The Pridelands

Kiara approached Simba and Kovu as the two made their rounds in the short grass of the savannah. Much had changed in the last few days with the discovery that Kopa still lived, and it gave Kiara hope. She knew that she wasn't the best huntress and couldn't be expected to lead the other lionesses in pursuit of prey. She knew Kovu had similar doubts about his own ability to arbitrate conflicts between the animals of the Pridelands, and quite frankly, Kiara agreed with him there. Each was only suited to half the job of a ruler—if settling disputes were Kiara's responsibility and hunting were Kovu's, then they could probably do the job, a job she'd spent her whole life training for—but the roles of a king and queen were defined by gender. Perhaps Kopa was a better fit for the duties of king than Kovu, but Kiara was sure she was not the best choice for queen.

She abandoned her introspection long enough to tell that her father and mate had stopped speaking. Now was her time.

"Daddy," she called out as she approached the two males. They turned and Simba smiled at her. Kovu appeared eager to hear whatever she had to say.

"What is it, Kiara?" Her father asked gently.

Kiara looked down and swallowed. "I don't think we're ready to rule."

Relief spread across Kovu's face. Maybe if he and Kiara expressed their self-doubts to Simba together, he would reconsider the suggestion. After all, he had an alternative heir now.

"And why is that, Kiara?"

Kovu moved to stand beside his mate, letting her know that he stood with her and not her father.

"Daddy, I know I'm a better hunter than I was a year ago, but I'm still not the best."

"You're better than Tiifu and Zuri or most of the lioness you're age."

"I'm not as good as Mom, or either of my grandmothers, or Vitani."

It hurt Kovu to hear his mate speak about herself in this way. He said nothing but gently nuzzled his neck across the back of hers.

"Sarabi is dead, Sarafina is dying, Nala is aging, and Vitani already leads the Lion Guard. You already know that wise leaders know when to take advice and when to use their own judgement. No one is asking you to be perfect, just to do the best you can."

Kovu, still nuzzling her, was about to say something as well, but Simba cut him off.

"And I don't want to hear anything from you either. I know you doubt your ability to settle disputes between our subjects, but you will have Zazu and Rafiki to help you. You don't have to be perfect either."

The two younger lions looked at Simba, knowing that there was no talking him out of his decision. Kiara and Kovu would be the next Queen and King.

"The fact that you're concerned about your abilities means you understand how important this job is, and that is the best qualification you can have." Simba turned his back to the two and stared into the distance.

Kovu felt a bit more confidence, and whispered to his mate, "Maybe we can do this."

Slowly, Kiara nodded, also feeling the slight boost in confidence. However, one thing still troubled her.

"Daddy, what about Kopa? He's your first born."

"And he has missed a lifetime of training. I wouldn't be pushing you and Kovu for this if I didn't think you were ready. You learned these lessons as a cub, Kiara. Kopa only learned how to survive as a cub."

"You think that little of me, Father?" Kopa's voice called out.

All the lions turned to see him approaching from the direction of Pride Rock.

A cloud of anger darkened all Kopa's bright features.

The other three could tell he was hurt.

"Kopa," Kiara said, trying to find words to soothe him.

"Shut up, sister! I'm talking to Dad!"

Kiara looked at her brother, wanting to say something.

"Come on, mpenzi," Kovu whispered gently. "I think they need a father-son chat."

Kiara nodded, feeling discouraged.

Kopa shifted his gaze from his father to his sister.

"That's right, Kiara, let the Outsider make all the decisions for you." He looked back to Simba, "You see what he's doing, don't you? Once my sister is queen, Zira's son will be making all the decisions."

Kovu had heard such insinuations from Tiifu and Zuri before but hearing them from a lion who had joined the pride after the great schism, who had only been here a few days, was a fresh wound.

The only thing Kovu knew to do was walk away and nudge for Kiara to join him.

Kopa glared at his sister and in-law, until Simba said forcefully, "Kopa, I thought you wanted to talk to me!"

Kopa growled and turned to face his father.

"That was between us, this is about the whole kingdom. You know Kovu is just using my sister, don't you?"

"No. I know that they really love each other and make each other stronger. I was there when they fell in love, as their opponent, and I failed to stop them. It was Kiara whose words brought Zira's lionesses back into our pride, and Zira also failed to stop them. I misjudged Kovu and underestimated my daughter. She might doubt herself, but she has a fire within her which no one can tame—even those who love her. I should know."

"You have great faith in your daughter," Kopa said with bated breath. "Why not in me?"

"I wish I could, Kopa," Simba said. "Missing your cubhood is mine and your mother's biggest regret." A pained look came on Simba's face. Kopa didn't buy it.

"If we had been with you on your journey since then we would know what kind of lion you are today. We still want to know what kind of lion you are today and we still you to be someone we're proud of, but being a ruler goes beyond that. It is the biggest responsibility one can have apart from being a parent. Kiara has spent her life receiving training to prepare her for that role. Kion also received that same training even though he was never intended to be king."

"Why?" Kopa asked confused.

"In case anything ever happened to Kiara. I never forgot you, Kopa. I spent their entire cubhoods worried that the same thing that happened to you would happen to them. I didn't stop worrying until Kion received the Roar of the Elders…and to be honest, I didn't really stop then."

"So, you're saying you don't trust me compared to the two you raised?" Kopa asked.

Simba shook his head. "No, Son. I'm saying I don't know you." Kopa looked away.

"But I would like to," Simba added cheerfully, and Kopa smiled.

Pride Rock

All the animals of the Pridelands assembled at Pride Rock at sunset for a gathering a large as the recent presentation of the new heirs, Mohatu and Uru. This was the first time that the Pridelands had ever received a royal delegation from the Tree of Life. Of course, this was not so much a visit of state as it was a homecoming for the Pridelands' former prince, Kion, now King Consort of the Tree of Life, and his Lion Guard—and a royal homecoming for the Pridelands lost prince, Prince Kopa.

Rani and Kion led the approaching procession, followed by Fuli and Azad, then Beshte, and Bunga taking up the rear, with Ono and Anga both flying just above the space between the cheetahs and the Hippo.

The eyes of the aging Timon and Pumbaa were on their adopted nephew Bunga, and a few select members of the crowd had their eyes on other members of the Lion Guard to whom they had personal connections, but by far most eyes, especially those of Simba, Nala, Kiara, and Kovu were on Kion. This was the first time they had seen him in over a year, and the first time they had ever seen him with a mane.

Azad, having no connection to the Pridelands apart from his mate Fuli, felt a bit awkward and out of place. The female cheetah awkwardly told her mate, "Just keep smiling. It will be over soon."

Queen Rani was too busy taking in the sight of Pride Rock in the amber evening light and casting her own gaze and Kion's family. All but one, she recognized from the wedding. She supposed that this must be Kopa.

Kion was as dividing his gaze between his father, mother, and sister but also casting plenty of glances at the lion he was sure had to be his brother.

Kion stopped several feet away from Pride Rock. Then there was silence.

On cue Zazu announced, "Your Majesty, Presenting Queen Rani and King Kion of the Tree of Life and their Lion Guard."

Simba nodded and called out to his younger son, "Welcome home, Son. And greetings, Queen Rani. We are honored by your presence."

"I would not miss the event, after all, our two families are now one."

"And that brings us to the purpose of our gathering. Something wonderful has happened!" Simba nodded to his aging mandril mjuzi. "Rafiki?"

Kion never failed to marvel at the longevity of the royal mjuzi. Rafiki had been appointed as a young mandril just before the death of Kion's great-grandfather, Ahadi. His steps were only now beginning to become feeble. With Makini gone, he'd found a new apprentice if the adolescent male mandril standing to the side royal family was any indication. Kion would have to inquire of his name later.

"Many years ago, a tragedy occurred. Zira, the mate of Scar, stole the king and queen's cub, Kopa, and tried to kill him. It was a tragedy for the whole of the Pridelands. But the cub did not die. After, years apart, he has returned, alive and well." He pointed his staff to the lion Kion had noticed earlier. Kopa stepped forward. "I present to you, Prince Kopa."

Kopa looked like he wanted to say something, but Kion could see that he was struggling for the right words. In the end, his brother said nothing. He merely bowed prompting the animals of the Pridelands to bellow and roar in celebration.


The celebration, which had taken weeks of planning, was now over. The animals had gone back to their habitats. The members of the Lion Guard were with their loved ones. Rafiki had gone back to his tree with his new apprentice, whom Kion had learned was named Mwanafunzi.

The royal family was left alone to be a family. Kiara and Kovu had settled down for the night with their twin cubs, Mohatu and Uru, leaving Kion and Rani to speak with his parents and his long-lost brother. Eventually, Simba and Nala settled down for the night, leaving only Kion, Rani, and Kopa awake. The conversation that both Kion and Kopa had been waiting for had only just begun, however.

"So, big bro, you were raised by a crocodile? What was that like?" Kion asked, feeling like an eager cub again.

Kopa smiled at his brother and then looked out the cave's opening at the night sky in the direction of the Swamplands.

"It's not just the differences between crocodiles and lions, little bro. There's also the difference between the Swamplands and the Pridelands in how all the animals do things." Kopa looked to Rani. "Rani, are the lions the same in the Pridelands and at the Tree of Life?"

"Well, individuals will always be individuals, but from what I've noticed of Kion, he's a lot more impatient than the members of my pride, except for my brother Baliyo."

"Well, it's not that I'm impatient, I just…I just..." Kion struggled to find the right words, but simply huffed in gracious defeated and conceded, "You win this round, Rani."

Rani smirked.

"She's right, though," Kion said with total seriousness. "Most lions there do think things through more carefully than lions here," before adding in a playful tone, "Though I know a certain queen who is not exactly the most patient of lions herself."

Rani playfully batted a paw at Kion, and the two just smiled at each other, before returning their attention to Kopa.

"Well from what I've seen and heard, both lions and crocodiles in the Pridelands are very different from the crocodiles of the Swamplands. Here, order of birth determines so much. The firstborn always becomes king or queen. The second always leads the Lion Guards. I think King Nguvu's family are a little bit smarter."

"How?" Kion asked.

"The title of king doesn't always pass from farther to first-hatched. When a king dies, a council of noble crocodiles elects a member of the royal family to be the next king. Nguvu got it from his older brother. He got if from his cousin. He got it from his father, Nguvu's uncle, who was the previous king's third-hatched. Nguvu's father was the fourth-hatched."

Kopa certainly knew a lot about how the royalty of the Swamplands operated. It had to make Kion ask, "Kopa? Was your other dad a prince?"

"Having royal blood was the only thing that kept him from being killed when he hatched. No one would ever elect an albino king. His adopted lion son has even less of a chance."

"So, you know how to govern?"

"In the Swamplands. Things are different here. But I see things here that trouble me, little bro."

"What things?" Kion felt a chill crawl up his spine.

"The queen is supposed to lead the hunt, but Kiara…well she isn't the best huntress."

"I could have told you that," Kion said.

"And the king is supposed to arbitrate between the different animals of the kingdom. Kovu can't do that."

"Well, they'll have plenty of friends to help them, " Kion said, looking at the sleeping forms of Kiara, Kovu, and his little niece and nephew.

"It's worse than that. I don't trust Kovu." Kopa glared at his brother-in-law icily.

"I know he's Zira's son and Scar's stepson, but you can't blame him for his parents."

"I know, but you have to admit its suspicious that a lion so close to Scar is going to be our next king, and his sister already leads our Lion Guard."

"Kovu and Vitani barely knew Scar, and I made her leader of the Guard." Kion said.

"After she challenged you."

"That…" Kion couldn't get find his next words. He looked to Rani for support, but they both knew that Rani hadn't been there to see it…and Vitani had challenged him.