Chapter 13

"I LOVE YOU!"

Simba, who had frozen in mid-step, stared wide eyed at his cubhood friend when the words burst from her mouth. He watched the horrified look that crept over her face at her sudden outburst, and watched her step back from him, but this time he did not step toward her, nor did he stop her when she turned and with great speed rushed into the Jungle and out of his sight. His mind was reeling. She loved him. His heart began to beat fast as her words finally began to sink in. 'She loves me?' he repeated silently, 'She...loves...me...' a foolish grin crept over his face and he suddenly felt like dancing for joy when he stopped, 'But why would she suddenly cry...and then run from me when she loves me?' he drifted back over their conversation, to remember exactly what was repeated. Then it struck him, "Oh shit!" jumping to his paws he bolted into the Jungle after her.

Zuri ran as fast as her paws could carry her, her vision blinded by tears that were freely running down her face. It was dark now, but she could still see through the Jungle as much as her blurry tear filled vision would allow her. She didn't even stop when she felt sharp rocks scrap the bottom of her paws, or branches whip across her face, she had to get away, she had to be alone. How stupid could she be, if Simba was intended, there was no sure chance he would stay with the Pride when he was now old enough to fend for himself. He had a better chance of leaving to go and find his old Pride. Who was she to stop him if she wanted too? 'I am such a fool!' she screamed mentally.

She came to a stop at the edge of a cliff, tilting her head downwards she stared down at the hundred foot drop to the trees below. Taking a few steps back she stopped and looked down at her paws, lifting one at a time, she licked the tiny cuts on the pads of her paws clean then lowered them again. Lying down she crossed her arms and laid her head down on them and stared out at the night sky as the stars began to make their appearance along with the moon rising in the distance. 'Oh mother…I wish you were here…I could use your guidance…' Shutting her eyes she covered her face with a paw as she silent wept.

"ZURI?" Simba called for the tenth time since he started his search, he had finally caught onto her scent but the territory was filled with many of the Prides scents mainly those from the Hunting Party, so he was not sure if the scent was old or new. "Oh come on Zu' where are you?" he called and sat down, he ran his paw over his mane and glowered at the ground, when he noticed a paw print. Bending down he took a good sniff and grinned, it was fresh, jumping back to his paws he took off following the trail of paw prints through the grass and undergrowth. Stopping when he came to the edge of the Jungle, he stared out at the lioness that laid on the edge of the cliff just staring out at the stars. It was something they often did when they could not sleep when they were cubs they would lay at the mouth of the cave to stare up at the stars and Simba would recite the very worlds his Father had told him about the Great Kings of the Past residing in the stars to watch over everyone and help them when they were needed. Sighing in relief, Simba stepped toward her, "Why did you run?"

He watched as she jumped in fright, it was apparent that she hadn't notice him again come upon her. He almost flinched at the tearstained face that turned toward him, taking a deep breath he approached her and licked her face to clean it then leaned back a ways. "Why did you run from me?"

Lowering her gaze, Zuri willed her tears to stop for a moment and she pushed herself onto her paws and sat back. "I...I made a fool of myself...I...I shouldn't have told you..." her voice was low but it was still loud enough to reach Simba's ears and he tilted his head to the side and then laughed softly. Eyes widening, Zuri glared at him, "Why are you laughing?" she snapped. But blinked when all he did was grin at her, "What's so funny Simba? I just told you what I've been holding in all these years since you came to live with us and you're laughing at me. I made such a fool of myself, I fell in love with an intended lion..." she trailed off once more and lowered her gaze.

Simba grinned and shook his head in amusement, "I'm laughing because I thought all this time that I was just making a fool out of myself trying to get you to notice me whenever I got the chance too!" his grin widened when she raised her head to look toward him confused, "I really thought I wasn't getting across to you and by that look I can see that it wasn't, but you at the same time felt the same. I'm sorry to say Zuri but we're both fools for not seeing how we felt about each other when at the same time we were trying to get ones attention!" grinning the red mane lion shook his head at his own stupidity.

"But...you're..." Zuri began before Simba placed a paw on her mouth to quiet her.

"I was-WAS- intended Zu', but come on lets face it, it's not like I'm ever going to see Nala again. And even if I did, it's not her that I'm in love with," taking a step closer to her, he cocked his head to the side with a cocky grin that she loved so much lighting up his face. "When actually I'm in love with a feisty young lioness, whose fur matches that of the Earth, and eyes as deep as the flowing river and even more blue that the sky above would envy for such a colour. She may not be the one that I had been intended too with birth, but she is the one who helped me when I needed it the most, the one who when I was brought here welcomed me with open paws and a gentle smile and bright personality!" he stopped when his face was within inches of hers. "I fell in love with you."

Eyes wide, Zuri felt like her heart had stopped, and her voice hitched in her throat as she found it hard to breath. "Y...you love me?"

"Is there an echo here?" Simba joked and pressed his nose to hers and looked her in the eyes, "Yes you, you silly thing, I love you!"

It took a few moments until Zuri finally felt her heart start to beat once again, the breath she was holding she let out. With new tears rolling down her face, she rubbed her head against his mane, closing her eyes when he returned the gesture. Shifting her body closer to his, she laid her head against his neck and took in his ever familiar scent that was a mixture of the many scents of the Jungle that clung to his fur.

Simba chuckled, "Now why are you crying? You're not turning into a wreck on me are you?" he laughed and grinned when she shoved him away from her with a loud huff.

"They're tears of joy you moron!" Zuri huffed and turned her head away trying to avoid his joyful laughter. "Sometimes Simba I wonder how I can love you!"

Simba's ears fell and he pouted and slumped his shoulders, but the ever playful gleam in his eyes was hard to hide. With a roll of her eyes, Zuri pushed past Simba, brushing her tail against his nose, "Come on you fool we best be getting back before Mansa finds us missing."

"Meh he's not all that scary. His pregnant Queen is even scarier, though I wouldn't tell that too her face!" bounding after her, Simba fell in step beside her, his tail going to curl around hers. Smiling, Zuri leaned her head in and rubbed it against his mane, a gentle purr rumbling in her throat. The two didn't even realize when they came upon the Grove until a clear of a throat made the two of them jump apart.

Jaali, who had found his friend and cousin had not returned to the Grove before the sun had set, had stayed up to wait for them. He paced most of the Grove, eyes searching for any sign of them returning, when he noticed two shadows approaching slowly, and they seemed quite close together. Sitting down, he waited for them to come closer, but it seemed they both were too interested in ones company to notice him, shaking his head he cleared his throat. Letting out a low laugh when they both jumped apart from each one, "Well I do believe its okay to say it's finally about damn time you two came to your senses and told one another. So who was the first to crack I want to know."

"Jeez Jaali you should like an old bickering lioness who loves to spread the latest gossip of the Pride!" Approaching her cousin, Zuri punched him in the leg. "And it's none of your business really, it's mine and Simba's!" looking over her shoulder at the said lion, she flashed him a smile and then padded her way toward their den leaving the two males behind.

"It's mine and Simba's" Jaali repeated, mimicking his cousin's voice, grinning toward Simba he patted him on the back hard. "You know I was beginning to seriously think you didn't have it in you to confess..."

"Actually she was the one that confessed to me first," Simba cut him off, blowing some of his mane out of his face. "She sort of...burst...yeah that's the right word to say. But it doesn't matter; it's just finally nice to have her know how I feel. At least I'm no longer making a fool out of myself trying to impress her."

"I'm afraid to tell you this Simba my friend, but you will always make a fool out of yourself!" Jaali grinned and jumped away from his friend who tried to swipe at him. "So...when will the Pride be expecting another set of new cubs?" he asked wiggling his eyebrows.

"Cubs?" Simba questioned and shook his head, "We just got through telling each other how we felt, much less discuss cubs!" his mind however drifted back to the other day when Zuri had asked him if she would one day make a good mother, and he knew she would be, but there was the matter of himself. Would he make a good Father? That he wasn't exactly sure of that.

"Well you're still young. Don't go having cubs around my parent's age. I think the females get crankier then!" Jaali looked toward the main cave. It wasn't that he wasn't excited to have another cub in the Pride, but he now often found an excuse to leave the cave just to avoid his mother and her complaining. "Oh and yes what I was up to tell you was, Father doesn't know you two were away from Grove. Count of blessings he's getting old with age to notice these days."

"Hey the older he gets the closer you are to becoming King!" Simba noticed the colour almost drain from his friend's fur. He knew personally what Jaali thought of becoming King. And his mind drifted back to when he was a cub, when he was still the prince of the Pridelands he couldn't wait to be King one day, however Jaali...it seemed though he tried hard to hide it was afraid of becoming King. And he knew why. His eyes looked toward the main cave. The young Rasheda Prince was afraid of what his Father might say, the King hardly ever showed anything but disapproval toward his son's many actions. Yes Jaali was careless in many things, but he knew deep down his friend had the makings of a King. Shoving his friend in the shoulder, Simba moved around him to head toward his and Zuri's den, "You'll make a fine King one day Ja' I know it!" he grinned at his friend before continuing on his way.

Entering the den, he found Zuri laying at the back of the cave. He watched her head rise up to gaze at him when he entered, he felt his heart beat faster when she smiled at him but remained where she lay. Making his way over to her, he lowered himself to the ground to lay beside her, watching her shift closer to lay her head down on his paws. Lowering his head down on hers, Simba closed his eyes, listening to the soft purring of the lioness beside him sooth him off to sleep. That night was the first night, Simba dreamt not of his nightmarish past, but a happy future he could have with the lioness he loved.