I don't own any of the characters apart from Amili (Swahili for 'guide'), Najiri (Swahili for 'emigrate') and Majana (Swahili for 'child'). Urembo (Swahili for 'ornamental markings') is not my character (known commonly as Dotty), but the names is mine.

Nala smiled as she surveyed the scene in front of her, the whole pride was talking, except herself Simba and Kovu, who seemed to be sulking somewhat, and of Vitani's friends, only Najiri hadn't joined the conversations. Nevertheless, the more-than-visitors were beginning to look drawn, so she finally rose, made her way over to to the younger lioness, and said, "you know, your friends are beginning to look a little stressed Vitani, why not give then a tour of the Pridelands?"

"Really," Vitani asked, then turned to Alex, "you stressed?"

"Well I wouldn't exactly say stressed," Alex replied, "but it took me a few days to get really used to moving, so it's probably going to take me a couple to get used to not moving again, so yeah, I think I could do with a quick tour."

"Okay," Vitani said, then turned, Marty, Gloria, Melman?"

"Hey, I'm cool whatever," Marty replied.

"Well I wasn't going to mention it," Melman said, "but I am getting pins and needles a bit."

"Pins and needles," Vitani asked.

"It's the prickling sensation you get when you start moving after having lain in one position for a while."

"Oh, little thorns," Vitani said, "probably no wonder with kneeling down like that."

"I think it's got more to do where we're we're lying down," Melman said, "out on the savannah, well dirt has at least a bit of give, unlike this rock." He then closed his eyes and seemed to concentrate.

"I can see why giraffes don't kneel down too often," Urembo said, as the pride watched both Melman and Amili struggling to rise, "they'd hardly able to do it."

"With legs this long," Melman said, between hard breaths, "is it any wonder?" Finally, he made it upright, and smiled at Amili, who'd been only slightly quicker and more graceful in the act.

"Shall we start then," Vitani asked when the two giraffes seemed to properly motive again.

"I can't see any reason why not," Amili replied, then turned to Najiri, "are you coming father?"

"Only to remind myself of a few things," Najiri replied, "after all, I was born here."

"Really," Simba asked, "when was that?"

"A long time ago," Najiri replied, "long enough in fact si-Simba, that I was old enough to be herd leader at the time of your presentation."

Simba felt his jaw drop open, and it took him several moments to gather his thoughts before he managed to say, "you, you must be older than my father."

"Quite possibly," Najiri said, than added, "it's odd isn't it, we develop quicker in some ways and yet manage to live longer as well."

"Develop quicker," Alex said, "I didn't know that."

"You didn't know that," Vitani asked, as almost every other animal, including Amili and Najiri stared at him.

"Well he hasn't exactly had a lot of experience," Marty replied, stepping in to support Alex.

"Why not," Vitani asked.

Marty sighed, then said, "the winter he was born was the coldest I can remember, and I don't think there was one of us in the zoo, 'cept maybe the penguins and the polar bear who didn't come down with something." After a moment he added, "anyway, for most us it was just chills, although two of the gazelle died..."

"Gazelles," Vitani asked, "what happened to them."

"Oh after that winter they got shipped south," Marty replied, "of course, you'd never have known them, their enclosure ended up being given to Melman."

"Ah, right," Vitani said, "well, carry on then."

"Anyway," Marty continued, "mostly it was just chills, except for Alex' family, they all caught pneumonia."

"Pneumonia," Kiara asked, "what's that?"

"It comes from breathing cold air," Melman explained, "it causes fluid to build up in the lungs, from what I understand it's very unpleasant."

"Sounds it," Vitani said, "so all of the other lions died?"

"Well Alex's dad was on loan from somewhere else," Marty replied, "so he got shipped back, but, yeah, the rest of them did." He thought for a moment, then added, "Alex' brother died in two days, his sister in three, and their mother managed to hold on for about half a mo-moon."

"But Alex survived," Vitani said, suddenly feeling more sympathetic for the lion than she ever had done.

"Just barely," Marty said, "it took him about two moons to shake it as I recall."

"That must have been terrible," Nala said kindly.

"Yeah," Vitani said, "shall we go then?"

"Yeah, let's," Alex said, his voice thick with emotion.

"Well," Simba said when Vitani, Alex and their friends had gone, "that was, unexpected."

"It most certainly was," Nala said, wondering what sort of effect that would have on the two lion's relationship.

"How can she not have known," Kiara asked, "I mean it was obviously traumatic, yet he never let on."

"Quite possibly he didn't remember," Nala said, "after all it was Marty who was telling it, not Alex."

"True," Kiara said, "but it must have been awful nevertheless."

"Very likely," Nala said, but it doesn't seen to be bothering him too much in itself." She paused a moment, glancing round, then nodding surreptitiously in Kovu's direction, and whispering, "the same can't be said for other things."

Kiara knew exactly what Nala was referring to, "yeah, I don't know what's going on there."

"Well why not go and find out then," Nala asked pointedly.

"Yeah, I guess I should," Kiara said, not able to meet Nala's gaze, "excuse me a moment would you?"

"Certainly," Nala said, then smiled, as Kiara made her way over to where Kovu was sitting.

"Hey Kovu," Kiara said, reaching her mate, "what's wrong?"

"What makes you think anything's wrong," Kovu asked, coolly.

"Because you haven't spoken a word since you came back," Kiara replied, "look, what's going on between you and Alex?"

"Absolutely nothing," Kovu said, "now can we just get off the subject please?"

"Not until you give me a straight answer," Kiara replied, "what is it that you don't like about Alex?"

Kovu looked at Kiara, then looked away, unable to match the intensity of her gaze. Finally, he answered, "it's just, I don't like the thought of another male around, I mean Simba's alright, he used to be king after all, but what if this Alex gets it into his head to take over?"

"Hey, I'd have to agree to it first remember," Kiara said, "but if it's got you that worried I'll have a talk with Vitani later, okay?"

"Okay," Kovu replied, "thanks."