This is my first shot at a lion king fan fiction, so if you review, please take that into account.

Lion King 3

Chapter 1: Legacy

Rafiki chuckled to himself as he painted on his tree. The cool breeze of the early African savannah rustled the leaves of his home. Scratching one ear almost hidden beneath a mane of white hair, he brushed the likeness of a young lion cub onto the rough wooden surface. After gazing at it for a minute, he looked up at the velvety navy blue sky. It was almost sunrise. It was time. Hopping down from his branch, he gathered some feathers and leaves from around his tree and put them into his old turtle shell. After inhaling the scent, he threw the mixture out into the air, where it was caught by the gusts blowing past him. The mixture glided throughout the Pride Lands, into the plains of the antelope and wildebeest, out past the roosts of the toucans and hornbills, and down into the elephant's grazing grounds. Slowly, the animals started to rise, responding to the resonating hum of the importance of that hour in the air. There was a small commotion as the animals lumbered off towards a strange rock formation in the heart of the savannah. Pride Rock, majestic and awe inspiring, stood silhouetted against the rising sun, taking on a fiery glow as the dawn began to dissolve into morning. A dull roar tore through the silence as the future lion king emerged from his resting place. Kovu looked down upon the citizens of the pride lands with joy and tenderness. He shook his fur to rid himself of the dust that had accumulated during the night, and then licked his paw for good measure. Having substantial amounts of food and good living quarters had really improved his health. Since the day when he had been accepted into the Pride Lands, he had grown. His mane was now longer and fuller, his roar had developed, and his wiry, lean teenage muscles had been replaced with strong, broad ones. His chin had filled out, but he still had that scruff at the end that he had when he was a cub and that mischievous glint in his deep green eyes. Rafiki joined the young king at the edge of the precipice, and they locked eyes, the wisdom and understanding in Rafiki's reflecting the youth and excitement in Kovu's. The sound of paws on the smooth stone led them both to turn to the entrance of the cave. Kiara, radiant in her beauty, regally made her way from the cave, holding two cubs by the scruffs of their necks; one was a girl, with wheat golden fur and big emerald eyes. The other was a boy, and he looked more like his father, with chestnut fur, a small tuft of black hair between his ears, and huge chocolate eyes. Both of them looked in wonder at the landscape around them. Rafiki gently and carefully scooped the prince and princess into his arms, and ascended to the top of Pride Rock. The valley held its breath as Rafiki stood above them. In one fluid movement, he extended his arms, unveiling the news cubs to the creatures below. He was greeted with grunts and brayings of joy. Kiara and Kovu went to stand next to Rafiki. They gazed at their children, Kiara with an expression of admiration, Kovu of pride. As Rafiki set them down, the young lion cub scrambled onto his father's back, and the lioness onto her mother's, as the new family retreated to the cave of Pride Rock for some peace.

~11 years later~…..

"YAAAAHHH!" a small ball of chestnut fur sprang from behind a rock, crashing into an unsuspecting flamingo. Startled, the bird let out a throaty squawk and knocked its attacker into the shallow pond.

"Nice one, Koto," smirked a lioness cub lying next to the water. Shaking water out of his eyes, the young lion glared up at her. "Shut up, you walking flea carrier." She stuck out her tongue at him. Kiara emerged from the low grasses surrounding the pond. "Koto lay off your sister, will you?" Koto gave her mom a whining look. "Aw mooom…" Nika, the lioness cub, cut him off. "You heard her." She arched her eyebrows in haughty arrogance. Mumbling under his breath, Koto stepped out of the water. He went out of his way to shake the water off his fur onto his sister. "Stop it, you little…" she started.

"That's ENOUGH." Kiara looked down sternly at her cubs. "Now, Koto, get dried off. Your grandfather is waiting for you." Koto perked up instantly, his brown eyes wide with anticipation. "Oh yeah, Dad and grandpa are gonna show me the kingdom!" He stood up straighter. "'Cause I'M gonna rule it all! Ha ha!" Nika glared at him, her mouth contorted in annoyance. "If His Idiocy doesn't manage to wipe us all out in one dumb move first," she muttered.

"I HEARD THAT!" Koto yelled back.

She shrugged, and they both bounded out to the Pride lands. Simba and Kovu were waiting for them as they struggled up the steep side of Pride Rock. Simba shook his head in amusement. Nika reminded him so much of Kiara, and Koto of himself. He looked up at the sky. "I wish you could see this, Father". A strange breeze assured Simba that Mufasa had heard him. Koto began eagerly running around his father's legs. "O boy, o boy, o boy!" Nika rolled her eyes in. Kovu halted his son by stepping on his tail. "Calm down, kiddo!" Kovu chuckled at Koto's grumbled expression. Well, we'd better get going," Kovu said.

Nika pawed her father's leg. "What am I gonna do all day?" Kovu gestured to the cave, where another lioness was emerging. This one's fur was a bit darker than Kiara's, and she looked older somehow. Her chin was a bit less scruffy than Kovu's, and she shone with outdoorsy beauty. "Vitani," Kovu said in playful chagrin. Vitani chuckled and turned to her niece. "C'mon, Nika, today you'll get to go on your first hunting mission alone. It'll show you how to be more stealthy and quiet when you're sneaking up on prey… or your brother." Both Nika and Vitani turned and grinned at Koto menacingly. He glared back. Vitani pranced back to the cave where some of the other lionesses were waiting for her. Nika grinned at her brother. "Better watch your back Koto… cause I'm gonna get you someday." She giggled as she scampered off to join her aunt. Koto glanced at Simba fearfully, who shrugged and grimaced helplessly. "Wait!" a small, Brooklyn-accented meerkat appeared over the edge of a bush, closely followed by a warthog that left wilted plants in his wake. "Timon and Pumbaa, at your service, my liege" Timon bowed to Simba first, and then to Kovu. "Got any jobs for a dapper meerkat? Pumbaa here and I wanted to work up an appetite before we visited that bug farm again." Timon's eyes glazed over. "crunchy cicada's, crispy katydids…"

"Succulent slugs…" Pumbaa added.

Timon laughed. "Of course, my foul-winded friend." Of course, the crunchy ones are better…these grubs add dimension, flair…not just some slimy bite…no, crunchy grubs are meals!" Pumbaa snorted. "Slimy." He said defiantly. Timon scrunched his eyebrows and placed his hands on his hips. "Crunchy."

"Slimy!"

"CRUNCHY!"

"SLIMY!"

"GUYS!" Simba yelled. Timon and Pumbaa halted their repartee. Kovu cleared his throat and jerked his head in the direction Nika had gone. Timon slouched. "Yeah, cause sendin' us after the little princess while she hunts worked SO well last time…" He faltered under Kovu's withering gaze. "Alright, alright, we're goin'!" he said crossly. "Carnivores, yeesh!" he muttered under his breath as he and Pumbaa ran off to catch up with Nika. Simba, Kovu and Koto then descended from Pride Rock and into the savannah.