Other Fan Fiction ❯ The Lion King 4: A Single Step ❯ Tempest ( Chapter 8 )

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Hey all, a new character in this chapter ) Thank you to all my reviewers!
Last time: Ciara and Kivu have a tender moment by the waterhole, when Kivu pushes her in. Kivu realizes there may be more to his feelings for Ciara than just friendship. Then, Kovu takes the young prince on a circulation of the Pride Land's border, where Kivu finds an outsider's paw print on their land. The chapter ends with Kivu actually helping the hunting party by taking down a young gazelle.
Chapter 8: Tempest
The next day was just as hot as the day before. The sun sizzled in the arid sky, and its rays beat down on the Pride land lions that littered the grass and shade.
The young lions of the pride were easily found by their favorite hangout, the waterhole. Jai, Mani and Kivu, to escape the heat, were rolling in the mud near the water's edge. Tali and Ciara decided that idea wasn't worth getting dirty for. The boys didn't seem to mind at all. The boys were laughing loudly as they rolled and played in the mud like cubs.
Kivu started putting mud on his chest and shoulders by rubbing it in place with his paws. He grinned and goofily announced that he had made a mane for himself. Jai and Mani laughed at their friend.
"You're such a dork, Kivu!" Ciara said from a save distance. Kivu smirked at her.
"Well I don't see our full voluptuous mane." he said.
"I don't see yours either!" She retorted. Tali laughed.
Kivu grabbed at the mud with his paw, flung some at Ciara, and stuck out his tongue.
"Oh real mature." But in spite of she said, she returned the gesture. Kivu pulled another face at her, causing her to giggle. Suddenly, Mani threw a chunk of mud at the unsuspecting prince.
"Enough of that, thick head." Mani teased.
"Hey!" Kivu returned fire. As expected, the boys were soon in a heated mud fight.
Ciara rolled her eyes and smiled, glad to be about two yards away. Ciara then turned to Tali, noticing a very telling smirk on her face.
"What?" Ciara questioned her expression.
"I see the way you're always smiling like that around him."
"What? What do you mean-"
"Hey!" Jai said in a strong yet hushed whisper. The sound of urgency in his voice stopped all other laughing and conversation. They followed Jai's gaze across the waterhole. The waterhole was rather wide, but with a lion's keen eyes, they could easily see across it. On the other side, standing in the tall grass by the edge, they saw the form of a light colored young lioness. She was lapping quickly at the water, not noticing the other lions, too parched from the day's hotness. Also, she appeared to be injured; blood covered her pelt on her left side.
"A lioness?" Kivu whispered, and stood.
"Pride Lander…?" Jai said, also standing.
"Can anyone tell?" Kivu asked the others. No one knew who she was.
"She must not be from here." Tali said, interested.
"Then she's trespassing," Kivu growled. "Let's get closer…" The five young lions quietly walked around the wide waterhole, while the intruder was busy drinking. The grass was tall around most of the waterhole, so the lions were easily hidden to someone not paying attention. When they were close enough, Kivu jumped out into the clearing where she stood. She gasped in surprise.
"What're you doing here, you're tress-" Kivu stopped when he got a good look at the young lioness's face. Her pelt was a light peach, but more of a greyed peach, and her eyes were an bright icy blue. Long bangs hung over her forehead, slightly covering her eyes. Kivu was slightly startled at how beautiful she was, but then he recovered, remembering his duty.
"Who're you?" he said with a serious tone. The lioness frowned.
"Who're you?" she spat. Kivu straightened.
"I'm Kivu, prince of these lands. The Pride Lands." he said regally. "You don't belong here, get out!"
The lioness smirked, and sat. She licked the last drop of water from her lips. She seemed to have no intention of leaving. "Are you in Simba's pride?" she asked, with an unkind tone.
"Its Kovu's pride now. Who're you?" he repeated, "And how do you know our pride?"
The lioness glared at him with narrowed eyes. She glanced at the others, who looked at her with wonder. She then turned her icy stare back to Kivu. "I'm Tempest," she stated. "I ran away from my pride. I found living on my own to be difficult…" All eyes glanced at a wound on her shoulder. She continued. "Its nearly impossible for me to catch anything on my own, and water is scarce in this heat. I thought maybe I could…"
"Now wait," Kivu interrupted, "You can't just waltz in here and expect-"
"Kivu!" Tali scolded. "Look, she's hurt, tired and hungry. She isn't a threat. Not giving her a chance at all could be sentencing her to death. Think about it."
Tempest glowered at Tali's comments. She unsheathed her claws slightly, talking no compliment in being called 'not a threat.'
"I say we let Kovu decide." Jai imputed. After a moment, Kivu stood down.
"Okay. We'll take you to my father." Kivu said reluctantly, turning toward home. As he led the way several yards in front, the others trailed behind with Tempest.
"My name's Tali." she introduced herself. "And this is my brother, Mani."
"I can introduce myself, Tali! I'm Mani."
Tempest smiled, but only slightly.
"I'm Jai."
"And I'm Ciara. Sorry about Mr. Bossy Tail there, he takes the Prince of the Pride lands thing really seriously."
"No joke." Tempest scoffed.
"Did you try to take down prey by yourself?" Tali asked her. Tempest replied with a look that said "duh!"
"It was a full grown antelope." she said dryly.
"Full grown?" Ciara remarked. "It's a miracle you're not hurt more."
Tempest took Ciara's comment as an insult and growled slightly. Ciara smiled slightly and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that."
"Where did you run away from?" Jai asked.
Tempest hesitated. "I uh.." she started. Then said softly. "I don't want to talk about that."
"…Okay."
Tali noticed the touchy subject, and began talking about something else. While she did, Jai turned his head to Mani at his right side.
"Mysterious…" he whispered to his older friend.
"I'll say. But quite beautiful." he grinned.
Jai laughed. "Noticeably!"
When they were beginning to near Pride Rock, Kivu called Ciara over to lead with him. He said in a hushed whisper, "Ciara, did you guys learn anything about her? My dad will want to know."
Ciara quietly, so Tempest couldn't hear, told him all they had asked and heard from her. Tempest didn't hear what they were saying, but she glanced at Ciara and Kivu in front of her and the others.
"Do they have a thing, or something?" She asked after studying them for a moment.
"Er…Sort of." Tali answered and Tempest smirked.
When they arrived at Pride Rock's steps, Kivu turned to Tempest and the others.
"Stay here." he ordered, then whirled and leapt up the step-like stones to enter the great rock's cave. His mother and father were inside, relaxing, washing each other with tender licks. As their son walked in, the two lifted their ears in question at Kivu's appearance.
"Dad, there's a girl here..um an outsider." he stammered. "She wants to speak with you."
"A girl?" Kovu said as he stood. Kiara followed suit.
"Yes, probably about my age, but she's wounded. You should probably speak with her right away."
The king nodded. "Okay, good boy, Kivu." He walked past the young prince to step outside. Kivu and his mother followed him. The three moved to the bottom where the others were waiting. Other lionesses had gathered to gaze at the newcomer. Some snarled in instinctual aggression at a stranger. Tempest glowered back at them, showing no fear.
"What is your name." Kovu said seriously, his green eyes piercing through her's. "And what is it you want with the Pride Lands?"
"I'm Tempest." she said, giving Kovu a hard stare. "I left my home…I'm hungry and thristy…"
"So you came to steal from our waterhole?"
"No! ..Well…"
"And has that been your paw prints that I've seen around the lands? Are you a spy from an enemy Pride?"
"Kovu!" Kiara stepped in. "You're intimidating her. It's understandable that she took a drink from our water, I'm sure she was dying of thirst. Also, those paw prints couldn't have been her's, they were of a much larger lion or lioness. One that is full grown. This lioness is just an adolescant."
Kovu stood down. "You're right…" He turned to Tempest. "I jumped to conclusions, I apologize."
Tempest nodded curtly, not knowing what to say, but feeling offended she was so quickly accused.
Kiara moved closer to the visitor. "I'm Kiara, Can you tell us why you came here?"
Kiara's soft tone calmed Tempest. "I was looking for a new Pride…"
"Is that so? What happened to your former one? Your mother?"
"Um..well…" Tempest lowered her eyes. "I…um.."
Kiara could tell this conversation was making Tempest uncomfortable. "How about we talk about that later," She said with a comforting smile. "How did you come to get these wounds?"
"I needed to eat…I tried to hunt." Tempest tried to say with pride, but she could feel the shame and embarrassment of failure.
"But you're so young to try on your own."
"I had no choise." Tempest said firmly, looking up with a strong gaze.
"So you've been traveling for a long time?"
"Yes, and I don't plan to go back. Please, Queen Kiara," then she looked at Kovu. "And King Kovu, I ask to join your pride." She dipped her head in short respect. Kiara glanced at Kovu who looked to be full of thought. His eyes showed generosity as he nodded.
Kiara smiled, then turned back to the young peach lioness. "Of course you can stay with us. Let's get you something to eat, you must be starved. Luckily our hunting party just recently caught something." Kiara led the way to the fresh-kill. The hungry Tempest followed. As the meeting broke up, many hushed whispered spread through the pride.
"Kovu so easily lets in outsiders…" one lioness murmured to another. The other scoffed in reply.
"She must be a spy." another proclaimed.
"Do you think your dad should have let her join?" Kivu heard a whisper in his ear from Jai.
Kivu turned to his friends, and shrugged. "He's king." he said, "It'll be okay, she seems okay. Maybe she'll be nicer once we get to know her."
"What do you think about her?" Mani asked the others, as he glanced in Tempest's direction.
Jai grinned. "She's kinda pretty."
"She is." Kivu purred, and Mani laughed.
Ciara rolled her eyes, and Tali snorted. "You boys!" she said with amusement.
"Her name is pretty too…" Mani thought aloud.
"Yeah.." Jai said, "Her hair falls like water over her face…"
Kivu contributed with a sigh and murmured, "So beautiful."
Tali glanced at Ciara when she noticed the orange lionesses discomfort. The fur on the back of Ciara's neck had begun to rise. Her lip curled just slightly, in a silent growl. Tali's gaze moved back to Kivu. "Then go tell her that." she said.
"Nah..I don't think so." Kivu said, as he laid down, relaxing his paws out in front of him. His friends followed suit, getting comfortable. To Ciara's delight, the subject soon changed.
Tempest had gotten to the food pile, and ate graciously. She was clearly hungry. Some lionesses that were already eating looked confused. They wanted to growl but stopped, and forced themselves to continue eating with the new stranger.
Kiara and Kovu, as royalty, had already eaten, and stepped back to give Tempest time to eat, and to talk amongst themselves.
"Do you think it was wise of me to let her stay?" Kovu asked.
"Yes, she's wounded and hungry. You did a great thing. Plus, she's so young, she needs a family."
Kovu watched Tempest. Her tail-tip twitched from left to right in delight as she devoured her meal. Kovu gazed at her carefully.
"I can't help but feel that…she looks very familiar…"
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