The Lion King: Kiara's Reign

Chapter 1 (Picture of Tama and Malka)

Chapter 1

The wind howled that night, and the rain pelted anything it could reach. A strike of lightening touched down on the African desert, giving off an enormous flash. A loud roar of thunder followed, shaking the lands. Kiara, the soon to be queen of the Pridelands, snuggled into her mate, Kovu, to try and keep warm against the whipping wind that made the inside of Pride Rock cold.

"Are you alright?" He whispered to her, not wanting to disturb the others.

"I'm fine, thank you." She replied back.

He let her rest her head on his paws.

"Let me know if you're not." He told her.

"I will." She promised quietly.

The mates weren't the only ones trying to keep warm against the cold wind. Everyone was close together that night to try and preserve heat. As long as Kiara could recall, it had never been this cold in the Pridelands. Tonight wasn't just cold, it seemed to be eerily suspicious as well, sending chills up everyone's spine.

Eventually, the storm passed, leaving the lands and heading to another. In the morning, everyone awoke happily, pleased that the storm had finally passed. Simba stood out on Pride Rock, Nala at his side.

"Kiara, I'm going to make sure there aren't any problems from the storm last night. Stay here." Simba ordered his daughter.

"Daddy, I can help." She said, wanting to help her father, as usual.

"Absolutely not, Kiara. You aren't to leave Pride Rock, it's too dangerous for you right now." Simba replied, directing to his soon to be grand cub.

Kiara sighed reluctantly, knowing her father was right. She turned and walked back into Pride Rock. Simba shook his head, feeling slightly guilty, and then shook it off, knowing he was right.

"Kovu, try to cheer her up." Simba told his son-in-law.

"I'll do my best, Simba." Kovu replied to the king as he went off to examine the Pridelands.

Kovu walked into Pride Rock, finding Kiara with a puzzling expression.

"Kiara, what's wrong?" Kovu asked his beloved mate.

Kiara sighed without answering, hoping Kovu would let it pass. Kovu laid down next to her and nudged her lightly with his head. Kiara rolled her eyes and started to answer.

"It's Zira." Kiara said.

"Kiara, she's dead, she can't hurt us." Kovu assured Kiara.

"Exactly. She's dead, and it's because of me." Kiara retorted.

"Listen, she's better off as she is." Kovu told Kiara, although he didn't believe it himself, as she was his mother.

"If you say so." Kiara told him, only so he'd let her be.

The two laid in Pride Rock in silence before Kovu finally spoke, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Just think... our cub is going to be here soon." Kovu smiled to Kiara.

Kiara couldn't help but smile.

"What do you want to name him?" Kiara asked Kovu.

"Him?" Kovu wondered.

"I have a feeling it's a boy." Kiara explained.

"Well, what do you think?" Kovu replied.

"I thought about it... I like Kato." Kiara smiled to Kovu.

"It's beautiful." Kovu smiled back to his mate. "What if it should happen to be a girl?" Kovu added cheerfully at the end?

"Nama." Kiara answered him without thinking.