The log - or rather, the lioness - gave a roar of startlement and span around so fast that Kiara had no chance of holding on. She slid off the lioness' back, plopping onto the grass, on her back, and gazing up at the startled - and angry gaze, of her grandmother.

The anger faded quickly though, and Grandmother Sarafina looked delighted. "Kiara! What are you doing all the way out here by yourself?"

"Uh... I'm not alone," Kiara said, once her surprise had diminished, and pointed across the grass. "Timon and Pumbaa are looking after me."

"They are? ... oh." Sarafina's smile seemed to fade a little bit as Timon and Pumbaa approached, chatting as always. "How are you two boys doing?"

"Faantastic, yourself?" Bumbaa said eagerly.

"Just enjoying the fresh air," Timon said, clasping his hands behind his back and grinning nervously. To Kiara, it was obvious he was hiding something.

"Now now, Timon. What have you been up to?" Grandmother said in her gentle voice.

"Eating bugs!" Kiara blurted, grinning, but Timon slapped his forehead. "What?"

"Bugs?" Grandmother said, standing up. "You fed my grand daughter, a lioness, bugs?"

"It wasn't my idea. She -"

"You dared me!" Kiara said defensively.

"Oh, stop your quibbling. Come on, Kiara. If you're that hungry I'll take you home and give you a proper meal." With that Sarafina picked up Kiara by the scruff of her neck, carrying her back towards Pride Rock in the distance. "Bye boys!" She mumbled around Kiara.

"Bye Sarafina! Bye Kiara!" Pumbaa called.

"Don't forget to tell your dad what good guardians we were!" said Timon.

Sarafina snorted. "Good guardians indeed. Kiara... don't they feed you anything at Pride Rock? What made you resort to eating bugs?"

"They weren't that bad actually," Kiara said. "In fact they're all different flavours! You're not going to tell dad... are you?" She swallowed, gazing down at her distended stomach as she was carried along.

"I'll tell him you should be given a proper meal. You're a growing lioness. Simba didn't know the hunger that we all felt when Scar was in charge, but I'll be cursed before I let a growing girl like you go hungry with all the food we have available."

Kiara frowned. It wasn't dad's fault that she was always hungry, and she didn't want Sarafina to be angry with him over it... but at the same time, if she could convince Sarafina to give her extra tidbits on the side of the rations mother and father allowed her, it might not be a bad thing. She decided...