Time passed, with Kovu and Kiara with their new son, whom they gave the name Halali, and at Pride Rock, with Kim as the all-mighty and rude king. Somehow Kovu had a hunch that when they would return to Pride Rock one day, it wouldn't be easy with Kim and Halali. He was afraid Kim would be jealous at his new broth looks at me, Kovu. I've seen it too, not just Mom. He...he looks like he hates me, or-or he hates the baby, I don't know, but he really HATES one of us. Not to talk about the eyes..." she felt cold chills in her back. "Look, he's just a kid!" Kiara got up. "But he's not the same anymore! Not after Maliki's death! He used to be a little shy, playful, curious, innocent..." "Innocent? What do you mean, he's not anymore?!" Kovu asked, but Kiara continued ignoring him. "...just like we when we were his age. It's normal! HE used to be normal!"
Kiara burst into tears and collapsed sobbing to the ground. She had finally said it. She knew there had been something wrong with Kim for a long time, but she never had the guts to admit to herself that she hated her own child. She just couldn't stand this.
Kovu had been a little angry at her just a moment ago, now he felt bad for her. "Kiara, I...I'm just trying to..."
Suddenly Kiara roared in pain. Kovu gasped and leaped backwards. "K-Kiara? What is it?!" "T-the ba-by, K-Kovu...The baby..." S-something wrong again?" Kovu said voice shaking. "No, it-it's coming...I think it's gonna come out." "WHAT?!?!?!" "The baby is gonna born, Kovu!" " WHAT?! N-NOW?!" "Yes, NOW!" Kiara shouted in pain.
Kovu suddenly felt everything spinning in his eyes. "Ohh, great...I-I feel dizzy, Kiara, I think I'm gonna..." Kiara looked at him and saw him walking like he had eaten too many passion fruits. "Oh no you won't, not this time!" she yelled. "Kovu, concentrate! We have a baby coming up to meet the world soon!" "I know, that's why I don't feel so good." "You're not going to faint this time, you hear me! KOVU! WAKE UP!" "Okay, okay, I'm up! W-what do I have to do? What do I have to do?!"
er and maybe start fighting with him, just like he and Maliki as cubs. That's why he trained Halali to fight well, he didn't want him to go through the same thing as Kim did when he was little.
"And you gotta stay low to the ground, like this. And be veeery quiet. Stay downwind and when the one who's attacking you can't see, hear or smell you...You ATTACK!!!"
Kovu plunged from the grass and playfully started wrestling with his son. Halali giggled. "Daaaad! Stop it! You're tickling me!" "Oh, am I? I didn't notice," Kovu grinned and continued tickling Halali. "Okay, guys, I think that's enough for today," Kiara sighed. "We're just having fun, Mum," Halali chuckled and finally got away from Kovu's grip. Kovu smiled. "Kiara, I'm just teaching him to stand up for himself."
Kiara looked at him strangely and Kovu started to worry a little. "What? What is it?" "Halali, go play for a while, I have to talk tto your father," Kiara said. "But Mum..." "It won't take long, I promise."
Halali groaned but did as his mother asked. Kiara turned to Kovu. "I don't like the way you're teaching him, Kovu." "What? I'm not doing anything wrong!" "You're doing EVERYTHING wrong, that's the point. He's just a cub, you shouldn't teach him to fight yet." "When will I? When someone wants to eat him?" Kovu said sarcastically.
Kiara narrowed her eyes and turned away. "Whoah, Kiara, I-I didn't mean it like that, I'm sorry," Kovu jumped in her way. "Yes, you did. Can't you see what you're doing to your own child?!" "I told you, I'm teaching him to defend himself!" "You shouldn't teach him to fight, you should teach him to THINK!" Kovu looked down a little embarrased. "He-he's a smart kid, of course he can think. But in real life, you need to know how to fight, that's the hard truth," he explained. "Is fighting all you have to teach him? That'll help much when he's the prince!" "I am teaching him in the right way!" "You are teaching him like an Outlander!"
Kovu opened his mouth to say something, but then he got Kiara's point. Kiara didn't mean it in a bad way, when she said "Outlander", what he meant was the way Zira had taught every Outlander to fight and to follow her, not to think with their own brains. "When we're finally back at Pride Rock, have you thought that Kim maybe ISN'T going to be jealous at Halali? Maybe he'll welcome his new brother with open arms. And what will Halali do then? Pin him to the grond and start wrestling?!" Kiara looked angrily at Kovu and Kovu felt ashamed. "I...I guess you're right," he finally said. "I'll promise I'll talk to him." Kiara smiled. Good. I'm not mad at you, sorry if I yelled." She nuzzled him lovingly and all was forgotten.
"By the way," Kovu started. "Umm, this might not be a good time to ask, but...when ARE we gonna return to the Pride Lands?" Kiara looked at him sadly. "I dont know, Kovu. I think we'll still have to wait some time." "But we've waited for so long!" Kovu replied. "I miss everyone back there, Vitani Nala, Kim, Shani, Mafumbo, everyone. I want to go home." "So do I, but...what about Kim?" "What ABOUT Kim? What if he' not jealous at all? Whay if he just misses us and wants us back? He doesn't even know about Halali! I'm sure they'll get along. If they don't, they'll just have to learn it sooner or later."
Kiara looked at Kovu and thought to herself. She wanted to go home, too. She had been waiting for it ever since Halali was born. Wasn't he old enough now? After all, there were others at Pride Rovk to defend him if Kim would start fighting with him. And why was she suspecting Kim would be jealous at all? It was just Nala's idea, she suspected something but she wasn't sure. And Kovu was right, they couldn't hide out here forever. Sooner or later they'd have to go back. She was silent gor a while, then smiled. "Alright," she said. "Let's go back.


At Pride Rock, things weren't all that great. Kim had become more demlow to the ground, like this. And be veeery quiet. Stay