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The Curse

A Lion King Fan Fiction

By Shalion

Hot and swampy, the breath of the wildebeest trickled through the long grass as it browsed closer, nuzzling the dry fronds. Occasionally, it lifted its head, flicking its tail as it listened for signs of danger. Kiara hunched herself closer to the ground, trying to keep perfectly still, even her breath silent as she waited downwind of the smelly herbivore. It was getting close to striking distance now and at a foolish distance from the rest of the herd grazing nearby.

Although Kiara was getting used to taking point in their hunting parties, today, she was waiting in ambush along with several other females whom Kiara could not even see in their hiding places. Although this position was not as glamorous as point, it was arguably just as important, and besides, the lioness had to admit that she had had less than admirable performance for the past several attempts. In the face of her recent failures, she was obliged to take a step back, even if she was technically queen.

Kiara tried not to think about how slow she had been lately as the moments crept by. When would Imara make her move? Kiara wished Kovu would come on more hunts with her. It was not as though he was incapable and he was helpful for taking down the larger game or scaring off hyena from theirs. At least then, Kiara would not have to deal with Imara's boasting.

Deep in brooding, Kiara was almost caught off guard as the tan-yellow streak sprang from the savannah and dashed towards the startled wildebeest just fifty meters ahead, driving it directly at Kiara. The frantic animal darted its head left and right, but a wall of lionesses stood up from the grass charging towards it on all sides. The trap was sprung, even if Kiara was a second or two behind the others.

Kiara ran as fast as she could, pumping her legs as hard as she could, but nevertheless she lagged behind the others, the distance between her pridemates on her left and right grew and the wildebeest continued straight at her, as if sensing her weakness. Its sharp hooves flashed in the early morning sunlight.

Imara, although she had started at a greater distance had almost caught up with the animal already. She pounced, landing on its back and gripping the hide with long claws. The prey animal bellowed, lowering its horns towards Kiara. Suddenly, Kiara felt unsure, she wanted to dart to the side, let the wildebeest sprint past her. Her paws seemed to slip on the dry earth under her as she ran forward. What was this fear? She'd killed enough wildebeest in the past... although not in her current condition.

Kiara swallowed her apprehension down into her belly and closed doggedly with the charging animal. She knew in her heart that her teeth were more than a match for its horns and hooves. Still, it was impossible to keep pace with the other lions. Two of them leapt at the animal's flanks, trying to drag it down, neither of them caught and now Imara was hanging on desperately by her claws digging into the wildebeest's back, being half dragged along by the larger beast. Now it was up to Kiara to keep it from rejoining the herd.

She should have been on it already, but her lack of speed now put the prey ten meters ahead. The animal tried dodging her to the left, back towards the herd who were already stampeding away from the predators. Kiara put everything she had into a mad dash forward while Imara, still clinging to the herbivore dug in her feet, pulling and tearing at its back with her claws and teeth. The queen leapt.

But she came up short, landing heavily beside the wildebeest as it rushed past. Growling, she took a swipe at it with a paw. She caught it on the thigh, but she might as well have given it a high-five for all it cared. It kept running, dragging Imara along while the rest of the pride were on its heels. Now Kiara had to run to catch up with them, but she was already spent.

The young lioness chased her peers's lashing tails through the tall grass, but the distance between them and her only grew and her tongue hung hot and heavy out the side of her mouth. In the distance ahead, she saw it finally go down, no doubt, thanks to Imara. Kiara clenched her teeth and forced herself to compose her expression. There was little reason to push herself anymore now.

And indeed, it was all over by the time she got there. Imara had taken the honor of opening the abdomen and exposing the tasty viscera herself. She stood with her face and neck red with gore as Kiara nosed about for a position among the other lionesses. Shani, Kiara's younger sister, noticed and made way for her at the abdomen. "Your highness." she said demurely.

Kiara winced. The title still felt like something that belonged to her mother and she hardly felt like taking precedence after another poor showing. But she said thanks regardless and took a spot next to Imara. Despite running so slowly today, she was terribly hungry. They all were, what with it being near the end of the dry season, but Kiara did not think that any of them were as famished as she was. In fact, she did not even mind being next to Imara as she dove her head into the inviting red hole in the side of the once lively prey beast and tucked in.

Kiara was too busy stuffing her face to notice Imara lift her head up, holding a great chunk of liver in her jaws. She bit down and left half of it fall back into the carcass. Kiara darted her head to the side to snatch the nutritious morsel. Imara huffed a breath through her nose. "Usually, the lead gets the liver." she said loudly. "Seeing as we run the most."

Kiara wanted nothing more than to ignore Imara, but she noticed that none of the others were eating, all eyes were on her. She swallowed hard and lifted her face to meet Imara's. Imara was also younger than Kiara, but she had always been precocious and boisterous, even before her milk teeth had fallen out. "I didn't see you sharing it with anyone else." said the queen sharply.

Heads turned towards Imara, but the proud lioness just lifted her chin. "We would not even have this meal if it weren't for me. I brought it down so I deserve my pick."

Shani left her place and tried to get in between Imara and Kiara. "We all brought it down together. We shouldn't fight each other."

"Who said we're fighting?" said Imara lightly, rolling her eyes, but also pushing Shani out steadily with her heavier frame. "We're not some group of dick-brained males. We get along with each other," she dropped her voice and added, "And part of getting along means each lion gets her fair share."

There was muttering under the breath of the fellow lions. What Imara was saying was not entirely incorrect. There was a general rule that the hunters who worked the hardest got the best bits, at least when some big male did not push his way in. Kiara regretted snatching the bite of liver now, but she could not help herself with her stomach aching so. Even though she was queen, Kiara was ready to take a hit to her pride and apologize, but then Shani went and made things worse.

"If anyone deserves the best parts, it's Kiara, since she's queen!" exclaimed the younger cat.

Imara turned on her sibling, "Just because she's queen does not entitle her to take anything she wants. Kovu might shove his way in with us when he wants, but only because he's half again our size, that's never been our way." Shani shrank under Imara's glare as the eyes turned on her and Kiara, but then the huntress added, "Besides, I think we can agree that she's fat enough as it is."

There was stunned silence. Kiara felt like she had been slapped, not just for the words, but in the offhand way Imara had said them. Kiara blinked, but she could bring forward no defense. Her enlarged belly which was massive enough to rest against the ground where she was sitting and even forced her to splay her legs a little betrayed any argument she could have thought of.

"Kiara's not fat, she's carrying the king's cubs!" growled Shani, lowered her head towards Imara.

But there was no rush among the lionesses to come to Kiara's defense. Shani was left by herself and Imara responded cooly. "Sure, maybe she is. But then, I've never heard of a lioness carrying cubs for five moons." Imara turned to the enlarged lioness, "Don't you think that's quite strange to be over two moons past now?"

Kiara pressed her black lips together while her tail straightened out angrily behind her. She was furious, but what could she say? There was certainly no precedent for what she was experiencing, even if she was more like one and a half moons past due, not two. "It... is strange." said Kiara quietly to the listening ears as Imara glanced haughtily back at her. "And I have no explanation for it. It is my first time with cubs so I don't really know what to expect, but it should be any day now." To Kiara's ears, she sounded halting and awkward, not at all like her mother had been.

Imara just grinned back, "Sure, your highness, any day now. For sure." Kiara winced. There was no need to mention that she had been saying the same thing now for the past several weeks. "But in the meantime, don't you think it would be a good idea to keep your best performing hunters at their peak strength? For the good of the pack?" Imara turned tilted her head towards the side, "I'm sure we can afford some excess once the wet season comes."

Kiara heard a slight giggle from behind her. Shani turned her head sharply and it took all of Kiara's strength and composure not to do the same. The queen knew she looked ridiculous with her big belly, even if her ribs showed against her fur just as much as the others'. Kiara sighed raggedly. She hated to boost Imara's ego, but she said, "You're right. It's lean times for everyone right now. We need to keep our best at their strongest, or there will be less food for everyone." The words left a bitter taste in Kiara's mouth as she said them, but not because they were untrue, rather because they were exactly true.

Imara seems satisfied now. She inclined her head and bowed just slightly towards Kiara, "Your Majesty, I knew you would be wise enough to support the Law."

Kiara got up, lifting the great belly from the dusty earth and feeling the weight of it on her hips and knees. "This is not about the Law." said Kiara testily, though she continued to move around the carcass towards the rump where she would need to shear muscle and hide off of the bone. "This is about common sense." she took a moment to wipe her face with a paw, "and keeping our family together."

Imara let a little half smile settle across her face. "Of course." she said easily and then stuffed her face back into the gory hole. The other lionesses also commenced ripping apart the carcass without further comment. Shani, for her trouble, lost her place and was forced to move along and sit with Kiara near the end of the surrounding group of large cats where the hide was thickest.

Kiara, for her part did not let this incident throw off her hunger, could not really. There was a burning lust for meat in her swollen belly, incongruous with how lionesses usually felt when their time for whelping was near. But Shani was not so adamant. She gnawed at the tough flesh for a while, but soon lifted her head. She said quietly, "I'm so sorry, Kiara."

Kiara, who only wanted to desperately sate her hunger, nevertheless took a moment to look down at her smaller sister. "It's alright. You did nothing wrong."

"But I made everything worse with Imara!" she rested her chin on the smooth hide of the wildebeest and looked up at Kiara. "I can't believe she called you fat."

Kiara swallowed hard, feeling an icy pit deep in her stomach. "Imara... just says things as she sees them. You shouldn't take her so seriously. I'm not upset." Kiara lied to the youth. Shani said nothing else, but continued to sulk, barely gnawing at the beast in front of her. Kiara felt like she ought to encourage her, but it was beyond her. Already the choicest parts of the wildebeest were gone and the lions were squabbling to get their shares of the remaining meat. Kiara could not afford to wait for Shani, not when she remembered how many sleepless nights she had had, struggling with hunger pangs. Shani was sensitive and kind, but sometimes these traits did more harm to a lioness than help.

A couple hours past as the lions gorged themselves. It was not a lavish meal, the prey being themselves rather straggly at the end of the dry season, but it did suffice to fill most of the lions' bellies, making them protrude - of course no where near as much as Kiara's - and the cats themselves turgid. Imara wandered off almost immediately with two former outlanders after she had eaten her fill. Kiara scowled watching them go. There was still the task of dragging the much reduced carcass back to Pride Rock. But no body seemed in any rush to get started. The task was usually disposed on cubs or those considered to be the worst hunters, though. Kiara sometimes felt cold stares on her back, but whenever she looked, no one was glancing at her. Well, Kiara had to put her foot down somewhere. She might have been the worst hunter today - and for the past several weeks - but she was queen after all, technically. She ought to have at least a little dignity. And besides, she did not have the stamina to drag even half a carcass back. Just walking the distance from here to Pride Rock put a strain on her hips and legs.

The day past steadily, the lionesses lounging about and digesting, sleeping in whatever shade could be managed under the blistering heat of the sun. Kiara napped too, despite knowing it was sloppy at the very least. She drifted off wondering if the remaining six of them might be scared off by a pack of hyenas, or even some bold wild dogs. It did happen sometimes, which was why they tried to carry their kill back to be shared, at least some of it, especially when food was scarce. Kiara thought that a proper queen would be able to get the others to do what they knew ought to be done.

No hyenas came for them, thankfully, but it was after dusk before any of the big cats stirred from the kill site. The half moon above clearly lit the savanna for their glowing eyes and Kiara struggled to think of a way to encourage the others to move the carcass without having to order anyone about. That is, she tried and failed for a long time. Finally, Shani got up from her resting place without a word and began to haul the bloody thing back home. Kiara sighed and walked after her. The others followed, talking amongst themselves while the queen walked in silence.

To the credit of her pride, one of the old guard, a matron only a little younger than Kiara's mother, Nala, took Shani's burden after a while of dragging it across the flats. The body might have been mostly bone and gristle at this point, but there was still a lot of meat that could be chewed out of the various nooks and crannies; and bone and gristle sometimes meant the difference between life and death regardless.

Shani came to walk alongside Kiara and for that, the round bellied cat was thankful. As she got more and more late as well as more and more bloated around the middle, Kiara's usual entourage of friends all seemed to find more excuses not to be around her, even if they were all grins and friendly head butts to her directly. Kiara was slightly surprised that she struggled to keep up with the younger cat, although she probably should not have been, considering the weight strapped to her midsection. "Thank you for getting that carcass." said Kiara, trying not to sound out of breath.

"It was my pleasure, my queen." said Shani dutifully bowing her head.

Kiara reached over and bopped the smaller cat on the head while her head was down. "Knock that off! How many times have I told you to just call me Kiara."

Shani's ears flattened, but just for a moment. She relaxed, and said, "Sorry, Kiara. It just feels weird, ever since the coronation ceremony."

Kiara sighed, "I'm not any different now than I was before. I don't even think anyone even thinks of me as queen except you, not really. Not even me." Shani looked up at Kiara with questioning eyes, so she went on. It was not as though silence would make the long walk home any faster. "You know, sister, I've always felt like I've had this destiny forced on me, ever since I was a cub. I was afraid that I would never get to express who I am as my own lioness, just what my duties and responsibilities needed me to be. In fact, it feels like dumb luck that I was even able to meet a male like Kovu who I can be myself around."

"You know you two make a cute couple. Especially when he-" started Shani, flashing her eyes at Kiara.

"Shut up!" laughed Kiara and the larger lioness bopped her ear, setting her dancing away a few steps, well out of reach. Kiara thought she had finished talking, but to her own surprise, she started up again after several paces. "I know that my dad had to retire at some point, but for some reason I never made the connection that when he did, I would have to take over my mom's job too." Kiara whistled a tight breath though her teeth and spoke more softly to her companion. "Sometimes, I feel like it would be easier if they weren't still around, as awful as that is to say." and Kiara did feel bad just thinking about such things, "Like every time I mess something up, I feel ashamed for her to see me, for everyone to see me really, but her most of all. And I've been messing up a lot lately."

"That's not... true." said Shani, unable to hide the hesitation in her own voice. "You settled that territory dispute with the warthogs last week." Kiara mumbled something noncommittally. "But you know," she went on, "I'm really glad that Simba and Mom are able to be part of the pride still. I mean, it's usually a lot more violent, isn't it?"

"Yeah," said Kiara, remembering stories her mother would tell her about the bad times. "My dad is an incredible lion and I'm glad that we still have his wisdom and that Kovu is wise enough to take it." But that did not change how Kiara felt when Nala saw her first cub failing at such basic tasks as running down prey, or just walking around with her ridiculous belly. "But I'm still afraid, Shani. I can barely run like this." Kiara did not dare mention that she was also feeling more timid and less brave as well, even to Shani, "There's something gone wrong, even if I don't feel... very sick." Kiara paused, thinking about the weight of her swaying belly and the steady pressure on her hind legs. "It is not as though the other animals let us rule by instinct, you know. They respect our strength. Pride leaders can't be weak." Kiara spat out the last word.

Shani came closer, rubbing up against Kiara's flank and purring softly. The larger cat appreciated the physical contact more in the moment than she would have imagined. She rubbed her head against Shani's as she moved past. "Well, you know I get that strength is important and all, but, Kiara, I wouldn't worry about it so much. I mean our pride might've gotten so big that we had to split off at the end of the war, but all of us would still fight together if we had to. And you know, Kovu's a great fighter, but it's different for us females. I like to think of us as more... what was that word? egalitarian." Shani congratulated herself with a nod. "You don't need to beat any of us up when we get home. Even Imara wouldn't actually fight with you, even if she says such rude things." Shani finished with a wet raspberry.

"I know, I know." said Kiara, as if trying to convince herself. The reality was that things had never looked so good for the pride. No one was starving, the herds were multiplying and there was no talk of war. She ought to have been happy and she could have been, if not for her present worrying condition.

"But it is weird, yeah? How big you've gotten?" said Shani, not meaning to hurt, but jabbing the larger lioness all the same.

"Yeah." sighed Kiara. "Mother told what to expect, but she insisted that my body would know what to do naturally and that I'd know when it was time. So I've just been ignoring it..." Kiara paused for a couple of deep breaths, "But I don't feel anything right now, nothing but weight; weight and them moving around occasionally."

"Maybe you should ask someone about it. That's what I do when I'm not sure what to do." said Shani looking across as Kiara with bright eyes in the moonlight.

Kiara huffed a breath. "I guess I have to eventually. I can't keep pretending everything's alright forever."

By the time the group of six cats made it back to the dens at Pride Rock, Kiara was exhausted and lagging behind the others by more than half a kilometer. She walked past the resident cats, mostly the young and the old, who had already broken the wildebeest carcass into several segments for chewing, licking and gnawing and barely noticed her. When she got inside, she threw herself down on the smooth stone, not caring at all for the mass of her tummy under her, and fell promptly into a deep sleep.

Kiara slept for a good twenty hours, digesting a belly full of viscera and meat. On a good gorge, a lioness did not need to eat for a full week afterwards, but there was no such luck for Kiara. On waking, she was already feeling slightly peckish and wistful for even a scattered wildebeest carcass. Naturally, though there were only a few small bones left outside the den after she had picked herself out of the mass of sleeping cats that had gathered around her in the night and subsequent day.

Alone, Kiara hiked up one of the prominences of the massive rock and sat down above a cliff face. She curled her tail around herself and watched the moon rise. She tried to feel... something, anything her body was telling her. Despite Imara's comments she knew she was not just fat. Sitting still, she could feel the little bodies inside of her belly move, not restlessly but every now and then she would feel something squirm against her insides. And the somethings, she realized, were not quite so tiny as she had been imagining, though she should have reached that conclusion given the size of her belly occupying her entire abdomen and even bulging out enough to meet the ground between her feet. 'Cubs.' Kiara reminded herself, 'These are cubs inside of me.'

It might have seemed strange that she would have to remind herself of that basic fact, but in practice it was easy to forget, even with herself feeling so heavy lately. In Kiara's mind, being with Kovu for the first time had seemed like the ultimate expression of their romance and even though she knew what it would entail afterwards, there was still this disconnect between that act and what she was going through now with her body. Nala had encouraged her not to think about it too much and that Nature would, as it always had, take its course. And Kiara had heeded her mother's advice. It had been easy since she had always rather followed her heart and done things her own way. In a sense, she had not even really been pregnant until she had started to receive comments on her size and by the time a lioness started to show, it was already very close. But then the day had not come. Even as she tried to listen, her body told her nothing, nothing except that she was already a little hungry.

"Want a snack?" said a voice.

Kiara jumped, albeit, not very high, but found relief in the dark mane and kind face of Kovu beside her. "You... snuck up on me." she panted, catching her breath.

"It's kinda what I do." said Kovu with a laugh. He nudged something close to Kiara's paws. She saw that it was a fresh haunch, zebra maybe, it was hard to tell in the gloom of their touching shadows.

"Oh, I shouldn't." Kiara said. "We had a good hunt just yesterday." Kiara closed her mouth and swallowed back the saliva filling it.

Kovu rolled his glowing eyes at her, "Kiara, I could hear your belly growling from halfway across Pride Rock."

Kiara's reached a paw below to rub the round mass of her tummy, she chuffed in embarrassment and turned her nose away. "I had hoped it just sounded loud to me."

Kovu got closer and nuzzled the back of her neck. Kovu loomed above and behind her, even with her current heaviness, the big male, now grown into his full size, out massed her easily. "Don't worry, everyone else is asleep. I'm the only one paying attention right now."

Kiara leaned into him. His warmth was welcoming as was the musky scent of his long mane. She licked him below the jaw, feeling much better now that he was here. They just stayed like that for a while, how long it was impossible to tell. But the moment ended with another gurgle from her enlarged belly. Kiara flinched and Kovu reached down with a massive paw and rolled the haunch over until it rested against Kiara's forepaw. "Oh, I really shouldn't Kovu. I am sure there are hungrier cats here than me. I'm sure Mother or Simba would like it."

"Maybe, but I didn't catch it for them." said Kovu and he leaned over Kiara drawing in a generous sniff of her own scent. Kiara laughed and pushed herself away from the big cat. He grinned at her, but said, "But seriously, they might be slowing down, but they don't need us to feed them. And I still wouldn't like to face your old man in a fight."

Kiara laughed, "Yeah, you wouldn't want to lose the other eye."

Chuckling, Kovu placed a paw over the scar on his left eye. "I'd be lucky to get off so easy, knowing Simba."

The shared a few more laughs, but, perhaps as he had intended, or maybe just because she was that weak willed, Kiara did edge back towards where the fresh haunch lay on the ground. "Well, I guess since you took the time to bring this all the way up here, I won't let it go to waste. I know how stubborn you can be." she said before laying down to chew on the thick firm meat.

Kovu laid down beside her as she ate. Kiara's belly squished against the ground, swelling wider than her ribs. She did not notice, but Kovu did as he looked down at her. "Do you think I'm fat too?" she asked him, swallowing a mouthful of red meat hard.

The big lion put a great paw over Kiara's and he took a moment to look deep into her brown eyes. "I think I see the mother of my children, and that's as beautiful a thing as I could ever imagine."

"Kovu..." Kiara whispered, but could think of nothing to say. She could only press her face into his mane. He welcomed the embrace. "Oh, Kovu." She never wanted to come back out of that flowing hair, but she did eventually and finished the haunch, which was just the right size to top her off and quiet her stomach. This exchange was the closest they had come to discussing her pregnancy, she knew, and while Kiara wanted to unload everything on Kovu, all of her fears and anxieties about her size and lateness, she stopped herself. This was not a matter that usually involved males and Kiara had to assume that he knew even less than she had going into this. She could not burden him with something that he could do nothing about. So she said nothing about it the whole time they spent together that evening, not even about Imara's comments.

By the time they had wandered down the the waterhole for a drink, Kiara was feeling much more relaxed and more like herself. They chased each other and played like they were cubs, rolling around in the grass near the water. She got out of breath, though and laid down, looking up at the pale stars still visible as a warm glow beckoned in the east. Kovu slammed down alongside her, throwing up tufts of grass fronds and dander. Kiara did not usually look at the stars so late, so she did not see any patterns she recognized even as the light of the coming day obliterated the twinkling lights one by one, but really, she just wanted to catch her breath. Then Kovu surprised her again by placing a large paw on her tummy. Her muscles tensed, but then relaxed, she trusted Kovu and let him feel her.

He was still looking up at the lightening pre-dawn sky, but his paw ran gently along the fur on her round tummy, so big that it rested nearly even with her solar plexus, even on her back. He flexed his digits around her curvature, letting them run lower as he reached until they found the soft areas on her lower abdomen. Kiara had still yet to drop any milk, but the areas on her tummy that would serve that purpose were loosened and soft to the touch and surprisingly sensitive as he felt them. Kiara closed her eyes, drawing in a deep breath. Her four nipples were also enlarged and caught against Kovu's paw before he again pulled his paw back upwards across her expanded midriff again. Kiara wished she knew what he was thinking, was he disgusted with the new shape of her body, so out of the ordinary? Well, his digits showed no hesitation as they ran across and more firmly pressed into the dense flesh of her belly. Then he pulled his paw away suddenly.

"What is it?" asked Kiara apprehensively, rolling over to face the other lion. Had he made up his mind after all?

"I... I felt something move." he said and then chuckled softly under his breath. "I didn't know you could feel them."

Kiara relaxed again. Why did she keep doubting Kovu? She reached out to touch the fur on his chest and he began to purr softly. "I feel them all the time." she said, stroking up and down the broad chest. "They've gotten a lot bigger since it first started, so it's even easier to feel when it happens."

"I can tell that much." laughed Kovu.

"Stop it." said Kiara, pushing the bigger cat with a grin. "This is all your fault anyways."

"My fault?!" said Kovu in mock indignation. "Do you have any idea what's its like when I see you?" He turned his head to look at her, "I can't help myself."

Before Kiara knew what was happening, Kovu reached over with both big paws and pulled her easily onto his chest and tummy. Kiara shrieked with laughter and squirmed, but she was putty in his grasp.

"See?" he said, looking up at her startled expression. "You did that by looking the way you do."

Kiara laughed and delighted in feeling their bodies so close to each other, her big belly sinking into his concave abdomen as they settled. "You're crazy." she laughed.

"Only when I'm with you." he answered back.

Kiara just rolled her eyes and sunk her head to his chest in surrender, loving the way Kovu's paws held her in place on top of him, gently stroking her sides.

"You know, this is nice." said Kovu after a moment.

"What is?" asked the lioness.

"You've gotten softer. It's kinda nice."

She shot him a wry grin.

"What?" he asked.

"You're so dumb sometimes!" laughed Kiara and hit him again on the chest. She started to get off of him, but he reached up with his paws on her back and pulled her back down onto himself.

"I'm serious." he said as he caught her in a tight grip, "I really don't mind how you've changed and I think you've been too hard on yourself lately."

Kiara struggled to break free, but Kovu was much stronger than she was and held her fast. "Urgh! If anything I haven't been hard enough. I've gotten slow and soft! Grr-let me go!"

Kovu released her and she jumped free, forcing the breath out of the big cat as her hind feet pressed on his stomach. She landed a short distance away, licking her shoulder in a nervous tick. She said nothing as Kovu recovered and then got up to face her.

He looked down and away as he spoke, "I admit, I don't know that much about what you're going through. Cubs are... lioness business, especially when there aren't any walking around yet." Kiara could tell that it was uncomfortable to even mention that. "But I know you and I know that being queen was not something that you asked for but you feel like you have to set an example for everyone else anyways."

Kiara's voice caught in her throat. They had spoken a little about it, but she had no idea the big male cat had been so observant.

"I know you're upset about your body right now, but I hate seeing you so depressed. I just want you to be happy."

Kiara closed her eyes and sighed off to the side. "Kovu," she said, looking back up and coming closer now. "You make me happy."

He pulled her close and licked the top of her head, making her giggle. "Good thing we're together then." he said and he wrapped a big paw around Kiara's shoulders, pulling her in under his chin. "And I don't know why, but it's so much fun to squeeze you right now." and he did.

"Ah! Stop!" laughed Kiara once more, but she did not really want him to.

Kovu and Kiara napped under a large tree not far from the water hole as the sun beat down overhead. After a few hours they woke each other up and just watched the animals of the pridelands go about their business for a while. The afternoon went on, the heat sinking into Kiara's muscles and making her drowsy once again. Inevitably Kovu had to leave on one of his many duties, brought to them in the form of an intruding hornbill. This time he was traveling out to meet with one of the shards of the pride who had broken up after the Outlanders had fused with the Pridelanders. "It's probably just a few rogue lions who need a good scaring." he said, licking her face, "I'll be back in a few days."

"Maybe I'll have a surprise for you when you get back." said Kiara, though she did not feel as though there was much hope for that.

Kovu smiled and then winked slyly. "Oh? Are you offering to do that thing with your tongue again?" The big cat rolled over in the grass, exposing himself for Kiara. He was indeed ready.

Kiara laughed and turned away, embarrassed for both of them. She spoke without turning around. "Maybe, no promises." She turned back and saw him still wriggling in the grass, "Don't push your luck!"

"Alright!" exclaimed Kovu exuberantly as he bounced to his feet. He all but crashed into Kiara, but stopped and let their necks rub together in a final embrace. "You'll be fine." he said softly. "And you'll be feeling like yourself again in no time, I'm sure."

"Just get going, Kovu." said Kiara and before she knew it, he was bounding off. She watched him go until he disappeared over a rolling hill.

Kiara went back to Pride Rock. She and Kovu had already spent too much time away from the others, she knew, but also in the absence of her lover beside her, she felt vulnerable out in the vast plains and hills. Really, how could she fight with her absurd belly both weighing her down and making her a bigger target? The lioness took a breath and tried to force the anxiety from her mind. It worked... for about a minute, but she fell quickly back into her old habits of thinking.

"Oh, if only Rafiki were here. I bet that old ape would know a thing or two." she muttered under her breath as she approached the stone protrusion. However, the baboon had not been seen almost since the end of the war. Nala had told her that he tended to keep to himself unless there was important business about. Kiara hoped the old timer had not quietly passed away without anyone noticing. She knew he must be ancient to have presented Simba when he was only a cub. Had he ever gotten an apprentice? she wondered, but could not remember. Usually her mind was far from anything mystic or supernatural. Life on the savannah was enough to occupy her time.

At home, Kiara intermingled with the other lionesses who were mostly lying about and grooming each other. Imara caught her eye, again with the same two former outlanders, one of whom seemed to be rather enthusiastic about cleaning her inner thigh. Kiara ignored her and kept moving. She wanted to lie down again herself after the long walk back from the water hole, but somehow couldn't dissolve in with with the others the way she used to. She was apart. She kept walking and came across the dark mane of a male sitting by himself, looking out across the savannah. She recognized it immediately and came to rest beside him.

"Hey, Dad." said Kiara.

Simba was definitely not a young cat anymore, there were grey streaks running through his flowing mane, but neither was he a shadow of his former proud self, subject of many a tale among lions and even other creatures. His skin might have hung a little loose about his shoulders, but there was still plenty of muscle on the big cat as well as many scars from his past battles. He certainly was not toothless, but he was fading.

"Hey Kit." he said, turning his eyes toward her. The cataracts added a slight grey tinge to his large pupils.

She chuffed, "How old do I have get before you stop calling me that?"

"Oh, you'll always be my little kitten." rumbled the big cat.

They sat together for a time, just watching the end of yet another golden day. There was nothing at all special about it, but Kiara valued just being able to be near her father like this. Even though he had been there her entire life, she knew what a rarity it was for lions to be able to stick together like this for so long.

It was Kiara who broke the silence, her patience was no match for the older feline's. "Dad?"

"Yes." he intoned, almost as if he had been expecting her to speak.

"I'm starting to get worried about Kovu's... My cubs. It's been far too long already, but each day passes and I don't feel like I am getting any closer to... them arriving." she finished awkwardly. She could not even remember the last time she had had a serious conversation with her father.

"Isn't this something you should be asking your mother, Kiara?" said Simba slowly, still looking off into the sunset. Although he was a male, unlike Kovu, he did not seem fazed by the topic at all.

Nervously, Kiara ran her paws across one another. Why hadn't she gone to Nala about this? "Well, maybe." she said hesitantly, "But she always tells me to just let nature take its course and that my body will know what to do." without meaning to, she mimicked her mother's tone.

"Well, I would say that nature will take its course whether or not you let it. If it's not time yet for cubs, then maybe it's just not time yet." said Simba, but his answer left Kiara feeling unsatisfied.

"But doesn't nature fall out of balance sometimes?" Kiara insisted, pointing her snout towards Simba, "Daddy, I feel out of balance. Everything seemed to be going fine, but these cubs should have been here nearly two moons ago, and I just keep getting bigger..." Her mouth wanted to run on, to gush about how all the other lionesses looked at her now, about how she felt about being queen, about everything, but she couldn't, she wouldn't do that to him.

Simba did not immediately respond. He seemed to meditate on the scenes of life going on before of them, down on the plains below. "When things are out of balance, it can result in a lot of misery for everyone." he said finally. "Have you seen Rafiki?"

Kiara shook her head, "No, I haven't. Doesn't he usually come near the birth of a new heir?"

"Yes." said Simba and he paused to scratch behind one of his ears. "I have to admit, it's strange that he has not come yet. Of course, it's always been impossible to get the old coot to do anything other than exactly what he wants to do."

"How does Rafiki know when a new heir is to be born if he never visits." asked Kiara.

To this, Simba chuckled. "He has his way of knowing things, my dear kitten. He told me he listens to the voices of the air, the water and the earth. He even hears the voices of the old kings, or so it's said."

Kiara frowned, "But is any of that even real? I've never heard a rock speak, or a star for that matter."

Simba just grinned at her and looked off again into the distance. "Kitten, after many long years, even I don't really know for sure, but I do know this." Kiara leaned in closer. "There is more to this world than can be seen with the eyes or heard with the ears and that we are all connected, for better or worse, in ways that we cannot imagine."

Simba's words left Kiara more disquieted than relieved. They were silent until the sun disappeared and twilight was upon them. "What will we do if Rafiki doesn't come?" Kiara asked after the long silence.

"We will keep going, of course. Keep moving within the Circle."

Kiara really did appreciate Simba's knowledge and experience, but sometimes, like now, he seemed so detached. Kiara knew that she should probably heed his advice, but at the same time, it felt so impersonal, more like a moral rather than actual advice. "Thanks, Dad." she said and nuzzled the side of the elder lion's head before departing.

The lioness did not feel like napping and instead walked aimlessly about the nooks and pathways around Pride Rock, her large belly swaying side to side as she paced. She was not sure at all what to do with herself, though at least she was not thinking so critically about her body anymore. She found an old pelvis bone and cracked it open, chewing out the marrow for a few hours. She was more bored than hungry, but remembered her frightening appetite anyways. Shani stumbled across her as she was tossing the bone fragments over the nearest cliff side.

"Your M-... Kiara." she said catching herself.

Kiara smiled and beckoned the younger cat over. They sat for a while, grooming each other. It felt really nice, almost normal. "They're talking about where the herds have been last seen and where we should try our next hunt." said Shani casually as Kiara cleaned the back of her neck. "Have you been to the waterhole lately?"

"Yeah," said Kiara, lifting her face. "It's pretty low, but there's still plenty of green left around it." When the grass and plants dried up was a sign that it was not even worth digging for water anymore.

Shani sighed. "I hope the rains come soon."

Kiara gave a half smile, "We all do, this time every year."

They swapped places and Kiara asked, "So when is the next hunt?"

"I'm not sure. The wildebeest herd was the last one to move through the pridelands. They're talking about splitting up and hunting small game for now."

"Ugh..." sighed Kiara. She was not looking forward to rooting in bushes, waiting for things like birds or small antelope or an unsuspecting warthog to wander by. Normally it would not have been a big concern for her, but then normally she did not have a great pot belly either.

Shani got a few licks in and then added brightly. "I know! how about you and me go out together."

Kiara turned back to Shani, "Are you sure, I don't want to slow you down."

"Nonsense, It'll be fun! Like old times."

Kiara chortled. "Old times? You mean when I baby sat you?"

"Well, you just try sitting on me now!" said the younger cat who put a paw on Kiara's shoulder. She pressed down just hard enough so she could feel the claw tips.

"Ha! I don't think so. You're a real hunter now." said the round bellied cat. The cleaning stopped and Kiara turned back around.

Shani was beaming, moist eyed. "You really think so, Kiara?"

"I know so." said the queen and knew it to be true.

The pair of large cats left before dawn. Shani could have rested another day or two before needing to head out, but Kiara knew she did not have that luxury. Besides, it might be days before they were successful in catching anything. Kiara remembered the hunger she had felt, the single-mindedness, in the hours leading up to her last meal. She was not looking forward to feeling that way again.

They wandered through the pridelands, mostly north and east, trying to find either easy game or likely places to lay in ambush. But the dry scrub and cracked earth went on and on. There were plenty of animals about, gophers on sentry duty, birds flying overhead and scratching in the dust, a rogue male giraffe in the distance, browsing the dry tree branches. But the land had little to give without water and everyone was wandering through, never stopping. Even Shani was wise enough now not to waste her energy chasing after every stray bird that flapped nearby. Without any prime grazing spots, there was nowhere in particular to set up an ambush, and there was less cover overall as well. They kept moving until the morning sun had climbed high and beat them panting into submission. They slept in the shade until dusk came and they moved once more.

They traveled all night long, only pausing an hour or two for Kiara to rest. When they came across a deep gorge the following morning through which a muddy stream ran, they knew they were not far away from the northern borders of the Pridelands, not far off from the old Outlands as well.

Carefully, they climbed down into the gorge and, wary of crocodiles, sated their thirst. They kept their eyes on the suspicious looking logs laying in the shallow water and silt nearby. One of them winked at the pair and they hastily climbed back up out of the gorge.

But climbing was hard on Kiara. Panting, she threw herself down under a nearby bush, saying. "Let's rest here a while, alright, Shani?"

The younger lion grunted agreement and wandered a short distance away. No point in laying on top of each other, the day was too hot and they'd double their chance of one of them spotting potential prey. So Kiara lay drowsing as the heat expanded around her. She listened to the sounds her yearning stomach was making now and at least once an hour, she felt something stir inside her wide midsection. Occasionally, the movement pressed into her diaphragm, catching her breath. "When will you all come out?" she whispered to herself after one such incident.

Kiara rested with her eyes half shut, almost completely asleep, but she caught sudden movement ahead of her that roused her in a second. Something was rustling the dry grass ahead, just within pouncing range. Kiara gathered her feet under her, hunching her body low to the ground. She dare not move, her round tummy was digging into the dirt under her and the sound of it would surely give her away. The creature, whatever it was, wandered a little further away, and then back. Kiara spotted a dark tail frond between the blades. Warthog!

The lioness could not believe her luck. She found it was easy to lose herself in the moment, to shove all self doubt and apprehension away. Instinct and years of practice took over, there was not even time to doubt herself. She leapt and fell on the prey, feeling her claws dig into the flanks of the wild pig. Squealing, it tore itself away from her and made a bloody track through the underbrush before she could land a finishing bite. Kiara gave chase, but quickly lost hope, even the humble warthog could usually make better speed than a lion, and Kiara struggled to move more than half as fast as she used to.

But another tan blur flew forward to intersect the fleeing beast, tackling it and rolling over the ground, Shani! Kiara raced forward towards where they fell, but to her surprise, the ground suddenly gave way through the grass, down into the gorge. "Shani!" she roared and threw herself down the slope.

The crocodiles were excited. From above, Kiara saw them gathering towards where Shani still splashed in the water, struggling to subdue the warthog, completely oblivious to the danger. "Shani! Shani!" cried Kiara, slipping from dust into mud and then splashing forward as the slop sucked at her paws.

Shani finally got the pig by the back of the neck and shook it until it fell limp. Only then did she look around her to see thousand-toothed death slipping silently towards her. She half swam, half crawled up an actual fallen log, just as the jaws came snapping at her feet.

"Throw them the pig!" shouted Kiara, now trying to get closer to her without bringing the crocs down on her.

"No!" shouted Shani and she swiped a snapping croc across the snout for its trouble. "It's ours!"

"Don't be a fool, they'll swarm that log!" Kiara yelled back at the young cat, recalling how voracious a group of big crocs could be. But her sister was either too stubborn or just couldn't see the imminent danger. She took up the hog in her mouth and made her way to the near side of the log which was lodged in thick mud.

Kiara ran along the bank, not knowing what she could do, other than try to distract the gators herself. But that fear crept down her spine, even now, even if it meant sacrificing her younger sister, Kiara felt some crazy instinct to protect herself at all costs. She could not bring herself to dive into that water. She kept on yelling at her from the bank, as more crocodiles gathered.

There were a couple in between Shani and Kiara's bank as well, but the younger cat seemed to realize that in moments, the water all around her would be thick with scaly backs. Still carrying the hog, she leapt towards Kiara, landing in a splash of silty water. Two crocs swam towards her from both sides. "Shani!" cried Kiara, her paws splashing in the mud under her. Tears filled her eyes, but she could not move forward, just could not.

There was sudden splashing and Shani went under. Finally, whatever it was that had been holding her back snapped and Kiara dashed forward, only to be caught in thick muck. While she tried to keep her head above water, she saw Shani surface, a torn off haunch in her mouth. The croc who had won most of the pig from her began to move away, but was sidelined by its fellow who also bit into the carcass. Between them they had a tug of war, but behind them, the rest of the group realized where their quarry had gone.

Shani was so close! but then she stopped, just a couple meters ahead, caught in the same muck that Kiara was lodged in. Kiara pulled herself out, looking around desperately as the crocs came closer and Shani made slow progress, too slow. There was a long stick floating in the shallow water just by Kiara's head. The lioness took it in her mouth and shoved the point towards Shani. "'ab it!" she shouted, muffled by the stick in her mouth. The younger cat reached out with both paws and sunk her claws into the wood while Kiara dragged her back with all the strength in her body. The crocs were snapping at Shani's tail, but she made it free of the mud just in time. Filthy and dripping, Kiara and Shani climbed back up out of the gorge as a wave of reptilian bodies crashed into the bottom of the slope where they had just been.

At the top, Kiara threw herself down again, too stunned by what had just happened to say anything, too stunned to think. Shani, however, was less preoccupied.

"Woo! Take that, you stupid crocs!" she cried and hopped up and down like a cub half her age.

Kiara's jaw was so tight she did not even realize she was still holding onto the stick she had found. She dropped it and said, "We almost died! Why didn't you drop the pig?"

Shani's exuberance died and she hung her head. "Because... it was our pig." She turned her head and picked up the bloody haunch from the ground that was all that remained of the warthog. She dropped it in front of Kiara, who was still heaving her breath. "At least I managed to save this much."

Kiara looked at the thick leg without seeing it. "I don't care about the meat!" Grunting she got up and pulled Shani close with a strong paw. "I almost lost you." And before she knew what was happening, she was sobbing into Kiara's shoulder.

But with the arrogance of youth, her near death just did not seem to penetrate into Shani's mind. She rubbed against Kiara at first, but pulled away. "Well, good thing you were there, Kiara." she said.

Kiara looked back at her unhappily, reminded of how useless she had been, of how much more she could have done. She let anger burn out her sadness. "Well, don't do anything so stupid next time and no one will have to save you!"

Shani shrank under her elder sister's glare and said nothing.

When the anger had run its course, Kiara felt burnt out and empty, almost as empty as her hollow stomach. She sighed and dropped down onto her belly, her whole body aching for the effort of pulling Kiara and the climb back up here. Before she knew what she was doing, she had pulled the single haunch under her chin and was biting down into the succulent pork. She ate most of it in four or five big gulps. Only after nearly all the meat was gone, did she think of Shani.

Kiara got up and walked to where the younger cat was sitting, playing with the stick from the gorge. "I'm sorry I yelled at you." she said, the stick of a leg hanging from her mouth.

Shani stopped batting at the stick, but kept her head down. "No, you were right, I was being dumb down there."

Kiara dropped the leftover leg near Shani's feet. "I... I already ate most of it. I wasn't thinking."

Kiara looked askance, unable to meet Shani's eyes. How could she have done that without even realizing, right after Shani had risked her life for that morsel of meat.

But the younger cat surprised her by nosing the meaty bone back towards her, a smile on her face. "No, I wanted you to have it."

"Shani... I..." started Kiara, but was interrupted by the younger cat.

"I wanted you to have it from the start." said Shani. Then her actions down in the stream came into a terrifying new light. Kiara's eyes watered with renewed sadness at Shani's daring. She swallowed her tears, though, knowing that being upset would only hurt Shani more.

"Just... Just please don't do something like that ever again." said Kiara.

Shani did not answer verbally, just came close and rubbed against Kiara's neck, purring softly.

Kiara settled back down and began to work on the remains of the haunch with her teeth. Shani went back to the stick and resumed batting at some odd things near one end.

Shani laughed as when she hit the things, they made a rattling noise. "What are these things?" she asked at length, bringing the stick back over, rattling the hanging gourds all the way.

Kiara looked up from her bone and her eyes widened, realizing she had seen this stick before. It was Rafiki's staff.