(Present) Kulinda's POV

"Kulinda, what is it?" Kiara asks as she joins me.

"Just thinking about Baraka, I'm worried" I tell her.

"Oh brother, she'll be fine. I was and I had three cubs" she reminds me.

"Shouldn't you be with them?" I ask her.

"They are asleep and Kovu is minding them" she tells me. "We've come full circle" she adds looking up at the stars. "Feels like yesterday we were cubs ourselves and now we both are parents. Well you are about to become one" she states.

"Yeah" I say smiling. "I remember the day you meet Kovu and I meet Baraka. You were nearly eaten by crocodiles" I state.

"I was young" she says defensively.

"Yeah and you were always getting us into trouble" I remind her.

"Was not" she denies.

"Oh yeah, what about the stampeding rhinos?" I ask her. "Or the time you got stuck on  cliff ledge in the gorge? Or attacked Zira without thinking about the cliff we were next to?" I ask.

"Ok, I was a little reckless. But I'm grown up now" she states. We here mews from inside the den. "My cubs are hungry, don't stay up to late" she tells me and leaves. I look up at the stairs remembering the day I meet Baraka and Kiara meet Kovu.

(Past)

I sigh as I hear Kiara leave, always so impatient. We are supposed to go exploring together today. And we are supposed to see dad before we leave. I stretch and nudge our mum gently. "Mum, the sun is up" I tell her.

"Ok Kulinda, I'm up" she says and yawns stretching. "Where is your sister?" she asks me. I just look at the entrance and she sighs. We head outside to see Kiara talking to dad.

"At all times. I know. And if I see any strangers, don't talk to them. Come straight home. Okay, okay. Can I go now? Please?" Kiara begs dad.

"Very funny" dad mutters.

"Mind your father Kiara" mum tells her.

"Yes, mum" Kiara says sheepishly.

"Morning dad" I say.

"Morning Kulinda, please try to keep your sister on the path or at least keep pride rock in view" he tells me.

"Can do dad" I assure him. "Any other rules?" I ask and Kiara groans impatient.

"Stay away from the out lands" he tells us as Zazu appears.

"Nothing there but a bunch of backstabbing, murderous outsiders" Zazu sneers.

"Zazu's right. You can't turn your back on them" dad tells us.

"Really? How come?" Kiara asks him confused.

"Nevermind" he tells her. "Now you two run along" he tells us.

"But dad, I..." Kiara tries to say.

"You'll understand someday" he assures her.

"He always says that" I grumble.

"Mind your father Kulinda" mum tells me.

"Sorry mum" I say and rub against her purring. As Kiara does the same to dad. "We'll be back later" I assure her. "Race you Kiara" I say and take off. She runs after me.

"And stay on the path I've marked for you!" dad shouts after us.

"We are not gonna stay on the path are we?" I ask Kiara as we find the path dad mention.

"Nope" she says and bumps me. "You're it" she says and takes off away from the path and pride rock. I roll my eyes and take off after her. I soon catch her and tackle her. Pinning her.

"I win" I state.

"Let me up" she says and I do so. She tackles me and we wrestle for a little. Before I pin her again.

"Pinned you again big sister" I tease. "Are you sure you are ready to be the future queen?" I ask her. She glares and shoves me off of her.

"You know I don't want to queen, it looks so boring" she complains.

"Yeah well I don't want to be king and you're the oldest" I remind her. "Hey look, a butterfly" I say and she looks at it. "First one to catch it gets dinner first" I tell her.

"You're on" she says and pounces at the butterfly. "Hey! Wait! Come back!" she shouts as we just the butterfly.

"We just want to play" I add. We soon reach a rock and the butterfly perches on it. "The mighty hunters have cornered their prey" I say smirking at Kiara. She smirks back and pounces. But misses, I swipe at the butterfly, but it gets away. "Damn, guess it's a tie" I grumble.

"Kulinda, you gotta see this" Kiara calls from the top of the rock.

"What?" I ask as I jump up beside her.

"The Outlands!" she says gesturing to the horizon.

"Cool" I say as we look at it.

"I wonder what's out there" she ponders.

"Oh no, I draw the line there Kiara. Dad told us to stay way from the outlands" I remind her.

"He also said to stay on the path and keep home in view. We've broken two rules, what's one more?" she asks me. Before I can answer we hear a twig snap and turn to see a shadow in the tall grass. I growl as Kiara screams along with whoever is in the grass. She backs away and falls off of the rock. I hear a splash.

"Kiara!" I shout turning to look for her. As Timon and Pumba join me. "She fell in" I tell them gesturing to the pond.

"Don't worry, Kiara! Uncle Pumba's comin'!" Pumba shouts as he jumps into the water after her. Landing on her and I try not to laugh.

"Oh, no! Oh! Uh... Uh... Let's see, uh...Gee, Simba. The good news is, we found your daughter and son. The bad news is, we dropped a warthog on your daughter. Is there a problem with that?" he asks himself.

"Yes" I answer as Pumba shouts Kiara's name.

"Pumbaa! Let me define... babysitting" Timon tells him. Pumba jumps off of Kiara and she surfaces coughing. She glares as Pumba before exiting the water and he follows her sheepishly.

"Now, Princess Kiara, as Simba's daughter, you know better than to go off all alone or with just your brother. You both could've been hurt!" Pumba tells her. She shakes the water from her fur as I jump down beside them. I sort of tune out until I hear Pumba and Timon arguing about bugs. And notice Kiara is gone, I silently curse and leave to look for her. Dad won't be happy if she is hurt.

(Time skip)

I haven't found Kiara yet, but I did find an unconscious female cub. She looks very small and underfed. I wonder where she came from? I nudge her and she wakes up. "Who are you?" she asks me tiredly.

"Kulinda, who are you? Why are you here alone?" I ask her.

"Baraka and I got separated from my mother" she states. "Where is here?" she asks me.

"Pride lands" I say and go to leave.

"Wait, you can't leave me here!" she shouts.

"I have to find my sister" I tell her. "Head that way, you will find pride rock" I add nodding towards home. "Bye" I say and set off. I hear her follow me. "I told you to head to pride rock" I remind her.

"But what if I get lost?" she asks me. Before I could answer her hear my sister's scream. "Who was that?" she asks me.

"My sister" I say and take off towards the scream. Baraka following me. We soon reach an over hang by the outlands. We see Kiara and another cub being chased by crocodiles. "Get up here!" I shout.

"Follow me" the male cub tells Kiara and heads for the tree near the over hang. She follows and he makes it up first. Kiara follows, but nearly fell. But I grabbed her scruff and pulled her up.

"Don't ever wonder off again Kiara" I snap glaring at her. "And what the hell were you doing in the out lands?" I demand.

"I was exploring, thanks for saving me" she says looking at the male cub. "You were very brave" she says ignoring me.

"You were pretty brave to, my names Kovu" he tells her.

"I'm Kiara" she tells him.

"And I'm her brother Kulinda" I snarl.

"Kulinda, be nice" she tells me.

"I'm Baraka" a soft voice says. We all look at her and she bows her head bashfully. "Do you guys want to play?" she suggests.

"Great idea" Kiara says smiling and tags Kovu. "Tag you're it!" she cheers. He looks at her confused. "Tag you're it" she says tagging him again and bouncing away. "Hello? You run. I tag. Get it?" she asks him.

"What's the mutter, don't you know how to play tag?" I ask him.

"Oh" Kiara says and gets into a playful crouch growling. Signaling she wants to play fight. He seems to know how to play fight as he copies her pose. Growling playfully as Baraka tackles me, we mock fight until we all hear two loud roars. We all stop playing.

A/N

Picture above of Kulinda and Kiara on the cover. Picture in chapter of Nala with baby Kiara and Kulinda.