Chapter 9: Growing Up

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The devastating news about the deaths of Fuli, Ono, Besthe, and Bunga had spread through the whole pride lands. Their families were mostly depressed about their children's loss and angry at Kion for killing them. Everyone was surprised to hear about Kion taking away four lives for no apparent reason. They held a funeral at pride rock to honor the four animals who were Kion's former friends and were buried by the other graves behind pride rock. They've placed down flowers in respect of the lost animals and prayed to the great kings to watch over them. Simba and Nala had told Nuru about their deaths, and the cub is very sad about it and a bit angry about Kion killing them. Sarabi, Sarafina, Asante, and Kira were hurt from the terrible news they've received and spent all day mourning for the four animals and prayed to the great kings to watch over them and make sure Kion doesn't get hurt from living in the outlands.

A year has passed, and Kopa, Kiara, and their friends are young adults, while Naba and Nuru are older adolescent lions who will be young adults in six more months. Kopa has a full head of mane in his head like Kovu and Afua. They're a bit more muscular than before and are highly attractive. Kiara is a beautiful young lioness looking more like her mother. She's now smarter and wiser and has been paying attention to her Queen lessons and huntress training. She had watched over the kingdom once when Simba and Nala left to go to a funeral of an elephant who had died of old age. Nuru has looks from her mother but starts to look a bit darker from having both Nala and Sarabi's fur colors. Naba has grown to be slightly muscular and has his mane sprouting from his head and neck. His fur is also starting to be a bit more light to medium shade and looks a bit like his father, much to Kira's surprise. Vitani, Tiifu, and Zuri are young lionesses like Kiara. They've been going to huntress training to get ready for their very first solo hunt. Speaking of solo hunts, Kiara is nervous about starting her solo hunt tomorrow and is currently talking with her friends about it.

"Do you all think I'll do good tomorrow?" Asked Kiara.

Vitani just gave her friend and future sister-in-law a reassuring smile, "You'll do just fine, Kiara. It only takes time, and you'll get the hang of it."

"We believe in you, Kiara. You're our future Queen, and we know we all got faith in you." Said Zuri.

"I wish you the best of luck tomorrow." Said Tiifu, smiling warmly.

"Thank you all so much for your support." Said Kiara, smiling at her friends. "I'll try my best tomorrow."

"That's all that we want." Zuri replied, "And if you fail, just get back up and try again till you make your first kill."

"I also heard the Queen would be announcing who will be the leader of the hunting party." Said Tiifu, "I think you might be a leader since your mom had taught you since we were cubs."

"Yeah, and I've seen how you took down that hare that day." Vitani gloated, "I mean, really? I wish I could've done that. If I try to hunt, then my mother will be demanding me to rip out its guts."

The four lionesses shrugged at the thought of Zira. Since Kion was exiled, they were angry and hurt at him betraying the pride and killing Fuli, Beshte, Bunga, and Ono in cold blood. They're angry at Zira and Baraka for changing Kion from a pridelander to an outsider. He kept to Simba's word for a while and stayed in the outlands during his exile. Kopa, Kiara, and Nuru missed their brother. They want him back into their lives with open paws and help him to become good again, especially Kiara, who wants to help him see the error of his ways and stop him from becoming like Scar. On some nights, Kiara would ask her grandfather Mufasa for guidance which he tells her, "You're the only one who can help Kion change. He depends on you to look out for him as a big sister. He loves you, and I know he has goodness left in him. You just got to believe in yourself."
She nodded at his words of wisdom and decided to wait until she's older to get to Kion and help him change. Just then, Nuru came bounding out of the royal den to tell her sister something.

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