"A Promise" (C) DakotaWereWolf, 2013

Kiara, Simba, Nala, Tojo (C) Disney

Abel, Adanna, Zuri, Defir (C) DakotaWereWolf

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Book One

A Promise

            It had been five years since Kiara had held a cub within her paws; it had been one year since Kovu was at her side. Despite the momentous occasion, she could not help but think in the back of her head how Kovu might've reacted to her bearing the cub of another. Of course she loved Defir dearly - he never wanted to replace Kovu in her heart, he claimed to her, and he never sought to try and be Kovu just for her, and Kiara appreciated his sentiment.

            She blinked her eyes several times to help with the dazedness she felt after delivery, and smiled when she saw Defir's form by the entrance of the den. Kovu would've been at her side in an instant, but Defir had told her that he wanted to respect her privacy until she felt comfortable to call upon him.

            "Defir," she said hoarsely.

            The brown lion turned to face her, and casually entered the den. If he was excited, he showed no trace of it on his face. Kiara let her paws relax around the form of their cub, and allowed Defir to sniff their son over.

            "So beautiful," whispered Defir, not missing a bit by also looking Kiara in the eyes. "A boy or a girl?"

            Kiara smiled warmly. "A boy."

            Defir could not hold back his excited smile. "Have you thought of a name for him?"

            "I was thinking that you should do the honors of naming him. I named Adanna when she was born."

            "Speaking of Adanna, I didn't see her around."

            Kiara's smile faded at the recollection of where her daughter might've been brooding. "I hope she comes to the ceremony..."

            Defir leaned in and reassured his mate with a tender nuzzle. "I'm sure she will, don't worry about her."

            "Sometimes I do, Defir. After Kovu..."

            "Ssh, you don't need to explain that all again to me. Maybe Adanna just needs some time to get used to the idea that she has a baby brother to look after now. Perfectly natural."

            "If you say so."

            Defir licked her nose. "I have a name," he spoke up.

            This perked Kiara up at once.

            "We should call him Abel," continued Defir. "In my pride, we used to tell a story about a lion named Abel who flew among the stars and slew all evil who stood before him. I think it's perfect."

            Kiara tried not to allow herself to become too emotional with this, but she couldn't help the one tear that came down her face. "It's perfect."

            A tiny cough interrupted their little moment. Kiara beamed as Nala approached her. Even at her age Nala still looked as beautiful and regal as she had when Kiara was just a mere cub. Looking past her, Kiara saw Simba watching them from the outside of the cave.

            Defir took the opportunity to leave the two lionesses alone.

            "Hi mom," Kiara greeted as she nuzzled her mother.

            "I'm so proud of you, Kiara. And Abel is a fine name for him..."

            "You overheard?"

            Nala chuckled. "Sorry if I couldn't help, but be a tad curious. How're you feeling?"

            Kiara nodded her head. "I feel a bit tired, but not too bad."

            "You've had a much better time with him than you did with Adanna."

            That was the truth. Kiara was only getting her toes wet with the power of becoming Queen when she had Adanna, and the timing of it all made the experience frightful for Kiara. The birth was not easy, but it was well worth it in the end.

            "I didn't see her out in the crowd," said Nala, frowning. "Your father and I have been looking high and low for her. We even set Zazu out to scan the lands for her. It's not right for her to miss her baby brother's ceremony."

            Kiara's heart sunk a bit at the news. She knew Adanna wasn't taking the situation lightly. From the beginning, she hated Defir, and disapproved of their relationship, but Kiara still held out on the hope that Adanna would see that it wasn't right to disrespect her family on such a beautiful day. Even if she showed up to the ceremony at the last minute, it would be enough for Kiara.

            Nala turned her head to the outside of the den. "Rafiki is about ready for the ceremony."

            Kiara was hesitant. "Can't we wait a little longer for Adanna?"

            "Kiara..."

            She sighed. "I know, I know. Okay."

            Slowly she pulled herself away from baby Abel and took the cub in her mouth by the nap of his neck. With Nala by her side, Kiara trotted out from the den, and into the welcoming silence of the on looking crowd of animals below. Rafiki met them halfway, his hands wide open to receive Abel, and Kiara let it be so. She hung back as she watched the wise old baboon present Abel to a cheering crowd of animals, and felt her heart sore with the greatness she expected from her son.

            Defir leaned into her. "Our little Abel will be a great king," he whispered into her ear.

            "The very best," she agreed.

~*~

            Out in the lands, Adanna perked her ears at the triumphant cries of the animals that came to the celebration. Her nose twitched in irritation, and she laid back down, almost blending into the yellow grasses around her.

            Yeah, it might've been selfish for her to not go to her baby brother's - half brother, she corrected herself - celebration, but now her and Kiara were not seeing eye-to-eye, and she did not want to see her mother with Defir. It made her insides clench with rage at how happy Defir was making her, as if Kovu didn't matter.

            Thinking of her father made Adanna sigh deeply, and she covered her eyes with her great paw to cease thought of the memories. It had been too painful of a day to want to recall.

            "You're not at the ceremony, Adanna?" came a weary voice.

            Adanna removed her paw to see her great-uncle Tojo standing over him. "I could say the same about you," she snapped.

            She never knew about her grandfather's siblings until the day Tojo returned to the pride. He didn't explain himself why, just that he was tired of wandering the earth, and needed to stay. Of course Simba allowed him, but Adanna, too, distanced herself from Tojo just as much as she distanced herself from Kula, whom she suspected Tojo yearned for.

            Tojo laid down beside her, sighing wearily. "Kula's there," he said simply.

            Adanna sat up. "So?"

            He shook his head, gave her a soft smile. "How come you're not at the ceremony? Your grandfather figured you