A New Life

No more insecurities

"Rouges? Again? Exactly how many of them were there this time?" Kion asked his father as he paced the platform frustration evident on his face. Kiara, Kovu, Nala, Simba, Diana Burnt Eboney and Kion were currently on the platform discussing the rouge problems. Fuli, Bunga, Ono and Besti were patrolling the borders.

"When Kovu and I saw them they were at the Eastern border and there were three. Two males and one female," Kiara told her younger brother. Kion grimaced and turned to look at his father. "Dad sorry to tell you this, but right now it's really hard for us to stay and patrol the borders. Rani and the rest of the Night Pride are competent in defending the Tree of Life, but Rani needs me there to help. We're really vulnerable right now."

Simba nodded and looked at Kovu who seemed to be in deep thought.
"Kovu Kion can't stay in the Pride Lands. His first priority is The Tree of Life and it would be selfish if we tore him away from his duties," he said. Kovu sighed and stood up and walked to the peak of Pride Rock and gazed down into the savannah.

For a while he didn't speak, he just stared without saying a word obviously thinking. Kiara walked up to him and sat down.
"Are you okay sweetie?" she asked concerned for her mate. Kovu didn't answer, instead he looked up to the sky and back at the savannah. Everyone stood around patiently waiting for Kovu to collect his thoughts, even Kiara waited. 

Finally after a moment of silence, Kovu stood up and walked back to where he previously was.
"I have the solution," he said to Simba. Straightening his shoulders, Simba looked at his son-in-law and nodded.
"Let's hear it," he said.
Kovu smiled and turned to face the opening of the den.

"Vitani? Come out here please, I need to talk to you," he called out. Vitani appeared instantly and walked up to stand in front of her brother expectantly. Kovu turned and met with everyone's waiting faces. Simba, Nala, Kiara, Kion, Burnt Eboney, Diana, all seemed eager to hear the solution in which Kovu had come up with to the rouge problem.

"I'm sure you all are waiting to hear the solution to the rouge problem, yes?" he asked.  Everyone nodded their heads vigorously and waited. Kovu then faced Vitani and smiled. "Vitani how would you like to become the new leader of the Lion Guard?" 

Vitani? The leader of the Lion Guard? It made perfect sense. Kion had his duties to fulfill at the Tree of Life so it only made sense for Vitani to take his place.
"That's a great idea Kovu, since Kion can't stay here to help us, Vitani leading the Lion Guard is the perfect solution," Kiara said beaming at her mate.

Simba and Nala didn't have to say anything to show they agreed with Kovu's suggestion. Their faces said it all. Kion grinned and patted his brother-in-law on his shoulder.
"Now I can see what Father meant when he said you were the best person to be King. Anointing Vitani as the new leader of the Lion Guard? Couldn't think of a better solution myself."

Vitani inhaled sharply and looked at Kovu, her eyes flashed panic as the thought dawned on her. Leading the Lion Guard? She could never do something like that. What if she failed and let Kiara and Kovu down? Not to mention the entire pride? Such a daunting task could only be assigned to the best of the best. And she wasn't the best.

Not by a mile. Swallowing nervously she caught Kovu's eye and motioned for him to follow her off the platform. Kovu nodded his understanding.
"Uhh Simba I'll be right back, I need to talk to Vitani in private," Kovu said smoothly. Simba nodded and Kovu and Vitani walked off the platform, down the steps and into the quiet savannah. 

Marisa lay alone in the den. The pride had left a while ago to either go hunting, take an afternoon nap, tend to their cubs or bask in the sun. Turning on her side, Marisa got up and stretched out her muscles. the stretch felt good and soon Marisa was feeling rather relaxed after her sleep.

Placing a paw on her stomach, she groaned and bent her head and stared at it. She was just a week along in her pregnancy. In just five months, her cub would be brought out into the world, tiny, fragile, vulnerable and completely dependent on her to feed, nurture and protect it.

The thought of her being a mother made all her tensions seep away. Then when the thought that she would probably be raising the cub on her own dawned on her, she inhaled sharply and tears began rolling down her face.  The lion that had gotten her pregnant had left.

He wasn't dead, but she knew for a fact that he wouldn't be coming back. Last night after everyone had lapsed into a deep slumber, she had snuck out of the den and went to meet him. He had specifically told her that he wasn't interested in sticking around and taking care of cubs. He only wanted her that one time and he had no intention of helping her raise their offspring.

The harsh words he used tore her apart. She had run back back to Pride Rock crying her eyes out as his words encircled her brain, tormenting her. No one knew about it. Kovu would murder him if he found out how his sister was rejected. Deciding it was her own fault for getting pregnant in the first place, Marisa had made the decision to keep her brutal rejection to herself. She collapsed on the cold floor of the den and silently cried to herself. 

"Kovu are you insane? Or just plain stupid. I can't lead the Lion Guard, that's Kion's job for Kings sake!" Vitani said frustratedly as she walked around the savannah with Kovu. For over two hours she was making excuses as to why she couldn't lead the Lion Guard and Kovu had been patiently trying to make her see things his way.

"Vitani you're being ridiculous. Leading the Lion Guard is the job of the King or Queen's brother or sister. Kion became the leader of the Lion Guard because he was the second born of Simba and Nala. Kiara was born first,  hence the reason she became Queen," Kovu said to his frantic sister.

"Simba and Nala are no longer the King and Queen of the Pride Lands, Kiara is now Queen and I King. Kion is ruling the Tree of Life with Rani so he can't be expected to stay here. You however are my sister so it's only natural that you lead the Lion Guard. It doesn't get any simpler than that."

"Oh yeah what about Marisa? She's your sister too isn't she? Why can't SHE lead the Lion Guard?" Vitani said with a smirk. Kovu rolled his eyes and looked at Vitani directly.
"Marisa is pregnant. You can't expect her to lead the Lion Guard in her condition. And what will happen when the cub is born? Should she leave it to complete her duties? What sense does THAT make?" he asked sarcastically.

Vitani opened her mouth to object but quickly shut it when she realized Kovu was right. A pregnant lioness could never complete such an expectation. When Kovu saw that Vitani had exhausted her arguments, he tucked a paw under her chin and made her look up at him.

When she did, he nuzzled her reassuringly and she sighed and rested her head on his shoulders. "I trust you sis. You'll make a great Lion Guard leader. Just put your faith in the Great Kings of the Past and let go of your insecurities. Once you do that, everything will fall into place. I promise,"