Image of Kion

 We reached Pride-rock, and went directly to the den. Inside, we saw Nala, Kiara, my mother, Tian, Asha, Koda, Amira, and some of the other lionesses. They were all sitting in a circle around a deceased zebra that would be our dinner.

"Hey mom!" I said as I trotted up to her. I licked her cheek.

"Hello, sweetie." she replied, with a nuzzle.

Vitani sat down next to Aunt Kiara. I sighed, and smiled u pat my mother.

"Go ahead and join the cubs, dear." My mother said.

"Okay." I said slowly, remembering their reactions earlier. 

I slowly dragged my paws across the cave floor, over to my cousins and friends. I sat down between Tian and Koda.

"Hi!" I said, testing them.

Tian grunted, and Koda squeaked "Hi". I turned my gaze to the zebra. I stared at the unique stripes that zigged and zagged on the zebra's white fur. I noticed this one had a cut on his leg. 

He was injured. I thought. From a young age, us pridelanders learned about the circle of life. The animals in the pride-lands all respect the circle of life, carnivores only kill old or injured animals so the healthy ones can live. 

"Are we waiting for something?" I asked. I wished my mother was paying attention, but she was chatting with Vitani and Kiara.

Tian grunted again. 

"Uh-huh," Koda replied.

"What are we waiting for?" I inquired. I looked to my right, trying to get Tian to answer. But he didn't lift his gaze from the zebra's striped pattern.

"We're waiting for daddy, and grandpa." Koda said.

Simba and Kovu must be on patrol. I thought.

But "Oh," was all I said.

After about another ten minutes, King Kovu and Simba walked into the den, looking happy as ever.

"Daddy!" Koda called, leaving his place to jump on top of his father. Kovu stumbled, but regained his balance. 

"Hi, son!" he greeted.

"Hello, father." Asha chirped, prancing up to him to rub against his leg.

"Hey, sweetheart." he replied, reaching his head down and pulling his chin over her back.

Simba just silently pawed over to is mate, Nala, with a smile on his face. They rubbed heads. Simba wasn't really old, he was just about the right age for a young grandfather.

"Who is ready for lunch?" Kiara asked.

The group of cubs erupted with "yes"es and "I am"s.

"Let's eat then!" she called.

I noticed the other cubs, walking back to their places around the zebra. I slipped out of my place, and padded to the tail end of the zebra. I plopped down and sighed. I looked up to see the lions digging into their meal. Then, I heard someone behind me. I turned around. My grandfather, Simba, was standing behind me, smiling.

"It looks like someone is eating alone." he said.

I nodded. 

"Well, I guess It's up to me to fix that." he said. He gently picked me up by the scruff, and walked over to his place. He sat me down in between himself and Nala. They smiled. I did too.

We bit pieces off of the zebra and swallowed it until it was gone. I followed other lions to the rock platform to have our "Pride time", which is just a time for the pride members to mingle and watch the sun set. We only watch on certain days, not everyday. Anyway, I walked behind Nala and Simba as we made our way to the larger platform. I was about to prance over to where the cubs were visiting, when my aunt motioned for me to come over to her. I cocked my head and trotted over to an area where no one was. She followed me. 

"So? Where were you?" Kiara asked, uncontrollable excitement seeping from her voice.

"You mean, earlier?" I asked, knowing what she meant, and toying with her patience.  

"Yeah!" she exclamied.

"Oh, you know, I went over to-" I stopped and looked up and pretended to see something interesting on the horizon.

"Kito! You're just playing with me! Get on with it!!" she said, her excited voice now angry.

"Whoa! Whoa! Chill out! I was just lookin'!" I replied.

She scowled at me.

"Sheesh!" I said. "I went to the lair, and then I visited Fuli!" 

A smile quickly replaced the scowl.

"Really?" she said.

I nodded with a smile.

"Did it work?" she asked.

I sighed. "I think it helped little, but need to talk to the others first."

"I see." she nodded. "Let's join the others, shall we?" 

"We shall." I answered. 

We walked over to the others, and watched the light fade from the sky. Then we walked back to the den. Now that I was older, I was aloud to stay up later, and talk. But, none of the cubs would even look at me, so instead I walked out to the rock that jutted out in front of the den.

It was where all the important things happened, like exiles and presentations.

I sat down, and stared at the stars. I have always been told that the great kings of the past watch us from the stars. But that seems a little far fetched for me, it always has. I sighed and cast my eyes on the sleeping Pride-lands in front of me. This was a great home, it was fun, exciting and full of caring animals. Why would my father want to leave? It didn't make sence. 

I heard quiet paw steps behind me. I turned around. Tian was slowly pawing his way out of the den full of resting lions. I narrowed my eyes and turned my head away from him.

"Kito," he whispered.

"What do you want?" I asked angrily.

"Aww, now Kito. That's not fair!" he whispered.

I sighed.

"After all, I'm not the one who's at fault here." he said.

I whipped my head around, and stared him in the eyes.

"What do you mean you're not at fault!" I whispered furiously.

He exhaled sharply. "Kito, you're the one who ditched me, twice! I couldn't believe it." he said.

I was astonished. Me!? This was getting ridiculous. 

"What?" I snapped. 

"Well, you just left us at the watering hole, and then you left us again when we came back. And, on top of it all, you didn't even bother to come talk with us at Pride time, or just now!" he said, anger seeping into his previously calm voice.

I just gaped at him. 

"I came out here, thinking I could convince you to stop being such a jerk, but I guess you're just too stubborn!" he hissed. He turned around attempting to reenter the den, but I wasn't about to let that happen.

I lunged at his tail, and tried to bite it. I clenched his tail tightly in my jaw, and pulled.

"Hey!" he howled.

He attempted to hit my jaw but I ducked out of the way. I snarled and lunged at him. I pinned him to the rock ground.

"Now you listen to me!" I barked. "I am no jerk, and you are at fault! I've been trying to figure out all day what on earth you prissy cubs were giving me the cold-shoulder for! Now I figure out it was because you think I ditched you!?"

I snorted.

"You did ditch us!" he accused. He maneuvered out of my grasp. I thrust my body at him, knocking him on the ground. Then, I repinned him. I extended my front claw and quickly dragged it across his face, giving him a nasty scratch.

"Stop this nonsense!" Simba called as he sprinted toward us. He stood, scowling at us. I reluctantly backed off of Tian. He slowly got up and cast an anrgy look at me. I growled back.

"What is all this about?" Kovu asked sternly as he walked over to us.

"She scratched me." Tian hissed quietly. He snarled.

"Kito!" Kovu said. "Did you do that to him?" 

He was probably surprised because I was usually pretty good, and had never gotten in a physical fight before. 

"Yes!" I hissed, almost pridefully.

Vitani came trotting out of the den, right over to Tian. She gasped.
Then my concience caught up with my body, and the realization of what I had just done dawned on me. Gasped too, and started to walk up to my former best friend. But when I came up to him, Vitani stepped in front of me, and snarled. I quickly backed up, shaking my head and muttering: "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!". 

"Kito!" Kovu yelled as he walked over to me. I winced.

"Kovu!!" Kiara barked. Kovu turned around. "Let me deal with Kito."

He backed away from me, glaring. Relief flooded over me. At least I get someone relatble to discipline me. Discipline. I sighed. That was a cub's least favorite word. 

She motioned for me to follow her. We walked up to the top of Pride-rock. I'm going to spare you, and skip the boring conversation that took place that night. I'll just say I lost Tian as a friend, and I was grounded for a lifetime.
Several nights later, I went inside the cave to sleep. I approached the cubs, but Amira and Asha looked terrified, so I went to sleep alone. I sighed as I lied down in the dark corner. Around the den there were whispers and quiet chatting. I closed my eyes, and started to fall asleep. 

"Ki-Kito?" I heard someone whisper. I lifted my head. Koda was slowly making his way toward me. I cocked my head.

"Yes," I said. He scuffed over to me and sat down in front of me.

"You look like you need a friend." He smiled meekly.

I sighed. "Uh-huh."

Koda slowly got to a lying position, and rested his head on his paws. I smiled, then did the same. That night was the first night since the incident that I actually slept well. I was upset the past few days, because I wasn't going to get to see the Lion Guard anytime soon.

I pranced out of the cave the next morning (with mom's permission) and started off toward the most beautiful part of the Pride-lands I knew: The Pachypodium Grove! Pachypodiums or as we call them, bottle trees, have some of the most magnificent blossoms in the world! The blossoms are white, with hot pink outlining the elegant flower. I asked Koda to come along with me, since I would need help bringing all the flowers back. He slowly emerged from the den, giving a shake. 

"C'mon, Koda!" I called, excited to start.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" he groaned.

He moseyed over to were I was standing, breathing in the fresh, morning air.

"Ready?" I called.

"Yup,"

"Let's go!" I jumped off of Pride-rock, running ahead of my younger cousin. 

"Wait up!" He yelled.

I sighed, and rolled my eyes playfully. He huffed his way through the swaying foliage. 

(Koda's point of view)

I watched my cousin's bright eyes as she located me in the lush, breeze ruffled grasses. This was the first time in days I had seen Kito's eyes light up like that. I knew this morning when she asked me to come with her to the Grove, that it was a chance for her to get out, and become happy again. At least a little while. 

You see, my cousin has always been my role model. She's kind, fun, normal, tom-boyish, and caring. She's what every cubs wants to be (except for the future ruler.) I tried my hardest to keep up with her because I wanted her to maintain her happiness. This morning was going great, until the cubs heard who I was going with.

The sun rose steadily over the horizon, shining it's warm, cheery rays into the den full of resting lions and cubs. As it rose higher, and higher, the den became filled with soft yawns, and moans. My jaw opened wide in a full fledged yawn. I rolled onto my stomach, and glanced around the dimly lighted cave. I glanced toward the mouth of the cave. I saw my Aunt Savanna having a conversation with my older cousin (her daughter), Kito. I gingerly laid my head on my paws, looking to my left. To the left, my sister and her friend were snoozing away the morning. To their right, was an almost teenage cub. His name was Tian. Tian had an ugly scrape that reached from the base of his left ear, to the bottom right of his face. My cousin had given it too him about a week ago. It looked better now that Rafiki had put some gooey stuff on it, but he said there would always be a scar there. I felt sorry for Tian. I kind of wanted to call him Scar Face, but he probably wouldn't like that. He was also sleeping soundly. Other lions and lioness were scattered around the den. My mother and father, King Kovu and Queen Kiara, where resting on a raised part of the rock floor. This spot was for the royals. I glanced back over to the cave mouth, to see my aunt staring my way, and Kito trotting over to me.

I raised my head and smiled.

"Hey Kito." I greeted.

"Hiya, cuz!" she replied. 

I was shocked. Yesterday she wasn't near as cheery. Her mom must've said somthing exceptional!

"What's up?" I inquired, tilting my head in a interested way.

"Well, I just got some great news!!" she almost jumped and squealed at "great".

"What could be that great?" I asked with a chuckle.

"I asked mother if I could go to the bottle tree grove, and she said yes!!" she exclaimed.

I furrowed my brow. Kito was grounded for about two months, and I understand she was excited to get out, but the bottle tree grove caused her  this much excitement? She saw my look of confusion.

"You get to come too!!" she said. "That is, if you want to." 

I quickly nodded my head. "Yeah, I'll go!" 

"Sweet!!" she squealed quietly. "I'll go get ready!"

I sighed and smiled. She scurried off. I slowly stood up and stretched. I saw Tian stand up and approach me.

"Where are you goin' in such a hurry?" He asked, smiling playfully.

"Oh, I'm just going to the bottle tree grove." I replied.

He cocked his head. "Why there?"

I didn't think about what Tian's reaction would be when I told him what I was doing.

"Oh, you know." I said, turning away from him, walking toward the entrance.

"No, actually, I don't know." he said, losing his patience.

I walked faster toward the door. He ran in front of me, and blocked the doorway. He lowered his ears, and narrowed his purple eyes.

"Koda, where are you going?" he said, almost growling.

I lowered my gaze to the floor.

"C'mon, Koda!" Kito called from outside.

Tian slowly raised his head. 

"You're going with her!" he hissed. 

I didn't raise my eyes.

"Traitor," he said under his breath.

He walked away from the door, his tail twitching in rage. But, he walked all the way back to his resting spot, and lied down without any other signs of anger. He faced the wall.

I sighed, and walked out of the cave.

That's how the morning went down. I'm worried what Tian will say when I get back, but I have awhile until then, so I'm determined to enjoy my time with my cousin.