Kion's Legacy

Chapter Nine: The Keenest of Sight

**Update**
I added a picture of Umjia to this chapter because I realized I dont have enough images of my characters.

Umjia ate between Koda and Tian, filling his gut until he couldn't eat another morsel. After the fresh, delicious meal, everyone was tired from their overly full stomachs so all of the lionesses, lions, and cubs laid down in a cozy section of the cool den and rested, some sleeping, others chatting softly.

While everyone searched for an ideal place to lie down and laze, my dad and Uncle Kovu stepped out of the den for a moment, seeming to be super secretive.

I figured that they were discussing either my father's issue or Umjia's presence.

I took a spot at my mother's warm side, snuggling into her soft fur to rest comfortably. Koda laid a few feet away from me, next to his mother who was having a conversation with 'Tani.

The king and my father had been out of the den for about ten minutes when Queen Kiara stood to her feet and said to my mother, "I'm going to see if I can join them."

I turned to Koda, who was resting with his head down on his crossed paws like almost everyone else. I scooted a little bit away from my mother and nudged Koda gently whispering, "I hope Umjia can stay."

I let my gaze fall upon Umjia's black form as he slept soundly after his full meal of zebra meat. He was snoozing on the other side of the cave.

"Yeah, me too," Koda whispered, obviously as awake and thoughtful as I was. "He seems like such a nice guy."

My amber eyes lingered on the leopard, trying to find a way to help this poor creature. I stood up, deciding to ask him some questions.

"Where are you going?" Koda asked.

"I'm gonna talk to him." I replied.

I trotted across the den quietly, dodging a couple of outstretched legs on the way.

I stooped down brought my snout closer to Umjia's face and gently said, "Hey,"

Umjia's green eyes fluttered open and he lifted his eyes up to me. A smiled crossed his face as he saw my friendly eyes.

"Hi Kito," he greeted as he stretched his legs out blissfully. "What's up?"

"Nothin' much, I just wanted to know a little more about you." I told him, laying down a few feet in front of him.

"Okay, go ahead and ask me something and I'll answer try to answer it." He replied, lying on his side with his face shmushed into the ground to where his cheek looked two times more chubby.

"Alright," I thought for a moment, pondering the best questions. "Where are you from?"

"I'm not really from anywhere. I used to live in the jungle on the border of the Pridelands, but then my parents died and my brother and sisters disowned me. I'm not sure why." He replied shrugging nonchalantly, a glint of sorrow in eyes.

"Oh," I mumbled, thinking about how horrible his story was. "I'm sorry."

Umjia's black ears lifted a little and his posture rose in hope.

"Really?" He asked, his eyes shining with excitement and a grin appearing on his muzzle. "No one's ever been sorry before."

But his joy gave me more sorrow. I knew why no one was sorry, why no one cared. It was because he was a leopard. A black leopard in fact. He was deemed dangerous to weaker animals and as crippled and different to his fellow leopards.

Which broke my heart, becuase he seemed to be a truly kind and fun guy.

I shook my thoughts and asked him, "So, do you have any special abilities?"