Chapter 3:
Disclaimer: I think you know the drill.
AN: I finally got the time to write this chapter. I finally fixed the scene separating chapter lines so now things will be a bit clearer now.
"We've found it," Simba said. The three cubs looked at the fog covered lake. A cold wind blew through the area causing the leaves to rustle. The fog cleared to reveal the silhouette of a long-necked creature.
"Come on guys," Simba hopped over the large root and climbed down the slope to the shore of the small lake. The other two followed him.
"This is it guys no turning back," Simba said, "We get its attention and run back to the river as fast as we can and lure it back to the Pride Lands."
The other cubs nodded in agreement. The cubs then picked up small stones and yelled at the top of their voices. They heard the stones hit something but nothing happened.
Another blast of cold wind cut through the air taking the fog with it. The shadow of the Inkayamba turned out to be nothing but a tree stump and some branches reaching out from the water.
"What?" Simba said dumbfounded, "But that doesn't make any sense."
"Simba, it's just some driftwood that must have sunk a bit," Chumvi said.
"But, those monster noises we heard monster noises!" Simba said.
A rock from across the lake at the top of the waterfall cracked off and then proceeded to fall into the lake. The sounds coming from it scratching against the base of the small cliff mimicked the roaring sound the cubs were hearing.
"Maybe that old lioness was crazy after all," Simba said. He signed and slumped on to the ground.
"Simba, we can't just give up," Nala sat down next to Simba, "Isn't there another body of water somewhere else in this jungle."
"No there isn't," Simba said. He then got up from the ground, "We ditched Sarafina over nothing."
"Let's just go home," Simba said.
Back to Sarafina
"So all the lionesses say that splashing will scare the fish away but the real trick is to take a reed and swish it a bit so that it lures the fish in," Sarafina said to Tojo. The pair were on the river bank with their forepaws in the water.
"Okay that's great, Sarafina, but I think that this isn't the reason for why you wanted to talk to me," Tojo said to Sarafina. Sarafina sighed and walked back to lay down the shade of a tree.
The bright sun shined into Sarafina's face making her close her eyes. Tojo then walked up to her his shadow projected onto Sarafina's muzzle.
"You wanna talk about it?" Tojo asked as he sat next to Sarafina.
Sarafina nodded her head yes, "mmm hmm."
"Well tell me where the trouble started," Tojo said straightening his back.
"Well okay. This morning I decided to spend some time with Simba and Nala at the river. But then they ran off with Chumvi to go on some amazing adventure or whatever," Sarafina said.
"Well it sounds like Nala is becoming more independent," Tojo said, "I think that you should give her some space and maybe make friends with the other lionesses so that you won't be so lonely."
Sarafina smiled, "your right, Tojo!" She stood up,"I should stop moping about and do something," Sarafina said.
"Good for you, Sarafina," Tojo said.
"Wait a minute," Sarafina paused, "why are you here? Is everyone in the Pride lands at the river today?!"
"Well I'm here because Kula kept trying to eat my birds," Tojo said. Sarafina then took notice of small birds flying above Tojo one landing on his head.
Sarafina looked into the grass to see Kula slowly stalking up behind Tojo. Kula then stepped on a twig making it crack. Kula then gasped.
"Not a chance, Kula," Tojo said without turning around.
Kula grumbled, turned around, and started walking the other way with her tail flat against the ground.
"That twig wasn't there before!" Kula cried out.
"As you can see my morning has been busy," Tojo said looking back at Sarafina. Sarafina smiled and chucked a bit.
"Well it's time to feed these little ones," Tojo said referring to his birds. Sarafina stood and watched "Mama Tojo" gather small seeds for his birds to eat.
"Well as long as it cheers me up," Sarafina said to herself. She walked over to Tojo and helped him gather fruits and small seeds.
Back to Simba, Nala, and Chumvi
The trio continued to walk through the fog covered jungle. A cold blast of air continued to cut through the forest making branches sway and leafs dance in the sky.
Nala shivered as a wind climbed up her back.
"What is up with this weather? This morning it was sunny and clear," Nala said.
Simba's legs dragged along the ground. His front paws then tripped over a root causing him to crash into Nala and Chumvi making them roll down a hill and splash into the cold water.
Nala gasped as she surfaced and she swam to shore coughing a bit.
"Simba!" Nala yelled angrily when Chumvi and Simba reached the shore of the lake.
"Sorry, guys," Simba said as he shook off the water from his coat.
"I thought you said there weren't any more bodies of water in the jungle," Chumvi said.
"There aren't any," Simba said, "this is the same lake from earlier."
A cold breeze swept through the air again clearing the dense fog. Nala and Chumvi looked up to see the same dead tree trunk and waterfall from earlier.
"Okay now I'm freaked out," Chumvi said.
"Simba, how is that possible," Nala said.
"We must have walked in a circle," Simba said.
"We couldn't have we were walking in a straight line I remember!" Nala said raising her voice.
The loud roar once again rang out in the jungle again making the cubs silence. A thud was heard from the ground. The trio turned their attention to the small lake as the center started to bubble. The trail of bubbles trailed from the center closer and closer to the shore. Then it stopped.
Simba dashed forward to where the ground and water meet. He looked forward into the water seeing his reflection.
"Simba, come back!," Nala yelled to him.
Simba continued to look into the deep water. His reflection then dissipated as ripples cut through it.
"Did you guys feel that?" Simba said. Suddenly the patch of dirt that Simba was standing on collapsed into the water. Simba was dropped into the chilling water as Nala and Chumvi rushed forward. The two pulled Simba out and backed away from the water.
The low roar called out again and a finned tail porridge out of the water.
"Okay guys this is it," Simba said turning to face Nala and Chumvi. Behind h, m a giant eel with fins on its sides emerged from the water. Its eyes glowing yellow and sharp teeth exposed.
"Simba…" Nala said as she and Chumvi stepped backwards while looking at the monster.
"What?" Simba said. He turned around and looked up. The Inkayamba looked straight at the trio before letting out a ear splitting roar.
"RUN!" Chumvi screamed and the three cubs took of. The cubs dashed away from the lake area jumping to the dense vegetation of the jungle.
Leaves and twigs smacked Simba's face but he didn't care. Simba looked behind him to see the Inkayamba close behind.
It swung its long scaly neck into a tree making it fall. Simba saw Nala in the path of the tree and he dove foreword pushing her causing the tree to miss the two cubs.
Simba pulled Nala up and the two ran catching up to Chumvi.
"We have to get back to the river!" Simba shouted. The Inkayamba pulled its neck back and lunged forward like a snake. It snapped at the cubs missing them and tearing up the plants behind them.
The Inkayamba let out another roar before lunging again.
AN: Yay! Finals are over and Christmas break has started! I know this chapter was a bit short but the final chapter should make up for this. Merry Haunikawanza or whatever you celebrate I'm just happy school is out for 14 days.
