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Journey To The Unknown

Kiara held Kim in her arms and hushed him. "Hush, baby, Mali didn't mean it, I'm sure of it. Don't cry." But Kim couldn't stop. He kept thinking of the humiliation and Shani watching aside. "Now everyone thinks I'm a coward, everyone! He ALWAYS does that, he hates me!" "No, Kim, he doesn't hate you. I know it's hard to understand but Maliki loves you, as much as you love him." "But I don't love him, I HATE him!!! He only wants to show how strong he is, and he knows they're watching, he knows it!"
Kim burst into tears again and Kiara licked him softly. She was quite mad at Maliki, too. She knew Kim was right, Maliki thought a king isn't really a king, if he can't fight. Kiara had talked to him about it but he either forgot it or just ignored her.
Now Kovu and Maliki returned to the cave. Maliki looked sad, like he had been crying too. Kim never saw him crying before.
He lifted his head up a little and looked at Maliki. Maliki tried to give him a smile but Kim narrowed his eyes angrily and turned his head away.
"Kim, Maliki has something to say to you," Kovu said. Kim didn't turn his head. He didn't care what Maliki said, he didn't mean it anyway. "Kim..." Kiara nuzzled him and tried to convince him to look at his brother. But he didn't.
Maliki sat waiting for a while, then suddenly got up, walked to Kim and nuzzled him. "I'm sorry, Kim, I really am," he whispered.
Now Kim turned around, staring at his brother in amazement. Maliki hadn't planned this ahead, he usually apologized quickly and asked if he could go play. Kim sniffled a little and Maliki nuzzled him again. Even Kovu and Kiara were stunned.
Kim waited for a while to see a sign Maliki was just doing this from Kovu's order, but he wasn't, Kim knew it. He smiled and licked Maliki. "Hey, don't get me all wet," Maliki said, wiping his head with his paw, but Kim saw he was relieved that the fight was over.
"Come on, do you wanna play with us?" Maliki asked, running to the mouth of the cave. Kim couldn't believe it. Mali was like another lion! He never asked Kim to join the others. "Sure!" he laughed and ran after Maliki. Kovu and Kiara stayed and looked behind the two cubs.
"Kovu, what on earth did you SAY to him?!" Kiara giggled. "I actually don't know, but I guess it really worked," Kovu laughed. "At least they're friends again."
Kiara looked a little worried. "I just hope Mali won't do it again. Kim was afraid he hated him." "I know, I told him not to fight with him again," Kovu replied. Kovu grinned. "Now do you mind if we would have our own little..."fight" for a minute?" Kiara laughed. "Kovu, you're being nasty!" "Yeah, and you like it, don't you?" Kovu grinned again and licked Kiara.

Meanwhile, Maliki and Kim were playing with the others. First, everyone else had a hard time to accept Mali's little brother, he wasn't good at wrestling and he didn't know any good games. But after a while, they knew they didn't have much choice. After all, he was the future king's brother and if Mali could accept him, they would have to, too.
"So, what are we gonna play?" Mali asked. No-one had an idea. "Anyone?" he asked again. Still silence. "I have an idea." Everyone turned around and saw Shani. Kim pulled his ears back. He was afraid Shani would still think he was a coward. "I know a really cool place. It's near the waterhole, I heard Simba and Nala talking about it once," Shani continued.
Everyone glanced at each other. Simba and Nala? The king and queen talking about a cool place? They had all heard stories about Simba's wild youth. This was getting interesting...
"So what is that place?" asked Kizuka, one of the cubs. Shani lowered her voice and tried to sound as scaring and possible:. "An elephant graveyard." "That?! There is no such place! Mum told me once!" Mafumbo laughed. "I KNOW it's true," Shani said. "I've been there."
Everyone gasped. Shani, the shyest girl of the whole pride, that never did anything cool, had been in the elephant graveyard? "You're lying!" Maliki said. "Oh yeah?! I can prove it! Follow me and I'll show it to you!" Shani replied, almost yelling. Some cubs, who usually were brave, suddenly had an excuse for staying home. "Umm, I-I have to have a bath soon..." "I-I don't wanna skip dinner..." "It's so late already..." "It's probably a stupid place, anyway..."
"And you called Kim a coward!" Shani yelled angrily. Everyone lowered their ears. "You're a bunch of cowards yourself! If there's no-one coming with me, I'm going there alone!" The cubs looked frightened at each other. Shani really was brave!
"I'll go with you," a voice said. The cubs turned to see who it was and yes, it was the little, weak brother of the prince, Kim! Kim stepped proudly forward and sat next to Shani. "I'll go with Shani to the elephant graveyard."
No-one said anything. They all seemed to be waiting for something. Everyone looked quietly at Maliki. He sat in the middle of the others, swallowing. He didn't want to go to the graveyard, he knew Simba and Nala had gotten into trouble by going there. Even without the hyenas there anymore, it was a dangerous and forbidden place. But he couldn't back up. He was known as the bravest cub and wouldn't get defeated by his little brother! "I'm going too," he said, voice trembling but trying not to show it.
Shani smiled. "Well, at least there are THREE brave cubs around here. You can all go home when WE find some adventure!" She turned her back on the other cubs and started to run ahead. Kim and Maliki followed. They were both scared, but Kim didn't want to disappoint Shani again and Maliki wanted to show how brave he was. They ran behind Shani, keeping an eye on the lionesses from the pride from seeing them and possible predators.
"Over here!" Shani yelled, as quiet as possible. Kim and Maliki saw a gorge in front of them. Shani jumped off the ledge and the two brothers followed her reluctantly.