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Chapter 1 Dilemma

In the gray hours that precede the dawn of the African Savannah, a pride of lions sleep in the rock formation known by all its inhabitants as pride rock. This structure was unique as it afforded a very high vantage point allowing the inhabitants to watch over a large portion of the Savannah and maintain borders normally 3 times the size of a normal pride. For this reason, the pride had a royal family whose duty included more complicated roles. Roles that prioritized the health and balance of the Savannah. That Royal Family was currently sleeping in the formation on a rock platform. At the top level was King Simba, and Queen Nala. Right next to them on another flat rock slightly lower than theirs was their daughter Kiara.

Kiara begins to stir from slumber as the approaching dawn fills the mouth of the cave with gray twilight. Raising her head she shakes the sleep from her eyes and stretches. She had been dreaming a funny dream that had included eating the Warthog Pumba. But as she reflected on how good it had tasted, the dream began to fade into nothingness. Glancing at her father on his dais, she knew that Timon and Pumba were off limits and while being annoying at times, were family friends. Her father was laying sideways, and yet even then, had a paw laying over her mothers slightly swollen belly.

Her mother, whom was a month pregnant, in turn laid with her head resting in between his front paw and head, using his mane as a cushion. Kiara reflected on the brothers or sisters growing in her mother's belly. There had been joy at the prospect of the pregnancy as it meant that a male heir was now possible. While she was royalty herself, if a male was born, he would be raised as the next King and she would be considered a side branch of the family. She did not mind as it meant that her father would lessen his urgency that she chose a path.

She had reached her adulthood a few months prior. A ceremony that made her a full fledged member of the pribe. It was also why she was not on the top dais, sleeping next to her parents anymore. She was not a child. As a princess and the current 1st in line candidate of the throne, she had several choices to make in regard to her future. She knew her first heat could come at any time. A ticking internal clock that would make the choices she made a key part of her future. Despite her royalty, she was expected to choose a male amd path. Her mother had explained her options to her.

There were currently 3 males within the pride to choose from. 2 juveniles named Asani and Kiango, and her father. The juveniles were younger and not due to reach adulthood for another few months. They were sons of the same lioness with their manes just beginning to grow out. Sired by her father a few months after his return to Pride Rock. Once they reached adulthood, they would be expected to leave to either form their own pride or win the rights to another pride. It was her right to leave with them and start a new life with them. She did not particularly like them though she had been making an effort to spend time with the brothers. Alone and separate. They were friendly and knew her options of choosing them. So they would flirt with her though she didn't find it endearing. She suspected this was due to them not being fully mature and thought her attraction to them would change once the last remnant of boyhood left them and their mane's were fully grown.

Her second option was to strike out on her own and either become a member of another pride or start her own pride with a lone male. This was the path she was considering though her inexperience with hunting and survival skills made it a troubling prospect. Her mother had assured she would be ready for it when it came, yet she wasn't sure. The sooner she found a rogue male or other pride after leaving, the better. And yet there were so many "what ifs?" She always got nervous and tense when trying to plan for them. If she didn't take to either Asani or Kiango, this was her best path forward and the path her mother recommended as she knew Kiara was always stubborn and saw things through if she put her heart into it.

Her final option was her father. As she was a member of the pride, the king had a right to breed any lioness. If she chose to remain in the pride she would be expected to fulfill her duties and bear the king's cubs as she may. She had considered submitting to her father, but already dismissed it as unthinkable due to their close family bond and his overprotective nature. An instinct born of his feeling for the loss of Kopa, their first born. She never heard the story of what happened, and knew better than to ask. But because of it, she could not see forming a relationship with her father when the time came. Things would surely get too complicated. In consideration of this, her mother had said if her heat came before she chose a path, she was to remain away from pride rock through the duration of her heat so as to not make it hard on either her father or her. She had shown her a small cave behind pride rock formation where she was to go to wait out her heat and that her mother would bring food.

Even now, as the sun slowly lit the ceiling of pride rock and its inhabitants began to stir, Kiara found herself deliberating her future. As she had for a few months now.