Kiara walked along the beaten path mopily as Zazu flapped overhead, watching her like a hawk as he grumbled to himself.
"How I've ended up babysitting the children of not one, but two kings, I'll never know...I should retire, oh, yes, that's what Zazu ought to do - ahem!"
He suddenly swooped in front of Kiara, stopping her in her tracks with a stern gaze.
"You musn't let your future subjects see you loping around like a wounded hyena, young mistress. Now stand up straight, and walk with pride and grace like your mother," Zazu squawked, stepping over and walking around her while gently nudging her sides and hindquarters to adjust her posture.
"H-Hey!" Kiara hissed in protest, stiffening and letting out a few giggles as the hornbill's feathers brushed against her. "That tickles, Zazu!"
"Ohhh...control yourself, Princess! This hardly becomes the daughter of King Simba!" Zazu harrumphed, taking flight just above her head again. "Now, the sooner we find those little rapscallions you call your friends, the better - I have more business to attend to beyond keeping you out of trouble, you know."
Kiara nodded, letting out an exasperated sigh...but a plan was already forming in her head. One thing Simba didn't know about his daughter was that she loved to make deals with the devil...and the devil's name just happened to be Tiifu.
Her expression brightened as soon as they came within sight of the waterhole and saw the two young lionesses wrestling together, growling playfully as Zuri nipped at Tiifu's ears.
"Hi, guys!" Kiara exclaimed, bounding over to them excitedly.
As soon as the princess was on the scene, the playful atmosphere changed. Tiifu and Zuri both rolled off of each other, quickly pretending that they'd been sunbathing like elegant, mature young lionesses the whole time. "Kiara, how's it going?" Tiifu drawled, putting on a voice dripping with affected charm.
Kiara wrinkled her nose and smirked knowingly. Her friends were so used to being told to show deference and respect to the royal family (including Kiara herself) that they always instinctively acted more refined when she was around.
"C'mon, you guys," she said lightly, "just because I'm a princess doesn't mean you have to-"
"They don't have to what?!" Zazu squawked, his blue feathers flying as he hovered above Kiara like a winged matron. "Only the most esteemed members of the Pride know that the princess deserves the respect she's due."
"Who says I wanna be held in high esteem?" Zuri meowed teasingly, prompting a huff from Zazu as he flapped over to lecture her.
His high-pitched voice as he gave Zuri a talking-to about practicing deference droned in the background as Kiara grinned, taking the chance to sidle up to Tiifu, her partner in crime.
"Heyyy, Tiifu," she purred conspiratorially, "if you can get Zazu off my back for just a few minutes, I'll let you have my cut of zebra later~"
The lighter-colored she-cat's eyes lit up. "The hindquarter?! Ugh, my mouth's watering just thinking about it...but what if you get in trouble, Kiara?"
Kiara shrugged. "It won't be your fault...just keep Zazu entertained for a bit so I have a chance to get away from here, got it?"
"Got it," Tiifu grinned, an evil glint in her turquoise eyes. "Operation 'Ditch the Dodo' is a go!"
The two lionesses bumped paws, and Kiara slowly started to edge her way out of the clearing as Tiifu flattened her belly to the ground, sneaking up slowly on Zazu, who was still giving a very bored Zuri what-for.
"...and another thing with you young ladies, your fur is NEVER properly coiffed when the princess is in your vicinity! You really ought to-AACKK!"
Zazu screeched and flapped his wings frantically as Tiifu pounced on him and rolled into the shallow water with him, getting his fur wet. In the commotion, Kiara slipped into the tall grass and started to run away from Pride Rock...for the first time in her young life, she was tasting freedom on her tongue. And it tasted so, so sweet.