Suruni’s Lost Trust (This story goes along with the real Simba’s Pride) Chapter 1: An aching heart The moon’s pale light was all that was visible in the night sky. Wispy clouds covered the stars, and all was quiet. Kiara lay gazing at the moon, admiring it. “So beautiful.” she thought. “It fills your heart with peace, in a way, although this night has been filled with sorrow.” Tears clouded her eyes. “Kiara?” Nala came and sat next to her daughter. “Are you all right?” “Mother.” Kiara said softly. “I’m trying to be strong. I’m trying so hard!” Weeping, the lioness left her mother’s side and ran home. Kovu walked up to Nala. “Is she OK?” “No.” Nala sighed. “Her father’s death has brought her much pain.” “I miss Simba too.” Kovu said sadly. “He was a great king.” Then Kovu went back to the cave to comfort Kiara. Nala sighed and followed. Kiara squinted her eyes. The hot afternoon sun hurt them. “C’mon, Kiara! Let’s play!” Kiara bounced up and down. Kiara’s sleepy eyes were halfway closed. “Later, Kamini. I’m tired.” She lay down. Kamini bit Kiara’s ear. “I wanna play! C’mon! Please, Pleeeeeeease!” “Play with Sabani.” Kiara suggested. Kamini called to her brother. “I’m busy!” was his reply. “All right,” Kiara said. “I’ll play with ya’.” She playfully grabbed Kamini and tickled her belly. The playful cub laughed and struggled to get away. “Hi, baby!” a voice said. Suruni walked up. “Mommy!” Kamini rushed up to hug her mother. “Run off to play, Kamini.” Suruni told her. Kamini ran off. “Hello, Suruni.” She smiled and embraced her childhood friend. “Hello, Kiara. I’m so sorry about your father. If you ever need a shoulder to lean on, I’m here.” She smiled back. “Thanks. Same for you. If you ever need help, I’m here.” Kiara replied. The two started talking. Kiara told her that when Simba had become sick, she had worried so much, she couldn’t sleep nights. She didn’t have a way to help him. The night that he passed away was the saddest night of her life. She expressed her thanks to Suruni again and nuzzled her. She was so glad that she had friends that cared about her so much. Chapter 2: Revenge, Sorrow and Anger “Oh, I just hate her!” Galeta growled. Her green eyes seemed to glow as she mentioned the princess. “Everyone sees her as the nice precious little princess! But she’s not! She killed my sister!” Galeta was Zira’s sister and she thought that Zira was pushed off the ledge by Kiara, instead of it just being an accident. And she made a promise to herself to get revenge on the princess. “Galeta, what are you going to do?” Galeta’s friend asked her. “I don’t know, Faberti! I have to think of something……” she thought hard. Faberti shook her head. “You’ll make yourself crazy!” she said. She sighed and left Galeta to her thoughts. The next day, Galeta stalked Kiara, watching her, desperately trying to think of a plan. Kiara sat close to the gorge. Suruni’s brother, Kaleni, walked up. “Hi, Kiara!” “Hi, Kaleni.” Kiara hugged him. “How are you?” The two started talking. Kaleni told Kiara he felt sorry about Simba’s death. “Cheer up, though, he grinned at her. Being the playful, childlike type, he tapped her on the belly. “You’re it!” Grinning also, Kiara pounced on him. She missed him though and Kaleni started running. She pursued. Galeta’s thoughts raced as she watched them. A brilliant thought struck her. She thought about it, and an evil grin stretched across her face. She followed the playful young lions. When Kaleni was running, he wasn’t paying attention, and he tripped, toppling over the cliff. Luckily, he grabbed on with his claws. “Kiara!” he yelped. Galeta knew it was time to act on her plan. She sneaked on top of a ledge above Kiara and Kaleni, behind a large boulder. Using all her strength, she pushed the boulder off the ledge. It fell on Kaleni. He fell. Kiara screamed, “NO!!” and she tripped and fell too. Everything went black. Kiara opened her eyes and winced from the bad headache she had. She looked around. “Kaleni?” she gasped. “What—happened?” She looked beside her. There lay Kaleni’s lifeless body. She realized what happened. “No.” she started to sob. “Kaleni.” Suruni, some other lionesses and Kovu ran up. “KIARA!” Hate filled her eyes. “WHAT happened?” Before Kiara could reply, Galeta stomped up to the crowd. “SHE KILLED HIM!” she screamed. “What? No!” Kiara protested. “It was an accident!” “Don’t lie! I saw you push the boulder on him and kill him! The “precious little princess” is a murderer!” “Is it true?” Suruni demanded. “No.” Kiara sobbed. “It was an accident.” Suruni’s angry eyes soon filled with tears also. “I thought you cared about me. I thought you were my friend. I was wrong. GET OUT OF HERE! YOU BEAST, GET AWAY FROM ME!” she screamed. Kiara ran, sobbing still. Kovu stormed up to Galeta and Suruni. “I don’t believe it.” He said angrily. “It’s true, sir.” Galeta said with a seemingly honest look on her face. Kovu turned away. “I WILL find the truth.” He said solemnly. He stomped away. Chapter 3: Confession The next morning, Kovu thought hard. “What can I do to find out the truth?” he pondered. He suddenly heard the faint sounds of voices. They came closer and closer, soon right behind Kovu. He turned around and peered through some bushes that hid him from their view. The voices were those of Galeta and Faberti. “I fooled them completely, Faberti.” Galeta bragged. “They think Kiara killed him.” “How’d ya’ do it?” Faberti asked eagerly. “Tell me!” “When they were playing, I sneaked up on a ledge above them….” And Galeta told the story. Anger burned inside Kovu and filled his heart with rage. “That no-good, two-faced rat!” he growled. “Oh no!” Galeta said to Faberti. Here comes Suruni. Don’t tell anyone!” “Hello Galeta.” Suruni said as she walked up. “Why, hello, Suruni.” Galeta said, looking innocent. “ROAR!” Kovu emerged from his hiding place and pounced on Galeta and pushed her against the wall. “Kovu!” Suruni shrieked. “What are you doing?” “Yes, Kovu, what are you doing??” Galeta said nervously. “Tell Suruni the truth.” Kovu growled. “Truth? About what?” “YOU KNOW. Tell her who really killed Kaleni! I heard you tell Faberti!” “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Galeta protested. Kovu dug his claws deeper into Galeta’s chest. “CONFESS!” he snarled. “All right, all right, it was me!” Unlike her sibling, Galeta had a bit of a conscience. Suruni gasped in horror. “Kiara and Kaleni were playing and Kaleni accidentally slipped but held on to the ledge! I sneaked up…..” and she told them the story. “Just please, PLEASE spare my life!” Galeta started to sob. Kovu shoved her down. “Here’s what you do. You and Faberti leave the Pridelands and I will spare your lives. But if you ever return, you’ll regret it! Understand?” “Y-yes.” Also unlike her sister, Galeta was a huge coward. “We’ll leave. OK, OK, we’re going.” And she and Faberti slinked away. “I can’t believe I fell for their rotten trick! I’m so sorry, Kovu. And thank you.” Suruni said quietly. “Don’t mention it.” Kovu smiled. Chapter 4: Truth Revealed, Most Wounds Healed A stream of tears streamed down Kiara’s cheeks as she sauntered on through the desert. As the sky darkened and the stars came out, Kiara stopped and lay on the dry, sandy ground. “Does anyone in the whole world still care about me?” she thought. Depression and lost hope had replaced the happiness in her heart. Burying her head in her paws, she cried herself to sleep. The next morning, she awoke and started off to find food. “I can’t go back.” She thought as she walked. “Everyone hates me. I’m never going back.” She repeated in her mind. “They’d never miss me anyway.” Her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed some meat on the ground. She was so hungry, and she figured it didn’t belong to anyone since there was no one around, so she started to eat it. Suddenly she heard footsteps and growling sounds. Three hyenas were coming right at her! “That’s ours, lion!” one snarled. “Oh, I’m, I’m, s-so sorry, I didn’t know, Please, don’t hurt me, no! no!” she started running. The angry hyenas followed, snarling and snapping their jaws at the terrified princess. “HELP! Kiara screamed. “SOMEONE! HELP!” She reached a dead end. She was cornered against a wall by the slobbering hyenas. “Well, Sinari.” One hyena said. “Since she ate our lunch, she will just have to be the replacement for our lunch, now won’t she?” “Yes, Fastani.” Sinari replied. “This will be a good meal, brother.” They moved in closer, when suddenly, “LEAVE MY FRIEND ALONE!” a voice screamed. It was Suruni! She pounced on Fastani and threw him against the wall. Then she grabbed the third hyena and bit him on the leg. Soon she and the hyenas were snarling, scratching and biting. But Suruni was tough, and soon the hyenas were all begging for mercy. “All right, all right. We’ll leave her alone!” Fastani pleaded. “Just don’t hurt us anymore!” “Get out of my sight!” Suruni snarled. The hyenas slinked away. Kovu ran up. “What happened?” “Suruni saved me.” Kiara whispered. She nuzzled Kovu. Suruni came up. “Suruni, why did you-?” Kiara started to ask. “I’m sorry, Kiara.” Suruni nuzzled her. Kiara understood and nuzzled her back. “That’s all right. And thank you for saving my life. Are we friends again?” “Yeah.” Suruni smiled. “Now let’s get home.” The three tired lions went home. The next day, Suruni, Kiara and Kovu sat at the top of Pride Rock. “I realize now that you can’t always believe what you hear, and that you should listen to someone first before you accuse.” Suruni smiled. “And I realize that you should forgive them if someone has tried to make up for what they did wrong.” Kiara nuzzled her friend again. The two vowed to be friends forever. And they were, for the rest of their lives. THE END _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com.