A/N: Here's the third chapter! Sorry it's so short! Please review;)
3. Time To Go Back
Panicked, Pumbaa slammed his way into the crowd of animals. He scrambled to get to Priderock, squealing and panting with the three meerkats perched on his back.
All the animals around him that he pushed aside scowled at him, offended by his behavior. He scampered and pushed until he came upon Timon, who was sitting near the base of Priderock.
"Oh, there you are, buddy! Where have you been? You missed the wedding." Timon arched his brow and put his paws on his hips.
"Get on, buddy!" Pumbaa shouted, lowering his head to Timon's level. Timon stared at Pumbaa with a confused expression on his face.
"What's going on, here?" Timon demanded.
"Hyena! HYENA!" Came a shrill voice. Timon turned around. On that note, several small animals and birds began to panic, causing some of the larger animals to panic as well.
"Timmy!" Timon's Ma slid off of Pumbaa's back and scooped Timon up in a hug.
"Ma, what's going on here?" Timon asked, pulling away from her. Before she could answer, an ominous shadow appeared over them.
"There you are…" Jinga stared down at them. There was now a large clearing in the crowd, for all of the animals were scrambling to get as far away from Jinga as possible. "No one… escapes… from Jinga…"
She lunged forward to attack when, out of nowhere, Simba pounced onto her back, knocking her to the ground. Kovu, Kiara, and Nala joined him, circling around Jinga.
"If I ever catch you near Timon and Pumbaa again…" Simba seethed at her. Jinga lifted herself off of the ground, gulped, and ran away with her tail between her legs. Simba turned towards Pumbaa and the four cowering meerkats. "Are you all okay?" They all nodded, their eyes wide.
"What was that all about?" Timon asked, baffled.
"That hyena was gonna eat her." Pumbaa gestured towards the little female meerkat. "But, we saved her."
Timon shifted his gaze to the female meerkat. She was very petite and blonde, and had a crescent shaped amulet around her neck. She returned his gaze with her shiny, bright blue eyes. Those bright orbs and that amulet made Timon instantly recognize her.
"Hey, you're the snobby little show-off!"
She immediately recognized Timon as well. "And you're the clumsy little jerk!"
"Excuse me, "clumsy?"" Timon clamored.
"Yes, "clumsy,"" she shot back. "And rude, and inconsiderate, and egotistical."
Timon puffed up his chest, utterly offended. "Well, at least I'm not a little—"
"Timon…" Simba said with a warning stare. Timon deflated heavily.
The female meerkat turned towards Pumbaa."Thank you for saving me… I thought those hyenas were going to kill me."
Pumbaa grinned and wagged his tail. "No, problem, miss…?" Pumbaa offered his hoof.
"Mya." She took his hoof and shook it. "And you are..?"
"I'm Pumbaa!" He replied. "And this is Timon's Ma, Timon's Uncle Max, Simba, Nala, Kovu, and Kiara."
She curtsied to them all. "Pleased to meet you." Timon scowled at her.
"You're not from around here, are you?" Kovu asked her. "I haven't seen any meerkat colonies lately…"
"No, I've just arrived here. I'm a wanderer…" Mya bowed her head.
Timon's mother scooped Mya into a hug. "You poor dear…"
Nala turned to Simba. "Simba, the Pridelands aren't what they used to be. It's far too dangerous for Timon and Pumbaa to stay here."
Timon's mother piped up, "Max and I are leaving for the Oasis soon, anyway. We could take Timmy and Pumbaa home with us when we leave. We could even take Mya, if she'd like…" She stroked Mya's hair. Simba contemplated this for a moment.
"No way! Nuh-uh! There is no way I'm going ANYWHERE with that chick!" Timon objected, only to be conked on the head by his mother's paw.
Simba stood. "No. That's the only way. Staying in the Pridelands is too much of a risk. You must go home."
"But Simba—" Timon interrupted.
"At least until I can run the hyena's out, you must return to the Oasis." Simba stared out into the sunset. "I'll escort you out of the Pridelands tomorrow morning."
"Shari? Wake up…" Jinga nudged Shari, attempting to bring her about.
Shari grimaced and let out a little moan. "Jinga?" Her voice was soft, and slightly hoarse.
"I'm here."
"Did you catch that pig, and those pesky little meerkats?" Shari asked, with a grimace on her face.
Jinga shuffled uneasily. "Well... no… I didn't catch them, but—"
"You didn't catch them? Jinga, you idiot, that was a rare opportunity for us to have a decent meal, and you let them get away?"
"I didn't mean to, but Simba came, and—"
"SIMBA? Of course he did, that brute…" Shari rolled her eyes.
"Shari?" Jinga began.
"WHAT?" Shari screamed, enraged.
Jinga cowered to the floor at Shari's sudden outburst. "I-I… th-think I…"
"Well? Spit it out!"
Jinga crouched all the way to the ground and shouted, "I know Simba's weakness!"
Shari's grimace melted off of her face, and was soon replaced by a wicked grin. "You… you brilliant pup…" She nudged Jinga to help her up off of the floor. "What is this… weakness of his?"
"Simple. A certain meerkat, and a warthog," Jinga explained. "He must be in love with them. He threatened to kill me over them…" Shari smiled wickedly.
"Getting rid of Simba will be easier… so much easier… than I ever thought it could be…"
Shari and Jinga exchanged toothy grins before disappearing into the tall grass.
