The Lion King 3: Joined Prides

Chapter 4

Hunting

Nala's P.O.V.

My eyes blink open as I finally wake up. How long was I unconscious? I ask myself. I try to stand up, but I collapse as soon as I put pressure on my right foreleg. Wincing, I force myself up on my three non-injured legs. I limp over to where Rafiki is talking to Kopa, Kovu and Kiara about something. Simba is just sitting there. I interrupt their conversation by clearing my voice. All fourof them turn around.

Simba's eyes glitter as he spots me. "Nala, are you okay?" He half-whispers, half-speaks.

"I'm fine Simba." I roll my eyes stubbornly, earning me a 'now-be-nice' look from both Kiara and Rafiki. "Alright, maybe my leg does hurt a little... When are we going to splint it up?" I ask curiously.

"Well, we wanted to wait until you were awake, and now that you are, it's time for that splint!" Rafiki says jumping into his tree.

I look to Kopa and Kovu and I couldn't help but laugh. It was weird that my son and my daughter's mate were practically best friends! Although, Afua was Kopa's main best friend.

Simba gives me that cheeky smile of his and I limp over to him, pressing my side against his and twining my tail with his. I tease him by giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Gross!" Kopa jokingly snarls his nose, "How about you two go get a room!"

"And let you not be jealous?" Simba smirks, "I think not."

"Eww! Dad that's my MOM!" Kopa looks horrified.

"And your point is?" Kovu grins playfully at Kopa. Kiara tries to smack him with her paw, but misses.

I lay there flicking my tail back and forth, not happy, as I sit in the dirt. I could see smirks coming from both all of them, realizing I had heard all of it. I glare at them, making them wipe their stupid little grins off their faces. "Don't. Even. THINK. About. Laughing." I growl.

"Me? Laugh at my own mother?" Kopa says, "I think that would be the death of me!"

I smirk as I stand up and shake out my fur, "You know it."

"Alright Nala, I got the materials for your splint!" Rafiki says leaping from the tree and landing in between all of us. Surprisingly, I was the only one who didn't get scared, but Kopa and Kovu, being the idiots they can be, both practically leaped out of their fur and they collided into each other. I laugh at them, earning me warning glares from the both of them.

"Awwh. Did my big bad son and stepson get scared?" I say sarcastically and smirk.

"Mom. NOT. Funny." Kopa says flatly. I could tell he was embarrassed that his own mother saw him get scared.

"I think that was funny, Kopa." Kiara smiles.

"Kopa, if we were in her paws, I bet we would be laughing at ourselves right now too." Kovu says.

"Thank you Kovu! At least you understand how funny it was!" I laugh. I clear my throat as I turn to Rafiki "So uh, is it going to hurt to have it splinted?" I ask casually.

"Well it might hurt to straighten the leg out, but other than that, no." Rafiki says as he straightens my leg out.

I grit my teeth as my leg throbs. "That hurts!"

Rafiki laughs, "It doesn't matter! It's in the past now!"

I give him an 'are-you-kidding-me-look' as he finishes up and I start to limp home, Kopa, Kovu, and Kiara leading the way. Simba beside me.

"Guys, will you please slow the pace down a bit? I'm having trouble keeping up!" I whine in a cub-like manner.

"Actually no, you three go on. I've got her." Simba speaks up.

All three of them shrug and run off, presumably to hunt.

Kovu's P.O.V.

As I looked at Kiara, I could see the love in her eyes as she gazed back into my own eyes.

"I love you, Kiara." I whispered into her ear.

"I love you too." Kiara whispers back as she plants a kiss on my cheek.

"I thought I told you two to get a room!" Kopa says in a joking manner. Kiara gave him a glare, which he ignored and kept talking. "So I think me and Kovu are going to go hunting for you once we get back, alright?"

"I can catch my own prey, thank you." Kiara says a bit stubbornly.

"Oh really?" I say sarcastically, referring to her first hunt.

"Okay, well maybe not." Kiara mumbles, obviously giving in to mine and Kovu's offer.

I look up, realizing we were already at Pride Rock. "Oh wow! We got here in no time at all!" I say happily.

"Yeah, we did. I'm going to go take a nap on the rocks in the sun okay?" Kiara said asking me.

"Of course babe." I said giving her a sweet, but short kiss on her lips. I turn to Kopa as Kiara walks away and say, "You ready to go catch your sister something?"

He nods and we take off in search of prey

By the time we get to our destination, I realize we're at the same place that I got Kiara pregnant. I was a bit hesitant to come here again, but where ever Kopa wants to hunt is fine with me.

Kopa quietly says, "C'mon!" as he sinks into a hunting position as he spots a young adult antelope.

I follow his lead as he closes in on the animal's right side. I take to the left so if it spots him, it'll run straight into my waiting claws.

Kopa gives me a slight nod and, filling the small gap left as he leaps for the animals neck. The antelope never saw him coming, but it would still give him a fight. I run in, joining him as I help hold the animal down as he gives the final bite to the neck.

I let go as the antelope goes limp beneath me. "Nice find Kopa!"

"Thanks!" He grins, "Now let's get this back to my sister!"

I nod, and we drag the antelope the distance back to Pride Rock.