A/N hey everyone! I've finally gotten around to starting my first Lion King fic! I know I haven't shown my face here much, but that's cause I was finishing up a Lilo and Stitch fic (and also, my computer won't let me review). Anyhow, I hope you guys enjoy this at least half as much as I've enjoyed yours! (Oh trust me, I have. I've also had to change a few names before putting this up, seeing as they've already been used...) but enough of my blathering! Onward!

Disclaimer: you smart readers already know what I'm going to say here, don't you? I own no one. Well, except for Hadiya and Pazu, whenever he shows up. They're mine! Okay, now we can continue...

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It's amazing how quickly the landscape can change. Hadiya was dragging herself across dry, cracked ground, ahead of her was a lush oasis. She thought she was seeing things, after all she'd been wandering for days, but she hoped this time that it was real. She squinted against the sunlight sparkling on the distant waterfalls, teasing her. She knew, just like all the other water holes she had found it would all conveniently disappear just as she reached it.

If she reached it. That was a big "if". She felt that she could barely move and her vision was beginning to blur. She could see shapes moving toward her, real shapes. She rubbed her eyes, double-checking that she was still awake as the shapes came into focus. An older meerkat was coming right at her, another younger male following behind. She stopped, thinking vaguely of how awful she must look, but she couldn't do anything about it now. The pair stopped a few steps away from her and the older male squinted at her.

"You look terrible." Sure was nice of him to point it out. He nodded to the younger one. "Flinchy, I do believe our friend may need some assistance." Flinchy (who seemed totally relaxed, whatever his name may imply) stuck out a hand, not realizing Hadiya was a little too dazed to comprehend. He chuckled a bit apologetically. "Sorry, heh..." Hadiya ignored him, barely noticing him pick her up and start off towards the oasis.

x x x

"Oh come on now, you can't give us the silent treatment forever." They were standing in the middle of a clearing, avoiding the crowds that wandered most of the oasis. Osono smiled warmly at Hadiya, but the young girl merely stared silently at her feet. Motherly by nature, Osono put an arm around her, casting a brief glare at an impatient Max. "Could you at least tell me your name?" Hadiya shook her head, undecided of whether she should say anything. Sure, they seemed friendly enough, but she felt so uncomfortable being around someone again that she wasn't sure if she could get her mouth to work. Osono didn't pressure her; instead she released her, turning to face a warthog approaching across the clearing.

Max rolled his eyes, muttering something about 'idiots'. Osono ignored him and called out to him.

"There you two are! I was beginning to think you wouldn't be coming by." Hadiya stared up at him in awe (he seemed very big) Pumbaa smiled and lowered his head, depositing a half-asleep, but fully irate Timon before them. "Timmy..."

"Muhfwa..." Timon opened an eye and rolled over, but Osono pulled him to his feet anyway. "What!? What's so important that it can't wait?"

Osono introduced them to Hadiya as best she could. "This is my son Timon and his friend Pumbaa." Hadiya lifted a hand in a halfhearted wave, the guys doing likewise. "Dear, if you don't mind, Timmy's been here a lot longer than I have and I'd like him to show you around." Timon moaned as Hadiya nodded.

x x x

"Of all the rotten luck. In a place this size you'd think we'd be able to find at least a foot of unoccupied space..." the three of them were plodding through the jungle, heading nowhere in particular. Hadiya was listening avidly, as she had been the last hour or so. Every so often she'd run a hand through her brown hair (it was a little longer than was usual) and pause to look at a beetle or a pool of water. Timon seemed to be annoyed by her silence at first, although he seemed to be starting to enjoy having someone who wouldn't interrupt him. By the time they finally found a spot for themselves he had told her half of his life story (it was amazing how he could remember every bug he'd ever eaten).

His mouth began to slow down once they were settled comfortably in the grass. Hadiya was starting to like this place. She felt so welcome here. Even though she'd only met four people she thought of them as friends. They seemed to like her.

'But they don't know me...' she thought. 'And they won't if I don't talk to them.' She still wasn't crazy about the idea. She'd never been a talker and usually let others do it for her, but now it seemed she couldn't get away with it. If she was going to stay here, she had to.

"Um...guys?" she was surprised at the meekness in her own voice, it was barely more than a whisper. She was also surprised that Pumbaa had burped the same moment she had opened her mouth. A little annoyed, she cleared her throat to make sure it would work. "Thanks for showing me around, guys." It wasn't what she'd hoped, but it at least got their attention. Pumbaa sat up, turning his neck to look at her.

"Our pleasure." He smiled cheerfully and Hadiya turned to Timon, who was looking at her curiously.

"Oh, so you can talk. I was starting to think you were a mute..." he shrugged. "Well, you know about us..."

"No, she knows about you."

"Alright, alright, don't get your tusks in a twist, Pumbaa. Anyhow, I think it's time we knew a little bit about you." Pumbaa snorted at him as a reminder to not be pushy.

"If you want to tell us, that is." He shot a look to Timon. "So, what's your name?" Hadiya hesitated; she hadn't expected questions (she knew she should have). She hoped they wouldn't want much more than the basics.

"...I'm Hadiya."

"Oh, that's a nice name." Pumbaa said. Timon grunted in agreement.

"Is that it?"

"Yeah, you can tell us everything else when you when feel like it." Timon said, lying back down into the grass. Hadiya smiled and did likewise.

She was definitely starting to like it here.

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A/N I'm sorry that there wasn't much happening here, but I needed to get her there and meeting everybody. Next chap may take a little bit, but I'll work on it. Thanks for reading everybody!