Other Fan Fiction ❯ The Lion King 4: A Single Step ❯ Expecting ( Chapter 16 )

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Hey, thanks for comin back. My life has been a little crazy. But it's back in order now.
Last time: The young lions hung out as usual, except for Tali who had to join the hunting party. Kiara let her practice her skills by leading a hunt. The friends got to enjoy Tali's kill together.

Chapter 16 Expecting
Just as predicted, the rain didn't start the next day. Instead, huge dark clouds rolled across the once clear sky. They sat above the dry African lands, taunting the thirsty grass and trees.
A young, brown lion, Kivu, was hanging out near the border of the Pride lands with only Jai and Mani today. The young lionesses of the group were elsewhere. The three friends slept for a long time, enjoying the comfortable chill of the wind.
Later, Tempest joined their lazy slumber. Kivu later woke to voice. It was Tali talking to Mani. Kivu noticed Tempest was still asleep. Mani was about to drift back to sleep when he heard Tali say,
"Kovu and Kiara have been in the den all morning, I wonder what's wrong."
Kivu thought nothing of it, and went back to sleep. He awoke later from a bit noisier voice.
"Prince Kivu."
Kivu rolled over, ignoring the voice.
"Prince Kivu, wake up." the voice said again, louder this time. He felt a hard paw nudge his back roughly.
"Get up Kivu!" A different, more familiar voice said. Kivu glanced up at the second speaker. It was Ciara.
"What?" he said sleepily.
"This seems important, get up."
Kivu moved his head to see a lioness behind Ciara. She was the source of the first voice. She stood firm and serious. As he started to stand, Tali added, "This must be about your parents, Kivu, they've been in the den all day long."
"Oh," Kivu shook off any sleep and stood before the Pride land lioness. She had pale creamy fur with strong green eyes. "Yes?"
"I was sent to fetch you. The King and Queen need you at once."
"What for?"
The lioness smiled a little. "They have something to tell you."
And at that, the lioness nodded politely, and strolled off.
"What are they going to tell you?" Ciara asked curiously.
"I don't know, that's why they sent someone to get me. Duh, Ciara." Kivu teased.
"Oh, shut up and go." She turned and laid down by the still sleeping Tempest. The others did the same while Kivu started briskly toward home, wondering what was so important. He had been having a good dream, before being so rudely woken. Kivu kept tiredly watching himself put one foot in front of the other until he arrived at Pride Rock. A few lionesses were waiting around by the base of pride rock. He casually leapt onto the rock's stair-like base, then walked into the den. Inside, Kovu stood over Kiara. Mairu, the pride's "medicine" lioness, was standing nearby. Kivu's grandparents, Simba and Nala were also present.
"Oh Kivu, you made it." Kiara said when she saw her son.
"Yes, Mom, it's not that hard to walk here from the border."
"You were at the border?" she asked with a troubled tone. Kivu sat in front of his mother.
"That's where I always am these days. So what's this about? You have something to tell me?"
Kiara looked at Kovu with a smile, then back at Kivu.
"In a few months, you're going to be a big brother."
Kivu released a purr of excitement and surprise. He immediately nuzzled his mother.
"Really, Mom? That's great!" he said. "Any word on if it's a girl or a boy?"
Mairu stepped in. "It's too early for me to tell. I know if Rafiki were here, he would work his magic and be able to tell us. He taught me how to check, but it will take a bit more time."
Kiara and Kovu looked very happy.
"I want to tell the others," Kivu said.
"Go ahead, son." Kovu replied, and Kivu turned to leave.
"Wait, Kivu, come here a moment." Kiara said. Her son obeyed. She put an affectionate paw on his arm.
"You'll always be our son. We promise to love you both equally when it's time for the cub to come."
Kivu smiled. "Of course, Mom, I know that!" he butted heads with her and purred. He went to nuzzle his dad, but Kovu swatted him lightly and affectionately instead.
"Now get going," Kovu said with a smile. Kivu scampered away. He hurriedly hopped down the rock, then he was stopped by a lioness.
"What's the news?"
"Oh my mom is…" Kivu saw Kiara and Kovu come out of the den and start to ascend the peak. They looked as if they were going to make an announcement. "About to tell you right now."
Kivu ran on, ignoring the lioness's confused look, hurrying back to his friends. The five were still laying down, but no lion was asleep. They all stared at Kivu with curious glances.
"So what did they want?" Tali asked.
"Guess what! My mom is going to have another cub."
"That's great, Kivu." Mani said with a grin. The others agreed.
"I think I'd like a little brother or sister." Kivu said.
"You're not worried about your parents not paying attention to you anymore?" Tempest asked. "I was worried when my bother, Koru, was born."
"Well did they pay attention to you after he was born, Tempest?" Mani asked her.
"Well I shouldn't say they didn't," she flipped a piece of long hair out of her eye. "But there were times when I wished it were only me. That was when I was just a cub though, I know now that they were just busy with the younger cubs. I can realize that now that I'm almost old enough to take care of myself."
"Well said." Mani said with a nod.
"I'll help take care of my new sibling. It wont bother me, as long as it's not too annoying." Kivu laughed.
"It wont be easy!" Jai said, "My little sister was so hard to keep track of!"
"What, Jai?" Ciara said, swatting him. "You're one minute older than me, don't start acting like you're the king around here. You were just as bad as me as far as behavior goes!"
"Shut up, ugly." he replied.
"Ugly?" She pounced upon her brother. Jai was surprised by Ciara's sudden leap, but he tried to flip her over and off of him. It backfired when Ciara easily flipped him back down, to pin him. Jai laid stunned. She snarled a whisker away from his face.
"Go Ciara!" Tali called. Ciara got off her brother and returned to her friend's side with a triumphant smile.
"That'll teach him."
Jai stood with dirt all along his backside, and put on a wounded expression, even though he wasn't hurt.
"That's okay, Jai," Kivu said to him. "You just got beat by your little sister, that's all."
"Attack!" Jai yelled and leapt on Kivu. They started a tumbling play-fight.
"Oh-no what have I done?" Ciara said.
Tempest sighed. "You started it, so you get to break it up."
Ciara sighed with exasperation, did as she was told and approached the boys.
"Ciara wants to join!" Kivu called, lunging toward her. She quickly stopped him by putting a hard paw to his chest to hold him back.
She laughed when he tried to struggle toward her still. "Stop!" she said with a laugh.
He stopped struggling. "You don't want to play with us?"
"No. You can play with your new sibling when he or she is born." Ciara stuck her tongue out at him.
"Well I hope it's a boy since girls are no fun!" Kivu teased. Ciara snorted and pushed him away.
Kivu was only teasing, but he did hope with all his might that Kiara's second son would be a boy. He felt he would have a closer bond with a cub the same gender. He made a silent promise to himself that he would watch over the new cub with all his strength. Little did he know that he would have to use more strength than he ever imagined had.

Ohhh scary sounding. Check back with me :)












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