The Lion King 4: A Single Step

Chapter 1: Awakening

The sun rose high over the Pride Lands. Roaring yawns could be heard for miles.

A certain young lion had been awake for hours. He had brown fur like his father's. His cheek fur was long and fluffy. The tuft of fur on his head was thin. His ears were rimmed in black. His eyes were as red as any royal lion's would be. The tuft of fur on his tail was shorter than normal. Rafiki had told his mother that it was a small birth defect. This cub was the future King.

For right now, he was just a Prince. And this Prince was very bored. Since he was one of the only ones up, he had no one to play with. Even his usual playmate, Ciara, was asleep by her mother. Kivu had tried to arouse her but learned the hard way, with a quick swat, to never wake a female. Kivu waited by his mother, the Queen of the Pride Lands. He sat on his haunches watching his mom's breath go in and out of her head. His dad, the King, slept beside her. His mouth moved in his sleep as if he were enjoying some fresh kill in a dream.

Kivu's whiskers twitched as something caught his eye. He just had to investigate. He walked to where he saw the movement, only to realize it was Kiara's tail twitching in her sleep. Kivu's instincts told him to pounce.

"But mom will be mad if I wake her up again." He thought. His instincts were teased even more when Kiara's tail started twitching and moving without stopping. He couldn't help himself as he slammed his paw over the tip of her tail. It still wiggled from underneath its captor. Kivu giggled loudly, and then pounced on the tail, then turned upside down and wrestled with it on his back, batting it with all four paws.

Kiara's breathing increased as she awoke. She groaned and opened her eyes.

"Kivu," she said wearily. He stopped what he was doing instantly and looked at his mom apologetically. Kiara was going to scold him for waking her up early yet again, but was swayed by the look of sorrow on the cub's face. She smiled. "Why can't you wake your father up every day instead of me?" she said playfully.

Kivu let out a squeal of excitement as he climbed over Kiara's back and jumped onto Kovu's. Kovu let out an "oomph!" And opened his eyes.

"Kivu, wha-?

"Mom told me to wake you up!" He said excitedly.

Kiara laughed, "Now did I say that? No, I just asked why you don't wake him up every morning."

Kovu groaned and sat up, then smiled. "Ya see that, Kivu?" he leaned down to Kivu's level. "She's trying to brain wash you."

Kivu looked up at his dad with a big open mouthed smile. Then said, "What does brain wash mean?"

Kovu started to laugh but was interrupted by angry, sleepy voices. The Royal family was making quite a lot of noise while the other lionesses were still trying to sleep. Kovu led the way out of the cave. Sometime later, Toni and her cubs, Ciara and Jai came tiredly from the cave. Ciara had a yellow-orange pelt. She had a tuft of hair on her head. It was rare for lionesses to have tufts but It had been running in her family for generations. Her tuft was long and a brilliant red. Her eyes glowed green. Her brother, Jai had a peach pelt. His hair tuft was a yellow-orange, and was pushed forward slightly over his eyes. His eyes were a stunning blue.

Ciara bounded over to Kivu and Jai stayed by his mom's side. Kivu greeted Ciara happily.

"Hi!"

"You made us get up!"

"Oh get over it," Kivu said playfully.

Toni then sat behind her daughter and Jai followed. "Behave Ciara, it was time we were getting up anyway. It's time for your bath." Toni said. Ciara looked up at her mother with a look of distraught.

"I hate baths," she muttered.

"Okay, I'll just let you get dirty and let you roll around in filth all day."

"Okay!"

Toni smirked, "Not," she said. Ciara looked disappointed. "And then it's your turn." she said turning to Jai.

"Aw man!" Jai complained.

The lions moved into the shade, and when under it, Toni pulled Ciara into her arms and started bathing her. Kiara nimbly jumped onto a large flat rock and lay down. Kovu sat beside her on the ground. Jai settled by his mom's side and Kivu sat in front of Ciara.

"Ha-ha you're getting a bath!" He taunted. Ciara gave him a deadly glare as Toni licked Ciara's orange back.

"I bet your mom is going to give you one too!" she retorted.

"Nope," Kiara said. She had her head on her front paws. Ciara looked at her and then appeared disappointed. Kivu looked at his mom happily and then in triumph at Ciara.

"Ya see! I'm clean. I don't need a bath; I don't get dirty like you Ciara."

Jai snickered.

"Well actually, Kivu," Kiara said, "Your father's going to give you a bath today."

Ciara snickered this time.

"Man are you serious?" Kivu said, looking at his mom with an upset look on his face.

Kiara smiled, "Mmhmm." Kivu then started with his usual puppy dog eyes. "Oh no, that won't work this time. Go to your dad." He continued the pleading face, and Kiara rolled her eyes. She pushed him with the front of her paw toward Kovu. He went reluctantly and sat down in front of him.

"Hi Dad."

Kovu chuckled, and started bathing him. After the cubs had their baths. Kanai, Tali and Mani joined them. All five cubs were allowed to go and play on their own just so as long as they were nearby. The adults kept watch.

"I say we go on an adventure!" Kivu said as he joined the other four cubs. He ran a paw over his hair tuft.

"Oh, please," Ciara muttered.

"Yeah! An adventure!" Jai said.

Kivu suddenly jumped in front of the group, causing Mani to take a step back. He twitched his whiskers.

"I'll lead."

Jai stood slightly beside, but a bit behind him. Mani was beside Jai. The girls were in the back. Kivu looked back at his friends, adapted a deep voice and said, "Okay men, let's go!" And started walking.

"Jeez, what a ham!" Ciara whispered to Tali. "Who died and made him leader?"

Tali grinned to herself, knowing insults were a sign of affection.

All five of the cubs were ready and head toward their Kivu lead adventure.