Their Perfect World

Back into the groove

"Okay my turn, I spy with my little eye, something orange and red," Kamaria said as she sat on a rock with her siblings. They were playing 'I Spy' in the savannah and having fun as they chased each other in the wet grass. The sun had risen considerably and several animals were already out and about, grazing with their respective herds.

Jelani and Mila looked around trying to locate the orange and red object in which their sister was referring to.
Give us a clue," Jelani urged.
"It's juicy when it's ripe and we ate it for a snack yesterday," Kamaria said.
"A passion fruit!" Jelani exclaimed.

"Yes a passion fruit! Okay, your turn Jelani," Kamaria said as she jumped down and gave Jelani the spot on the rock.
"Alright let's see, I spy with my little eye, something blue and black," he said smiling.
Mila and Kamaria glanced around their surroundings, trying to find the blue and black object whatever it may be.

Mila heard a faint buzzing sound behind her, turned around and saw a large blue and black beetle, sitting on a branch, lazily flicking its large wings in the air.
"Is it that beetle?" she asked.
"Good eyes, your turn Mila," Jelani said jumping off the rock. Mila giggled and jumped on.
"Okay, okay, I spy with my little eye-" she started to say.
"Jelani! Kamaria! Mila!"

The cubs turned around and saw their parents coming straight for them. Jelani swallowed hard and backed slowly away. He was in trouble and he knew it.
"I spy with my little eye Mommy and Daddy coming," Mila squealed, jumped off of the rock and tried to hide behind Kamaria.

"We're dead meat!" Kamaria groaned and slapped her paw across her face. Kiara and Kovu strode up to their cubs, frowns of  disapproval on their faces.
"What have I told you kids about running off exploring without adults' supervision?" Kovu asked sternly.
"It was Jelani's idea!" Mila and Kamaria said in unison as they pointed at Jelani.

"But you girls went along with it didn't you? You're just as much to blame as Jelani is. You three know  perfectly well that you're not allowed to roam  outside when there's no one around to watch you," Kiara scolded.
"But we were just exploring," Kamaria protested.
"That's not the point. You three  disobeyed my and your mother's orders and went to explore with no regard to the fact that we told you not to!" Kovu said lowly.

"It's not exploring that we have the problem with, it's you kids putting yourselves in danger and wandering off without anyone knowing. You could've been seriously hurt," Kiara said softly as she laid on the ground and brought her cubs close to her.
"We're sorry Mommy, we're sorry Daddy," Mila said sadly as she crawled into Kiara's paws.

Kiara sighed and stroked Mila's soft fur with her paw.
"This time it's okay. Next time you won't get off so easily,"  she  said gravely. "Do you understand what I'm saying kids?"
"Yes Mom, we understand," they said together.

Kiara smiled and kissed the tops of their heads and stood up.
"Come on, it's time for morning assembly," she said as she and Kovu started the walk to Pride Rock. Jelani, Kamaria and Mila followed their parents, jumping on each other and laughing as they walked.
"Mom after morning assembly can we play with Tishala and Avana?" Mila asked her mother.

"Sure you can. If they aren't busy," Kiara said as Jelani and Kamaria ran in between her legs, chasing each other.
"Yay! We're gonna have so much fun!" Mila squealed  as she jumped up in the air, attempting to catch a butterfly.
The family walked through the savannah passing herds on their way. Several animals who saw them bowed respectfully and Kiara and Kovu acknowledged them then moved on.

They arrived at Pride Rock some time later and climbed the steps leading onto the platform. Vitani, Kion, Simba, Nala, Diana and Burnt Eboney were there when Kiara and Kovu came, standing around in a circle talking among themselves.
"Good morning everyone," Kiara called out as she and Kovu approached them.

"There you all are. When we woke up this morning and saw you were gone, we were wondering where you were. Did you go out for morning stroll?" Simba asked.
"We went cub hunting," Kovu said grimly as he looked down at his three children.
"Did they wander off again?" Diana asked with a chuckle.

Before Kovu could answer Kion and Vitani's daughter Tishala cane running out of the den. She was a beautiful cub with golden fur like Kion and violet eyes like Vitani. Tishala, like her mother was rough and strong-willed, she was independent and like Jelani she was daring and just a little rebellious. The four of them got along great and could often be seen playing together.

When she wasn't playing with her cousins, she'd be spending time with her father. Kion would take her on walks through the Pride Lands and tell her stories of when he was the leader of the Lion Guard when he was a cub. Tishala thoroughly enjoyed those stories and was always genuinely interested in anything and everything her father had to say.

"Jelani! Kamaria! Mila! Come and play with Avana and me!" Tishala shouted as she pounced on Jelani in a playful manner.
"Okay! Let's go!" Jelani said ecstatically as he ran after Tishala followed by Kamaria and Mila. Before they could escape however, Kovu stepped in front of them and they bumped into his leg and fell on their rumps.

"And where do you think you're going?" Kovu asked them.
"To play with Tishala," Jelani said as he turned to glance up at his father a sheepish look in his eyes.
"No you're not, you three are grounded You disobeyed me and went out of Pride Rock regardless of the fact that I told you not to," Kovu said.

"But we apologized didn't we? Let us play now Dad," Kamaria protested.
"All three of you are grounded, so go into the den without a fuss," Kovu said as he walked to the peak of Pride Rock.
"Mom said we could play, please let us go Daddy," Mila begged.
"You did something wrong, you can't expect not to get punished for it," Kovu insisted.

"But Dad!" the three of them whined.
"No but's no if's and no and's. You three are grounded and that's final," Kovu said sternly.
"Oh come on Kovu, they're just kids, they didn't mean to," Diana said. "Let them go play with Tishala."
Kovu was just about to say something when Muuaji came out of the den. She walked up to Kiara and Kovu and bowed.
"My lord and lady," she greeted.

Deciding that calling Kovu 'my lord' and calling Kiara 'your majesty' didn't sound good, Kovu had told Muuaji that she and the others could refer to Kiara as my lady. Since the pride landers and outsiders were used to referring to Kiara and Kovu as 'your majesties' only Muuaji and the rest of them called them 'ny lord' and 'my lady'.

"Yes Muuaji what is it?" Kovu asked his first in command.
"Mkali, Siri, Nia, Haraka and I are leaving for patrols my lord, I just came to inform you of that," Muuaji said.
"Very well. The five of you go ahead and do that but do it after breakfast. I'll conduct morning assembly then the hunting party can hunt breakfast," Kovu said authoritatively.

"As you wish my lord," Muuaji said respectfully as she bowed once more and left the platform.
"Okay so here's the deal. I am going to be very busy today with kingdom duties and all that, so just this once, you kids are off the hook," Kovu said to his cubs. "Go ahead and play with Tishala."
"YAY THANKS DAD YOU'RE THE BEST!" they shouted a they got up off the ground and ran after Tishala.

"You're such a softie," Kiara said teasingly as she nuzzled Kovu under his neck.
"I'm a softie only with our cubs," Kovu murmured softly.
"That's why I love you," Kiara whispered as she jumped up on Kovu's back hugged him.
"I love you too," Kovu chuckled and kissed Kiara lovingly on her lips and hugged her tightly.
"And I also love our little ones as mischievous as they are," he added with a playful scoff.