A New Generation

It began during the day with the sun high in the sky. Her breathing became more rapid, and she cried out as her contractions began to get worse.

“Mom, do you think my new cousin is going to be a girl?” Aisha asked Bianca. “No way, it’s going to be a boy!” Naba exclaimed. Chaka laughed at his cubs. “What ever it is, I’m sure you’ll love your cousin just the same.” He said. Naba pounced on his sister, and they began to roll around on the damp ground. “Last one in the water’s a rotten ostrich egg!” Aisha hollered as she ran towards the edge of the bank.

Chaka and Bianca smiled at each other as they watched their kids splash about. Bianca’s face suddenly looked concerned, as she looked past Chaka’s face. “Oh!” She exclaimed quietly. Chaka looked over his shoulder and saw a very skinny Vitani and Nuka walking towards them. He got up and ran to aid them. Bianca called for the cubs to come out of the water and stand by.

“Nuka, Vitani! Look at you two, you’re skin and bones!” Chaka exclaimed. Vitani placed Shetani on the ground. “You wouldn’t have anything to eat, would you?” His old aunt asked. Chaka looked back at Bianca, and she nodded once before rounding up the kids to follow her back to Pride Rock.

Chaka looked at the tiny cub on the ground. “Nuka, she looks just like you.” He said with a smile, but then looked around trying to figure out where Kuli was before he asked. Nuka began to sob and collapsed onto the ground by his daughter. Vitani walked Chaka to the side and told him the tragic news. “We haven’t had a meal in almost a week. This cub isn’t going to last much longer if we don’t figure out what to do.” She said sadly. Chaka wasn’t sure what to do either. “Bianca doesn’t feed the cubs milk anymore, but Shani should be having her’s any time now. I’m sure she could feed the little one.” He realized. Nuka looked up. “Shani’s having cubs?” he asked.

Vitani picked Shetani back up by the scruff as they headed towards Pride Rock where Shani was waiting with a bundle of fur between her paws. After everyone congratulated Shani, said hello to the new family member and was informed of Kuli’s death, Nuka and Vitani were given something to eat, and Shani began to feed her new cub along with Shetani too.

After everyone ate, Nuka brought up Shetani’s future. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I can’t raise a cub on my own, and it’s not like I have a Pride of lionesses to help either. She can’t be raised by a lion, she needs a mother…” He said somberly.

“And I’m too old to raise a cub with just Nuka.” Vitani said. Everyone was silent for a moment while they were deep in thought. Finally from the corner where she was laying with her cub, Shani spoke up. “I’ll adopt her.”

Everyone looked at her, surprised by her words. She let out a chuckle and smirked. “What? I’m the only one producing any milk right now. And Timira doesn’t have a father, so she might as well have a sibling.” She said.

“Timira?” Kiara asked though it was obvious.

“Yes, I’ve decided to name her Timira.” Shani said with a smile. She licked her newborn cub with affection, and then Shetani. “They can grow up together and look out for one another. Like Chaka and me.” She said, looking over at her adoring brother. He smiled back at her with just as much love in his heart. He knew she meant how she’d looked out for him.

“And I can help babysit!” Aisha exclaimed as she popped up from behind Shani and peered over her back at the younger cubs.

“Me too! I’ll protect them!” Said Naba, as he ran over to get a better look at his new cousins. Shani and the other adults chuckled and smiled.

“Aunt Vitani, will you and Nuka be staying with us this time?” Chaka asked as Naba and Aisha began to bicker over who would be the better babysitter. Bianca hushed for them to be quiet.

“I won’t be.” Nuka answered. “I’ve yet to find myself a proper Pride of my own. I’ll stay a rogue until then. Mother, I think it’s best you stay here this time though. You’re getting too old to hunt with just me. I’ll be alright though.”

Vitani looked wearily at her son. “Nuka, you can’t go back to where Kuli is. You need to let her go.” Nuka got up and nuzzled his mom. “I know mom. Don’t worry.” He said, holding back a tear. He then turned to Shani. “I’ll come back and visit Shetani when I can. Please raise her to know that her father loves her very much.” He asked, and she smiled warmly and licked his muddy cheek. She then looked sadly at Timira and thought of Leo. “Your father didn’t love you, but I sure do.” She whispered to her cub.

“Nuka, I must insist you stay at least a while longer before you head out again, to rest and regain your strength.” Bianca said to him. He gave her a smile and nodded. “I wouldn’t mind a few more meals.” He replied, and Chaka chuckled at his younger cousin. How things had changed so much over the years, he though.

And so after staying in the Pridelands for another week, a well fed Nuka said goodbye and headed in the opposite direction of where Kuli’s body was turning to grass. Just after sunset, Aisha and Naba were put to bed, and the rest of the Pride settled in for the night. Shani bathed both Tamira and Shetani before settling them between her paws quietly sang them to sleep with a lullaby.

With everyone settled securely for the night, King Chaka laid his head down, and went to sleep.

Pride Rock was home to a new generation of cubs that would one day help rule over the Pridelands as the Great Kings of the Past had done before them.


THE END

(PRELUDE capricornfox.deviantart.com/ar… )



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Well! That's the end of my story! I hope nobody's too disappointed with the outcome. I know it was a little sad, but I think everything turned out ok.

It's funny, I never intended on writing a story in the first place, which not all of you might know. But I got so much feedback on the very first pic I did with my versions of Kovu and Kiara's cubs, Chaka and Shani. So I drew another to kind of go with it...and another, until it just became a story!

I want to thank everyone that's followed it through this fun little journey. I've gotten so much support from so many people here, and wouldn't have continued the story without you.

Also I just want to point out that for this final pic I did look at a few screen shots for reference such as for Moja cuz I can't draw birds to save my life, and the young cubs I looked at some clipart of young simba you might recognize.

Again, thank you SO much for reading along! Don't worry, these characters wont be disappearing, I'm sure I'll be drawing Aisha and the new cubs all together at some point, cuz I want to show off their final designs more

Also, if there's a scene you'd like to see me draw, I am currently doing commissions for cheap, so send me a note and we'll see what we can work out if you're interested!




...and if you're going to fav, please comment!