I blinked against the sun, which shone down, lighting up my golden pelt. I glanced at the lair, then started up toward Pride Rock.

"There you are." Mom looked up as I approached, Dad laying beside her. My older sister, Kiara, was sitting up, her gaze fixed on the ground. My little brother, Kopa, was laying beside her, asleep.

I looked at them, tail twitching. I started to speak, then my eyes rested on the tiny gray bundle between my mothers paws, barely a day old. "Whos that?"

"I found her last night." Mom explained, shifting into a more comfortable position. "Someone left her here."

"We've decided to adopt her." Dad added, smiling. "We're going to name her Uzuri."

Kiara looked at me. Her gaze met mine, and I knew what she was thinking. Who she was thinking of.

Kila.

I flicked my tail. Kila, our younger sister, had just disappeared a long time ago. Before I even led the Lion Guard. Back when we were little, little cubs. This cub wasnt going to replace Kila, right?

Kiara shook her head quietly, and it was clear we were thinking the same thing.

Dad looked at us and seemed to know what we were thinking. "She wont replace your sister." He said gently. "But we cant leave her to die."

"I know." I turned my amber gaze back to the cub, the thoughts racing in my head. I padded forward a little and bent down, touching my muzzle lightly to her head. "Welcome to the family, Uzuri."

Kiara turned her head away, her expression unreadable.

I raised my head again, looking at her. "Kiara?"

"Hmm?"

"She's just a cub." My voice was soft. "We cant just leave her."

"I know." Kiara's ears twitched.

"She wont replace Kila," I said quietly. "But she needs a family."

Mom and Dad were silent, watching us.

Kiara looked at the cub for a moment, then at me. "But she wont replace our sister." I shook my head.

"Nobody can replace our sister, Kiara." I murmured, looking at her, then down at Uzuri. "But she needs us."

Kiara hesitated, then sighed. "Your right." She said quietly, looking at Uzuri. "Welcome to the family, little sister."

I couldnt help a slight smile as I looked at Uzuri.

Yes. Little sister.