Life After The Fall

Close knit family

"I am so sorry to hear about Sarabi, my condolences to you all. Losing one's loved one is nothing easy," Charise said as she walked through the savannah with Kiara, Kovu, Simba and Nala underneath the setting sun. It was dinner time in the pride and the hunting party decided on hunting a buffalo. Alisa was leading the hunt while her cubs were being watched by Marisa.

"Thank you Charise your support is greatly appreciated," Kiara said with a weak smile.
"So when is Kion and Rani going back to the Tree of Life?" Charise asked.
"The day after tomorrow. Rani shouldn't be traveling too much, it's not healthy for the cub. And plus Rafiki wants to give her a thorough checkup anyway," Nala replied.

"I see. And how's her cub by the way? Sorry if I seem nosy," Charise said apologetically.
"No Charise you don't seem nosy, you're a member of our pride. You have the right to ask questions pertaining to such things," Kovu reassured her.
"Kovu's right Charise, you and your siblings have certainly proven yourselves to us. You've earned the rights that you hold today," Kiara said to her.

"I know it's just that, I find it hard to believe that I'm actually a pride lander," Charise admitted.
"After all my family and I did to you both, I never expected you to forgive us or give us a place in the Pride Lands. I have no words to express my gratitude."
"It's nothing my dear. You did something wrong, you accepted your mistake and rectified it. That's what counts," Nala said with a smile.

"Yes. I find it admirable that you can forgive someone who's caused you so much pain," Charise mumbled.
"Well yes that's true. When I first came to the Pride Lands I was an undercover assassin set out to kill Simba. But I fell in love with Kiara and saw that Scar wasn't the hero in which Zira portrayed him to be," Kovu said.

"He was a monster. A tyrannical dictator who killed his brother for power and disrupted the delicate balance of nature, hence causing the Circle of Life to fall out of balance," Simba said lowly.
"But you put things to right. You so courageously took back your kingdom and raised it up from the ashes of grief and sorrow and made the Pride Lands what it is today," Charise said thoughtfully.

"You have forgiven Kovu and his pride and blessed him, giving him permission to marry your daughter. What compelled you to do that?"
"Well a wise lion once told me that sometimes what's left behind can grow better than the generation before," Kovu said this then turned to smile at Simba. "If given the chance,"
Simba chuckled and placed his paw on Kovu's shoulder.

"Everyday you show me that you possess the capability and the strength to rule this kingdom. Kovu you protect the pride, you solve all the problems and find the solutions to them as well. You didn't break down at the funeral today, you supported Kiara and me as well. Thank you for that," Simba said gratefully.

"Simba please, you're my father-in-law, I'm Kiara's husband and a member of the family also. I was just doing my duty. No need to thank me," Kovu said modestly. 
"He's right Kovu, you stepped up and took on the responsibility of being King. All the stress and pressure you took it all and despite the fact that you were feeling insecure and conflicted, you still did your duty," Kiara said as she nuzzled Kovu under his neck. 

"After dinner what say we take a while to stargaze? Once we have our cubs, we won't be getting alone time as plentiful as this. They'll have us running them up and down all day. We should spend as much time as possible with each other," Kovu said as he kissed Kiara on her cheeks.
"Mmm yes. Not to mention you won't be letting me out of your sight for the five months I'm going to be pregnant for," Kiara said sighing.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight. You're going to be giving birth to my cubs, I can't risk them getting hurt," Kovu told her as he nuzzled her affectionately.
"It must be so nice to have a mate who loves you as much as Kovu does," Charise said wistfully.
"You'll find someone Charise. You're a beautiful lioness, you're smart, independent and loyal. Who doesn't want a mate like that?" Kiara asked.

"Who's to know. I don't really want a mate right now, I need to learn to be more committed before I pursue a relationship," Charise said with a yawn.
"What kind of lions are you interested in?" Kiara asked raising her eyebrows.
"I'm not telling you," Charise said as she turned to face Kiara's curious gaze.

"I know how much you enjoy juicy gossip. I learnt from what happened with Tifu and I am not going to be the next victim of your pesky nagging."
"How mean," Kiara said as she feigned being insulted.
"I'm not mean I'm real," Charise said winking at Kiara.
Everyone laughed and continued walking through the savannah, making jokes and absorbing the last rays of the sun before the coldness of the night ascended.

"I'm due any day now. My stomach is filled to capacity, I can barely move without straining some part of my body," Marisa groaned as she laid in the den with Alisa's cubs Bahati and Mzuri resting in the corner. Bahati, Alisa's son had brown fur and grey eyes and Mzuri, Alisa's daughter had a dirty yellow fur colour, forest green eyes and a tuft of fur over her right eye.

Both were three months old and since they were born three weeks before their time, they were a bit smaller than the average cub. They were energetic cubs and very playful and friendly with everyone they encountered and couldn't talk much but made little sounds that everyone found so very cute.

Mzuri was always hooking up under Chad and everywhere he went, she would go and yet never strayed very far from her mother. Bahati was always napping and whenever his sister would come to play when he was trying to sleep, he'd run to Charise. Both cubs were fond of their aunt and uncle and whenever Alisa would be busy, they'd offer to cubsit the little ones before Alisa could even ask.

"Marisa stretched out her muscles and she suddenly felt a cramp in her lower abdomen but ignored it. Rafiki said that abdominal cramps were most common in pregnancies so Marisa wasn't at all worried. Until she felt some liquid run down her back legs. She gasped and looked down only to see blood trickling from her womanhood. Then before the thought could register, she was hit with a sharp contraction that caused her to cry out in pain.

She dropped on the floor and felt yet another contraction, this one more intense than the first.
"Oh Kings no! Not now!" she thought to herself.
Then before she could call out for help, another contraction hit which confirmed what she was dreading. She was in labour.
This contraction caused her to let out a blood curdling scream which almost shook Pride Rock from its foundation.

"You should never tell a pregnant female she's looking fat Chad. It hurts their feelings and since they have a hormonal imbalance due to their pregnancy, they're a lot more sensitive and get hurt easily," Charise was telling Chad.
"So what to say?" Chad asked.
"You don't say anything," Kiara said in reply to his question.

"So I just ignore her oversized belly and pretend it isn't there?" Chad asked confusedly. "That doesn't make sense. "
Charise was just about to say something else when a loud shriek was heard from Pride Rock. Clearly it was a female.
"That's Marisa!" Kovu exclaimed.
"And that scream, it sounds like she's in agony," Chad said with a shudder.

"Kiara! Kovu!"
Everyone turned around and saw  Vitani, her eyes were frantic as she walked up to them.
"What is it Vitani?" Kovu asked.
"Marisa's in labour," the lioness declared. "We were on patrol and we heard her. We went into the den and saw her lying there screaming. She's currently with Tazama and Kasi."

"Okay let's go. Marisa's in labour, she'll need some help to deliver the cub. Kiara, Nala, Charise and Vitani, go to Pride Rock to assess the situation. Simba get Rafiki  and Chad get some water," Kovu said in a rush.
"What are you going to do babe?"  Kiara asked.

"I'm going to get my parents," Kovu replied as he approached Kiara and hugged her.
"Okay we'll go now. Be safe, I love you," Kiara said as she hugged Kovu and kissed him on his lips.
"Yeah I'll be careful, and I love you too " Kovu said as he turned and ran to find his parents while Kiara and everyone else ran off to do what they were requested.