Chapter 21: Returning To The Pridelands

Back in the jungle, Timon and Pumbaa were both asleep, with the meerkat curled up on top of warthog as Pumbaa was lying on his back. The two would both snore as Pumbaa would mumble every now and then,

"Grubs! Grubs!"

As the two continued to sleep peacefully, Nala and Tamur quietly approached the two as the lioness whispered while carefully nudged the meerkat with her paw,

"Hey... Hey, wake up."

Waking up, Timon opened his eyes to see a close up view of the lioness' head with the African man standing behind her. Alarmed, Timon started to scream very loudly, waking Pumbaa up as the warthog joined in on the alarmed and frightened screams.

Nala said to try to calm them, "It's okay! Whoa! Whoa! It's OKAY! It's US!"

Tamur said, "Yeah guys! Calm down a bit why don't ya!"

Coming up to the two, Timon groaned with dismay, "Don't ever do that again! Carnivores! Oy!"

With a frustrating sigh, Nala asked, "Have you guys seen Simba and Shani?"

Timon said while bringing his hand to his head, "I thought they were with you two."

Nala replied, "He was, but now I can't find him. Where is he?"

Tamur said, "And I haven't seen Shani since last night."

Suddenly, all four of them heard a mysterious laugh! Looking up, the four saw Rafiki sitting up in a tree above them, informing them happily,

"Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho! You won't find them here! Ha! Ha! The King and Human Chieftress... Have returned."

Nala began to say in realization and amazement, "I can't believe it... They've gone back."

Tamur asked in shock and concern, "Gone back? You mean, to the Pridelands?"

Before the lioness could answer, the four were suddenly startled by the loud cheers and appearance of the human tribe! Confused by their sudden appearance, Tamur came up to them and asked,

"Um... Excuse me? If you don't mind me asking, who are all of you?"

One of the tribal men asked, "Are you Tamur the village man?"

Tamur answered, "Yes I am."

One of the village women explained, "We were sent by the tribal chieftress Shani to find you and the lioness, Nala. She said that you two would guide us all back to the Savannah."

Before the African man could even begin to gather his thoughts, a flabbergasted Timon asked as Rafiki had completely vanished,

"Hey! What's goin' on here? Who's the monkey?! And who the heck are they?!"

Nala answered, "Simba and Shani have gone to challenge Scar."

Timon asked in confusion, "Who?"

Tamur answered, "Scar."

Pumbaa asked, "Who's got a Scar."

Nala shook her head and corrected the warthog, "No! No! No! It's Simba's uncle."

Timon asked, "The monkey's his uncle?"

Tamur exclaimed in frustration, "No! Will you two just listen for a second?!"

Nala went on to explain, "Simba and Shani have gone back to challenge Scar, Simba's uncle... To take his place as king and so Shani can assume her role as Leader of the human tribe."

Taking in the sudden explanation, both the warthog and meerkat finally said in realization,

"Ohhh..."

Running at a high speed with the African woman on his back, Simba and Shani journeyed through the hot desert to return to the Pridelands and set things right once and for all.

Once they arrived, Shani hopped off of Simba's back as the two slowly crossed the desolated land they once called their home. Walking up onto a cliff and reaching the edge of it, the two quietly gasped in alarm. The lion and the African woman looked on in horror to see the Pridelands with a lifeless look and the landscape appearing all dark and gray.

Knowing the destruction that Scar has done to their home, Simba and Shani's look of horror slowly turned into a look of rage. Knowing that something had to be done.

Their thoughts were soon interrupted as Nala suddenly called out to them,

"Simba! Shani! Wait up!"

Trotting up to the two, Nala said, "It's awful, isn't it?"

Simba admitted, "I didn't want to believe you."

Shani said painfully as she shook her head, "I can barely even recognize it."

Nala asked, "Simba, what made you come back?"

Simba explained, "I finally got some sense knocked into me. And I've got the bump to prove it. Besides, this is my Kingdom. If I don't fight for it, who will?"

Nala said as she came close to her childhood friend, "I will."

Shani said, "And if my people and I don't step up and stand up to Scar... Then humans and animals will never be united as one."

Simba warned, "It's gonna be dangerous."

Nala jokingly said while quoting Simba when he was a cub, "Danger? Ha! I laugh in the face of danger. Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Shani smirked in response as Timon suddenly said, "I see nothing funny about this."

Surprised to see both their friends here in their former home, Simba asked,

"Timon? Pumbaa? What are you doing here?"

The warthog answered as he bowed to the lion, "At your service, my liege."

Suddenly, they all heard a familiar voice say, "So are we."

Everyone looked to see Tamur standing in front of the African Tribe.

Surprised to see the African man leading her tribe, Shani exclaimed as she ran towards him,

"Tamur?"

Tamur smiled as he took Shani in his arms for a tight embrace, saying happily, "Hello, Shani!"

with the African woman asking, "Tamur? What are you doing here?"

Tamur answered, "I came to help the human chieftress restore the Pridelands. And unite all humans and animals as one."

Shani asked with a raised brow, "Now I thought you said I wasn't strong enough to face Scar and the hyenas."

Tamur shook his head as he confessed, "Shani, I know you are a strong woman and a great leader. It's just... I lost you once. And the though of you going to face them and you possibly not making it out alive... It scares me. I want to believe in you, but... I..."

Gazing at him sympathetically, Shani said,

"I understand, Tamur. I know that this is dangerous. And I know that there are risks... Look, I'm scared too. But if there's anything that I've truly learned, it's that we cannot let our fears define us nor can we let them take over. Because if we do, then nothing is going to be solved."

Listening to the human leader, Tamur nodded and said,

"You're right... If things are gonna change, then it's gotta start with us. Shani, I really hope you know that I never once doubted your ability to be a leader or stand up for what's right... It's just that I don't want to lose you again."

Taking his hands into hers, Shani said reassuringly,

"Tamur, that is not going to happen. Yes, I'm going to face Scar and the hyenas, but I'm not doing it alone. I've got Simba, Nala, the tribe, and even Timon and Pumbaa are willing to step up and face them with us. Trust me, we're not doing this alone."

Finding the courage he needed, Tamur said with a confident smile, "Yeah? Well now you got me too."

Shani smiled happily in response, knowing that her true love was now on her side.

Their moment was soon interrupted when Timon asked in a grimaced tone,

"Uh... We're gonna fight your uncle... For this?"

Simba answered, "Yes, Timon. This is our home."

Shani added, "And if we want it to survive, we have to stand up and fight for it."

Timon finally said, "Ffh! Talk about your fixer upper. Well, Simba and Shani! If it's important to you, we're with you to the end."

Smiling appreciatively at the meerkat, Simba and Shani look out towards the Pridelands alongside their friends and the human tribe with courage and determination.

As the whole group made it into Pride Rock, Simba, Nala, Shani, Tamur, Timon and Pumbaa came towards the edge with the human tribe following closely behind. From behind a log, they all observed the hordes of hyenas that were nearby.

While observing them, Timon asked, "Hyenas... I hate hyenas. So what's your plan for gettin' past those guys?"

Simba answered, "Live bait."

Timon said, suddenly realizing what the lion meant, "Good idea... Heeey!"

Simba replied, "Come on, Timon! You guys have to create a diversion."

Shani said, "Yeah! We just need you and Pumbaa to distract the hyenas long enough so we can round up the lionesses and humans together. And so Simba and I can go confront Scar."

Timon asked incredulously, "What do you want me to do? Dress in drag and do the hula?!"

Suddenly, the hyenas looked up and over their shoulders to see Timon dressed in a hula outfit. Dancing to a Hawaiian War Chant, the meerkat stood on top of Pumbaa as the warthog was set up like a roasted pig with an apple in his mouth while Timon sang;

Luau!

If you're hungry for a hunk of fat and juicy meat
Eat my buddy Pumbaa here
Because he is a treat
Come on down and dine
On this tasty swine
All you have to do is get in line

Timon continued to sing and dance along with Pumbaa as Simba and Nala along with the group of humans snuck past the hyenas, while the mangy animals began to close in on the two;

Are ya achin'...
Pumbaa: Yup, yup, yup.
Timon: For some bacon?
Pumbaa: Yup, yup, yup.
Timon: He's a big pig!
Pumbaa: Yup, yup.
Timon: You can be a big pig too! Oy!

Finally finishing up their song, the two screamed and ran away in fear while the hyenas began to chase after them.

With the hyenas being led away, the rest of the group managed to sneak past them and further towards Pride Rock. Stopping by the edge, Simba instructed to Nala and Tamur,

"Nala, you and Tamur find my mother and rally the lionesses. Shani and I will look for Scar."

Shani instructed to the African man, "Tamur, keep the tribe close by and let Sarabi and the lionesses know of our return."

Tamur nodded and said worryingly as he took Shani's hands into his, "Please be careful."

Shani kissed him on the cheek and said reassuringly, "I promise we will."

Tamur nodded in response as he kissed both of her hands and left with Nala and the tribe to go find Sarabi and the lionesses while Shani and Simba set off to go confront Scar. As the two made their way up Pride Rock, they heard Scar shout for the Sarabi,

"SARABI!"

And the two stopped and gasped in alarm as the lioness' name echoed all throughout the Pridelands.

The lion and the African woman watched as Sarabi ascended Pride Rock, with Simba bearing a look of sorrow and Shani bearing a look of fear as they watched their mother figure go to confront Scar.

Making her way towards the dark lion, Sarabi asked with a glare of disdain,

"Yes, Scar?"

Scar asked, "Where is your hunting party? They're not doing their job."

Sarabi answered calmly, "Scar, there is no food. The herds have moved on."

Scar replied in denial, "No! You're just not looking hard enough."

Sarabi explained, "It's over. There is nothing left. We have only one choice. We must leave Pride Rock."

Scar replied with a glare, "We're not going anywhere."

Sarabi argued, "Then you have sentenced us to death!"

Scar fired back in the lioness' face, "Then so be it!"

Shocked, Sarabi said with disgust, "You can't do that!"

Scar replied stubbornly as he turned away from her, "I'm the king! I can do whatever I want!"

Sarabi began to say angrily as she referred to her deceased mate,

"If you were half the king Mufasa was, you would nev-"

Hearing the name of his brother, Scar angrily snapped as he hit Sarabi across the face, knocking her down to the ground,

"I'm ten times the king Mufasa was!"

Enraged to see his mother being hit, Simba growled loudly as he appeared on the ledge with Shani as the African woman angrily glared at the dark lion. Leaping down and running to Sarabi's side, Scar looked on in fright as he mistook Simba as Mufasa,

"Mufasa? The human girl? No. You're dead."

Coming towards the lioness, Shani knelt down beside her as Simba nudged his mother's head.

Waking up, Sarabi asked as she mistook him for her deceased mate, "Mufasa?"

Shaking his head, Simba said, "No... It's me."

Shani said as she gazed down at the lioness, "And me."

Looking up at the two, Sarabi asked with delight while also confused with what she was seeing,

"Simba? Shani? You're alive?... But how can that be?"

Simba replied while nuzzling against his mother's cheek, "It doesn't matter. I'm home."

Shani added while gently rubbing Sarabi's shoulder, "We both are."