The Lion Guard: Lost Heart (#1)

Chapter 14

"How long will it take to send a messenger to the Tree of Life?"  Fuli asked.  They needed all the help they could get.  She didn't know how she was seeing what she was seeing, but she was seeing it.

"What did you see?"  Kion asked.

"Scar," Fuli said.

"Scar?"  Kion exclaimed.  "How?"

"He's found a way to revive himself," Fuli said.  "I'll bring the Lion Guard up here."

Fuli ran away from Pride Rock.  Kion turned to Kiara, who was sitting down.

"Calm down, Kiara," she told herself.  "Daddy's faced much harder threats.  He came out okay, didn't he?  Just ignore any other facts that might hinder you.  Just ignore them."

Kion walked up to Kiara and put his tail over her shoulders.

"You don't have to do this alone," he said.  "You have Kovu and I.  Not the mention the whole Lion Guard is ready to help you."

"It's not that," Kiara said.  "But thanks.  I know I'm not alone.  I'm expecting cubs."

"Really?"  Kion exclaimed.

"Kovu doesn't know yet," Kiara said.  "It just came out.  But it's going to be harder to fight him with my cubs slowing me down."

"Go tell Kovu," Kion said.  "We'll figure out what to do."

Kion watched Kiara stand up and go to Kovu.  It seemed like almost everybody around him was having cubs.  Kiara was, Nirmala was.  He knew he was never going to have cubs, it was something he had just accepted once he became mates with Fuli.  But he still realized what it meant.  The Roar wouldn't be passed down to his cubs - it would be passed down to Kiara's.

"Kovu?"  Kiara asked.

"What is it?"  Kovu asked.

"I have something to tell you," Kiara said.

"Besides the feeling of impending doom the manifestation of Scar is giving us?"  Kovu asked.

"Stop being so pessimistic," Kiara nudged Kovu playfully.  "I'm expecting cubs."

"Our cubs?"  Kovu asked.

"Of course!"  Kiara said.  She glanced at Kion.  "We can beat Scar.  Even on the darkest day, there's still hope."

Kion smiled as he realized what Kiara said to Kovu.  It was exactly what he had said to the Pride Landers in the same situation.

"Kion?"  Kiara turned to her brother.  "You're good at giving speeches.  Think you could muster up one once the news of Scar's second return gets out?"

"I'll try," Kion said.  He shook himself.  "Kovu, mind watching over Pride Rock for a while?  If the Lion Guard comes while Kiara and I are gone, tell them we'll be back."

"You can also tell them I'm expecting," Kiara said before following Kion away from Pride Rock.  "What are we doing?"

"First, I want to confirm what Fuli saw," Kion said.  "And second, there's a pleasant surprise for you."

Kion walked across the border, Kiara behind him.

"Kion!  Kiara!"  Jasiri called.  She came up to Kion and Kiara with Janja behind her.

"Jasiri?"  Kion asked.  "Janja?  What are you two doing here?"

"Our clan has stopped obeying us," Jasiri said.  "They're obeying a lion instead."

"What did he look like?"  Kion asked.

"Dark fur - similar to Rani, with a scar down his left eye," Janja said.  "He also had a dark black mane."