The Lion Guard: Lost Heart (#1)

Chapter 20

It had been almost a month since Khusa had come to the leap, and she and Baliyo were already developing a connection.  Fuli and Rani were spending more time in the nursery, waiting for their cubs to be born.  Chui's already were, the leopard giving birth to three: two males and one female.

"Fuli?"  Kion came dragging a gazelle into the nursery with Badili and Sira behind him, each hacing a gazelle of their own.  "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Fuli said.  "Thanks for the gazelle."

"No problem," Kion said.  They ate the gazelle together, and before Kion could say anything, Fuli let out a cry of pain.

"Ful!"  Kion exclaimed.

"Get Mganga," Rani forced out through gritted teeth.  Kion hadn't noticed it, but Rani was also giving birth.

"Right," Kion said.  "Sira, go find two sticks while I get him."

Sira stood up.

"On it," he ran out of the den behind Kion.  Kion ran into the main den.

"Mganga!"  he called.  "Fuli and Rani are having the cubs right now!"

"Coming!"  Mganga called, running up to Kion.  "Let's go."

Kion and Mganga ran back to the nursery.

"You saw how I helped deliver Chui's cubs yesterday, right?"  Mganga asked, and Kion nodded.  "Can you help Fuli?"

"I'll try," Kion said, going over to Fuli.  He could see her holding back pain.  "It's okay, Fuuls.  It'll only last a short while."

Fuli nodded.

"Just, can we get it over with?"  she forced through the stick.

Kion stifled a chuckle.  He nodded and started to rub his mate's stomach like he saw Mganga do to Chui.  A crack, and then a snap.

"There," Kion said, nudging the two cubs towards their mother.  They started suckling at her stomach.  Fuli turned her head to look at them, and she smiled.  They both had spots on them, and looked perfectly healthy.  It was impossible to tell whether or not either of them would lose their spots, but one might.  Kion turned to Kiara, who had also given birth.

It had been two weeks since Kion's cubs were born, and he was lying in front of Fuli.

"What should we name them?"  Kion asked.

Fuli pointed to the cub that hadn't started to lose her spots.

"Let's name her Tumaini," she suggested.  "You name the other one."

Hope.  I like it, Kion looked at the other cub.

"Moyo," he suggested.

"Hope and Heart," Fuli said.  "Good names."

Kion sighed.

"I wish we could defeat Scar right now," he said.  "I don't want to put cubs in this position."

"I know," Fuli said.  "But he's gotten Vitani.  Let's raise these cubs to have the best life they can out here."

"Simba grew up away from the Pride Lands," Kion said.  "And he defeated Scar.  Right.  Let's do it."

A/N:

And that's the end of this story!  Gonna continue it in The Lion Guard: A New Hope