Lion King One Shots

A Perfect Mix

It was a day like any other in the Pridelands. The weather was hot with a slight breeze, the lionesses had done well on their hunt that morning and the King was returning from his daily patrol. As he approached the foot of their home, Priderock, Simba heard screams nearby and went to go check it out. He could hear that they were happy screams and they were coming from none other than his daughter, Kiara. She had recently learnt how to swim and was playing in the waterhole. "Well I can see that she's enjoying herself," Simba said out loud as he approached the water. Nala, who was watching Kiara, turned at the sound of her mate. "Yes, no thanks to Mr. I love water over there," she teased. Simba loved swimming, he always had. Nala on the other hand preferred staying dry and would avoid getting this wet as often as she possibly could. However that was difficult with a cub like Kiara, who had just noticed her dad. "Daddy!" she shouted as she ran straight for him, getting water everywhere and leaving her parents soaked. "Heyyy there. Woah be careful, remember your mother doesn't like the water as much as us," he reminded her. Nala shook dry. "Whoops, sorry mom," Kiara said. "It's alright Kiara," she responded. The Princess smiled up at her father. "Wanna swim with me?" she pleaded. "Oh alright," he said before he quickly picked Kiara up and threw her into the water, jumping in too after her. Kiara resurfaced and laughed as she splashed around in the water, occasionally splashing water at her father. Nala admired from the shore as the pair played like this for hours. Soon however it would get dark and so it was time to head back home.

"Simba! I think it's time to head back," Nala called out as she stood up from where she was laying and stretched a little. Simba looked up and saw that the sun was starting to set. "Come on Kiara, let's go," he said as he walked out of the water. "Noooo, I wanna swim more," she whined. "Kiara, we talked about this, no whining," he replied. She let out a hmph in protest and dissatisfaction. "It's going to get dark soon and the water will be cold," Nala said as she approached them. Kiara mumbled something incoherent but got out of the water nonetheless. As Simba was drying himself off, Nala helped Kiara get dry too before letting her go so that she could run ahead. "She can be so stubborn sometimes," Nala said out loud. "Yes I wonder where she gets that from," he said, smirking. "What! You think? You think she gets that from ME," she exclaimed in protest. Although it was a side of her that she didn't show often, other than to her close friends and family, Nala admitted that at times she could be quite stubborn. "Well at least she is able to receive a bath. That I know she didn't get from you," Nala pointed out. Simba laughed. "Yes and for that I am grateful. I don't know how my mother ever did it," he admitted. "With patience and understanding, qualities I am very happy to see were passed down to you," Sarabi said as she approached the couple. "Mom! Hey!" Simba said, greeting her with a head rub. "Is everything alright?" Nala asked. "Yes, yes! Everything's fine," she replied. "What were you two talking about?" she asked. "Oh we were just chatting a little about Kiara, she was mad about having to go home which got us talking about which qualities she has from each of us," Nala explained. "Speaking of, have you seen her?" she asked. Sarabi shook her head, "no I haven't but dinner has started," she said. "I'll go look for her," Simba said and walked away. As Nala and Sarabi waited, they could hear voices approaching. "Dad, I'm so hungry," Kiara said as she came into view. "Swimming does that to you," Simba laughed as he followed her.

The sky was completely orange and the sun was starting to set. The King, Queen and Sarabi were enjoying the sunset whilst the Princess played nearby. "I don't understand how she has the energy to still run around after a day like this," Nala said. "Well you probably don't remember it, but I for one have very fond memories of the two of you running around all day," Sarabi said, laughing. Just then Kiara came running and rammed right into her father. "Oof!" Simba exclaimed in surprise. "Well, sometimes, it can be exhausting," he said. Sarabi just laughed in response. Kiara climbed onto her father's back, walked across to her mother's head which was resting on Simba and slid down and landed in between Nala's paws. Nala started giving her daughter a bath and soon she fell asleep in her mothers arms. "She really is a perfect mix of the pair of you," Sarabi noted. "How so?" they both asked. "Well she has her mother's coat, not as scruffy looking as Simba was, she's just as playful as you were when you were a cub Nala and she doesn't have any black rim around her ears, which Simba had. But then I see so much of Simba in her. She's wild, mischievous and adventurous, just like you were Simba. Then of course the color of her coat is almost exactly the same, except Kiara is a bit more orange, and then her eyes are amber just like yours, Simba." Sarabi finished explaining. "Yeah, and you can be sure she'll be up at the crack of dawn," Nala commented, giving Simba the side-eye. "Hey, we both woke up early as cubs," Simba said in protest. They all laughed at this. Soon it was completely dark and the only light available was from the moon and stars. "I'm going to turn in for the night, goodnight," Sarabi said as she stood up and headed towards the den.

"We should probably go inside too and get this little one to bed," Simba said, yawning as he stood up to stretch. He gently picked up Kiara so that Nala could stand up and the family walked into the den. Simba placed his daughter on their rock bed and lay down next to her. Nala lay down next to him and rested her head on her paws. "You know your mother is right, she is the perfect combination of the both of us," Nala said, smiling up at Simba. The King glanced over at his sleeping daughter. "Yeah she really is," he agreed. They both closed their eyes and slept, ready for the next morning where Kiara was bound to wake them both up bright and early.