To Save A Princess (Chapter 1)

Characters

 * Shujaa
 * Nala
 * Sara
 * Scar
 * Kiara
 * Zira
 * Zuri (Mentioned)
 * Simba (Mentioned)
 * Sarabi (Mentioned)
 * Mufasa (Mentioned)
 * Rafiki (Mentioned)

Alive
The Desert

A loud gasp was heard as a paw latched onto a rock, allowing a large lioness to pull herself back up to shore. The lioness panted repeatedly as she got back on her paws and looked around. She then looked at the border of The Pridelands not too far away.

...Then a sadistic smirk and chuckle….

Father, Daughter and the Grumpy Uncle
Pride Rock

The cold breeze of the early morning woke me from my sleep as blinked slowly, tiredly looking around. Next to me was my wife, Kiara, Princess of Pride Rock, who was soundly sleeping, which put a smile to my face. Snuggling against me was my daughter with Vitani, Sarabi, or Sara for short, named after Kiara’s grandmother and one of my closest friends in this world.

My name is Connor Emery, or Shujaa to the population of this land. I was brought here by Fallen Prince Scar, who has since become a crucial ally. My mom, dad and sister were also transported here a couple of months ago, though they have adapted to their new way of life rather well.

I began to get up, but ended up waking up the 5 month old Sara, who also opened her tired eyes.

‘’Daddy…?’’ She groaned. ‘’What time is it…?’’

‘’Early.’’ I whispered. ‘’Go back to sleep, Sarabi.’’

The cub stretched. ‘’But what would be the point? We’re both awake and it’s morning, so we might as well get moving and have a tour of the Kingdom like you told me you would do.’’

I then thought back to a few weeks prior, where I did indeed tell her that I would give her a tour of The Pridelands. ‘’Fair enough…’’

I ruffled my daughter’s head, from the back of it to her bangs with a fond smile. ‘’Come on, kiddo, let’s take you on a trip.’’

The cheeky grin I grew to love came out. ‘’Then let’s have a great time as daughter and father!’’

I swear, she reminds me so much of you, I can barely detect where Vitani’s genes are except from her general body.

Oh, morning Scar, ya have a nice nap.

Yes, because sleeping in a flaming wasteland is what you’d call a ‘nice nap’.

You’ll get used to it.

Time with the Queen
‘’You see those zebra herds over there?’’ I asked Sara, pointing to the zebra herds. ‘’Your grandfather once told me that when lions die, their body becomes that grass. And the herbivores, animals that eat plants, eat that grass.’’

‘’So that’s what the ‘circle of life’ thing is?’’ She correctly assumed. At my nod, she blinked. ‘’How does that even work?’’

‘’It’s...um…’’ I stammered. ‘’...Complicated.’’

‘’Up early, I see.’’ We heard a voice say as Nala, my mother-in-law and current Queen of The Pridelands, approached. ‘’This is a habit you need to stop soon, Shujaa.’’

I smiled at her amused chuckle. ‘’I’ve had it for a while, Nala, I can’t control it.’'

She shook her head as Sara rubbed up against her leg, causing Nala to ruffle Sara’s head with her paw. ‘’I remember finding you awake in the middle of the night chatting with your sister about how life in The Pridelands is.’’

‘’Did it with mom and dad, too.’’

‘’I appreciate the dedication.’’

‘’What are you two talking about?’’ Sara asked as I coughed.

‘’Well, you see, we were reflecting on old habits i’ve had over the close to three years in The Pridelands.’’ I shrugged, then looked back at Nala. ‘’How’s Sarabi feeling?’’

A sigh. ‘’Feeling a bit better, thankfully, but she’s not gonna recover from her sickness for another month or so.’’

‘’That’s what scares me.’’

‘’Hm?’’

I growled silently. ‘’What if she dies? What will happen then? We’d be powerless to stop it…’

Nala looked at Sara. ‘’Sweetie, can you go play by that rock for a moment?’’

‘’Okay!’’ Sara grinned, then walked past me to a rock.

Nala then sat down. ‘’Shujaa…’’

‘’Hm?’’

‘’Sit down for a moment.’’

Reluctantly, I agreed and sat. The queen continued. ‘’I know what it’s like to feel like I could have done more, but couldn’t do anything to prevent deaths. During Scar’s reign, he would willingly starve the lionesses out if they refused to hunt and this continued until all the food and water in the kingdom was gone...and a drought came.’’

‘’I know what brings this fear to light. The death of Zuri...you told me, but not Simba all about it. How she died in front of you as you watched in horror. That is what it was like back in Scar’s reign...so I know it all too well.’

‘’I trusted you to not make the death public knowledge.’’

‘’And I like that you trust me without question.’’ She then raised my face up to hers with her a paw. ‘’Sometimes, there are things we can’t prevent. If Sarabi passes away from her illness, then...there is no stopping it.’’

Realizing it, my eyes watered as Nala nuzzled me.

‘’What’s wrong, daddy?’’ Sara asked as she approached us. Pulling away from me, Nala frowned.

‘’Counseling.’’

Love Will Find A Way
After calming down, I was at the top of a hill. It was the same hill that, many months ago, Kiara and I made up after our fight due to my involvement in Zira’s plot. However, I use this area to think to myself on what to do about the situations that befall not only The Pridelands, but my family and friends as well. And whenever Rafiki, Scar and I put pieces together on what’s going on and what to do about it, we report it to Simba and Nala, who use this information to help protect.

What’s even stranger is that they put me as the kingdom’s first line of defense. They reasoned that since The Lion Guard had left and only come to The Pridelands on special occasions, like they did for Amal’s birth, it needed someone who could help them and I was chosen. However, i did throw Kiara in as a second one because of what we were able to accomplish by working together rather than separately.

‘’Brooding as usual?’’ I heard the voice of my Princess sit by me, the red-eyed lioness smiling.

I chuckled. ‘’You know it.’’

She then looked into the distance with me, then put her right paw on my left one. ‘’When I noticed you and Sara were gone, I knew you two had gone out to do your little touring activity.’’

‘’Simba was put through the same thing by Mufasa, so I figured i’d try it with Sara.’’ I shrugged.

‘’That’s unlike you ever since...you know..’’ Kiara sighed. ‘’You don’t need to be overly protective of us.’’

‘’What makes you say that?’'

‘’I can handle myself. ‘’She protested. ‘’Sara and Amal, not so much, but I can...don’t let what happened to Zuri change your mindset about protecting us. I appreciate you wanting to make sure we are safe, I really do, but you need to ease it a little.’’

‘’I failed to prevent Zuri’s death and I do NOT want you in to be the next Zuri for me...I can’t bear the-’’

But she then nuzzled me, the softness of the fur and the warmness of her love calming me a bit. ‘’Like I said...nothing will happen to me...you don’t have to worry.’’

I then smiled lightly and looked out in the distance until she continued.

‘’After all...what’s a Knight in Shining Armor without his Princess?’’