Akito and Estelle in Simba's Pride

chapter 6

As soon as they were all on board; the entrance closed up and Jimmy soon got back into the pilot seat and piloted them to Africa after it took off to the sky. Simon looked out the window as they were flying up into the sky.

"Ever fly up in the air like this before, little man?" Lee smiled to Simon.

"Ne pas me fréquenter." Simon narrowed his eyes deathly towards him.

"I'm not, I'm not." Lee said.

Simon then looked back as he watched the view, then smirked as he started to imagine what it would be like if they crashed and he survived on his own.

Meanwhile in the Pridelands...

Rafiki had told the others that their human friends were on their way and they had some special guests coming along to meet them. Simba and Nala were very pleased to hear that. Kopa was happy himself, but he looked a little distant.

"Are you okay, son?" Simba asked his eldest.

"I'm... I'm just wondering..." Kopa replied. "About Ryan back in that zoo... I wonder if he and his dad are doing okay."

"We're sure that they're alright, son." Simba said.

"I really missed you guys, but... Ryan was a real pal..." Kopa said. "I taught him how to be a real lion."

"Don't worry, Kopa, it will be okay," Simba soothed. "Besides, some of your old friends will be here soon and some new."

"Yes, yes, it'll be a wonderful time for us all." Rafiki added in with a smile.

"Mom, Dad, will I ever find true love?" Kopa asked.

"Someday you will and don't worry, you won't have to have an arranged marriage, you can like whoever you'd like and the same goes for your brother and sister." Simba said.

"But when?" Kopa sighed.

"You can't rush these things, Kopa, one day, you'll find her and she'll be the luckiest lioness in the jungle." Nala cooed.

"Mom, Dad, why don't we make peace with the Jungle Emperor and his family?" Kopa asked.

"No, Kopa, I already told you," Simba glared slightly. "Those monsters harmed your great-grandmother's family and they can't be trusted, the same goes for the Outlanders."

"But Dad, this war between them has gone long enough; don't you think it's time we make peace with the Jungle Emperor and his family so we can stop this war?" Kopa asked. "Besides, at least we would have allies in case the Outlanders or anyone from outside the Pridelands tries to attack."

"I said no, Kopa, that's my final word." Simba glared while Nala actually looked thoughtful.

Kopa sighed and walked back into the den. "I don't care what Dad says, I'll show him..." he mumbled to himself.

"Simba, don't you think it's time that this war comes to a stop?" Nala asked.

"I can't take any chances." Simba firmly replied.

"That was a long time ago, you should move on," Nala suggested. "You shouldn't unbalance the Circle of Life."

Simba sighed as he had a feeling inside him that ending the war between him and the Jungle Emperor was the right thing to do and where he soon looked at Kopa who was continuing his way into the den. Kopa curled up into a ball and sighed softly. Kiara and Kion were coming in for the night.

"Kopa is becoming very wise." Simba said.

"So, does that mean what I think it means?" Nala asked.

"What're you thinking?" Simba asked her.

"That it's time to make peace with the Jungle Emperor and his family." Nala said.

"I'll think about it..." Simba sighed.

"Simba..." Nala frowned.

Rafiki soon went back to his tree to do his drawing and speak with Mufasa who was in Heaven, but could still answer with the wind. Nala sighed as she hoped and prayed that Simba would reconsider his opinions about the Jungle Emperor. At Rafiki's tree he was doing drawing/painting of Kopa, Kion, and Kiara.

"Oh, Mufasa, the children have grown much and we're all still happy to have Kopa back from the zoo," Rafiki smiled as he drew the three cubs that their grandfather would never get to meet in person, but only watch over from Heaven with Sarabi. "Every day, Kiara grows more beautiful into a Queen that will someday make us all very proud and she'll do just fine with her big brother by her side to help her whenever she needs it. Not to mention Kion is doing well for his Lion Guard, even if he has a cheetah, a bird, a honey badger, and a hippo on his team, but this cub Kovu grows stronger. And Zira fills his heart with hate. I am very worried, Mufasa. Things are not going well, especially when Kopa reminded Simba of the Jungle Emperor."

Suddenly the wind started to blow, telling Rafiki Mufasa had a plan.

"Hmm?" Rafiki noticed this as his gourds seemed to shake from the wind. "You have a plan?"

The wind was able to somehow make a painting of Ruki as a full grown lioness at about Kopa's age and then two fruits were blown off and hit the ground next to Rafiki after the two fruits broke in half.

"What...?" Rafiki picked up the fruits. "Kovu... Kiara... Kopa and a lioness from the Jungle Emperor... All together? This is the plan?" he asked softly before having a breakdown. "Are you crazy?! This will never work! Sarabi, you tell Mufasa he's been up there too long, his head is in the clouds!"

The wind then seemed to blow hard at the baboon.

"Okay, okay, okay, okay, all right!" Rafiki then gave in. "I don't think this is going to work, but I trust you... I just hope you know what you are doing!"

Mufasa and Sarabi did indeed know what they were doing.

Later that night...

"Kion, where are you?" Kiara was looking for her younger twin brother. "Kion? Kion!" she then looked in the distance and saw her twin brother with one of his friends which was the female cheetah.

"So, what did you want to tell me, Kion?" Fuli asked.

"Um... Well..." Kion sounded shy around the female cheetah.

Kiara would have spoke up and wanted to know what he was doing up so late, but she decided to let him get out whatever he was trying to say.

"Kion, what is it?" Fuli asked.

"Fuli, do you believe true love can exist between different species of animals?" Kion then uttered out nervously.

"Yeah." Fuli nodded.

"Ooh~..." Kiara quietly put a paw to her mouth in surprise and had a small smirk.

"What about a lion with a cheetah?" Kion then smirked to his best girl friend.

"Oh...Um....." Fuli blushed.

Kion blushed himself. Kiara giggled as she hid away.

Kion heard that and glared once he saw his older twin sister. "KIARA!"

"Oops!" Kiara smirked.

"What are you doing up?" Kion asked.

"I could ask you the same thing." Kiara smirked to him.

"Um...." Kion said, unsure.

Kiara smirked.

"Uh, I'll see ya later, Kion...' Fuli rushed away as she then nervously blushed.

Kion glared to his sister for making Fuli go away like that. "Thanks a lot, Kiara."

Kiara walked off back to Pride Rock then. Kion snarled as he followed her home.

"Sorry, bro, isn't my fault you were too scared to tell Fuli your feelings for her." Kiara smirked.

"Hey, mind your own business!" Kion glared before muttering under his breath. "Heyvi kabasa you're impossible..."

"I know." Kiara smirked.

Kion groaned as they went into the den for the night.