Hey guys! I apologize for not updating this as soon as I would like. Finals have been kind of overwhelming for me. And since this is my first time doing a multi chapter story, I haven't completely gotten use to how fanfiction operates when it comes to stuff like this. But nevertheless continue to be patient with me as I go along with this story. Well here is Chapter two of Trials and Tribulations of a Prince, and I hope you guys enjoy it!

The Next Morning

The heat of the sun seemed to overcook everything in its path. The desert was an animal's worst nightmare. Simba was slowly dragging his feet and wasn't completely coherent on what was going on around him. Everything seemed to be swimming around him, it had been several hours since he had anything to drink or eat. Simba knew he needed to find something to eat and drink fast or he was going to pass out from dehydration. Simba moaned in agony as he continued his way across the desert, it felt as though as if his paws would burst into flames if he continued to go any further. Finally he couldn't take it anymore, his legs buckled underneath him and he fell on his side. Tears rolled down Simba's face as he laid on the hot ground trying to stay awake. But the heat was making it excruciating for him, at that moment right now Simba welcomed death to put him out of his misery. As darkness overpowered the weak cub, the last thing he saw was a group of buzzards flying above him.

Minutes Later

Simba raced through the gorge at full speed. The Wildebeest were gaining on him, if they got any closer he would be trampled to death. As they continued their pursuit through the gorge, a sharp rumble shook everything in its path. Simba stumbled a little but quickly regained his balance. The rumbling seemed to intensify with every passing second. Suddenly the walls surrounding the animals cracked and in an instant, water gushed out of the gorge wiping out everything in its path. Simba looked behind him and saw that the water was swallowing the animals like a ravenous beast that hadn't eaten anything for years. Simba frantically looked for an opening to escape but the water soon caught up to him. He didn't have the chance to scream as the water immediately swallowed him whole. Simba tried to keep his eyes open but the whirling made him feel sick. In the midst of the chaos, he began to hear voices in his head.

"Kid?"

"He ain't waking up Pumbaa."

"Splash more water on him Timon."

Simba frantically tried to make out the voices he was hearing. Then all at once a strong jolt in the current seemed to propel him towards the surface.

"Wait! I think I saw his ear twitch!"

"So did I Timon!"

"Kid? Kid? Can you hear us?"

Simba's heart leaped in his throat at the sound of the voices but he couldn't see anyone in the water. Finally once he broke through the surface, a brilliant light shined through and he was instantly blinded.

"AHHH!"

Simba immediately came to his senses and started coughing up water.

"Whoa! Easy kid!"

Simba gasped for air and when he came to, he found himself in a small pool of water. Fortunately there was a fairly good size oak tree for shade, Simba turned around and saw a meerkat and a warthog staring back at him.

"You okay kid?" asked the meerkat.

"I think so," Simba replied groggily.

"You're lucky that we found you. Otherwise you would've been cooked out here in this heat," the warthog replied worriedly.

"You looked like you were having one whopper of a nightmare," the meerkat said in a concerned voice.

"Something like that."

Simba lowered his head and lapped up some of the water. He sighed with relief as the water soothed the ragged itch in his throat. "Thank you," he croaked.

"No problem," the meerkat replied happily.

Simba heaved himself out of the pool and shook his fur instantly spraying water everywhere. Both the meerkat and the warthog watched the cub curiously as he walked past them.

"Hey where are you going?" asked the meerkat.

"Nowhere," Simba replied glumly.

He continued his journey onward. "Gee Timon he looks pretty bad. Ya think we should ask if he wants any help?" asked Pumbaa.

"Yeah lets go see what's up," said Timon.

They both caught up with Simba in a hurried pace. "Hey kid you look lost, maybe we can help you," said Pumbaa in an anxious voice.

"Naw I'm not lost." Simba replied in a flat tone.

"What you an outcast?" asked Timon.

"You could say that."

"Great! So are we!" Pumbaa said cheerfully.

Simba wasn't quite sure why they found pleasure in being outcasts. His sad expression still remained on his face.

"Why are you out here all by yourself?"

"Something bad happened but I really don't want to talk about it guys." Simba replied sadly.

"Good, we don't want to hear about it." Timon said in a bored voice.

"Timon!" Pumbaa said indignantly.

"Anything we can do to help kid?" he asked in a friendly manner.

"Unless you can turn back time to change the past, then no," said Simba.

Timon and Pumbaa looked at each other then back at Simba.

"Hey kid, I think we may have the thing that will solve all of your problems," said Pumbaa.

Simba looked at them with great skepticism. "Pumbaa and I follow a motto that has greatly helped us and maybe it could help you to," said Timon.

"Well what is it?" asked Simba.

Timon cleared his throat "Hakuna Matata,"

Simba looked at him with an eyebrow raised "Eh?"

"Hakuna Matata, it means no worries," said Pumbaa.

"Like you won't have any responsibilities to worry about?" asked Simba.

"Exactly!" Timon said cheerfully.

Simba thought for a moment, This may be what I need for now. If staying with these two keeps me alive, then so be it.

"Okay I'll go with you guys."

"Great! A third party!" Pumbaa said gleefully.

"I'm Simba by the way."

"Simba I'm Timon and this my buddy Pumbaa," said Timon gesturing to his compainion.

"Welcome aboard kid, let us show you our home." Pumbaa said as Timon hoped on his back.

A few minutes later, the trio made their way to a jungle that was thick with trees that made it impossible for them to see.

"Are we there yet?" Simba asked impatiently.

"Hang on kid, we're almost there," said Timon as he pushed leaves out of the way so Pumbaa could see where he was going.

All at once they stopped right dead in their tracks and Timon hopped off of Pumbaa's back to push some vines out of the way.

Pumbaa grabbed a handful of vines with his mouth and pulled out of the way. "Here we are kid,"

Simba's jaw fell open at the spectacle that laid out before him. Beyond from where they were standing was a tropical jungle with lush vegetation everywhere. The light shined on the waterfalls which made the water gleam brightly. The view was beyond what every animal could ever comprehend, there was nothing but a sea of jungle as far as the eye could see.

"Wow! This is beautiful."

"Yep! It sure is," agreed Timon.

"Come on let's make it to the waterfall," said Pumbaa.

As they continued their way downhill, a loud grumbling noise broke the silence. Timon looked up at Simba "Sheesh kid! When was the last time you had anything to eat?"

Simba thought for a moment "Not since yesterday," he replied.

Timon looked over at Pumbaa "Hey Pumbaa let's stop at our usual spot for lunch and get this kid something on his stomach."

"Great! I'll lead the way!" Pumbaa said cheerfully.

"I'm so hungry I can eat a whole zebra," Simba said excitedly.

Timon stopped in his tracks rather abruptly "Eh, we're fresh out of zebra," he said nervously.

"Any antelope?"

"No."

"Hippo?"

"Nope."

Timon sighed "Listen kid, if you wanna live with us, you gotta eat like us."

"Um, okay." Simba replied skeptically.

They were both interrupted by Pumbaa shouting "Come and get it!"

He came next to them with a huge palm leaf in his mouth filled various bugs. Simba's eyes nearly doubled in size, "You eat bugs?" he asked in a horrified voice.

"Yes sir!" Timon said enthusiastically as he popped a grasshopper in his mouth.

Simba cringed "Gross!"

"What? It tastes great!" Timon said as he spat out the legs of the grasshopper.

"Of course once you remove the legs it goes down just fine."

Simba glanced at Pumbaa who was plunging his face into the leaf and came up with a mouthful of bugs.

"You'll learn to love them," he replied as several bugs fell from his mouth.

Timon nudged Simba "Try it kid, they are slimy but yet satisfying," he said encouragingly.

Simba saw a big fat red slug crawling ever so slowly in the pile of insects. As he reached for it, the other bugs instantly scattered.

"Ooh! Good choice Simba," Pumbaa said excitedly.

The giant slug was ever so slimy to the touch that it made Simba's stomach churn. As it wriggled in his paw, Simba looked at Timon and Pumbaa who were watching him intently to see what his reaction was going to be.

Simba looked back at the struggling slug, "Well here it goes," he said nervously.

He brought the slug to his mouth and swallowed it quickly so he wouldn't have time to focus on the texture of it as it slid down his throat. It left a bittersweet aftertaste in his mouth that it made it surprisingly edible. Simba licked his chops and looked at Timon with a satisfied look on his face.

"Ok the look in your eyes tells me you liked it otherwise you would've keeled over by now," said Timon.

Simba laughed and then said "It definitely is slimy, but tasty,"

"See? Told ya they're good!" chirped Pumbaa.

Simba tried some more bugs such as crickets, slugs, even snails for that matter. After they were done eating, Simba's energy was restored and he felt physically and mentally well. Several hours later, the sun had set and nightfall fell across the land. Pumbaa found a spot next to a mangrove tree where he and Timon could sleep for the night.

"Hey Timon, where's the kid?" asked Pumbaa.

Timon pointed over at the sleeping cub who found himself a spot that wasn't too far from the ledge.

"Hmm interesting spot to sleep. Let's hope he doesn't roll off." Pumbaa replied as he smoothed the leaves out for him and Timon.

Simba remained curled up in a ball but he hadn't fallen asleep just yet. The minute Pumbaa and Timon started snoring, Simba sat up and gazed off into the horizon. As he watched the moonlight dance across the jungle, a slow wave of sadness came over the cub. He felt bad that he had to leave everything behind, things seemed to be turning around after the incident with the hyenas. But then his dad was murdered before his eyes, he wondered at what could possibly be happening at Pride Rock right now? The one thing that he had hoped was that Scar wouldn't try to do anything to hurt Nala or his mother. Simba gathered that by the severity of his situation that it was probably going to be a good while before he would get to return home. What chance did a cub have against a power hungry lion and his army of hyenas? Simba blinked back tears and said very softly "Don't give up. I will come back for you."

Knowing that Pride Rock couldn't hear him, he hoped that the lions and lionesses would somehow receive his message even though he was miles away. Simba swallowed hard and headed for the waterfall. He found a coconut tree near the water's edge and curled up into a small ball at the base of it. Simba then took one final glance at his friends who were snoring loudly and whispered "Thank you guys."

Then he let the darkness take over him, and fell sound asleep.

Phew! This one took awhile to write. Once finals are over, hopefully I will be able to add on to this before the month is out. I hope you guys liked it, pls review and tell me what you think! :D