The Next Royal
by Lucki Starz, aka Laura
In the sweet African grass lay King Simba. Grey was
now streaked into his mane and he had stings in his muscles every time he tried
to hunt. He knew there was no use denying it. He was getting old.
Nala was a bit stronger. She could still hunt, but if
she tried to hard, she would collapse. Silver sparkled among the tan hair of
Nala’s fur. She too was showing age.
Simba padded slowly toward the base of Pride Rock.
Kiara was there playing with a newborn cub of one of the pride members.
“Kiara?” asked Simba. “Can we talk?”
“Sure, daddy.” Kiara then turned to the little cub.
The cub was asleep.
“Well Kiara,” began Simba, “You know you are going to
have your own cub someday, maybe a full litter. But my time is coming, and I
want to see the heir to the throne after you. So if you want, you can have your
cubs now.”
Kiara opened her eyes wide. She had always thought
that she was supposed to have her cubs once Simba and Nala had joined the other
royals of the past. Now she could have her cubs early and they would have
grandparents!
Kiara leapt for joy. “Oh daddy, that’s wonderful! I
must go tell everyone that I will be having a cub soon! Wow! Kovu’s gotta hear
this!” Kiara took the cub in her mouth and bounded lightly up the rocks of
Pride Rock.
Simba smiled. He went to go find Nala at the water
hole.
Sure enough, Kiara was pregnant. Her stomach bulged
and she and Kovu were so excited at the thought of greeting their new cub. The
whole pride, especially Simba and Nala, were looking forward to the arrival of
the next royal.
Finally, the day had come. Kiara and Kovu’s cub was
here…but it was not alive.
Kiara began sobbing and Kovu was on the verge of
crying. Simba buried the cub near Pride Rock.
Kiara and Kovu were not the only ones who grieved. Simba,
Nala, and the rest of the pride were heart broken.
Kiara soon discovered that any cubs she had would be
still born. This ruined all hope of a future queen or king. The pride was
ecstatic. This was the most terrible thing that could ever happen.
One night, Simba was talking to his father under the
stars. Nala joined him. “Oh Simba,” sighed Nala. “This is terrible. Kiara and
Kovu will never discover the joy of parenthood. And the pride…what should we
do? The pride is still under our authority till Kiara becomes official queen.
They are looking to us for answers and I don’t know what to say,” Nala nuzzled
Simba. Simba looked into her eyes.
“Well…I don’t know really what to do. Give me more
time.” Simba sighed. Nala knew she should let him think. She walked away.
That night, a lioness gave birth to a daughter. The
daughter was small but strong. The mother died from giving birth.
As king, it was Simba’s decision (as well as Nala’s)
to decide what to do about the orphan cub.
The pride held a meeting. Kovu led Kiara away.
“Kiara,” he whispered. “Why don’t we adopt the cub? We can’t have anymore
children and this cub can become the next queen!”
Kiara smiled and nodded. They returned to the pride.
“Simba,” addressed Kovu. “Kiara and I would be honoured
to adopt this cub as one of our own.”
Simba looked at Kiara, surprised. Kiara nodded.
“Well, there is a solution to both our major dilemmas.
We now have a family for the newborn cub, and we have a cub to carry on the
throne.” The pride smiled.
Under the stars that night, Kiara and Kovu cuddled
their new daughter. “What should we call her?” asked Kiara.
Kovu looked baffled. “I’m not great at choosing
names,” he admitted.
Kiara smiled and looked down at the cub. “How about
Wilku?” asked Kiara.
“What does it mean?” Kovu wondered aloud. “It sure
sounds pretty.”
“It means white African flower,” answered Kiara.
“Then that’s prefect.” Kovu smiled.
They looked down at their new cub and whispered, “She
is now one of us. She is one with us, with her parents. She must never know
about her true mother. She must feel royal to be royal.”
Wilku
yawned. She didn’t yet know what it would be like to not know who she really
was.
~*~LAUR~*~