there was silence, Siri spoke again.

“I don’t understand why you’re not pleased to see me.”

“And why would we be pleased to see you?” Snarled Vitani.

“Because…” whispered Kopa. “She’s my daughter.”

 

Chapter 7 – Forgiveness

Vitani suddenly became very still. She looked into Kopa’s eyes and he lowered his with guilt. She fled the scene feeling betrayed, letting out her emotions like she had on the night she found Kopa. Now she found out that he had another cub and hadn’t told her about it. It didn’t make her feel cross at the fact he had been with another lioness as Zira had cubs with two different lions. Nuka and her were only half siblings. But she felt angry at the fact he hadn’t told her.

Meanwhile, Siri ran up to her father who had started to cry.

“Why are you upset father? I’m home!” she said.

“Because I had kept you a secret from everyone and they now feel like I’m untrustworthy.”

“But my mother helped to heal you! Surely they should be thankful!”

“But I have a mate now, the lioness who confronted you. She probably hates me now. We have two children!”

“That lioness, was she Vitani?” Asked Siri.

Kopa nodded and Siri grimaced. Her mother had warned her that Vitani was her father’s true mate, but Siri had just ignored her. She wanted to be part of her father’s family!

“So Kopa, how come you came back if you had a family?” Asked Kiara.

“Because Zira had tried to kill me and I had a feeling in my heart that the evil was about to go. I only arrived after Zira’s death, remember.”

“So Siri’s mother…”

“Healed me, yes, and I fell in love with her. It wasn’t as strong as the love I felt for Vitani, but it was there.”

Kabili and Dafina felt outraged at their father’s behaviour and left Pride Rock. Kopa’s head fell and Siri had to comfort him.

However, Nabii was busy thinking. She knew how to fix this.

A few weeks later, things had improved. Nabii had talked to Siri a couple of days after she arrived and told her that she needed to win Vitani, Kabili and Dafina’s trust. Siri took Nabii’s words to the heart and set about bringing new paints and stones to Kabili in his story cave, bringing flowers to Dafina and hunting with Vitani. Slowly, but surely, the family grew back together and accepted one another.

But just like everything that had happened before, their happiness was short lived. Kovu got attack by rogues whilst patrolling the borders and died from his injuries. Kiara felt like all the power she had had desert her, so she said Chimalsi and Nabii were fit to become the next rulers. Also, Zazu said he wanted to spend his last few months with his family, so Chimalsi chose a new Major-domo. He chose a cheetah called Busara and his mate Moyo.

Chimalsi had to tell his family how he knew the two cheetahs very well. All through the story Nabii kepts thinking ‘secrets, secrets’ disapprovingly, but actually, she quite liked his story.

When he was in the cave during his lovesick months Chimalsi slept most of the time. That meant he was awake at night, so he crept out and went exploring. One night, he came across the two cheetahs having a late night drink at the waterhole. They quickly became friends and Chimalsi learnt that Busara was very wise and his mate Moyo was very honest. The two of them made a great pair and Chimalsi would sneak out every night. One time, they ambushed him with mud and turned him into a cheetah, which he wasn’t too impressed about and another night he and Moyo pretended to fall in love to annoy Busara. Of course, Moyo’s honest nature meant that when he ran away she had to go to him and say that they were just joking.

Kiara approved of the cheetahs, as did Nabii and they were welcomed into the family.

A few days later, Dafina approached Vitani complaining of feeling weird. She described her symptoms and Vitani smiled.

“What is it mother?” She asked, slightly panicked.

“I’m going to be a grandmother.” She said softly.

Dafina gasped. “Does that mean..?”

“Yes, you’re pregnant!”

Dafina could hardly believe the good news. She ran up to Ajali and whispered it in his ear. His eyes widened and then he cheered and licked Dafina’s stomach.

“We’re going to be the best parents in the world!”

The rest of the Pride found out quickly and the congratulations didn’t stop. Nabii went up and congratulated the pair, although a tiny voice in the back of her mind just went ‘the prophecy.’

 

Chapter 8 – New Life

Dafina gave birth to two beautiful female cubs. She decided to name one Halima and Ajali named the other Sakina. Ajali and Dafina didn’t let them out of their sights and they were their pride and joy! Ajali would go out hunting, as he felt he needed to provide for his family. Kiara also found a new purpose in life after Kovu’s death and would often cub sit in order to give Dafina some rest.

One day, Ajali was joined on his hunt by Vitani, who wanted to talk to him. They talked about the future and about Halima and Sakina until they came across a herd of zebra. Vitani told Ajali the plan and they went into the herd to hunt.

Ajali was attentive to every little move and how Vitani was such a skilled hunter, even in her old age. Then he heard her cry out in pain. He ran towards her and saw her get kicked by an angry male zebra. Ajali roared and scared the herd, giving him time to rescue Vitani and take her back up to Pride Rock.

Vitani knew that her time was coming and told everyone that she wasn’t scared, but happy as she would see her mother and her brothers again.

So when she died a few days later, the Pride mourned for Vitani, but knew that she was in pain no longer. Kopa wouldn’t stop crying and he and Kiara would often lean against each other for support, being the only ones left in their generation. Dafina and Ajali nuzzled each other often and even Siri had a few tears.

However, their mourning wouldn’t last for ever. Nabii was pregnant, as was Wema. It was a joyous time on Pride Rock, with Chimalsi and Kabili running around getting advice and Nabii and Wema comparing cub names.

Very soon, the day came and the two lionesses went down to the birthing cave together. It used to be Scar’s old cave, but thanks to Kabili, it now had lots of lovely decorations of flowers and lions, including a whole roof painted to look like the Great Kings of the Past. They gave each other support as each one gave birth, and then emerged a few days later to join with their worried mates.

Wema had given birth to a beautiful light brown cub with sea blue eyes. Kabili said that he had almost got their daughter coloured correctly in his story cave and that he would have to do a touch up. They named their daughter Amani and they greeted the rest of the Pride.

Nabii had given birth to three male cubs, one pure white like her, another very light brown and the last a mixture of both. Chimalsi was over the moon seeing his healthy mate and his perfect cubs. They decided to call the white one Jabari, the brown one Zuberi and the last one Bakari. Although the Pride was filled with happiness and congratulated their King and Queen, some of them remembered a story of Uru’s cubs Mufasa and Taka and how having two male cubs at the same time split apart the Pride. They kept whispering to each other, wondering what the consequences would be this time.

 

Chapter 9 – The Beginning

About a year later.

The cubs had grown up quickly and had soon become the best of friends. Halima, Sakina and Amani would often make a bunch of giggly girls and talk about the boys whilst Jabari, Zuberi and Bakari would play fight and try to sneak up and pounce on the girls.

Sometime in the past year, both Kiara and Kopa had passed on, which meant there were only two generations on Pride Rock.

Nabii had grown wise and had forgotten almost entirely about her prophecy. Chimalsi had grown into a fair leader and his Major-domo Busara was faithful and helpful in times of crisis. Dafina spent many hours cub with Kabili whilst Chimalsi was patrolling the borders and Ajali, Siri and Wema went hunting. Kabili liked to take the cubs to his story cave and settle them down by telling them a story. They all had their favourites! Jabari liked the one where Simba was slurping snails with Timon. Simba and Timon seemed like the far past now, seeing as Timon and Pumbaa left before Chimalsi was actually born.

The Pride was content with no major problems for ages, but that was about to change.

Chimalsi and Nabii had decided that they weren’t going to discuss which of their cubs were going to be the future King. Chimalsi hoped one would go off to another Pride and live there, having his own kingdom whilst the others joined together. Nabii hated the idea of not seeing one of her sons so proposed that all three of them would form a coalition and rule the Pridelands together.

The truth was, they were worried about what the future held.

One day, the cubs were talking together when Sakina brought up the topic of Kings.

“So, which one of you is going to be King?” She asked the male cubs.

“I am .” They all answered at the same time, then looked at each other questioningly.

“I thought I would be King because I was born first.” Answered Zuberi.

“I thought I would be King because I’m the strongest.” Answered Jabari.

Bakari didn’t answer at all. He just shook his head as his eyes filled with tears. He had no claim to

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