The Lion Guard: A Surprising Event

Author's Note: This fanfic was updated on January 13th, 2024, nine years after publication.
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On a calm day in the Pridelands, Kora and Vitani had decided to spend time together in the Meadow. Vitani was heavily pregnant with their first cub and the two were very excited to become parents, a sentiment strongly shared by their family, though Kata and Maya alone had expressed discontent at the mixed heritage Vitani's cub would have.
In the meantime, Kora and Vitani were settled down underneath the baobab tree. Wanting to do his best to ensure that she was comfortable, Kora had assembled a soft nest of bracken and moss, and was pressed close beside her.
"K-Kora. We need to go home, now." Vitani said suddenly, feeling a sharp cramp in her belly, gritting her teeth against the pain.
"Of course, my love." Kora said, immediately leaping to his paws and preparing to gently nudge Vitani up. Before he could, Vitani suddenly shrank back, sinking deeper into the mossy nest, closing her eyes against the waves of pain coursing through her.
"N-No, it's too late. Our cub is coming, now." she gasped out, letting out a loud screech as the cramps intensified.
"How could this be happening? Rafiki was sure it'd be another few weeks before our cub arrived." Kora wondered, a note of shock and disbelief in his tone.
"Rafiki said I’ll need borage and burnet to help me during the birth. I….I don’t know if any grows here." Vitani said tremulously
"I can see some leaves. Don't worry, sweetheart. I promise you’ll be fine." Kora said.
As he stood up to fetch the leaves, Vitani’s eyes widened in shock as she reached for him desperately.
"K-Kora, where are you going?" she asked weakly.
"I'm just going to fetch the leaves, my love. I'll be right back." Kora assured her.
Vitani's eyes were wide with fear and trepidation as she watched him hurry over to a clump of leaves, grasping them in his jaws, quickly rushing back to her.
He dropped the leaves beside her, watching as Vitani lapped them up, before collapsing back into the nest.
"Okay, Tani. If our cub is coming now, I'm not sure there's enough time to fetch Rafiki to help in the delivery, but I promise I'll do my best to welcome our child safely to the Circle of Life." Kora said.
"I trust you, Kora." Vitani said.
Seeing a large stick nearby, Kora quickly reached over and grasped it with his jaws, dropping it in front of Vitani.
"Bite down on this. It'll help with the pain." he encouraged.
Vitani grasped the stick between her teeth, grimacing as a wave of pain coursed through her. Kora placed a paw on Vitani’s belly, feeling it ripple underneath him. 
“Okay, it's time.” Kora announced.
Vitani groaned loudly, her eyes closing as another sharp spasm coursed through her. She let out a screech around the stick still clamped in her teeth as the pain ebbed, and she felt a wet bundle slide from underneath her, landing in the moss.
Vitani collapsed weakly into the nest, watching through lidded eyes as Kora gently nuzzled their cub, nipping the transparent layer that surrounded it and licking its fur to warm it.
"Tani, we have a daughter." Kora said softly, his voice filled with pride.
"She looks just like you." Vitani whispered.
“She's beautiful, just like her mother." Kora responded, gently placing the cub at Vitani's flank, where she nuzzled into her belly fur, latching quickly onto a teat.
Kora moved to settle down beside Vitani, brushing his muzzle against hers as she nestled against him.
"I'm so proud of you." he said quietly.
"She's so little. The other cubs were much larger when they were all born." Vitani said softly.
"She'll be fine. I promise we'll have Rafiki look at her as soon as possible." Kora replied.
"How are we going to get home?" Vitani asked anxiously. 
"We'll figure something out." Kora assured her.
"She needs a name. We don't have to wait until a presentation." Vitani said suddenly.
"How about Nita?" Kora suggested.
"Yes. That's a beautiful name." Vitani agreed.
At that moment, Kovu and Kiara hurried up to them, stopping suddenly when they caught sight of Nita curled beside her mother. Zazu was following behind them.
Kora stood up quickly, approaching the three of them.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"We were worried when you two didn't come home. Daddy sent us to follow your scent trail to make sure everything's okay." Kiara explained.
Without pausing to greet Kora, Kovu pushed past, anxiously approaching his sister and coming to a quick halt when he reached her.
"Tani! What happened?" Kovu questioned, dropping his voice to a whisper as he observed his new niece.
"It's okay, Kovu. Our baby decided to come earlier than expected, but I'll be fine, and more importantly, so will she." Vitani said.
Kovu bent his head, gently nuzzling Vitani's cheek, before crouching down to examine his niece more closely.
"She's absolutely precious." he said softly.
"Kora and I named her Nita." Vitani revealed.
"We should get the two of you home. I'll send Zazu to fetch Rafiki." Kiara said, glancing quickly up at Zazu, who nodded and flew off towards Rafiki's Tree.
"Can you stand up, Tani?" Kovu asked.
"I..I think so." Vitani said shakily.
Together, Kora and Kovu supported her on either side as she slowly rose to her paws, which shook underneath her. Kiara immediately came forward to help, gently grasping Nita in her jaws. 
"Tell us if you need to rest." Kora instructed Vitani.
Vitani nodded, leaning against Kovu’s shoulder.
Kovu wrapped his tail protectively around his sister, and with the two lions steadying her, they began to make their way towards Pride Rock, Nita hanging from Kiara's mouth.
Once they arrived, they saw the pride gathered outside the den. Timon and Pumbaa were waiting with them as well.
Before anyone could react, Kata and Maya shoved their way to the front of the crowd, identical expressions of disgust and frustration reflected in their eyes as they watched the four of them approach.
"How dare you have your child, my grandchild without myself or Maya in attendance. We deserve more respect from you, Kora." Kata said scathingly. 
"This could likely be the only cub you two ever have and we weren’t even afforded the honor of watching it be born." Maya added.
"I suppose the one good quality this cub will have is the resemblance to its father." Kata commented.
As Kora stalked forward, his pelt bristling with anger, Kiara immediately hurried to Vitani's side to help Kovu lead her towards where Simba and Nala were waiting outside the den. Once they reached them, Simba took Nita from Kiara as Nala took Kovu's place, helping Kiara guide Vitani into the den.
Kovu moved back to rejoin Kora, glaring at Kata and Maya angrily.
"If you two had bothered to listen to Rafiki when he checked on Tani last time, then you’d know that Nita wasn’t expected to be born today. I had to deliver her by myself. I'm not going to stand here and watch you two insult the lioness I love and the mother of my cub. If you can’t say anything else, you might as well not welcome her at all." Kora growled.
"What sort of name is Nita?" Maya scoffed.
Beside Kora, Kovu's fur was spiked up, his claws sinking into the earth underneath him.
"My sister just had to suffer through a very stressful ordeal, with only Kora to support her. She is in no state to deal with you at the moment. I'm ordering you two to stay away from her until she's recovered and is allowing visitors." he snapped.
"This has my full support and agreement." Kora added.
"As well as the agreement of the king." Simba said suddenly from the entrance to the den, having left Nita with her mother.
"You two are not permitted to enter the den until Tani has recovered." he added.
At that moment, Rafiki came up to them, Zazu following close behind him.
"It appears that your little one has decided to arrive earlier than expected, Kora." he said.
Kora immediately relaxed, coming over to greet the mandrill.
"I gave Tani borage and burnet. There weren't complications with the birth other than the earlier time." he reported.
"Excellent. I wish you and Vitani many congratulations. I have brought some thyme leaves for her to help build her strength up. What is the name of your little one?" Rafiki responded.
"We've named her Nita." Kora told him, glancing past Simba at the entrance to the den, suddenly anxious to rejoin Vitani.
"Come, let us go inside." Rafiki said warmly.
Before he could finish speaking, Kora had pushed past him and Simba, hurrying into the den. Simba and Rafiki exchanged a glance, moving closer to converse quietly.
Entering the den, Kora saw Kion wrestling playfully with Denahi and Kenai in a corner, while Belee and Kia watched them, wide-eyed. The pride had assembled close to where Vitani was settled down in a soft nest of moss, Nita was curled up at her belly having a feed. Nala and Kiara were settled down beside her.
Kora immediately made his way over to them, acknowledging the soft congratulations given to him by the pride with a nod.
When he reached them, he settled down beside Vitani, brushing her muzzle affectionately with his own.
“How are you feeling?” he asked quietly.
"I'm tired. I'd like to sleep now." Vitani replied.
Before Kora could respond, Rafiki approached, closely followed by Simba, who held a grass rat from the fresh-kill pile.
"Vitani, I have some thyme leaves to help you build your strength up." Rafiki said.
"If you're hungry, I've brought you a grass rat, Tani." Simba added, setting the prey down beside her as Rafiki offered her the leaves.
Vitani lapped up the leaves, glancing gratefully up at Simba.
"Thank you." she said softly, settling down in the nest and closing her eyes.
"Before we leave you to rest, I’d like to welcome my new grandniece to the Circle of Life." Simba said fondly.
"Her name is Nita." Kora announced.
Simba came closer, gently brushing a paw against Nita's cheek.
"Welcome to the Circle of Life and this family, my darling." he said quietly.
Nala began to lead the rest of the pride out of the den, with Rafiki following, leaving Simba alone with Kora and Vitani.
"Where are my mother and sister?" Kora asked.
"I sent them to the Water Hole. They're not to return until after she recovers." Simba told him, bending down to nuzzle Vitani affectionately.
"We're all very proud of you, Tani." he said.
Kora pressed himself closer to Vitani's side, watching as Simba exited the den.
"Rest now, my love. I'll take care of you." he said.
----
Later, after Rafiki had returned to his tree, he began painting an image of Nita.
"Although her birth was unexpected, it is clear that Nita certainly is a blessing to the Pridelands." he reflected.
Just then, he felt a gentle breeze, shivering as Mufasa's spirit swept over him.
"I can see that this young cub has a great destiny ahead of her, one which you must prepare her for." Mufasa said.
"What in the Pridelands do you mean? What destiny awaits this little one?" Rafiki questioned incredulously.
"Someday, she will become your apprentice, you will be responsible for training her to become a shaman." Mufasa explained.
Rafiki’s eyes widened with shock and disbelief.
"How can it be so? There has never been a lion shaman in the Pridelands before." he commented.
"It's clear that my great-granddaughter has a role just as important as her kin." Mufasa told him.
"I am not sure how this will succeed, but I trust you. When the time comes, I will gladly take Nita on as my apprentice." Rafiki said.
He chuckled as he began to clear the gourds of paint away.
"I had thought that my nephew could someday be fit for this role, but now I am certain that his destiny lies elsewhere." he said.
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Category:Ginnyharry4ever
Category:Ginny's Fanfics