Chapter One

"Get down here right now, young lion!"

A young, dark-furred lion cub grinned at the meerkat from the top of the tree. "No way, Timon! This is awesome!" the cub exclaimed, leaping from branch to branch. A strong gust of wind buffeted through the branches, ruffling the little lion's growing black mane. "Yahoo!"

"I'm counting to three!" Timon warned, holding up three fingers, annoyance clear in his tone. "One..."

The defiant young cub continued to climb the tree, paying no attention to his caretaker. His claws dug into the bark of the tree, scoring long marks on the trunk. His blue eyes were bold and determined as he ascended the tree, not taking his gaze off the tips of the branches.

"Imara," Pumbaa said, worry in his tone, "you could get hurt! Come down!"

Timon climbed onto the warthog's back, sliding down his snout and leaning against one of his companion's tusks. "I'm telling ya, Pumbaa, this kid is just like his grandfather when he was a cub." Raising his voice so the young lion could hear him, he raised a second finger. "Two..."

Imara continued to ignore the meerkat and warthog. He took a daring leap to a higher branch, kicking up with his hind legs to steady himself. Once all four of his feet were steady on the branch, he continued to the next branch.

"Don't make me say three, Imara!" Timon threateningly raised a third finger. "C'mon, kid! Your mother's gonna be worried sick!"

"Come on, Imara!" Pumbaa called, trying to give as much assistance to Timon as he could. "It's unsafe up there!"

At this moment, Imara's paw slipped from one of the branches. He let out a grunt of effort as he struggled to pull himself on top of the branch, when it suddenly snapped underneath him. He let out a gasp of surprise, his paws churning in the air as he fell to the ground.

"Kiara's gonna kill us!" Timon exclaimed melodramatically, his back turned to the tree, unaware of the slipping cub. He slapped a paw to his forehead. "Oy... I can already feel my bones crunching."

"Imara!" Pumbaa yelled, rushing forward to get underneath the cub as he fell. Timon was thrown over his accomplice's shoulders, and he skidded to a stop after rolling into a rock beside the gorge.

Pumbaa leapt forward, and the young cub landed on his back, completely unharmed. He bounced to his feet immediately. "Woohoo! That was awesome, Pumbaa! Can we go again? Please?" Imara begged, his tufted tail flicking with excitement.

"No!" The duo exclaimed in unison as Timon shakily got to his feet, dusting off his fur.
"Sorry, kid, but it's time we headed back to Pride Rock." He climbed onto Pumbaa's back as Imara trotted over. "And from now on, no more tree climbing." He leaned closer to Pumbaa's ear, adding quietly, "At least not while we're the ones responsible for watching him."

Imara looked downcast as his ears lowered to his head. "Okay," he murmured sadly, flicking a tuft of black fur out of his face. His paws sagged as they turned their backs on the gorge.
Suddenly, the young cub's ears perked. "Timon, do you hear that?"

"Kid, enough games. It's time for us to head home."

"No, really! I think I heard something coming from the gorge!" Imara exclaimed, beginning to turn back.

"Wait, wait, wait. Hold on a second," Timon said, tugging on one of Pumbaa's ears. The warthog stepped in front of the lion cub's path and the meerkat slipped off his companion's back, leaning against his leg. "It's probably just the herds moving."

The rumble of a stampede echoed through the gorge, proving Timon's point. "See?" the meerkat said, jabbing a thumb in the direction of the gorge. "Nothing to worry about. The wildebeest move all the time."

"Not unless something startles them! That's what my dad says!" Imara said, peering around the warthog's shoulder.

"Gee, Timon, don't you think we should look, just in case? What if someone really does need help?" Pumbaa pointed out.

"Hmm... what if someone really does need help?" Timon said, stealing Pumbaa's words and logic, as was the norm. Pumbaa looked a bit disgruntled as Timon turned to Imara. "Fine, we'll take a look, but you have to stay put," Timon ordered. Imara sighed, but obliged, sitting down where he was told.

Timon and Pumbaa cautiously approached the edge of the gorge. A large stampede was taking place, but as the meerkat and warthog scanned the land below, they didn't spot any lions, hyenas or predators of any sort. Timon began to turn back to the lion cub. "See, kid? Nothing to worry about."

"Timon! Look!" Pumbaa exclaimed suddenly, pointing a hoof. Timon followed his gaze, surprised at what his eyes found.
A meerkat was clinging to a ledge above the stampede, yelling for help. The stampeding wildebeest kicked up stones and dust as they hurried through the gorge, striking the helpless meerkat's back with stray pebbles.

"C'mon, Pumbaa! Let's go!" Timon yelled, leaping onto his partner's back.

"Go? You mean, into the gorge?" Pumbaa asked with caution in his tone.

"I'm not gonna watch one of my own kind get trampled to death!" Timon declared, grabbing onto Pumbaa's ears. "Stay where you are, kid!" the meerkat yelled over his shoulder. Imara seemed worried, but nodded and stayed sitting as the duo began to make their way down the side of the gorge.

"Careful now, Pumbaa," Timon warned as the warthog picked his way through the boulders and hopped from ledge to ledge. "Wait, watch out for that-"
A rock slid down the ledge, catching Pumbaa's hoof and sending him off balance. He tumbled down the side of the gorge, causing Timon to go flying over the warthog's head. He landed on a ledge just above the stampeding wildebeest.
"... Rock..." Timon finished, pulling himself to his feet with a groan. "Pumbaa? Where are ya, pal?" Timon yelled over the echo of hooves. "Pumbaa!"

"Right here, Timon!" Pumbaa called, leaping over to the meerkat's ledge. "Do you see him?"

Timon scanned the moving mammals, climbing onto Pumbaa's shoulders to get a better look. He placed a paw over his eyes to block the sunlight from his view. "Over there!" He pointed to the struggling meerkat, who seemed to be clinging to the ledge by his fingertips. "Let's move, Pumbaa!"

The warthog leapt down from the ledge with Timon on his shoulders, rushing through the stampede with determination. The duo wove through the crowd of wildebeest, avoiding their quick hooves and strong legs. Timon struggled to stand on his friend's head to get a better look of their surroundings. "I lost him, Pumbaa!"

"Straight ahead!" Pumbaa informed his companion, moving to the side to get closer to the ledge. Timon lifted his head, noticing the meerkat beginning to slip.

"Speed it up, Pumbaa!"

As the warthog took up speed, Timon came to a sudden realization: this meerkat was not a male, but indeed a female. She had a small, feminine figure and dark brown eyes, wide and full of fear at the moment. Her fur was a darker brown than Timon's, and she had black stripes on her back. Her paws scrambled for the ledge, but she quickly lost her grip.

Just as she fell, Pumbaa and Timon got underneath her ledge, and she fell onto the warthog's back. Timon grabbed her arm to keep her from falling. Before either of them could manage a word, a rock went flying into Timon's chest. He hit the ground hard and became disoriented as he landed among the stampeding wildebeest. He got to his feet quickly, slipping to the side to avoid a hoof and ducking another. "Pumbaa!" Timon yelped, placing his paws over his head in an attempt to protect himself.

The warthog quickly came into view, the female meerkat leading him towards Timon. "There he is!" she informed him. Pumbaa narrowly dodged several wildebeest, stooping next to Timon.

"Who's the hero here?" Timon demanded as the meerkat grabbed his paw, hoisting him onto Pumbaa's shoulders.

"We'll call it a team effort," the female meerkat responded with a smirk.

Timon steadied himself on his companion's shoulders. "Let's go, Pumbaa!"

The warthog ducked another wildebeest as it leaped over him. He skidded to the side and continued dodging the oncoming animals until they reached the edge of the gorge. Leaping onto the lowest ledge, Pumbaa got his bearings and climbed up the side of the ravine. Imara glanced over the edge of the gorge, his eyes wide with worry.

The female meerkat didn't notice the young cub, but Timon yelled, "Get away from the edge, kid!" The lion nodded and backed away as the warthog pulled himself over the edge of the gorge, the two meerkats sliding off of his shoulders.

Pumbaa fell onto his side, gasping for breath, and two meerkats collapsed onto their backs, hearts racing.

"Timon, Pumbaa! Are you guys okay?" Imara asked worriedly, standing over Timon.

Timon nodded weakly, and the female meerkat beside him began to panic. "... L-lion!" she screeched, grabbing Timon's arm and yanking him to his feet, getting ready to run.
She began to run, but Timon stopped her, placing a paw on her shoulder. "This little guy isn't gonna hurt ya, isn't that right, Imara?"

"Right," the male cub said with a nod, stepping away from the meerkats.

"See? Nothing to be scared of," Timon assured her. The female did not look entirely convinced, but she relaxed a bit.

"Are you okay, miss?" Pumbaa asked kindly, trotting over to the meerkats.

She nodded. "I'm fine, now. Thank you, both of you. You took quite a risk."

"Well, now that the whole ordeal is over, we can finally head back to Pride Rock," said Timon.

"Pride Rock?" The female's eyes widened. "You live in the Pridelands?"

"Well, we're not Outlanders, that's for sure," Timon said with a shudder. "Why?"

"I didn't realize I had come so far..."

Pumbaa looked a bit confused. "Where are you from?" the warthog asked.

"Just beyond the Outlands," she said.

"Beyond the Outlands?" Imara asked. "Cool!"

The female meerkat tensed. "It may sound cool, but trust me, it's quite the opposite. It's dangerous. The whole area is crawling with hyenas, as well as lions exiled from their prides."

"Aw, come on. Meerkats aren't the only animals in their diet. It can't be that bad," Timon said, leaning against Pumbaa's leg.

"Out there, meerkats are the only source of food. There are so many predators that all other animals moved out long ago."

"Well, didn't you leave? More importantly, why didn't the predators leave?" Timon questioned, crossing his arms.

"They have a ruler. A king, if you will. He's the strongest lion; he rules the Outlands as well as my homeland."

"What's the name of your homeland?" Pumbaa asked.

"Why name it? It's basically an extended territory of the Outlands..." The female meerkat looked towards the Outlands as she spoke, her eyes tired. "I have to go back."

"What? Go back?" Timon exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air.

"You've come all this way! Why not live with us at Pride Rock?" Pumbaa asked.

"I appreciate the offer, I really do, but I can't abandon my family. I'm the sentry."

"You're the sentry of that forsaken place?" Timon cried. "Why would you want to stay?"

"It's not that I want to. I need to. There are young meerkats, barely old enough to stand alone. They wouldn't last five seconds out of the ground, in the open. When they're older, maybe, but even then it would be nearly impossible to leave."

"You left," Imara pointed out.

"I was chased."

Everyone was quiet for a while, Timon and Pumbaa searching for more questions to ask. Finally, Pumbaa spoke. "What's your name?"

"Adia."

"Well, Adia, my name's Pumbaa!" the warthog said with an excited smile. "This is Timon, and this is Imara, the princess's son." He looked at Timon, then looked back at Adia. "We're going to help you get home."

Timon's eyes widened. "Pumbaa, are you nuts?" he yelled. Seeing Adia's look of dismay, he motioned for his friend to step aside with him so they could chat privately.

"Come on, Timon!" Pumbaa murmured. "She has to get home to her colony! Are you going to let her family be killed?"

Timon grabbed the warthog's tusks. "Look, Pumbaa, there's three of us and who knows how many predators out there! We'll be walking steaks for those carnivores!"

"What if Simba or Kovu came with us? I'm sure Simba wouldn't reject someone in need!" Pumbaa said.

Timon considered this. "You've got a point there, pal." He glanced up at the darkening sky. "How about we bring her to Pride Rock tonight and get everything straightened out tomorrow morning?"

"Good idea, Timon!"

The duo turned back to Adia, who was eyeing Imara warily. "Alright, miss Adia," Timon said, "we can help, but we're going to need someone else to come with us. We'll head for the Outlands tomorrow morning, hopefully with a lion to escort us."

"For now, we'll take you back to Pride Rock to meet the king!" Pumbaa said happily.

The female meerkat tensed at the mention of lions, but nodded stiffly. "O-okay." I'll do anything to get back to my family, she thought. "I must warn you, it's a long journey. At least three days, but closer to six if you take caution."

Timon dismissed her warning with a wave of his paw as he slid onto Pumbaa's shoulders. "Hakuna matata, Adia. We'll get you home in time."

"Whaddaya mean, you won't help us get her home?" Timon exclaimed.

Simba sighed. "I'm really sorry, Timon, but the Outlands are dangerous, even for a lion. Besides, with Imara so young, we need as much protection in the Pridelands as possible." He looked at the meerkat and warthog apologetically, a frown on his face.

"Well, this is splendid!" Timon said, sarcasm heavy in his tone as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"It is?" Pumbaa asked, confused.

Timon slapped a paw to his forehead. "Sarcasm, Pumbaa, I was using sarcasm."

"Oh."

The meerkat sighed melodramatically. "C'mon, Simba! I thought we were pals!"

"Timon, I've already made my decision," said Simba. "Your friend is welcome to live on Pride Rock with us as long as she needs."

Pumbaa looked at Timon, waiting for a reaction. His companion sighed, leading Pumbaa out of the cave. "Thanks, Simba," he grumbled.

"Gee, Timon, you seem really disappointed that you can't help," Pumbaa noted.

"Yeah, well, we've done all we can do," the meerkat responded, jumping onto the warthog's snout and leaning back. He folded his paws behind his head and closed his eyes.

Pumbaa looked at Timon inquisitively, but said nothing. Timon opened one eye. "Something wrong, Pumbaa?"

"Well, Timon, you really had a change of heart. At first you didn't want to help Adia, but then you seemed really upset that you couldn't do more to help," Pumbaa began.

"Are you trying to get at something?"

"Well..." Pumbaa ventured, "I was kind of wondering if you... like Adia."

Both of Timon's eyes shot wide open. "You've gotta be kidding me, Pumbaa!" he exclaimed. "You don't see me acting like a mook over some girl, do ya?"

"Well, no, but-"

"There! End of story," Timon quipped, leaning back to rest on his friend's snout.

"But, Timon... don't you get lonely?"

The meerkat hesitated a moment before responding to his accomplice's question. "Nah, Pumbaa, how could I get lonely when I've got my best friend at my side?" he responded, almost evading the question entirely. He patted the warthog's snout reassuringly.

"I'm not talking about me," said Pumbaa.

Timon leapt off of his companion, placing his paws on his hips. Pumbaa stopped in his tracks as the meerkat said, "Look, pal, I've got everything I've ever wanted! A life free of worry, a best friend to share it with..."

"But you don't have a girl to share it with," Pumbaa pointed out.

"You just don't give up, do you?" The meerkat sighed.

Timon's accomplice pointed to Adia with his snout. The dark furred meerkat was standing at the edge of Pride Rock, enjoying the sight of the beautiful Pridelands. She sighed longingly, perhaps wishing that the lands were her own. As she looked towards the Outlands, she seemed to be repulsed by the comparison of the two territories, as one was lush and full of life, while the other was shadowed by cliffs and almost barren. She folded her paws behind her back, looking away from the deplorable sight.
"Look how sad she is, Timon!" Pumbaa said morosely, his voice full of sympathy for the small meerkat. "Her family can barely survive out there."

The male meerkat let out a long breath. "Well, sure, I feel bad for her, but-"

"I bet she could use someone else in her life, just like you," Pumbaa said.

"What are you, a matchmaker?"

Pumbaa turned to Timon with a look of sadness, his eyes wide and doleful. The meerkat groaned loudly, smacking his palm to his forehead. "Alright, alright! I'll think about it," he said, hoping this would put off the warthog's hopes.

As Pumbaa opened his mouth to reply, Adia came up to the duo, eyes hopeful. "What did the king say?" she asked.

Timon and Pumbaa exchanged glances, unsure of how to tell her the hard news.

"Um... you see, Adia-" Pumbaa began.

"We would be happy to escort you ourselves," Timon said, winking at Pumbaa, hinting at him not to tell Adia what Simba really told them.

"But Simba said-" Pumbaa started. Timon elbowed him in the side, getting the warthog the message. "-we're the only ones for the job!" he finished, winking at Timon.

Adia lifted an eyebrow. "You two?" she asked, the slightest hint of disbelief in her tone.

"Something wrong, miss?" Timon asked, drawing out the word 'miss,' as if to show Pumbaa he was attempting to be a gentleman. As he looked towards the warthog, he gave the meerkat a small nod of approval.

"No, no, of course not," Adia said, quickly covering up for herself. "Anyway, when can we leave?"

"As soon as you're ready," Timon responded, motioning towards the Outlands with a sweeping motion of his paw. Adia followed his gaze, but instead of looking towards the Outlands, her gaze rested on the Pridelands, and the vast herds of animals.

"I hate to leave this place," she admitted. "It's really beautiful..." she finally looked towards the Outlands, and her face became hard and determined, "... but my colony needs me." She looked at Timon, then to Pumbaa. "I'm ready now."

"Then we're off!" Timon announced, climbing onto Pumbaa's back. He offered Adia a paw, pulling her up beside him. She smiled, and the male meerkat took up the warthog's ears. "Let's go, Pumbaa!"

A/N: And so begins the story "Going the Distance." I would really appreciate feedback on Timon and Pumbaa (please tell me if I could be doing better to keep them in character). This is my first Lion King fanfic, and hopefully, it won't be my last.

Also, the name "Adia" is Swahili, meaning "Gift."

Please R&R!

~ ViolaViolette
February 27, 2012