*Nuka's POV*

I felt my mother's warm paw under my chin, hold up my face to meet her sharp gaze. Her eyes were filled with pity. This is not what I wanted. No, I wanted her to be proud of me. But I guess I'll have to take what I can get. At least she's paying attention to me instead of Kovu for once.

We exchanged a few last words to each other before I felt a sharp pain spread through my muscles. I shuddered as a warmth slowly dominated the pain. I watched as Vitani joined my mother's side and the two looked down at me, peering through the fallen logs at my broken body. Every feeling began to fade from my bones and I started to feel nothing at all. 

And then, I was gone. 

After an uncountable span of darkness, something happened. I awoke to see rising rock towers framing a bleak, overcast sky above me. Gradually, a strength began to course through my body and I could stand up. I took in my surroundings slowly, only to realize I was standing in the middle of the rocky canyon where I had fallen under a bunch of logs. 

I saw my family still standing over my dead body mourning. I tried to race over to them and tell them I was here, but as I began racing towards them everything faded and turned dull like I was watching a flashback memory. 

My mother turned sharply to confront Kovu. But I kept my eye on Vitani, who was softly talking to what was once me. I stepped closer to her and tried to listen to her quiet words, but only heard the last part, "And say hi to Kopa for me. Give him a hug."

Next thing I knew, I was surrounded by bright Pridelands sunshine. I couldn't feel it, but I could see it. And among the golden rays, stood a familiar form, one I hadn't seen in a long time.

"Kopa?" I asked nervously.

The golden furry cub whirled around and met my eyes with a gleaming smile. I saw just beyond his shoulder, my sister Vitani was reclining on a rock alone, resting in the warm sun. She looked so peaceful, I had never seen her that way before. 

"What's going on? Why is she in the Pridelands! Why am I not dead?" I began to rapidly spew out questions as my mind reeled. 

"Nuka, calm down!" Kopa chuckled, trotting closer with a gleeful smile tracing every part of his face. "It looks like the Great Kings deemed you worthy to be an angel, too."

I was taken aback. Me? An angel? Surely there was a misunderstanding. 

Kopa snapped me out of my thoughts with a brotherly embrace, saying, "It's so good to see you again, Nuka." 

"You too," I whispered, returning the hug. As I felt Kopa's soft fur, I realized that I was now the same size as a cub. I probably was a cub again. "So what happened? Where's my mother?"

Kopa's face turned sad as he took a step back. That worried me.

"There was a war, and your mother was the only casualty," Kopa explained. "But it ended in peace and now all of the Outsiders are free to live in harmony with the Pridelanders."

"That explains why she looks so peaceful," I said, turning around and glancing at my sister. 

"Yeah," Kopa replied, smiling again. I was happy to see him happy. "There's a whole other world for you to explore here, Nuka! A new world where we can be friends again!"

"I'm so excited," I gave him a smile, looking back at my sister again. "I wonder who I'll be sent to watch over."

"When it happens, you'll know." Kopa assured me. "Just be patient, and for now we can hang!"

I laughed. This was going to be just like old times.

----------------

I was suddenly snapped awake from my sweet slumber. Then it felt like I was shoved through a rock wall and jolted up through a floor.

My weary eyes seached the dark cave I was suddenly shoved into as I tried to shake the cloudy sleep off my mind. The cave was warm and cozy, the only sound was a soft cry.

Curiously, I stood up and stepped towards the only figures I could see, a sandy lioness curled up around a noisy cub. I stared at the lioness as she gazed down, a glow painting her face when she smiled. My eyes traveled down to the cuddled bundle in between her soft paws and I saw a gorgeous child crying softly, it's eyes shut tightly as it wriggled and squirmed.

It only took me a moment to realize this new mother was Kiara, my brother's bride. And the sweet cub was their newborn, their very first child.

"Settle down, Kunuka," Kiara said in a low voice, trying to comfort the cub.

I stared down in surprise at the furry fuzzball. . .she was named after me?

I took in her sweet round face, similar to her father's shade but warmer in tone. She blinked open her eyes to reveal sparkling irises, one emerald green and the other sky blue, that stared lovingly up at her mother before flicking over to me. Did she see me?

Her cries halted when her eyes met mine and she sniffed her tiny nose, her whiskers shaking around. And as we shared a fond gaze, I felt something similar to my heart swelling. I realized she was my assignment. My first assignment, and I would happily gaurd this little child until the day she was gone.

I leaned forward, over her mother's shoulder, and whispered softly, "Hey, KuNu, little Kunuka. I'm your Uncle Nuka."

The cub giggled softly.