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Description
For the first time in many moons, Nala felt peace and comfort. Her cousin's kingdom was bountiful in food and water despite the dry season and her pride are sweet lions who sympathized her pain yet comfort was not why she came here. Back home her own people were dying from starvation, dehydration and murder.
"More food, Lady Nala?" A small cub dropped a large piece of flesh before her. The flesh freshly caught for her and was a warm welcome from having eaten rotten meat and brittle bones. Nala nuzzled the cub in thanks before ripping into her meal. Her stomach slowly filled with fresh food and water but she could not but help feeling guilty about it. Her own mother is stuck in the Pridelands pregnant and underfed while she had the blessing to have as much as she could want and more.
"Are you doing well, cousin?" Boa licked a fleck of blood from her cousin's mouth before settling beside her. "I've missed you dearly. Mother did too..." She trailed off, eyes staring blankly into the distance. "If only she lived long enough to see you grow up and to know dear Aunt Fina carries once more," the paler lioness shifted herself rest her head in the crook of Nala's arm, "even if it's fathered by a tyrant's executioner." Nala nodded in agreement. The two cousins sat in silence as the sun slowly set behind the mountains in the distance.

She felt a playful nudge on her arm urging her to wake up.
"Nala." Another push. "Nala, come on!" Groggily she opened her eyes to see Boa pressing her face against hers. "Come outside! The spirits are dancing tonight!" Boa relentlessly pushed and pulled at Nala's arm until she reluctantly got up.
"Come on!Come see! They dance for our reunion, cousin!" Boa joyfully skipped ahead past the other lioness and into the night sky. Sure enough, Nala could see the stars move from their positions and create beautiful streaks of light in the darkness of the night. Still skipping, Boa led her to a small mound away from the sleeping pride where she finally stopped to stare at the spectacle above.
"It's wonderful." She didn't break her gaze but Boa patted a spot beside her, inviting Nala to sit. "You remember watching them with Simba in the Pridelands? Mufasa would wake us up to watch them as Sarabi would tell stories of the past." Nala nodded, a tight knot forming in her throat. She did remember those nights when the lands were lively and tranquil. She remembered bumping Simba awake until she herself fell victim to sleep. She remembered. That's why she's here.
"Boa, I need your help."
"Do you need more food? You've already eaten half a-"
"No...It's not that. We need your help. The Pridelands."
"Nala...I can't..."
"Why? Because you fear confrontation? Have you a heart, Boa? My people are dying. I come to you starved and broken, I come to you and tell our story, yet you still won't help us? Scar is destroying the lands, Boa! Do you not care?"
"Nala, you know it's not like that. I can't risk my pride."
"The stars you can't!" Tears stung Nala's eyes and her claws dug into the grass under her paws. Why wouldn't anyone help? She felt a paw rest atop of her own and Boa looked at her. Stern but worried.
"I can't. I just saved my people from a tyrant and over half of them lost their lives or left crippled. I can't fight this for you no matter how much I want to." Boa cupped her cousin's face with her paw and wiped away the tears. "I can, however, ask for help on your behalf. I'm unsure of what can be done or who would fight, especially with no heir untainted by Scar's upbringing." Nala nodded as Boa pulled her closer into a hug. "You're young Nala, strong too. If you can find a male, a prince, a rogue, a rogue prince, whatever they may be and use your title as a royal and former betrothed to a crown prince perhaps you will have a chance." The wind blew, the stars fell even harder from their places, and Boa caught the scent of someone she knew long ago. "Perhaps you'll find exactly who you need."
~~~~~
Redraw of a piece of art from....last year? Or two years ago? Anyway Boa got a few minor changes to her. No longer has a head stripe and her tuft goes backwards rather than Forewards. Also Boa was originally just a mousy little thing. Timid, shy, scared of her own shadow but I realized if she defeated the source of her fear maybe she'd grow little? A little wiser? But she's still an excitable cub despite being in her like early 30's human years?

About the ending bit, Nala's family is very spiritually connected thus her excitement about the stars and catching wind(pun intended) of Simba's scent. She'd obviously won't tell Nala about him but she might nurse her back to health and point her towards the King's land where many royals go to be a "real ruler" where she'd need to stop by the jungle to get food and water and maaaaaybe find a certain someone.

Check out my commissions: Emergency Commissions

Description
For the first time in many moons, Nala felt peace and comfort. Her cousin's kingdom was bountiful in food and water despite the dry season and her pride are sweet lions who sympathized her pain yet comfort was not why she came here. Back home her own people were dying from starvation, dehydration and murder.
"More food, Lady Nala?" A small cub dropped a large piece of flesh before her. The flesh freshly caught for her and was a warm welcome from having eaten rotten meat and brittle bones. Nala nuzzled the cub in thanks before ripping into her meal. Her stomach slowly filled with fresh food and water but she could not but help feeling guilty about it. Her own mother is stuck in the Pridelands pregnant and underfed while she had the blessing to have as much as she could want and more.
"Are you doing well, cousin?" Boa licked a fleck of blood from her cousin's mouth before settling beside her. "I've missed you dearly. Mother did too..." She trailed off, eyes staring blankly into the distance. "If only she lived long enough to see you grow up and to know dear Aunt Fina carries once more," the paler lioness shifted herself rest her head in the crook of Nala's arm, "even if it's fathered by a tyrant's executioner." Nala nodded in agreement. The two cousins sat in silence as the sun slowly set behind the mountains in the distance.

She felt a playful nudge on her arm urging her to wake up.
"Nala." Another push. "Nala, come on!" Groggily she opened her eyes to see Boa pressing her face against hers. "Come outside! The spirits are dancing tonight!" Boa relentlessly pushed and pulled at Nala's arm until she reluctantly got up.
"Come on!Come see! They dance for our reunion, cousin!" Boa joyfully skipped ahead past the other lioness and into the night sky. Sure enough, Nala could see the stars move from their positions and create beautiful streaks of light in the darkness of the night. Still skipping, Boa led her to a small mound away from the sleeping pride where she finally stopped to stare at the spectacle above.
"It's wonderful." She didn't break her gaze but Boa patted a spot beside her, inviting Nala to sit. "You remember watching them with Simba in the Pridelands? Mufasa would wake us up to watch them as Sarabi would tell stories of the past." Nala nodded, a tight knot forming in her throat. She did remember those nights when the lands were lively and tranquil. She remembered bumping Simba awake until she herself fell victim to sleep. She remembered. That's why she's here.
"Boa, I need your help."
"Do you need more food? You've already eaten half a-"
"No...It's not that. We need your help. The Pridelands."
"Nala...I can't..."
"Why? Because you fear confrontation? Have you a heart, Boa? My people are dying. I come to you starved and broken, I come to you and tell our story, yet you still won't help us? Scar is destroying the lands, Boa! Do you not care?"
"Nala, you know it's not like that. I can't risk my pride."
"The stars you can't!" Tears stung Nala's eyes and her claws dug into the grass under her paws. Why wouldn't anyone help? She felt a paw rest atop of her own and Boa looked at her. Stern but worried.
"I can't. I just saved my people from a tyrant and over half of them lost their lives or left crippled. I can't fight this for you no matter how much I want to." Boa cupped her cousin's face with her paw and wiped away the tears. "I can, however, ask for help on your behalf. I'm unsure of what can be done or who would fight, especially with no heir untainted by Scar's upbringing." Nala nodded as Boa pulled her closer into a hug. "You're young Nala, strong too. If you can find a male, a prince, a rogue, a rogue prince, whatever they may be and use your title as a royal and former betrothed to a crown prince perhaps you will have a chance." The wind blew, the stars fell even harder from their places, and Boa caught the scent of someone she knew long ago. "Perhaps you'll find exactly who you need."
~~~~~
Redraw of a piece of art from....last year? Or two years ago? Anyway Boa got a few minor changes to her. No longer has a head stripe and her tuft goes backwards rather than Forewards. Also Boa was originally just a mousy little thing. Timid, shy, scared of her own shadow but I realized if she defeated the source of her fear maybe she'd grow little? A little wiser? But she's still an excitable cub despite being in her like early 30's human years?

About the ending bit, Nala's family is very spiritually connected thus her excitement about the stars and catching wind(pun intended) of Simba's scent. She'd obviously won't tell Nala about him but she might nurse her back to health and point her towards the King's land where many royals go to be a "real ruler" where she'd need to stop by the jungle to get food and water and maaaaaybe find a certain someone.

Check out my commissions: Emergency Commissions