Chapter 1

Another day had come and gone on the pride lands. The great sun was now casting its yellow golden tint onto the plains of the African savannah. In the distance of the field, the pride land lionesses where returning from a hunt. The main core on the hunting lionesses gathered around the large male wildebeest that had taken down not too long along. While on the outs of the circle were the three lioness pride daughters that were finally able to join in on the hunt.

"Man when do you thinking Sarabi will actually let us partake in the hunt instead of just watching?" voiced an annoyed Tama. She kicked away ricks and twigs as they got in her way.

"When she feels we probably won't get in the way and die." Voiced the purple eyed Kula. " I mean you saw the way that wildebeest attacked the lioness, there no way I would know what do it if my dinner decided to up and charge me." Remembering the event. The red eyed lioness rolled her eyes, then looking over to her more quiet friend.

"what's with you?"

"Me? Nothing."

"Please you haven been saying a word all day." The blue eyed lioness sighed. If there was one thing Nala hated to do was to explain herself over and over again. And the story would be no different from the other stories she had told her friends before. "What he do now?" asked Tama.

"He." She voiced before starting to rant " What doesn't he do. Ugh and its not him, it's me. I'm just being selfish."

"What are you guys arguing about now?"

"Well remember how I said Simba and I haven't been able to spend time together lately." The two lioness nodded their head. They knew this story. It's hard being in a relationship, then being in a relationship with the prince of the pride lands no less. Wells that's a whole nothing story in it's self. "We talked about it, and he said he would do better. But I know how busy he is with his dad, so I try not to complain too much, but seriously. I feel like I don't even have a boyfriend anymore, let alone the future mate I'm engaged too."

"Oh right the whole engaged thing." Two weeks ago Simba had popped the question to his longtime girlfriend Nala to be his mate. He's answer was an obvious yes, she loved him. However, she just didn't love all his hours when he had to be on call for his father or patrol duty. Before in the relationship when things were just getting started Simba had all the time in the world to be with Nala and his friends. But ever snice Simbas father knew he was planning on marrying Nala, he knew he had to start getting Simba in shape to be king. Which meant taking up a lot of his time to be this his friends or fiancé, which neither liked, but could do nothing about it. "How's that working out again?"

"Great as you can see, I haven't seen Simba in three days. In the morning he's gone with his father, I the afternoon I'm with Sarabi and in the evening he has patrol-which I don't know why he doesn't want me to go on with him…"

"Will, it's guy time Nala, and guys need guy time."

"Well what about OUR time, I mean, we haven even said official I do and I already want to rip his head off sometimes."

"Make him take you out on a date, by the time we get back the guys should already be home." Voiced Tama. The blue eyes lioness thought about it for a second, she didn't want to be the pain – in the- butt wife…who's not even the wife yet. By demanding all these things form her fiancé.

"yea, but-"

"No but, the more you complain and do nothing about it the more you'll get annoyed."

"whatever, fine. But I already know how this is going to go. He'll run into me, I'll run into him. He'll be exhausted from his day, and will want to sleep. He'll probably fall asleep while I talk to him and then I get irritated at him, and I'll get upset. But then he'll say I'm upset, and I'll say I'm not- which gets me more pissed and then we just…FALL OUT." Which more or less always happened to the young couple. " That, or he'll want to mate…" and annoyed sigh erupted from her throat.

"Then mate with him, what the big deal." Voiced the red eyed lioness.

"But I don't always feel like it. Plus, it only seems we do that when we get together, like we HAVE to, because we don't see each other enough. And I know he's going to ask tonight and all I want to do it cuddle and talk." Pouting a what seemed to be a hopeless situation.

"Well, just talk it out with him Nala, that all I can say."

Once the lionesses had returned back to pride rock, they were met by a few of the prideland males. Not one, was the one that Nala wanted to see. She could feel her mood sour. All she wanted to do was see Simba, but it seemed that every time she thought about it- got her hopes up. It was all for nothing, because he was never there. Dinner was the same, the king and the prince had not come back yet.

"Hey, Malka, have you seen Simba?" asked the young creamed lioness. "You guys are clearly back from patrol."

"Yea, he and Mufasa left a few minutes after we had come back from patrol. He said something about showing him the treaty alliances….or something along those lines, dude looked bummed. Trust me I know he wanted to be here."

"Thanks." She commented, slowly fishing her food.

When the meal was over, a few of the pridelands members hung back to converse with one another and just talk about their days. Nala had left the scene and had gone to the waterhole to get a drink, nap and be by herself. She hated being around others when she was moody, only the kings know how her attitude can get- and simba.

"Ugh, why do I have to be engaged to the prince of the pridelands, why can't I be with someone average." She voiced, not noticing the figure that was coming put behind her.

"Because you don't date average, remember?" turning the young lioness eyes shot out of her head was the red mane figure stood clearly in view.

"Simba!" she ran over to her lover and attacked him with a hug, knocking him to the ground. "Wait- what are you going here? I thought you left with your dad?"

"Well I guess when he noticed I just couldn't for the life of me pay any more attention to his lecture, I think he decided to call it a day." Chimed the handsome red eyes lion, with the smile to die for. A smile Nala die for countless times. "Miss me babe?"

As if he needed to ask the questions. "Of course I did, I was bored out my mind." Getting off of him finally, they both stood and nuzzled each other.

"aww, well you do have Tama and Kula."

"Yea, but they're not my fiancé." Simba giggle whenever he heard Nala call him fiancé. He still could believe she said yes, especially with all of his other commitments. "C'mon, did you eat? I have a killer story to tell you about today's hunt."

"Cool, I'm all ears."

Later that night once Simba was gone with his meal, and Nala had told him of the wildebeest who was trying to get revenge. The pair had gone down to their favorite spot. Within the meadows where the small creek ran. That was their normal, go to and talk place. They sat up against a tree cuddled, like two cubs.

"It's pretty out tonight, isn't it." commented Nala, as she sat looking up at her future husband, admiring the red that sparkled from the inside of the eyes.

"Yeah" he leaned in and kissed her. Feeling her soft lips, the smelling her sweet scent, which intoxicated him. Made him go into a frenzy. He could never get enough of her. However, Nala at times could get too much of him. When a gut feeling was telling her that things were going to heat up between her and Simba, and fast. She decided to call it off. "What?" asked the young red mane male puzzled. "What's wrong?" Nala sighed.

"…. nothing, I just don't feel like it, that's all." Simba eyes immediately rolled back into his head. Which in no more than an nano-second got Nala heated. "oh my gosh, don't-"

"I have seen you all day Nala…all day."

"I know, and I was hoping we can just spend the night just enjoying the movement together." Simba sighed.

"ugh, I don't know how to put this, but…babe. I've been saving all my 'love' for you. And I was hoping I could…show you how much I care."

"ugh, you always have to save your 'love' for me don't you, because you're never around any other time…" annoyed the night would not go how she wanted, Nala sat up and moved away from Simba.

"What? You know I have a busy schedule. It's not my fault."

"I know, but still. It would be nice if I could see you sometime other any at night. After I'm tire from hunting and smell like red meat."

"But I love the red meat." He walked over and tried kissing her again. He went from her forehead to her nose, but she wouldn't let him go pass that. Simba could never guess what was with her, he barely sees her all day, you'd think she be all over him.

"Simba, no"

"What the heck Nala, I don't feel like doing this."

" Doing what?"

"Trying to bargain with you. It's annoying." He sighed walking away from her. What did he mean bargin? And what did he mean by annoying, Nala had to know the meaning of this and stopped the prince right in his tracks.

"How am I being annoying? I just told you I didn't want to mate, that all. Did that really hurt your feelings that bad?" face to face with him.

"Well, I can't say I'm not bummed now, that I wasn't looking forward to it all day. We're grown Nal, I have needs." Sometimes Simba blunt honesty wasn't really needed.

"Needs? I have needs too!"

"Yes, but yours are different!" he retorted.

"Different?"
"Yes, Nala, different. Your needs are simply companionship and talking. Which, don't get me wrong I love when I can sit down and have a conversation with you. But something, talking and cuddling isn't enough. I need a little more, most times than not, if I'm being honest."

"Is sex all you care about?"

"What? Of course not-"

"Well clearly it is! If it's something you look forward to most of the time. More than seeing your fiancé, and seeing how she's doing! Simba do you realize how lonely I get with you gone all the time? Did you ever care to see how I felt? Oh is getting me on my back after a long day more important!"

"Ugh?, okay- you're clearly taking this out of proportion. You think I don't care about you? Of course I do, you have to be crazy to think I don't. I know me being away gets to you, it gets to me too! I love you to the moon and back, I asked you in marriage- and it is because I love you is why I want to spend quality time with you!"

"You can spend your quality time alone then!"

"Nala-"

"See you tomorrow." Devastated Nala went off back towards pride rock.

"Ugh Dammit!" simba flopped over on him belly and put his paw to his face. "Why does she have to be so difficult?" he asked, mainly himself. Because no one was around. He stayed there alone in the meadow for a moment, calming himself before he tried to go back and talk to Nala. Even thought there would be no point. Her stubbornness wouldn't allow her to see anything from his perspective.

Finally after a few minutes more of sitting, and…calming myself down. Simba decided to get up and head back to pride rock. In the distance he could see his home vaguely, and then even that sight, depressed him. He knew as soon as he got home, talk to Nala, or just went home to rest he could be that next morning and do the exact same thing. Suddenly a crackly in the brushes t=next to him caused the prince to stir.

"hey, who's there?" he demanded. "Come out, as order by the future king." Suddenly a lean, gray lioness when pale yellow eye came into view. Simba had never seen this lioness before. "Who are you?"

"I'm Ingine. I'm just passing thought your highness." Her voice was hollow, and she seemed very shy.

"Where's your pride?"

"I don't have one, I'm sorry I just heard a commotion and it startled me. I came to see if anyone needed help." Simba sat back down. From looking at the lioness he could tell she hadn't had a good meal in a couple of days. The prince felt bad.

"Sorry, that was me and another pride member. I'm sorry. Look you seem like you have had anything to eat. I'll bring you something, stay here." Shocked the lioness, just nodded. Not knowing what to say to the young males act of sudden kindness.

When Simba returned he found the lioness, sitting in the same spot from where he left her in. "Here, it's not much, but your scraps from today's dinner. But its' better than nothing."

"Oh, my kings- thank you. You didn't have to do this."

"No problem." Simba stayed and watched her eat. He didn't know what to make of the situation. He could tell his father, but the lioness said she was just pass though. And from her demeanor he seems to trust her. Simba then started to think about he and Nala, and what the heck he would have to say in order for her to forgive him. He didn't even notice the gray lioness talking to him. "ug… what you say?"

"I said thank you for the food."

"Oh yea." He then went back to thinking.

"umm, if you don't mind me asking...what are you thinking about?"

"Ugh?"

"That face, it looks like a thinking face." She commented sweetly.

"Oh yea, ha, nothing, just thinking about how I'm going to get myself out of this mess I somehow managed to get myself into to."

"ohhh…would it be out of my place to ask?"

"naw, just girl issues." He chimed.

"Well, I nice male like yourself should be having girl troubles." Stated the grey lioness. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Yea, help me understand females. That would be a big help."

"well, if you don't mine me asking…um, what is your name?"

'me? Simba." Commented the prince

"Well Simba if you don't made me asking, maybe I can help. I am a female after all. Haha"

"oh, maybe you can." Simba then went on to tell the story of he and Nala and how to tensions of ruling has gotten between them. "You see I love her and she means the world to me, but compromising with her can be impossible something. I know I get hot headed too, and I'm not easy to deal with. But lately…things have just gotten worse. I don't know."

"hmmm, well to me sounds like she has the perfect guy." Commented the lioness. "I know what will help you two right in love with each other. Follow me!" suddenly the lioness got up and head down the hillside out of the meadow. Simba curious followed the young lioness to her new found solution. He had followed her to a pond covered in bright purple flowers. The purple plant was everywhere and seemed to be taking over the pond itself. " If you want your lioness to forget about everything just give her this. One sniff of that, and she'll be all over you."

"really?"

"Yes, smell it." The pale eye lioness watched as the Simba took in the aroma of the pond flower. The smell so strong it went him into a coughing fit. When she saw this a smile grew across her face. "oh…oh yea…she'll like this. If they don't kill her… wow, these are some strong flowers? What is in this?"

"Nothing…"

"I better get there to her before they lose their power- Thanks again." Before leaving Simba grabbed a mouthful of the unknown flowers. Getting every last stem and peddle as he could. He knew this would surely get him back in Nala good graces. As soon as the prince got up to take a step he found himself wobbling like a newborn cub. He clenched onto the flower tighter as his body hit the earth. Confused, he stammered, his voiced muffled by the flowers. He spat them out immediately. They stained his tongue a dark purple, so dark it nearly looked black. "w-what the heck?" Simba took him paw to wipe his tongue, only to find that it was numb and he couldn't feel a thing. Even when he bite it. "he-hey wwhats going on?" he asked as he looked for the grey lioness. "he-heello?"

Suddenly he felt a tug on his tail, he spun his head around to see who it was. "in…ingg?" he could even remember her name, she had just told him a few moments ago why couldn't he remember. This wasn't like him and something was totally off. "wwhat going on? What hhhappening ?" the gray lioness, Ingine had gotten up. And walked over to Simba side. For some reason she looked different, like that wasn't the lioness he was just talking too early…she seemed, older…and had a look in her eye.

"There there, don't worry. Just let me help you." She leaned over and planted a small kiss of the red mane male forehead. "No need to be sacred, it's normal." Her demeanor had done a total 360 flip and the prince knew something was up. In all effort to move and make sense of his situation, he found himself getting my dazed and jumbled as the lioness lips kept making contact with him. "Ingine will take care if you."