Thanks to everyone who reviewed that last chap! You gave me inspiration to write this one! Please enjoy!

Chapter 11: Life is Good

Simba was an adult now and though Iggy missed having their adventures he wasn't as lonely as he had first imagined. Simba still talked with him and more than often all of them (Pumbaa and Timon included) would spend time together such as when they would bounce on the vines or when Simba was swing them all back and forth high above the ground.

To Iggy life couldn't be better and Timon made sure that the little meerkat was never in doubt again. He and Iggy grew closer and Timon began to really enjoy the prospect of being Iggy's big brother and he took the roll very seriously. Pumbaa and Iggy had fun too and the warthog never missed being alone. Life for everyone was at its best. But sometimes, things don't last.

At the moment Iggy, Simba, and Pumbaa were hanging out in the hot tub letting the bubbles go around them. Pumbaa was telling his audience why certain bugs had certain names and Iggy was more than happy to learn.

"So, you see, that's why they call it dung beetle." Pumbaa concluded.

"Ew. You don't say." Simba remarked and Iggy snickered. Simba splashed. "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing." Iggy laughed again and he splashed Simba back.

"They are still so tasty though." Simba told Pumbaa who nodded.

"Oh, yeah, and they are my favorite, too." It was then that Iggy spotted Timon. The meerkat had come to join them and he was wrapped in a leaf for a towel.

"Hi, Timon!" Iggy called and Timon grinned. "Are you coming in?"

"Yep, so make room." Iggy moved over so that Timon could get in beside him and Pumbaa. Timon tested the water with a foot first and gave a small shiver at the heat.

"Ohh, Ah. Ahh" Finally he slid in and he tucked an arm around Iggy as he leaned back. "Just what the doctor ordered."

"Yep. After a long day of doing nothing it's good to kick back." Iggy grinned at Pumbaa's words and shut his eyes as he relaxed.

"Four pals and no worries. What more could you want?" Simba added and Iggy floated on his back, slipping away from Timon.

"Food." Iggy stated and Simba snorted.

"You just ate."

"I'm hungry again." Simba laughed and made a wave in the water, knocking Iggy over. The little meerkat came up and sputtered, grinning at Simba as he floated on his belly.

"How can you be hungry again?" Simba chuckled and Iggy shrugged.

"I dunno. I just am." Timon snickered and pulled Iggy's foot, pulling until the meerkat was back beside him. Iggy laughed as Timon turned him around.

"You know I had a feeling you'd say that. I left something for you on the table." Iggy grinned widely, making everyone snicker. Iggy stuck his tongue out at Simba.

"You don't get any." He teased and Simba rolled his eyes playfully.

"Oh no, I guess I'll starve." He said dramatically and laughing Iggy climbed out of the water.

"See ya later." The little meerkat sprinted off and Timon grinned before settling back down in the water.

"Ahh." All of them sighed contentedly and for a moment they floated enjoying the silence. Pumbaa yawned after a few minutes and stretched out a bit. Timon frowned slightly when he couldn't help but yawn too.

"I'm bushed. Think I'll turn in for the night." Pumbaa commented and the climbed out of the water. Once he got out of the water…the bubbles instantly stopped. Both Timon and Simba turned their heads simultaneously in Pumbaa's direction before realization hit them both and they turned towards the water and then at one another in shock.

"I'm out!" Timon cried and he leapt out of the water.

"Right behind you!" Simba answered and he and Timon ran behind Pumbaa. They met up with him near Iggy and Timon pulled Iggy as they passed. Together they tackled Pumbaa and startled to wrestle a bit on the ground.

"Ah, you're killing me!" Pumbaa cried as Simba gave him a noogie.

"What happened?" Iggy asked and they burst into laughter leaving Iggy slightly confused. "No, really." Timon shook his head.

"Nothing, kiddo." He ruffled Iggy's hair and Iggy shook his head at the silly animals.

"Timon? Can we go and look at the sky for a bit? I'm not tired yet." Timon shrugged and looked at the others.

"Well?"

"Sure." Simba stated and then everyone looked Pumbaa.

"Okay!" Iggy grinned and they went out to a high spot, their favorite place to hang out at night and each one flopped onto their backs. Iggy was between Timon and Simba and was across from Pumbaa as they lay in their usual spots in the circle. It was quiet until Iggy burped.

"Good one." Simba commented and then grinned. "But this one is better." He belched loudly and it echoed. Iggy laughed and Timon grinned.

"Whoa! Nice one, Simba."

"Thanks. Man I'm stuffed. Are you Iggy?" Simba smirked as he glanced at the little meerkat. Iggy grinned delightedly back at him.

"Yes!" Iggy laughed and Timon chuckled.

"Me too. I ate like a pig!" Pumbaa stated and everyone had to hold in laughter.

"Pumbaa…you are a pig." Iggy laughed at Simba's response and rolled in the grass.

"Oh. Right." Pumbaa murmured and after a while they all sighed looking up at the sky each one in their own thoughts.

"Timon?" Pumbaa asked after a minute.

"Yeah?"

"Ever wonder what those sparkling dots are up there?"

"Pumbaa, I don't wonder, I know."

"Oh? What are they?"

"They're fireflies. Fireflies that, eh….got stuck in that big blue-ish black thing."

"Oh, gee. I always thought they were balls of gas burning billions of miles away."

"Pumbaa, with you, everything's gas." Iggy sniggered and Timon rolled his eyes.

"What do you think they are then?" Iggy bit his lip in thought.

"Hm… maybe its ghosts!" Timon snickered and Iggy grinned before looking at Simba.

"Simba! What do you think they are?"

"Well….I don't know." He trailed off and Iggy frowned.

"We told you ours!"

"Oh, come on. Give, give, give, give." Pumbaa pleaded.

"Come on!" Timon whined.

"Please?" Iggy and Pumbaa both pleaded. Simba sighed.

"Well…Somebody once told me that the great kings of the past are up there watching over us."

"Really?" Pumbaa asked and Iggy looked at the sky again, wondering if Simba's dad told him that.

"You mean a buncha royal dead guys are watchin' us?" Timon repeated and then he fell into fits of laughter with Pumbaa adding to it. "Pfft! Who told ya something like that?" Iggy started to laugh too unable to keep it back and he and Timon rolled in the grass.

"Yeah, yeah." Simba murmured and Iggy didn't catch his tone at first.

"What mook made that up?" Timon snickered.

"Yeah, pretty dumb, huh?" Simba muttered.

"Aw, you're killing me, Simba." Timon clutched at his sides and Iggy sat up sensing Simba's discomfort.

"Yeah." Suddenly once the laughter had died; Simba rolled away and stood up leaving them alone.

"Was it something I said?" Timon asked and everyone shrugged.

Later on…

"Timon, it's your turn to say good night." Pumbaa murmured once they got to their nest and were starting to settle down.

"Good night." Timon said and pulled Iggy closer.

"Nighty night!" Iggy hollered and Timon snickered.

"Sleep tight." Simba added and he moved his paw to cover the meerkats like a blanket.

"Dream of bedbugs tonight." Pumbaa added too and then his head fell back in a loud snore. With an arm, Simba turned with his eyes closed and made it so he squished Pumbaa's mouth shut and the snoring was less loud. Simba's paw slipped off once and Iggy and Timon both shivered. Timon found the paw with his eyes closed and pulled it back over them and Iggy moved closer to keep warm. And they went to sleep not one thinking about what was said earlier.

The next afternoon, Simba was off lounging somewhere leaving Timon, Pumbaa and Iggy to walk about in their home alone. They were on their way back from swing in the vines were headed down the path singing a lively tune and Iggy was grinning at them.

"A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh, a-wimoweh, a-wimoweh." Pumbaa chanted and then Timon chimed in.

"In the jungle, the mighty jungle. The lion sleeps tonight! In the jungle, the mighty jungle." As Timon sang, he twirled Iggy around and no one of them saw the blue beetle land on the path in front of Pumbaa. The warthog left to follow it and the other two animals continued on. "The lion sleeps to…I can't hear ya buddy back me up! A-wiiiiiii-iiii-iiii-iiiii! A-Pumbaa-bum-baa-weh! Eh, Pumbaa? Pumbaa?" Timon stopped singing and frowned and Iggy glanced around.

"Where'd he go?" Iggy asked and Timon shrugged.

"I don't know." Suddenly the sounds of Pumbaa screaming caught the air and they both whipped their heads in his direction. "Pumbaa?" Timon called in confusion and then they heard a loud roar. "Pumbaa!"

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