno arrives to demand the animals in his territory to submit to Becia, he agrees without questions.
Othieno – Daniel Riordan
Othieno is cunning and ruthless. Together with Becia, the grey panther is determined to awaken another war to destroy Simba's pride for good. He and other Becia followers go from one area to another in search of new converts and wouldn't hesitate to enslave some to achieve his purpose.
Shenzi – Whoopi Goldberg
Now loyal to no one, Shenzi along with Banzai, Ed and the rest of the hyenas have long fleed the Pride Lands and move around different territories to torment other animals for entertainment. Upon encountering Becia, they agree to help bring her what she wants due to their resentment against Simba.
THE LION KING 3:
HIDDEN KINGDOM
CHAPTER 1: All Is Well
"We are one." That very phrase holds so much power. It is what unites all animals living in the Pride Lands and keeps them connected, especially for Simba and his new, expanding pride. Unity and freedom are being elevated at all times.
A golden sunset emerges over the savannah, giving the sky an orange glow as evening breaks in. "I Want To See the Moon" (Lebo M and Sharon Dee) begins to play in the background. Various animals return to their respective homes after a long afternoon of foraging. A herd of zebras reunite near the water hole, cheetahs lounge on the tree branches, impalas walk back to their territories in a large group, and flocks of birds take off to the sky, following the direction of the wind. As they soar in the air, Pride Rock comes into view, revealing Simba the lion king as he stands at the edge of it to observe the vast surroundings.
Simba gazes down at his kingdom with a look of content. It has been weeks since the Pridelanders and Outlanders were united and a new alliance was formed. He has truly welcomed these new additions to his pride, and he now reigns in peace knowing his kingdom is stronger than ever. "Well done, my son." He could hear his father Mufasa's voice echoing in his ears like he did that day when he accepted Kovu and the rest of Zira's group who chose peace over war.
"Simba, you're here." A warm, calming voice calls for him from behind. It's his soulmate and queen Nala. She approaches him with a relaxed expression.
"Oh, hi, my Nala. I'm just admiring the view and doing some reflecting. Care to spend the evening with me?" Simba responds, appreciating her presence and inviting her to join him.
"Of course," Nala replies. "It's great to have some peace and quiet. Tomorrow's going to be a big day for us all."
"Yes. Kiara's birthday gala. Are you ready to celebrate?" Simba looks at her enthusiastically.
"Why, yes. Just so you know, you've made the right decision with Kiara and Kovu and our growing pride." Nala nudges Simba lovingly, rubbing her head gently against his mane.
Simba returns the affection. "I'm glad I did, and you helped me see the light." There's a grateful expression on his face.
"And we still reign supreme." Nala grins.
"Exactly. Speaking of Kiara and Kovu, aren't they supposed to be back now? I know Kiara's always excited about her hunting lesson, but it's her birthday eve. She's going to be tired at the gala. I bet Kovu must be exhausted from training her."
"You're right," Nala agrees.
"Here I am!"
Simba and Nala turn their heads around to see their daughter Kiara leaping towards them with Kovu trailing behind her. Kiara seems overly excited.
"And yes why wouldn't I be having fun? Am I not the birthday girl?" She continues on with a prideful look.
"I'm sure every day is your birthday, love. Haha!" Kovu smirks as he playfully teases her. But he quickly gives her an expression of approval.
"Aww. I like that idea very much, darling." Kiara nuzzles Kovu, and both of them share a brief loving moment together.
Simba looks genuinely thrilled for his daughter. "Well, I'm glad you're throwing a big event, Kiara. And for the first time ever, you're inviting all the animals in the Pride Lands. That goes well with my plan to extend my appreciation for everyone. It's a great way for all of us to show how united we are."
Nala walks over to Kiara to give her a light nuzzle. "Now that you're back, dear, why don't you catch up on sleep so you can have a full-on celebration tomorrow?"
"Okay, I will," Kiara says. "By the way, I caught three gazelles on my own this morning. And Kovu didn't have to alert me."
"Congratulations! That's an achievement!" Nala is beyond proud.
"You're starting to master the skills. Keep going." Simba speaks words of encouragement that leaves Kiara beaming even more.
"Thanks dad. And mom. Alright, I'm going to go lie down, pamper myself and then I'll be off to dreamland. I ate dinner early with Kovu, and Vitani also came. A princess gotta have her beauty sleep, right?"
Nala walks Kiara back to the den while Simba and Kovu stay behind to have a little chat.
"You're such a fine trainer, Kovu. I hope you won't be too exhausted since you're going to stay up all night tomorrow." He grins at him.
Kovu chuckles. "Don't worry, Simba. Staying awake is my specialty. Thanks, by the way."
"I'm about to head out to dinner. Nala had hers early since I had to show some visitors around the entire day. You're welcome to join if you're still hungry."
"I'm in. I'm always open to a second round of meal."
"Let's go then. Zazu will be joining us soon for the last report of the evening. Can we save the surprise we've been talking about for tomorrow?"
"You got it, Simba. I know he's going to be thrilled about it, though."
Both lions grin in agreement and descend down to the grassy fields below for their evening meal, enjoying the view of sundown along the way and each other's company.
"By the way, Kovu, you don't need to greet all the guests who arrive. Timon and Pumbaa have offered to do that." Simba adds as they go.
Sitting on the other side of Pride Rock, Timon stares at the marvelous sunset that stretches out across the wide open sky and gives it an orangey glow. He and Pumbaa have been given an upgrade in their royal duties to keep a close watch on Pride Rock while the lionesses are out hunting and roaming about and to do roll calls for royal meetings, since Kiara is a young adult already and no longer needs babysitting.
Life is great now that he has a bigger purpose in life. But a melancholic look is plastered on his face as he watches the sun go down.
"Hey, Timon!"
"AHHHHH!"
Pumbaa calls out from another corner, causing him to trip over and fall.
"Pumbaa. You scared me there, buddy."
"Aww. I'm sorry. I was going to remind you it's finally time we go look for Kiara's birthday gifts."
"Oh, yes. The grand party is tomorrow, right? I can't believe we still haven't got her anything. So much for being last minute. Let's find her the perfect present." Timon's face instantly lits up.
"Yesss. But Timon, are you okay?" Pumbaa looks concerned at his best friend.
"I'm perfectly fine, Pumbaa. Why wouldn't I be?"
"It's just that I saw you being sad and all. You don't seem as cheery as you normally are."
"Oh," Timon realizes he's been caught off-guard. The same blue feeling begins to take over once again.
"You know you can tell me anything, right?"
"Even my darkest secret?"
"Even your darkest secret. I won't judge. You know that," Pumbaa sits down and patiently waits for him to speak.
Timon lets out a sigh and stares back at the sunset for a while. He seems worried about expressing whatever thought has been lingering on his mind lately, even in front of Pumbaa. Taking a deep breath, he finally opens up.
"Okay. Sometimes… I keep imagining what it's like to have a family of my own, and I find myself constantly longing for it."
"Awww. That isn't dark at all, Timon. Besides, we are all a big loving family, right?"
"Of course we all are. You, Simba and everyone are very important to me, and that will never change. I just wish I can also find a mate for myself when the time comes. Did it ever cross your mind to start a family, Pumbaa?"
Pumbaa gets reflective. "Actually, I think about it too. A lot, to be honest."
"Wow. You never told me that, buddy." Timon feels more at ease now.
"I guess we all have our own secrets. I'm just not comfortable with the whole idea of soulmates." Pumbaa begins to feel a little doubtful about himself. "I don't even know if I'm worthy of a cute female warthog's love."
"Pumbaa, you are always worthy. And you have the biggest heart out of everyone."
"Gee, thanks, Timon. I do believe there's someone out there for each of us. It just might take a while, I guess."
"Yeah. Well, I'm not so blue anymore. Thanks for lending me your ears." Timon shoots Pumbaa an appreciative look and a sincere smile.
"Always." Pumbaa smiles back at him, his eyes kind and warm. He and Timon glance at the sunset for a bit, just the two friends enjoying each other's company. "So are we going gift-hunting now?"
"Sure we are. Kiara would not like it if we come empty handed."
Timon jumps on Pumbaa's back, and both make their way down Pride Rock.
"Uh, Timon, do you think we'd make great dads when we have our own families?"
"I hope so, buddy. I mean, we helped raise Simba, and we did babysit Kiara, though she kept slipping away most of the time. That's a good enough crash course in parenting, right?"
"I'd say it's more than good. Can we be neighbors and always stick together?"
"Yeah. Friends stick together to the end, right?"
"That's right."
Timon and Pumbaa take a stroll through the savannah under the soft sunset light with a brand new hope and a positive outlook on the future ahead.
Rafiki lounges at his tall sacred tree and observes the harmonious paintings he has drawn of the Pridelanders and Outlanders as one big group with mischievous delight.
"Ah, Mufasa. War is finally over, and there's endless peace in the Pride Lands. No more divisions. And you know what? It's all thanks of you. You orchestrated this masterpiece." He speaks to Mufasa's spirit with a cheery tone and laughs.
Grabbing a coconut, he raises it to the skies as though he's toasting in celebration.
"So here's to you and all the great kings up there!"
Suddenly, a lightning comes out of nowhere and strikes the coconut, destroying it into pieces. Rafiki is shocked, his expression quickly changing to that of disbelief. He just couldn't accept it.
"What is the meaning of this!? Mufasa, I was making a toast to you and this is what you did!? Have you forgotten how to party!?"
A realization begins to dawn on him, making him question everything.
"Are you telling me trouble is brewing once again?"
He stands there waiting for more signs from Mufasa - or a direct answer. But Mufasa doesn't seem to respond. Only the sound of fierce winds can be heard as night breaks in.
