lion king Kiara's reign

chapter 4

  Kovu and Simba had the entire pride on the hunt for the missing cub. Rafiki had come as well. He tried to feel for any sign of Leah, as he put herbs on Asha's sliced up paws to help them heal. Asha felt terrible. Beyond terrible. She wanted to search every spare inch of the ravine for her baby sister, but she knew in her gut that Leah was gone and it was all her fault. If she stopped Koda and the others from going to the ravine in the first place, or if she had watched over Leah closer, or if she had been able to hole the vine a little bit longer, none of this would've happened. The rain was now down to a drizzle, and the sun was breaking through the gray clouds, shining beams of light down on the freshly washed earth, this would've been a beautiful scene, but for all Asha cared, it could've been gray and snowing. Nothing should be beautiful anymore. The pride searched and searched for what seemed like hours. The sun had now set, and the howls of hyenas started to ring in the distance. The search had to be called off for the night.
  Kovu and Kiara felt horrible. They were led by Simba and Nala back to Pride rock. Nala asked Asha if she wanted to be carried, but Asha refused. She felt that she deserved to walk home on her aching paws. Koda trailed behind her, his head was down. The walk home felt more like a funeral procession.
  The pride lay down in the main cavern of Pride rock, all except Kiara and Kovu, they sat outside. Grieving.
  Asha was lying against the cave wall, far from the other lions. A million different thoughts were buzzing in her head, she knew that she wasn't going to sleep anytime soon.
  "Asha?" A voice said  behind her. Asha turned her head to see her brother standing there. He looked terrible.
  His eyes were red from crying. His normally slicked back fir on his head was now messy and wet. The frown on his lips looked almost permanently etched on to his muzzle. Overall, it looked like he really needed a hug.
  Asha knew he felt horrible about what happened, and knew that he thought it was his fault. She flicked her tail at him, inviting him to come closer. Koda sauntered to his sister and collapsed down beside her.
  "Koda, this wasn't your fault." Asha whispered. Koda sniffed.
  "Shows how much you know." Koda moaned; his voice cracked. Asha knew he wasn't going to change his mind. She nuzzled his neck and rested her head on his back and sighed. Koda sighed as well and closed his eyes. Asha hated to see her brother like this; he was all she had left now. She wasn't going to let him get hurt now; she was not going to let this happen again. Asha closed her eyes and finally drifted to sleep.
  The sun rose over a different land, far beyond the Pride lands. It was a Mountainous land, with rocky cliffs and canyons everywhere. It was the realm of the mountain priders; a group of lions about twenty strong they were widely known as the Huntresses of Africa, due to their advanced hunting skills. They were extremely territorial as well. Any trespasser was usually killed.
  Two lionesses on border patrol were sitting at their post; the morning sun was beating down on them. One looked at the other.
  "Why don't we go check down by the river, Azima," she said to her comrade, "you know nobody would be stupid enough to enter our territory this way."
  The other lioness with astern, cold face looked back at her partner.
  "Nonsense Chiku, we must remain at our post" Azima said flatly, "you know the alpha lion doesn't appreciate deserters. We are on duty." Chiku rolled her eyes.
  "I'm not saying that we need to desert our post, i'm just saying that we should check the river. Don't you remember that one lioness that snuck into our lands by the river? we can't be too careful." "No Chiku." Azima said firmly. Chiku lay down on her rocky ledge and looked over at the river. I snaked through the very heart of their territory. Chiku's eyes scanned the river, and locked onto a small mass that looked like it had just recently washed up on shore. She sat up and looked over at Azima, who was looking in the other direction.
  "Hey Azima, i see something." Chiku said. Azima growled deep in her throat.
  "If this is another chameleon, Chiku, so help me I will-" she started.
  "It's not a chameleon, it's something on the river banks." Chiku cut in. Azima looked over at the river as well.
  "Probably just another dead animal, washed up from the outlands." She grumbled. Chiku shook her head.
  "I don't think so." She said. She unsheltered her claws and climb down the cliff side. Azima let out along annoyed sigh and followed.
  The lionesses carefully approach the thing on the banks. To their surprise, it look like a lion, a lion cub to be exact. Azima leaned in and sniffed the furry mass.
  "It doesn't smell dead." She muttered. She placed a paw on the cubs belly and rolled it over onto its side. The cub appeared to be female, beneath the mud and sand; her fur was a gold-tan color. She had a slight hair tuft on her head and had ear rims. She look like she had been kicked, sucked on and dragged through a landfill. Chiku placed her paw onto the side of the cubs neck.
  "She has a pulse," she announced, "its faint, but there is one. This cub is still alive."
  Well, do away with it then." Azima said. Chiku made a shock look.
  "What?" she asked
  "You know the rules, Chiku, even a cub can be a threat, besides, i can smell other lions on her. She's a royal, i know it."
  "Be that as it may, I don't think we should just kill her right away. We should take her to the alpha lion and let him decide."
  "Chiku, I know you have a soft spot for cubs, i get it, but the alpha can't be bothered by one measly cub, besides look at her leg, it looks broken."
  Chiku looked at the cub's back left leg. She leaned down and grabbed the cub's middle with her teeth, and picked her up.
  "I insist we take her to the alpha lion." She said; her voice muffled. Azima rolled her eyes and turned her back on the lioness.
  "Do what you wish. Even if you take it to the alpha lion, it's as good as dead anyway." She said, and ran back to the cliffs, and climbed up to her look out post. Chiku sighed and headed down the river, to the main den area hoping that the alpha was in a merciful mood.