After hours of scaring off her prey, Zingela decided to rest near a tree. The female cheetah observed the Impalas that strolled by, and that slowly provoked her appetite. The big cat was hot, and tired and she panted heavily as she watched. Then she saw the opportunity; a calf who struggled to keep up with its mother. Calves couldn't fend for themselves and were probably the easiest thing to hunt near the jungle. The impalas spread quickly, some at the waterfall quenching their thirst, others grazing and others fighting for competition in finding a mate.

Zingela stalked quickly, her blue eyes focused on the calf. Her permanently extended claws gripped to the terrain, ready to pounce. Her flexible hind legs held back, ready to push. When the moment arrived, she leapt forward, galloping as her hind legs touched her forelegs. But something gold had interfered with the hunt. There was a flash of crimson and gold as the object scared off the herd - including the calf.

"Damn," muttered Zingela under her breath as she observed the object. "Maybe it's another easy prey," she predicted as she moved in closer. As she got closer, she could tell it was a big cat. Something red attached around his neck. "What the..." she gasped. "A lion?"

It was extremely rare to find any lions in the jungle, unless they were just passing by. Her eyes widened as he slumped down, sighing.

"I wish someone taught me how to hunt," he sighed. "Bugs just don't satisfy me..." Zingela felt an urge to stand up and talk to him, but she was afraid.

Something told her to do it, and so she followed her instincts and stood up bravely. The lion looked over at her, eyes widened. He stood up in defense, growling and baring his teeth.

"Relax," Zingela soothed. "You scared off my prey."

"Your prey?" the lion repeated, an eyebrow raised. "I believe that was my prey!"

"If it was your prey, why didn't you hunt it?"

"I can't hunt," he exhaled. He slumped down again, his eyes looked down to Zingela's paws. Zingela elbowed him with a smile.

"Look, pal. I'll help ya." she offered. "But I need to know your name first."

"My name's Simba. I'd be honored for you to teach me!" the lion jumped excitedly, circling Zingela. "But... what's your name?"

"Zingela. It's Swahili for hunt." she explained. "Do you live by yourself out here?"

"No, I have two friends; Timon and Pumbaa. They're great friends - but you'll have resist eating them." Simba warned as he led her towards the lush and green grass.

Chapter one

Remembering the past

Zingela looked around cautiously before entering the closed-in area. The curtain of water fell down, bringing some cold smoke. The female cheetah bent down slowly, closing her eyes to drink when suddenly, she felt a cold paw behind her and soon, she fell into the cold water with someone on her back.

"Simba!" she gasped, getting out of the freezing water.

"Come on, Zingela. Let loose a little!" he teased, laughing as he watched her get out of the water.

"Timon taught you that, didn't he?" predicted Zingela, frowning.

"Nah, Pumbaa did!" he exclaimed, shaking himself once out of the water. "Are you going to hunt today?"

"Hmm... maybe later." she said, itching her stomach with her hind leg. "I'm not hungry right now..."

Simba was slightly disappointed she'd hunt later; he was hungry and he wanted food now. As soon as she noticed his unhappy face, she elbowed him with a smile.

"C'mon, Simba! What happened to eating bugs when I was injured?" she reminded. "You, Timon and Pumbaa ate a lot of bugs then."

"Well..." thought Simba. "All right, I'll eat bugs... but later you'll hunt." he noted.

Just then, Timon and Pumbaa walked out of the bush, yawning.

"Good morning, pals!" yawned Timon, putting his hand over his mouth. Pumbaa seemed half asleep, but the meerkat elbowed him so hard he woke up within seconds.

"Oh! What? I didn't do it..." he said, sleepily.

"It's morning, you goof!" yelled Timon in his friend's ear.

Zingela and Simba chuckled lightly, before Zingela decided to sleep a little more.

"Yeah, I think I'll tag along with ya, Zin." yawned Timon, following the cheetah with Pumbaa behind. Simba frowned as he watched his friends sleep comfortably, for he wanted to play. He decided that he'd have a small nap, if not just lay there until they woke up. The young lion shut his eyes tightly, running his paw over his red mane. A bad memory came to him, much to his displeasure.

His father clung to the cliff, climbing his way up. "Dad!" yelled Simba, once placed safely on a perch as his brave father was pulled back into the stampede. "I know you can do it!" he whispered as he saw his father land on the ground. The huge lion figure pounced and began to climb again, over to his uncle. Simba saw nothing else but the rocks as he climbed excitedly to see if his father was all right. The last thing Simba saw was his father fall to the ground, and horriblt trampled to death by hooves of the wildebeest. "NO!"

Simba woke up to see the worried faces of his companions.

"Simba, are you all right? You kept screaming in your sleep." asked Zingela as she comforted him.

"Sounded like a baby to me." mocked Timon, not to offend his friend, but as a joke. Soon everyone heard his yelp of pain when Pumbaa elbowed him.

"Stop it, Timon." scolded the warthog.

"I think I was having another dream of my dad..." Simba finally spoke.

"Dream? How is that a dream? That's a nightmare!" exclaimed Timon.

"What happened to your dad anyway, Simba? If you don't mind me asking..." asked Zingela, frowning.

"Nothing..." muttered the golden lion as he remembered his father's death. "It's just... it's my fault."

"No it's not, Simba. Whatever happened, I'm sure you didn't mean to do it. You're a kind and great lion - no wonder..." mumbled Zingela before being interrupted by Timon.

"..No wonder you have great friends!" interrupted the meerkat, earning a dirty look from Zingela. He then chuckled with a nervous smile. "...A-As you were sayin'?"

"Can we talk about something else?" asked the lion. "How about Zingela teaches me how to fight?"

"Fight?" gasped Zingela in disbelief. "Isn't it dangerous? You can barely afford to hunt for yourself..."

"Zingela, I need to learn to fend for myself. What if an intruder - or a lion - invades. Cheetahs can't fight lions, they're too slender."

Simba said, offending Zingela but she took it lightly and hid her humiliation.

"Yeah, we're too slender." So much for that.

The hurt cheetah walked away from her friends, sighing and furrowing her eyebrows. She was gone for almost the whole day, laying ontop of a log and looking into her reflection. "Am I really too weak? I've defeated many lions... but... is my kind weak? Is Simba right?"

"Zingela!" She heard a male voice behind her, echoing and she soon realized who it was...

"Go away, Simba..." she mumbled, walking away.

"I'm sorry! I'm just going through a lot of emotional problems - I'm sorry, Zingela."

At those words she stopped and turned back, elbowing him with a smile.

"It's all right, squirt." she giggled. "But... please tell me what happened."

They two big cats lay in the grass, conversing about their past, and how each of them got to the jungle.

"... then Timon and Pumbaa adopted me." concluded Simba, seeking guidance from the stars.

"Wow. I'm sorry for your loss..." apologized Zingela.

"What's your story?" asked Simba, looking at her upsetting attitude.

"Well... It's not a nice one, but here I go..." she began.

A mother cheetah licked her three cubs clean in her warm and soothing sealed den. Locked with comfort, she slept well as well as her cubs, she nursed them well and they were safe when she went to hunt. One day the mother cheetah woke up, and prepared for her hunt. As soon as she stepped one paw outside, she saw a lion making his way over. "No... I must hide my cubs." she murmured as she held her first cub. There were three of them, and she had to take them one by one. She took the oldest, which she called Zingela. Zingela was placed behind some bushes as she watched her mother enter the den. However, when she entered the den, she found her last to cubs being devoured to flesh by the very lion who invaded her territory.

"I could remember seeing blood... her horrified face and everything..." she muttered as she looked to her paw.

"I'm sorry, Zingela..." apologized Simba, placing his paw on hers. "What happened to her?"

"Eventually, she was killed when fighting the lion. I guess you were right when you said cheetahs were too slender..." Zingela noted.

"My father told me, that our family members and kings guide us through the stars. Your mother and siblings are looking down at you, proud you were able to raise yourself into such a graceful and powerful cheetah." Simba consoled, nuzzling her and bringing warmth to her cold body.

This was Chapter 1!

I must say, I kind of like Zingela. Her name means hunt - because her mother was determined to help her master the skill. I didn't bother naming her mother and siblings because I don't believe they'll appear anymore in this story...

And I found a voice actor for Zingela: Julie Kavner - I just felt she suited the same voice as Ma! I just LOVE Ma's voice! :D

Continue to Chapter 2