Chapter Text
"Go away, Mzingo! Leave the kitten alone!" Kion yelled as he, Janja and the Guard attempted to chase away the vultures. In the middle of it all was a scared little caracal kitten, with wide, scared eyes. She shook violently as she watched the Guard attack and chase off the vultures that had previously been trying to attack her.
"Honestly, Janja! Do you still continue to stay loyal to them?" Mzingo said, clearly not happy with how everything had turned out. Specifically, he wasn't happy that he no longer had the hyenas to help him with his plans should he need them. Janja let out a low growl, giving him a clear answer to the rhetorical question. Mzingo scoffed and ordered his vultures to leave, glaring one last time at Janja and his allies before they all flew off.
Kion asked Ono to make sure that they made it out of the Pridelands, and asked Fuli, Beshte, and Bunga to head back to the lair for now. He and Janja checked to see how the little kitten was doing.
"Are you okay?" Kion asked gently, getting her attention. She looked up, her eyes wide, but no longer in fear.
"I'm fine," she said in a small voice. She looked amazed at the lion and hyena in front of her, as if they were angels that had saved her.
"C'mon, we'll take you to your mom and dad. Where are they?" Janja asked.
"I don't have them."
Kion and Janja looked at each other.
"You don't have a family?" Janja asked, sitting down next to her. She shook her head, and curled up on the ground.
"No. I'm okay, though. I just eat whatever's tinier than me."
There was a pause.
"There's not much," she said with a smile, and Kion laughed a little. He quickly shook his head.
"Um, let me and Janja go talk for a second. You stay here, okay?"
"Okay," she said with an innocent smile. Kion led Janja several feet away.
"Are you gonna say what I think you're gonna say?" Janja asked knowingly.
"Maybe. She needs a home, you know."
Janja glanced back at the little kitten, who was staring entranced at a butterfly that had landed near her. Kion and Janja both snickered a little when they saw that. They both shared a look, and went back to talk to her.
"Hey, me and my- Um, partner, were just talking..." Kion said, fumbling a little when he realized that he didn't know how to refer to Janja. They hadn't actually mated for obvious reasons, so calling him his mate didn't seem like a good term. Janja spoke up quickly.
"We were wondering if you would like to be our daughter."
The little kitten stared at them in wonder.
"Really? You mean it?"
"Of course. If you want us to be your dads-"
"Yeah! You saved me from the mean birds, I know you can protect me!" she said excitedly, jumping up and trying to embrace Kion. It didn't really work due to a height difference, and Kion laughed a little as he patted her head.
"What's your name?" Janja asked.
"I dunno... Can't you name me?"
Kion and Janja looked at each other.
"What do you think, Kion?"
"How about... Kibibi?" Kion suggested. She grinned and started bouncing around excitedly.
"That's my name now! I like it!" she declared. Kion and Janja just laughed at how hyper she was.
"C'mon, then, Kibibi. You have a new aunt who's gonna want to meet you," Janja said with a smile, and he and Kion started to lead her towards Pride Rock.
"Aren't you in the Lion Guard?" Kibibi asked, looking at Kion, as if she had just realized that.
"Yeah. Didn't you know that?"
"I knew it. I just didn't care 'cause I wasn't your daughter yet."
Kion and Janja both had to laugh at that, and Kibibi beamed.