Hi everyone, Chizy here XD. This is my story The Lion King III: The Chosen Ones. It takes place about a year and half after TLK II. I have an older verison of this story on FF.net but I have decided to rewrite the whole story from scratch, so I'm looking for any criticisms, likes or dislikes ya'll might have. Now on with the fanfic!
Chapter One: The Circle Opens
Bursts of loud, fierce roars ripped across the morning sky. Frantic, panicked screams of death were constant as the golden plains became tainted with dark splatters of blood.
Hidden away from the heart of all of this insanity, a tearful cub shook with fright. She was curled tightly under her older sister’s body, almost crushed by the tiny hole they were in.
Who were those monsters that invaded their home? How did they find them?
Their grandmother promised that if they hid there like brave, obedient girls that she would come back for them. The young cub wanted to call for her mother so that she could come to her rescue and protect her from all of these scary things. However, with the dark blood soaked on her sister’s paws and her own pelt, she was cruelly reminded that her mother would never return to them. The very thought of their mother brought anew fresh tears to her eyes and she let out a mournful cry.
“Sis…sis…please, you have to calm down…please calm down.” Her older sister urged in a desperate tone, hugging her tighter.
The cub sniffled, “I-I can’t! I want her; I miss mom!”
“You don’t understand; we can’t see her anymore! She’s gone!” the older cub sobbed. She scrubbed at her own tears, caking blood on to her cheek. “We are all we have now.”
“How dare you go back on your word!! You promised that you wouldn’t kill anyone else you monsters!!”
“Oh no, I would never harm such a cub. I’m just going to borrow her for a while. Now, move aside.”
“I won’t let you have her! Haven’t you done enough?!”
Immediately, the roars of conflict and malicious cackling drew ever so closer. The two cubs watched on in silent horror, paralyzed. That was unmistakably their grandmother’s voice and from the huge shadows that danced erratically on the cave walls, she wasn’t alone. The young cub buried her head into her sister’s flank, unable to take any more.
Why do we have to hide? They’re the ones who came here! Why don’t they just go away!!
Suddenly, their grandmother’s ear splitting cry made both cubs jump in terror. They watched with wide eyes as their grandmother was jerked into the entrance of the cave by a group of vicious rogues. The bloodied mess of a lioness tried in vain to get to her paws but was unable to due to her numerous injuries. The young cub continued to gape on, paralyzed when another, familiar dark furred lion circled her with deadly intent, all the while keeping his cool smile.
Against her will, she felt her body wrestle against her sister’s and wild screams escaped her mouth. Her sister pressed a strong paw over her to muffle the mangled cries, unwilling to allow her to come to her grandmother’s rescue. The two cubs could only watch helplessly as the rest of the nightmare unfolded.
“I will ask again. Where is she?”
Their grandmother didn’t reply. She narrowed her eyes hatefully and spat at him.
In one swift motion, his black claws tore across her face. In that one moment, the young cub’s world and mind went into a deep, dark whirl. An eruption of sudden anger that she had never felt before allowed her to break away from her screaming sister. With this one action, it was far too late to turn back, she had roared at the dark lion with the force of a demon.
Before she could snap herself back to reality, he flashed his yellow fangs at her with a triumphant smirk.
“Ah, there you are.” He replied with a soft, almost inviting tone. Despite this, it sent a chill down her spine. “You’ve eluded me for long enough.”
The young cub tried to turn tail and run back to her sister but he immediately snatched her up with his claws. Her sister sprung to her paws from her hiding spot, roaring in complete anxiety.
“Let me go! Let me go!” she screamed loudly.
“Let my sister go! Put her down!”
“Please, sire. I beg of you! Call this madness off!”
Another voice dripping with agony made itself known. From the entrance, a teenaged lioness hung her head, sobbing. It was the traitor; she was the one who tore apart their whole pride and her whole family in a single morning. She fell to the dark furred lion’s paws, not trying to mask her shame.
“Please, stop this senseless killing! This isn’t what I wanted! I never asked for this!”
“Oh, but you did my dear.” The dark lion purred dangerously. “You betrayed your own family for a new world, one that you promised to build with me. Now, that this cub has fallen into my paws as a gift of providence, rise to your paws. You will witness the creation of a new kingdom; time will not stop what has been put into motion.”
The lioness limply stood, sobbing. An old prayer, almost like a madness mantra, started to repeat itself in her voice. Outside, the final roars of their pride sisters finally subsided and left an intangible reminder in the air. The young cub’s sister stopped screaming as she too fell to her haunches in frozen despair, her irises shrunk in absolute defeat. There was officially no resistance for the dark lion to walk away from the cave with his prize.
As for the young cub herself, she clung to the prayer that would haunt her very soul like it was a forbidden wish. It would be the last thing that she ever heard from her homeland.
Ubaya hauna kwao mola nisitri na njama zao
There is no special place for their wickedness; Oh Lord, save me from their evil plots.
OoOo
[In the Pride Lands, several months later]
The circle of life started again as it always did. The promise of new life could be heard in the wind as it carried itself around the African savannah, whispering of the change to come. It was heard in the animals who were getting ready to celebrate the creation of a new era and the shining future that they had been waiting for.
Far away from the lush green plains of the pride lands, a wise old baboon kept himself away from the festivities of the morning. He was busy, unable to join the rest of the kingdom just yet. His withered and elderly hands were covered in bright colored powder as he swiftly created the image of two cubs on the inside of the ancient baobab tree. Excitement filled his movements as he continued to work on the piece; drawing two noses, eyes and tails for emphasis.
Eventually the old baboon named Rafiki drew away from his work, his beady eyes flashing with amusement as he grinned at his masterpiece. At last, it was finished. With the soft light of the afternoon reflecting on the artwork, he couldn't contain his mirthful laughter.
It was time for him to introduce the new Prince and Princess to the Pride Lands.
Every animal in the kingdom walked in a line to Pride Rock. It was a breathtaking vision of a late afternoon. The unlimited sky that stretched over Africa was painted with vast hues of red, orange, yellows and intermixed with dusty shades of purple as the dusk was just starting to settle. Thousands flocked, big and small, from the mightiest elephant to the tiniest ant, in order to pay tribute to their new Prince and Princess.
The animals began to chant as they made their way to the ceremony. Animals like the antelope and zebra, stomped their hooves rhythmically. The elephants trumpeted powerfully out of pure joy, shattering the calm of the afternoon while the birds flew in the sky untouchable. Everyone was chanting and singing softly; it was an old traditional song that had been sung for generations in the pride lands. If one listened, the song would sound something like this:
Ibanbeni njalo bakihi (Hold on my people)
Ninga diwla (Don't get weary)
Ninga phelelwa nga mandla (Don't lose your strength)
The animals continued to march on, their voices filling with strength and pride. It was a song celebrating their triumph over the trouble that once plagued their land but most importantly; it was a song embracing their collective identity as one. Eventually their voices blended into a perfect harmony.
One by one
Ngeka ba lunge (They will not succeed)
One by one
Siya ba bona (We can see)
Babe fun'ukusi qeda (They were trying to hold us back)
Ngoba thina (Because)
Siya zazi (We know who were are)
Zazu, a brilliantly blue colored hornbill flew in a wide arc above everyone else. As the King's majordomo, he examined with a critical eye to see everything fall into place. Once he determined the ceremony was going smoothly, he flew back to Pride Rock to inform the King about the progress that had been made.
The majestic Pride Rock was basked in the shadows of a darkening sky, making the huge landmark stand out more than usual. Zazu soared into the mouth of the cave, smiling and bowing at the paws of the monarchs, Kiara and Kovu.
"It's time." Kovu, the King, whispered lovingly to his mate. He nuzzled his Queen's cheek, smiling tenderly down at his two bundles of joy. The cubs looked up at him with wide curious eyes.
Rafiki, as the kingdom's shaman, wasted no time in starting the tradition of anointing the newborns. The old baboon shook his gnarled staff at the two cubs playfully, getting a few soft mews from them in return. He then took one of the numerous heavy gourds hanging and cracked it open, allowing the red sticky juice to roll off the sides. Dipping his hand into one of the halves, he smeared a line onto the first born cub's forehead with his thumb, and then repeated the action with the other cub. This signaled that they were now protected by the Great Kings of the past. Next, he took a handful of sand and sprinkled it over them. It was a sign that they were part of the Circle of Life, for they will one day return to the ground much like their forefathers before them.
He gently plucked the firstborn from her mother's forepaws, cradling her protectively as if she was his own daughter while Kiara tenderly picked up the second cub by the nape of his neck. Rafiki motioned for Kiara and Kovu to get to their paws and follow him out onto the promontory of Pride Rock. When they stepped into the afternoon, a breath of air teased the two lions with its presence.
There was a respectful silence held as Rafiki started to slowly hobble his way to the end of Pride Rock. Everything on the earth frozen in fervent anticipation and was just waiting to burst. Who knew what this new generation would bring? What changes would the new heirs of the throne bring to the animals' way of life? Kovu and Kiara shared a proud glance at each other as a few leaves blew past them. Much like Queen Kiara's own birth, the animals knew that her grandfather was watching over them in blessing.
Nothing would be the same after tonight. After the cubs' presentation, it would finally cement the end of hatred between the pridelanders and the outsiders. The new Prince and Princess were a symbol of that union between the two once warring prides, showing that the road that was once paved with strife was now a clean slate of peace and harmony. There was no turning back now; today was the day that the past could finally be put to rest.
Finally, Rafiki made it to the end of Pride Rock. He proudly raised the two cubs high above his head, almost into the heavens so that the animals could see them. At that moment, wild cheers of all kinds exploded in a joyous uproar within the huge crowd below and flooded throughout the whole pride lands. The two cubs looked down upon the lands they would one day inherit and their subjects with confusion. They had no concept, no idea, of the endless hopes and dreams that their birth and eventually their lives would carry.
OoOo
After the night's celebration died down, the young King and Queen retreated back into their den for some alone time with the family. It was heartwarming sight to see, all of the pride sisters gave their blessings to the cubs, showing them with love and affection.
Queen Kiara was exhausted from all of the day's activities but wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. It had been a full month and a half since she had been able to leave the birthing cave so she was so happy to finally share her newborns with the ones she cared for the most. At first, she had been very nervous, like new mothers usually were but she had Kovu supporting her the entire time. When the ex outlander first found out he was going to be a father; Kovu tried his best to make sure that she was as comfortable as she could be. Every day, he would take time out to sit and listen with renewed awe over the sound of their cubs inside of her. The young couple each had their own ideas for what they wanted to do with their new family, like how Kovu wanted to raise his sons how to become fierce yet kind fighters or how Kiara wanted to spend every day playing with her daughters.
Near the tail end of Kiara's pregnancy, Kovu had become much more fussy and overbearing but Kiara found it adorable that he had already fallen into the fathering role so quickly, even at the expense of her own sanity. Once they were born, Kiara saw the pure happiness radiating from her mate, tears and all. As for herself, the moment she laid eyes upon them, she knew she was in love. Her son and daughter were so tiny, so helpless yet Kiara instantly felt warmth that she had never felt before inside of her heart. They were a gift made out of the love between her and Kovu, making them all the more precious.
The young Queen smiled down at the two cubs. Their son was the rich dark color of the earth itself while their daughter held the golden orange of the African sunset itself almost mirroring a younger version of herself and Kovu.
"They're so perfect, Kiara," her mate purred into her ear as Kiara beamed up at him. "You're made me the happiest lion alive."
"And you have made me the happiest lioness alive." Kiara whispered back. They shared a loving nuzzle, not wanting to pull away from each other. Feeling the two cubs nestle closer to her in response, the lioness let out a giggle, "I guess they want to share the love too."
Kovu smiled warmly, "I see."
He slowly bent down bent down and very lightly nuzzled the tiny cubs with his nose, speaking in a playful whisper, "Hey there! Is it okay with you two to share mommy with me?"
The male half of the two cubs yawned at him, his cute pink tongue unfurling lazily. He then snuggled closer to his mother's warm fur, prompting a wide grin from his father.
"That's a definite no," Kovu noted, still grinning.
Kiara laughed, "Looks like we had a case of father, like son when it comes to sharing!"
"I wouldn't want it any other way," Kovu replied sincerely, settling back down.
"I still can't believe my little girl's all grown up now," announced Simba, grinning like the proud grandfather he was. The large gold lion playfully dipped his head in front of the cubs allowing them to play with his mane, while Nala, their grandmother playfully cooed at the sight of them.
"Daddy, please! You're embarrassing me," Kiara giggled again, shifting her forelegs so that her parents could get a better look at the cubs.
"It's my job to embarrass you," her father told her smoothly, flashing the orange lioness a toothy grin. "Call it pay back for all those years of making me a nervous wreck."
Nala rolled her turquoise eyes at him in amusement, adding, "Don't pay any attention to your father, Kiara. He will behave himself while I'm around. By the way, have you picked any names for the cubs yet?"
Kovu and Kiara exchanged glances. They had come up with their answer a long time ago.
"Actually…Simba, Nala," Kovu said, smiling warmly. "We decided that we want you to do the honors of naming our cubs."
Simba looked shocked, yet touched by this announcement, "Oh wow…I-I'm speechless here. Are you sure you both want this?"
"Of course, we couldn't think of anyone better than you to do the job," Kovu told him, still smiling warmly. A teasing smirk then crossed his handsome features, "Besides, I'm pretty sure you old timers know a lot more names than we do."
"How nice of you to remind us, Kovu," The former King replied, dryly. He smiled down at the tiny brown cub in Kiara's forelegs," Well, little guy, I think we'll call you Tanabi."
"Tanabi?" Kiara asked.
Simba nodded, "Your grandfather used to tell me stories about him all the time when I was a cub. Tanabi was one of the greatest Kings of the pride lands and one of my favorites."
Nala nuzzled Simba affectionately before dotingly licking the female cub, "Since your little brother's name is Tanabi, then you will be Ayira; my precious granddaughter. It's a beautiful name for a beautiful princess."
"Tanabi and Ayira…" Kiara murmured thoughtfully, trying the names in her head a few times. She smiled as her son yawned and gently rubbed his back, "Sounds perfect."
Soon Kovu and Kiara leaned into each other tiredly. They shared another proud smile, nothing in the world could compare to the love they had for their new family. It was more than just a dream come true. Tomorrow, they would fall back into their boring routine of ruling the kingdom. However, for right now, celebrating their cubs was all that really mattered. It was a moment they would never forget and cherish for their whole lives.
That night, a shooting star fell from the sky, marking the birth of Prince Tanabi and Princess Ayira of the pride lands.