Breathe…

Breathe…

''You'll be fine, Kiara...it's just a hunt…''

Nothing will go wrong..wait, what?

I opened my eyes and saw that I was in some kind of dream realm where standing across from me was a smiling Connor Emery, known to others as Shujaa...my friend…''C-Connor?''

The male walked up to me and put a paw on my head. ''Now, who are you to be a nervous wreck?''

A smirk came from me. ''I'll show you a nervous wreck!'' I pounced, but went right through him, rolling across the ground. ''Huh?''

He then began floating off. ''There are bigger...darker...things ahead, Kiara...but whenever I return...IF I return...I will tell you.''

''Connor, wa-''

''CONNOR!''

I shot awake, eyes bloodshot and sweating, I looked around and saw that I was the only one in the cave other than Rafiki, who had entered the cave. ''What...was..?''

A sigh from Rafiki. ''Another one of tose dreams?''

''I-I'm fine, Rafiki.'' I stood up and wiped the sweat off of me, approaching the old baboon.

''Are you ready for your first hunt?''

''As ready as i'll ever be.''

He then walked up to a rock with me following, the whispers of the pride becoming louder and my mom and dad, the King and Queen of The Pridelands...family friends Timon and Pumbaa and the majordomo, Zazu.

I looked down, unsure of myself before walking down with a hesitant smile, getting to my mother, Nala, who nuzzled me with an assuring smile. ''You'll do just fine. On the bright side, Shujaa would probably tease you for hunting alone.''

I scoffed. ''Yeah.'' But then had a saddened face, which my mom nuzzled me again for. ''Starting to miss that. Although…''

My eyes then turned to my father, King Simba. ''Daddy.'' His eyes looked back at me. ''You have to promise you'll let me do this on my own...promise?''

A hesitant look as my dad turned to my mother, who raised an eyebrow. Looking back at me, he sighed. ''Alright...I promise.''

I was creeping through the bushes, approaching a herd of antelope and ready to pounce. This won't be as hard as I tho-

''Kiara!''

Huh!?

Startled by the sudden voice in my head, I stepped on a twig, gasping as it broke and alerted the animals to my presence.

Running after the herd, I thought of back when Connor, Kion and The Lion Guard were still in The Pridelands.

"Don't seem too fond of strangers, do you?"

"Oh? And who might you be?"

"Shujaa. There. Happy now?"

But my thoughts were halted as I heard familiar screams, the antelope herd passing...Timon and Pumbaa?

I slowed down, panting as I looked at them, Timon's nervous laughter inciting my frown. ''Timon, what are you doing here?''

''Uh...shopping!'' He tried to explain, getting up. But why would-wait a minute…''We thought a nice pelt for the den, some throw pillows, a little potpourri….''

No, no, NO! He promised me!

''My father sent you. After he promised to let me do this on my own, he lied!''

''No...he just...doesn't want you to get hurt.''

But I was having none of it. ''I should have known he'd never give me a real chance..'' I then ran towards the far end of The Pridelands. ''I'll do this on my own...away from The Pridelands!''

As I heard their cries to stop, I made it midway through The Pridelands, turning back with a disappointed and betrayed look. He didn't keep his promise…

Figured he wouldn't.

What's that? Looks like smok

e coming from over the hill and animals are running…

….OH NO!

I saw the flames shoot out and come towards the animals and I, causing me to turn back and run away from it. Eventually, though the fire came and caused a wildfire to start, trapping me in it.

Coughing, I tried desperately to look for a way out, dodging falling and and burning trees as my body told me to stop, the heat beating on my fur, but I refused to let myself die. I looked around, screaming as a tree nearly smashed me, only barely dodging it.

In the background, I noticed three shadows in the background. Two males and a female. But before I had time to process it, I leapt up to hang onto a cliff, trying to pull up.

''No, no, no!'' I growled to myself as my horrified expression was furthered by me almost slipping, but barely jumping up, landing on the hard ground. Slowly, I got up and began to wwalk further, only to collapse, having nearly passed out from the smoke.

As I looked, I saw a gray lion with blue eyes and a black mane look down at me...the same one from my dreams…his eyes widening from the sight of me.

...He's back..

But next to him was a lion with brown fur, a black mane and green eyes. I didn't have the time to say anything as I passed out from smoke inhaling.

Huh...wha?

I began to slowly open my eyes to see the concerned face of the gray lion and the indifferent face of the brown one. ''W-Where am I?''

''You're safe...in The Pridelands.'' The brown one said with a smug smirk.

Wait.

''The Pridelands…?'' I asked, looking down, then growled and got in the brown lion's face, startling both of them. ''NO! WHY DID YOU BRING ME HERE, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!?''

''I do believe we are the ones that saved your life, Princess.'' The gray one said with a smug smile, me turning to him.

''And who are you?'' I asked with a raised eyebrow.

''Hmm…'' He put a finger in his mouth, then took it out. ''Remember that one lion that ended up being nearly killed by a monitor lizard's bite stacked onto the roar of the elders?''

''Yeah, what about hi-'' I started, but then realized something. I looked up and down, trying to remember where I saw him before the truth hit me like a rock. ''Wait a minute..''

It's him...after all of this time, he's back…

''Kovu, leave us for a minute.'' The gray lion told the brown one, who was my old friend Kovu, causing the brown lion to raise an eyebrow, but walk off to inform my father. When he turned back at me, he smiled. ''Princess, it's been a w-''

Instantly, tears started coming out as I pounced on the lion, hugging him as I sobbed into his mane. ''Connor!''

He hugged me back as he chuckled. ''Took you a while.''

I backed away with a choked voice, the human-turned-lion in front of me further smiling. ''W-Where have you been? Zuri talked to my mom and dad about you...I don't know what..but when I tried talking to Zuri about it, she-''

''Didn't say anything?'' He finished, blinking as I slowly nodded with my ears down. ''I was in The Outlands.''

What? He means to tell me that he was in The Outlands for almost a year?!

''FOR ALMOST A YEAR?!'' I screamed angrily, getting into Connor's face. 'You left us for an entire year so you could get a little trip to the Outlands?!''

''It's complica-''

''Kiara! Thank goodness you're safe!'' I heard my mother's voice call as she came and nuzzled me, but I wasn't finished with him.

'You said you'd be there for us, but you left us. Left us for a trip to the Outlands, where food and water are SCARCE!'' I growled, tears flowing from my eyes. ''Do you have ANY idea how scared everyone was!? Mom and dad wouldn't tell me what happened to you, ZURI wouldn't tell me. The Guard went looking for you for weeks! Did you make this something nobody else should have known!? HUH!?''

He looked down, then back at me. ''I left in order to spy on Zira and PROTECT you, Kiara! Zira's plan...everything..it involves YOU!''

W-What?

I stood there, stunned as my mother approached Connor. As they talked, I had a lot on my mind. He was back, but how did the fire start? Why did he come back, specifically? What took him so long to return and what did he mean when talking about 'Zira's Plan'?

I...had to go discuss it with Zuri and Tiifu.

''Kiara, aren't you happy he's back?'' A happy Zuri asked me as Tiifu nodded. ''I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it sooner, but Shujaa told me it was the right thing.''

''I mean…'' I sighed. ''I AM glad he's back, but at the same time, there are so many things he needs to tell us about what he did in The Outlands. And if he doesn't, i'll-''

''Snuggle with him?'' Zuri smirked as I blushed. ''I know of your little crush on him.''

''Zuri…!'' I whined. ''It's not-''

''Uh-huh, sure.'' She raised an eyebrow.

'' But Kiara is right about one thing. '' Tiifu intervened. ''There are many questions left unanswered by this. Some of which Shujaa might rather not tell us.''

''That's what worries me…'' I sighed.

''Aww, cheer up!'' Zuri put an arm around me, only to nod to Tiifu and leave towards the den. ''We're going to sleep for the night, Kiara! See you tomorrow!''

''You too!'' I called out before I noticed Connor going over to Kovu, the latter scoffing at him. Raising an eyebrow, I approached them with a sheepish grin. ''Hey, uh...thanks for saving me today.''

Connor smiled and Kovu frowned as I hugged the human. ''And don't you EVER leave me again.''

He rubbed the back of my head with an assuring smile. ''I won't. In fact, how about me and Kovu stick around and give you hunting lessons tomorrow since, as always, they didn't do so well?''

I blinked, then smirked back. Getting into his face, I chuckled. ''You're on. I'll see you both tomorrow morning. Impress me, Connor.''

I then left towards the den, a warm and fluttery feeling coming towards me…

Weird.

NOTE: I'M BACK, BABY! It's been a while since my past fanfic involving a full blown story with Shujaa and Kiara, but it's going to be different this time. The chapters will be more consistent with the story and everything I am trying to throw in to make it work.

NEXT TIME: Hunting lessons! When Shujaa and Kovu take Kiara out to teach her how to hunt, the seeds are planted for a bright future for the human and lioness.