Tree of Life

King-Consort Kion stood on a ledge watching over his kingdom. Well... his mate's kingdom. She inherited it after her Grandmother Janna died.

But in honestly, he felt homesick. He hasn't been back to the Pridelands since he was a teenager, believing his family and homeland were in danger of a attack by Zira.

To only find out that his sister united the feuding prides and is to marry Zira's son, Kovu. That the evil lioness had completed her journey in the circle of life.

The feeling of his mate brushing against him caused him to smile.

"Morning my queen." The goldish, reddish mane lion nuzzled the brownish lioness by his side. "What are you doing up so early, Rani?"

Rani moved her brown eyes from the land she was chosen protect, to her mate. "Baliyo and Surak were looking for you. Something about a early patrol and trouble with the musk deer."

Kion smiled lightly but he was clearly distracted. "What about Kiril and his herd?"

Rani frowned. "Is there something wrong, Kion? You seemed.. elsewhere."

Kion sighed before nuzzling the brownish lioness. "Sorry. I was thinking about home... the Pridelands and my family."

Rani pinned her ears before smiling as she leaned on her mate's shoulder with a loving purr. "How about a trip? Surak can stay and be in charge with Nirmala while we and Baliyo visit the Pridelands. Maybe some of your friends could come too. What do you say, my love?"

Kion smiled and nuzzled his mate. "Perhaps Fuli and Azaad might want to go. Bunga may want to stay with Binga, considering that she's expecting."

Rani nuzzled Kion's cheek before she laid her head on Kion's shoulder once again. "What about Ono, Beshte and Anga?"

"They probably would stay too. Help out, if something would to happen.." that's when Kion realised he messed up as his orange eyes widened. "But I'm pretty sure nothing will happen."

Rani smiled before raising to her paws and heading down the mountain ledge. "I'll tell my uncle and Nirmala. Hopefully we can leave soon once everything is in order."

Kion smiled grateful before turning to look back over their kingdom. With a content sign, Kion stood and headed towards the snowy forest to speak with the musk deer herd leader.

-TLKTLKTLKTLK-

The Pridelands

The sun shined brightly and bathed the Pridelands with a golden glow and everyone was into their daily routines for the day. Queen Kiara sat on the peak of priderock looking over the kingdom thinking about her twins. Who were rambunctious, adventurous four month old cubs. Always trying to out do the other.

Kiara's dark brown rimmed ears twitched at the sound of her son and daughter in their daily competitive argument. She was concerned, this couldn't be healthy. Which make her think about what her uncle, Mheetu brought to her attention a few days after the twins was born.

"Are you worried about another Scar repeat?"

The gold lioness shook her head to knock those thoughts out. It was decided that both Askari and Sarabi would rule, it wasn't a law that said there had to be one king or queen.

Kiara stood and headed down priderock's promontory where she came across her cubs in front of the main cave in another stand off.

"I'm faster than you!" yelled a four month old dark gold cub with a dark brown tuff on his head as well as dark brown rimmed ears.

"How is that?! When you run as fast as a snail!" a tawny cub with dark brown rimmed ears, yelled back.

"Take that back, Sarabi!"

Sarabi blew a raspberry before smirking, her orange eyes gleaming. "Make me, Skari!"

Askari growled before pouncing on his sister and that's when Kiara decided it was time to step in. Just as she saw her son chop down on his sister's ear.

"Askari, stop bitting your sister's ear this instance!"

The dark gold prince looked up with green eyes shinning innocently. "But I didn't do anything, mom."

Kiara who raised a eyebrow as she narrowed her brown eyes before growling lowly, not enough to scare her son but enough for him to stop the lying. "Do you want to spend the rest of the day with me and Sherise as we check on the herds?"

Askari paled and flatten his dark brown rimmed ears against his head. "No mom."

Kiara nodded satisfied with her eldest answer. "Now you and your sister, go run and play... nicely." the gold lioness made sure to stretch out nicely.

"Yes mom." Askari and Sarabi replied at once before dashing off.

Kiara shook her head with a small smile before heading towards the waterhole where no doubt, her advisor was already waiting.