"Hey, Dad! All set?" Young Simba asked as he found his father resting on a rock beside his mate.
"Okay, okay, five more minutes.." Mufasa yawned as he stretched his back leg.
"Go on, Mufasa, you promised." Sarabi said.
The great King sighed as he smiled and stood up.
"Let's go."
TLK
"So when I'm king, I'll have to do this too?" Simba asked.
"Yes, as King, it is your job to make sure that all the herd leaders are well and treated with respect. Our first stop is a crocodile leader named Pua. He's been leader for a few years now."
"Whoa! You mean we're going to meet a crocodile!?" Simba cried.
Mufasa chuckled. "Yes."
"He's not gonna eat me, is he?"
The King laughed. "No, don't worry."
"Mufasa! Mufasa!"
"Zazu?" Mufasa asked as the hornbill flew over them.
"Hyenas, sir! They're attacking the antelopes on the north border!" He cried.
"I'm on my way, stay here with Simba!"
Simba and Zazu stared. "WHAT?!"
"I won't be long!" Mufasa called as he raced off.
Simba groaned as he slumped to the ground. "Greeeeat." He grumbled.
Zazu crossed his wings. "I don't like this anymore then you. Well, come on, let's get you back to Pride Rock."
"What? No way! Let's go have some fun!" Simba said.
Zazu frowned. "No, last time I took care of you and Nala, I was tied to a tree. I still haven't gotten the sap out of my wings."
When no smart remark came, Zazu turned and saw that Simba had disappeared.
"Simba? Simba! Ooh, that cub's going to put my into early retirement." Zazu growled as he took flight.
"Where is he?"
TLK
Simba chuckled to himself at his smart thinking. Sneaking away from Zazu is always easy, now for some fun.
He could join his dad at the North border, but then that might be boring.
Then he noticed a small baby elephant walking along side the water hole.
"Maybe he wants to play." Simba said before walking over.
The baby elephant noticed the young cub and yelped. "S-stay away!" She cried.
"I ain't gonna hurt you. I'm Simba, the future King." Simba said, puffing out his chest.
"I'm Kuma. Can you help me?"
"Uh...yeah! What's wrong?"
"I'm lost my herd."
"Oh, erm, any idea which way they went?" Simba asked, beginning to fear that he might need Zazu.
"If I did, I would have follow." Kuma snapped.
"Jeez, sorry. Huh?" Simba twitched his ear. They weren't alone.
"What is it?" Kuma asked.
Suddenly, a cheetah leapt from the bushes and snarled, making Simba stumble and fall into the water.
Coughing, Simba spat, before gasping as the cheetah got ready to pounce on Kuma.
"Wait!" Simba cried as he stumbled out of the water, but the cheetah used his back leg to push the cub aside.
"Help!" Kuma cried.
"I'm, I'm coming!" Simba cried as he coughed and splashed in the water.
"Away, cheetah!"
"Zazu!" Simba cried as the majordomo flew down and struck the cheetah in the head with his beak.
"You know the law! No hunting near the waterhole!" Zazu cried.
The cheetah swat a paw, barely missing Zazu's tail feathers.
The hornbill swept down again and nipped the cheetah's ear.
"All right!" The cheetah hissed before slinking away.
Zazu landed on a rock and huffed.
"Kuma, your family is worried sick, they will be here in a moment. As for you-" Zazu said turning to Simba who had managed to drag himself out of the water. "I'm taking you home."
Once the herd of elephants had arrived, they thanked Zazu for his bravery and took Kuma home.
Simba sighed as he walked behind Zazu, his golden pelt drying in the hot sun.
"Honestly, Simba, you could have been killed!" Zazu scolded.
"I was just looking for some fun."
"Why is it that when you go looking for fun, you end up finding trouble?" Suddenly Zazu stopped.
"What's wrong?" Simba asked.
Before the hornbill could say anything, a jackal leapt from the bushes and pinned Zazu to the ground.
"Mm, lunch!" He snarled.
"Hey, why don't you pick on somebody your own size!?" Simba growled.
The jackal growled as Simba ran up and struck him in the nose with his claws.
The jackal yelped and stumbled off Zazu. Wincing he licked his nose and tasted the blood.
"Why, you-" But before he could finish, Zazu took flight and grabbed his ear, pulling him away from Simba.
The jackal swept his paw and knocked Zazu to the ground.
Simba snarled as he leapt onto the jackal's back and bit the scruff on his neck.
The jackal yelped as he threw Simba off and took off running.
Zazu coughed as he stood and dusted himself off.
"Not bad, young prince." He said.
Simba beamed. "Wait till I tell Dad!"
"Tell me what?" Mufasa asked as he walked up.
TLK
That night, after telling his father and the whole pride about his and Zazu's battle, Simba though he felt very proud, was also very tired and yawned as he curled up beside his mom.
Zazu smiled as Mufasa walked up beside him.
"Thank you for keeping him safe." The King said.
"It seems Simba kept ME safe. I would be lunch had he not saved me." Zazu said.
Mufasa chuckled as he patted Zazu's head in a playful manner before heading to bed.
Zazu smirked as he gave one last glance to the cub.
He may be a pain now, but Zazu could that he was going make an excellent King someday.