Akito and Estelle in Simba's Pride

chapter 18

Kiara was having a cry while Kopa was comforting her the best way that he could.

"It'll be okay, Kiki..." Kopa tried.

"How?" Kiara sniffled. "I'll never see Kovu again!"

"Yes, you will." Kopa said before he showed an entrance to the back of the den.

"Hm?" Kiara looked over.

"Come on, let's go find him." Kopa told her gently, going to help her.

"You're gonna help me?" Kiara asked.

"What're big brothers for?" Kopa asked back with a sincere smile.

"Thanks, Kopa." Kiara smiled back.

"I'm coming too." Lukio said.

Kopa smiled to Lukio. "You sure you wanna risk it?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Lukio said.

Kopa seemed to blush under his fur while Lukio smiled to him.

"I was always told that love will find a way if it's true and pure..." Lukio said as she looked off in the distance. "So, I believe in love for Kiara and Kovu."

"I do too, I like to see my family happy..." Kopa replied.

The three of them soon got out through the entrance Kopa showed Kiara.

"Follow me, little sis." Kopa said.

Kiara nodded and followed her older brother. Lukio followed Kopa as well, trusting him with all her heart. Kiara looked around as it was getting dark in the jungle while they looked for Kovu.

"Where could he be?" Lukio asked herself.

Kiara looked up and saw two rabbits in the sky which then became two lions which made her think of Kovu already. Sarabi's image seemed to come into the water when Kiara looked into her reflection.

"Grandma Sarabi?" Kiara asked out of confusion.

Kopa and Lukio seemed to go ahead while Kiara froze.

"Hello, dear, I see you've been told about me." Sarabi smiled to Kiara.

Kiara was wondering if this was really happening or not. "I... I'm looking for my true love... But he's an Outsider... Daddy wouldn't approve of him."

"Your father has been blinded by what your Great Uncle Scar did and doesn't see that the Pridelanders and the Outsiders are the same." Sarabi said.

"What do you think?" Kiara pouted.

"I say follow your heart..." Sarabi replied. "Can I tell you a secret?"

Kiara looked curious then.

"I was an Outsider myself." Sarabi admitted surprisingly enough.

"What? Really?" Kiara asked.

"Yes, my sisters Naanda, Dwala, and I were..." Sarabi revealed.

"How come you never told anyone?" Kiara asked.

"I was afraid..." Sarabi replied. "Your grandfather Mufasa found out though... You see, our father fell in love with a Pridelander lioness and then my sister Diku was born. The Queen at the time, your great-grandmother Uru, felt sorry for us since we were starving and thirsty, so since she was very generous, she let us in."

"That was nice of her." Kiara smiled.

"Believe and trust me when I say love will find a way..." Sarabi replied. "For you and Kovu... For your brother Kopa and Lukio..."

"Kopa likes Lukio?" Kiara then asked about the Jungle Emperor's daughter.

"You didn't know?" Sarabi chuckled. "He's very much in love with her, it reminds me of when I first met your grandfather."

"That's so romantic." Kiara smiled.

Sarabi smiled back. Kiara then looked up as someone came in front of her and she saw that it had been Kovu. Kopa and Lukio smiled in distance as Kiara and Kovu had been reunited. Some butterflies soon flew by them.

Kovu brightened up by the sight of them and even laughed. Kiara then rushed with him to go after the butterflies. The two soon playfully wrestled each other. Kopa and Lukio enjoyed this sight until they decided to playfully wrestle each other as well. This made them laugh instantly as they joined Kovu and Kiara.

"Hey, look..." Kovu looked at their reflection. "We are one."

Kiara smiled back until she realized what Kovu said and looked shocked. "What?"

"Let's get outta here," Kovu suggested. "We'll run away together! And start a pride all our own~"

"Kovu, you know that all of us have to go back, right?" Kopa asked.

"You're kidding," Kovu replied. "We're finally together! You're not gonna tell your dad, are you?"

"Kopa's right," Kiara agreed with her older brother. "Our place is with our pride. If we run away, they'll be divided forever."

"We have to go back before it's too late." Lukio said.

Kovu considered it, but didn't seem entirely convinced.

The Outlanders were crossing a river for their way to Pride Rock. At Pride Rock; Timon, Pumbaa, and the others were panicking.

"I can't believe we lost them again!" Timon panicked the most. "This is the 8,000th time!"

"What do we do?!" Estelle panicked.

"Yeah, aren't you guys supposed to watch them?" Akito asked.

"Yeah, Pumbaa, I thought you were gonna watch her." Timon glared to the warthog.

"Me? You were gonna watch her!" Pumbaa glared back.

"Are they really going to argue?" Emi asked.

"Do you even have to ask?" Akito groaned as he bowed his head.

Timon and Pumbaa then had an argument before they physically fought.

"What are you doing?" Simba came over.

This caused them all to smile nervously.

"Good question!" Timon smiled nervously. "Now, let's ask one."

"Hippo-thetically..." Pumbaa started.

"Very hypothetical..." Timon corrected.

"Yeah." Lee smiled nervously.

"There's this guy..." Jenny started.

"But he's not a lion." Pumbaa said.

"No! No, he's not a lion... Yeesh..." Timon replied.

Simba glanced in slight amusement.

"Definitely not a lion..." Timon continued nervously. "And... Uh... Uh... His daughter... Um... Say... Vanished with his older son..."

"Along with the daughter of an emperor..." Lee added nervously.

Kiara, Kopa, and Lukio are gone?" Simba replied.

"Sire!" Zazu flew over toward Simba. "The Outsiders are on the attack... Heading this way! It's war!"

"Oh, come on!" Vincent groaned.

"Zazu! Find Kiara, Kopa, and the Jungle Emperor's daughter! We'll assemble the lionesses. Move! Now!" Simba commanded.

The others looked nervous as this looked very bad.

"I sure hope they're alright." Emi said.

"I'm sure they're fine, Emi..." Akito soothed.

"I sure hope you're right." Emi said.

"I'm right here..." Akito comforted.

Emi and Akito then grabbed each other's hands and gently squeezed them to give each other comfort and support through this painful struggle. Zira and her pride were indeed on their way to Pride Rock. Kion assembled his Lion Guard in order to help his parents and the lionesses fight against Zira and her pride. Leo and his mate and son came to join the fight.