The azure, cloud sprinkled sky was filled with birds, soaring through the air like dancers, pulling off stunning ariel stunts. The grass was lushes and green, so the herds had plenty to graze on. A healthy amount of rain had fallen in Spring, so the waterholes were full to bursting with lots to drink. Thus animals had flocked round, so the Pridleands swarmed with great life. Numerous amount of cubs had been born, all Bonnie and bright; such as Kovu and Kiara's cubs: Lisha Taka and Carlie.

Lisha was a gem for the Pridleands. She was pale brown in colour with big blue eyes, clearly inherited from her Grandmother, Nala. Her dark black eyebrows and tail fur made her stand out, and she had a dark brown stripe across her forehead. Her younger brother, Taka, was an average lion cub, and quite plain. He had a muddy brown coat, and his tuft of hair was the same colour as his fur. It draped over his right eye, which were bright green. He resembled his father. The eldest. Carlie, was the leader of the group. She was witty yet lovable, and looked like her Aunt Vitani-she too had the same hair tuft, and she was only just a lighter shade of yellow. Her eyes were green and her nose was pale pink. Kiara and Kovu were thrilled with their small family.

anyway, on this particular day the story is set, Kiara was lounging in the shade of a tree, merrily talking to fellow lionesses and Vitani. Taka was in her paws, having a bath, extremely clean. Lisha sat near by, eyeing a butterfly which was fluttering to her nose.

Sudenly there was a loud yell, and Carlie skidded around the corner and pounced on her. 'GOTCHA!' She giggled. 'Hey! Mo-om, tell Carrie she can't do that!' Lisa whined babishly. Kiara looked at the pair and raised an eyebrow.

'Carrie dear, off your sister.' She smiled calmly as Taka leapt out of her arms. 'Ooh, Carrie pin me!' He babbled, looking at his older sister with adoration. Carrie raised a paw to bat his chest, when Kiara stopped her gently. 'Now now, there will be no pinning. Carrie, you used your bath.' 

Carrie winced, and tried to slip away, but it was too late-Kiara had grabbed her tail and dragged her towards her, squirming. The princess pouted dramatically as Kiara licked her cheek. 'OK OK! I'm clean mother...now can we play?!' Carrie asked, hopping out of Kiara's arms.

'What do you think Tani?' Kiara beamed, turning to Vitani who was chuckling at the cubs antics. 'Well...I think it's time they went off by themselves.' She grinned.

'All right baby! ya-hoo!' Carrie leapt into the air and twirled, before landing on all fours. 'Cme on Lisha and Taka...last one to the gorge stinks!' She growled, and raced off.

'Urr, slow down angel!' Kiara called. Carrie sighed, and reluctantly trudged back.

'You're not allowed down there. Remember what happened to your Great-Grandfather?'

'I know...we'll go to the waterhole!' Carrie said quickly, and raced off with her siblings.

********

'Hey, Carrie, this isn't the way to the waterhole! I'm sure Daddy told us it was South!' Lisha said uncertainly as she bounded away with her sister ten minutes later. 

'Sheesh, you fell for the waterhole trick too?' Carrie snorted harshly.

'Trick? but we're breaking the rules Mommy set.' Lisha whispered.

'Rules Shmules. stuff rules! DOWN WITH RULES!' Carrie yelped.

'Yeah...down with rules!' Taka copied hopelessly. Carrie giggled.

'See, Taka thinks so too. You're not going to be a party pooper, ARE you, Lisha?' Carrie growled menacingly. Lisha shook her head, but walked slowly still.

Soon the gorge was in sight. Lisha looked around and felt a sudden chill crawl up her spine. She shivered, despite the baking heat. Taka felt scared too, so he clung sadly to Lisha, looking back glumly. Carrie, on the otehr hand, was zoomning around the gorge walls, giggling for all she was worth. Suddenly she heard a footsteps...her heart was pounding...she pun round to see a dark male lion, far away...

'Dady!' Lisha grinned with releif.

'Father! Father!' Taka called. Kovu didn't hear, and continued drgaging the gazelle carcass which was in his mouth. 

'Shut up, squirts! I f dad sees us we'll get in trouble for being here. NOw come on!' Carrie growled, walking away fron LIsha and Taka.

'Where are y-you going?' Stammered Taka nervously. 'We've seen teh gorge, now we can go.' he muttered. Carrie roled her eyes. 'I didn't just want to see it; I want to play in it! Come one, slow ocches!'

Sudenly more foosteps sounded. Carried, thassuming it was her father again, grabed the otehr two cbs and hid with them behind a log. She saw a dark male. But it wasn't Kovu.

**************

'Lisha, Taka and Carrie were boodiful, bonnie liddle cubs.' said Rafiki mournfully. Kiara pressed her head deep into Kovu's mane and sobbed loudly. 'My babies....or babies...' she wept mournfully. 

'I know...' whispered Kovu, tears rolling down and staining his fur. Rafiki looked at the cratched bodie and torn faces of the cubs. The poor things had died mysteriously. Everyone assumed it was a disgusting rogue, but Rafiki had a nasty feeling that it was something worse than that... 

The sky rumbled and the rain started too fall from the grey clouds. Kiara and Kovu sighed and walked slowly back up to Pride Rock, sheltering from the rain. 'It's my fault...' Kiara cried continusly.

'No it's not!I'll find their murder and when I do, I swear I'm gonna-'

'Kovu, let's not think about it. I'm tired...' Kiara whispered sadly. Kovu nodded and licked her head, setyling down. He rested his head onhis paws. 'Sleep.' he agreed, and closed his eyes.

He was awoken by a loud scream. He jolted up right to see a pair of burning red eyes staring at him on a figure. It started to move away from him, before totally escaping. Then he noticed Kiara, lying on the floor, cold and bloody. her eyes were still open, and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

She was dead.

Kovu was stuned. He cowered backwards, desperatly trying to wake up rom his nightmare. But he couldn't. It was real. anger suddenly filled his heart. 'GAURDS!' he roared. Instantly three bulky male lions ran up to him. 'WHO WAS THE INTRUDER?' he snarled, pacvcoing up and down.

'There was no inturuder...' the gaurds said at the same time. They were frightened of the dead Kiara. She looked so stiff and...deadly, almost. 

'First the cubs, now my mate. This cannot be true! It's a rogue. We will find him or her, and when we do I will rip his thriat out personally!' Kovu vowed.

He lay down, but he didn't sleep. He was too scared to wake up and find he wasd dead.

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Thanks for reading, PART 2 is coming soon!