Life After The Fall

Kiara's Secret

Kovu sat underneath Pride Rock's overhang, Kiara snuggled closely beneath his arm.

"I thought your father was going to murder me there for a minute or two," he admitted to her jokingly. Kiara laughed.

"You don't have to worry about him," she said. "Mom wouldn't let him, and if he got past her, he'd have me to contend with."

Kovu chuckled. 

"And what a fiersome little princess you are, Kia," he said. "I pity the fool who crosses you."

"And if you are the fool?" she joked.

"Then I might as well kiss myself goodbye." He sighed. "Goodbye, world, and all who inhabit it. Alas, I knew you well."

She laughed and he smiled, treasuring the sound. For so long, the only laughter he had known was Zira's cold cackling. Kiara was so different from his mother that it was like they were two completely different species.

"I'm worried, though," she said softly.

Kovu frowned.

"About what?"

"About the group hunt." She sighed. "What if I mess up in front of everyone?"

"Kiara, what you did today--"

"I did with shere luck. I might not be so lucky tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after that. What if today was just a fluke?"

He sighed and held her close.

"Stop doubting yourself, Kiara. You did great today. You've got raw potential that needs only to be tapped into. You did that today. There are a lot of others I know that would have frozen had their prey come directly at them like that. But you didn't. You kept calm and protected yourself and made a clean kill."

Kiara shook her head.

"I don't know, Kovu. Maybe Daddy was right; maybe I shouldn't be hunting."

Kovu growled.

"Don't listen to him, Kia," he said in her ear. "You are the bravest, strongest, smartest woman I know, and today just proved it. Besides, Vitani said that the Outsiders were starting to respect you."

Kiara looked at him, amber eyes wide with concern and self-doubt.

"They- they are?"

He nodded.

"She said that they were impressed that the little princess could take down such a large zebra on her own." He grinned. "Even though he was lame, they were impressed."

Kiara smiled, her face lighting up.

"That's great! Now we can truly combine the prides and--"

"Whoa, there, princess," he laughed. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, okay?"

She frowned.

"But you just said that--"

"That they were impressed," he said. He held her to his side, comforting her. "They still don't respect your authority yet, but you are making progress in their eyes." He smirked. "For now, you're a hunter, not a princess."

Frustrated, Kiara stood up.

"What else do I have to do?" she cried, throwing her hands up. "Great Kings, I hunted today, didn't I?"

"Kiara, we were a military based pride. To earn respect, we hide to rise through the ranks. As far as they're concerned, you're no different." He followed her up and wrapped his arms around her. "It'll be okay, Kia."