Chapter 19- If I Have You
I was back in the Pridelands, but its vitality had returned. The lush lands stretched across beyond where I could see. I felt as if I was looking around with someone controlling my movements. Once I felt I had got control again, I looked around the area, turning to see I had been standing at the pinnacle of pride rock, looking down to the den. Like before, no one was there, like the entire Pridelands was empty despite the signs of thriving life from the lands themselves. That told me straight away what I was doing back in the Pridelands. Still, there had been no indication to an appearance, so my curiosity got the better of me. I padded over to look into the den, sure enough spotting nobody in there. Looking at it this time, it struck me odd how the lighting in the den was brighter than it normally was for the time of day I was there. The more I thought about it, the more the area's emptiness was unsettling.
My attention was pulled away by a familiar circling breeze hitting me. It lingered around my body, before tightening around and then disappearing. I couldn't tell if it had gone in a different direction, so I turned around, facing away from the den. To my surprise, I didn't see one of the kings of the past, but instead, I was towered over by three of them. I recognised one, but the other two were new to me. The shock of seeing three large lions stand over me was enough to startle me into stumbling backwards. "Okay, so apparently there's three of you now. Little intimidating." I nodded, making the comment as a way to keep myself calmer. I gestured to the lion I had seen before, "I know you, but your two friends...fellow kings, I don't know them." I shook my head, standing up straight again, "I'm guessing you have some sage advice for me? Oh, did you guys hear it when I thanked you and asked for help? I assume that wasn't just a lucky breeze that just so happened to take me to the right place."
I watched as all three of them shared the same look, as if what I said to them was endearing. One of the new lions spoke first, "We heard your plea, yes. When you called out to us, we became concerned. If you weren't to reach our descendent, then there would be little hope for his ascension. We had to be sure you would reach the destination." He explained, his expression remaining soft with me.
There was a frown growing on my face as I heard what he said, "Hold on, you're making this sound like it only matters that I find him. Am I just expendable after this then?" One of my brows raised, the silence giving me more time to think about it like that.
The other unknown king took over, "Not at all." He shook his head, "If you were expendable to us, then we would have sent more to accompany you. Does that make sense?" He asked, to which I nodded. I wasn't really too sure on what he said, but with the frequency these lions talked in vague answers, I figured it would be easiest to just agree. "We know you are the one we can entrust with the kingdom's future." He finished, prompting me to raise a brow again, though more in surprise.
"Whoa, okay, cool it on the pressure. I'm just really happy that I've managed to find Simba. I'm just trying to take this a step at a time, so, y'know, I don't need reminding of the overall importance." The sheepish smile I shot the lions got no reaction. "Plus, you can see that I was able to find him...with some help. He's okay. So now maybe you can stop worrying about the Pridelands, okay? They will be fine now." I insisted, offering them a more genuine smile, hoping that they might not sneak up on me in these visits as often. Looking at them though, they didn't look unburdened.
The trio looked between each other and then let the only one of them I had seen before speak, "It is true you have found our descendent, but your task is not over. Whilst he is physically unharmed, his mind is unsettled. There is a chance, if left too long, that he will never come back to who he is. Who he needs to be. He is the true king and must take his place in the circle of life." His voice boomed, though the tone he attached was somewhat soothing to hear. I didn't want to be reminded of what he was saying though. He could see my hesitance. "Tishala, I know we have given you a great task, but you must do this." He urged me, stepping in closer with his head lowered to make eye contact.
Our eyes held contact for a moment before a frown grew on my face again, "I tried talking to him about it. He doesn't want to go back. I can't just force someone to do something. I'm sorry, but I can't do that to Simba. We have only just found each other again. If I keep pressing on something that is painful for him, then he won't go back, he'll just push me away. I don't want that. I need more time if I'm going to try." I replied, though I couldn't even convince myself, "I just, he seemed so happy to see me, and I was so happy to see him. I don't see why I should then go and upset him some more. You guys must have been watching. I told him, then we both got angry at each other. I don't want to be angry with him. Not after everything he's been through." My expression became stern, "He's lucky that Timon and Pumbaa found him, because it sure doesn't look like you guys did much to help, does it?" I growled, taking a step closer. Sure, the lions were all untouchable anyway, but they also told me that they needed me to keep going, so I couldn't fear them by just putting my opinion forward.
The kings noticed how defensive I was getting, but didn't retaliate, instead the three of them standing together, looking down at me as if they were proud of something, "You are correct. He was fortunate to have the duo look after him. He is just as fortunate to have you find him." The two kings either side of the third nodded, "We see the connection you two have and it is natural to feel you need to defend his view. Free will is one thing we cannot influence. Tishala, if I may say, the growing bond between the two of you means that we are still confident our descendent will see the right path." I couldn't help but feel a small heat coming to my cheeks, suggesting they had gone red with the acknowledgement of the moment Simba and I shared. It turned out they had been watching both us more than I thought they would. "There is no need to be embarrassed." That low voice spoke to me.
The burning sensation on my cheeks didn't ease though, "Isn't there? I'm not even sure why I was like that." I explained, looking up to all three of them, "I think it was because I was so glad to find him." I waited to see their reactions. They didn't look convinced, "I didn't want to fall asleep lonely. I hadn't ever done that at night whilst being in this body." I huffed, again seeing that they weren't convinced by it. It was like they knew more than I did, "Whatever, I was tired." I argued, hoping that I wouldn't have to hear any more of it.
Of course, the kings were not done with me, "As I said, there is no need to be embarrassed. It takes strength to let someone know how much you care about them. When you found him, he got to see just how much it mattered to you." They smiled in agreement. "However, even with this bond you share, our descendent needs to be convinced to return to his kingdom. The longer this takes you to do, the worse state the Pridelands will be left in before it is too late. Time must not be wasted, as much as indulging in his attempt to avoid his fate keeps him happier, it will not help him, or the others he is destined to lead. He will see the right path with guidance. Your guidance." I was assured.
"So, what are we talking here, a couple of moons before it's too late?" They didn't look like they were going to share that information, causing me to feel frustrated again, "Fine, I'll get to it...just don't rush me." I snapped, knowing that it wasn't going to do anything for them. "I just don't want to hurt him. This isn't something he should have to go through. He's had enough trauma, and I want to be there to help him, but I can't if I end up making him mad. He's as strong willed as they come when he sets his mind to it." I argued, starting to smile as I thought of him, picturing the prince standing in a power pose with a determined expression, full mane, and fire in his eyes. Before I knew it, I was thinking too much about him and less on the task at hand. I shook myself back to my company, "You get my point, right? I need to be there for him...as a friend, first. Once that happens, I think he will agree." They seemed to ponder on the potential of my idea. "As wise as you are, you sure take a long time to respond to any suggestion I have, don't you?" I quipped, switching their attention back to me.
"Young lioness, you will understand with age, taking time to consider a suggestion has its benefits. Whilst we will not condone time being wasted, we understand that you wish to heal our descendant's heart first. As long as you honour what you have been tasked with, then we trust your decision. Be sure to succeed. Longer than necessary, and then we fear for the fate of the kingdom and all the life it holds." He spoke, words booming out the warning I was very aware of already.
My legs wobbled a little bit as I started to buckle at hearing their fears. "I get it. I understand. Remember that pressure talk we just had? You're doing it again. You have my word; I will be a good friend to Simba. Just know it isn't something I can force...I can't make the decision for him. If I try to, he probably wouldn't want to be friends." I explained, getting understanding nods from all three. I sighed in relief, knowing I could at least give it a good go. A thought popped into my head, "Another thing I need to know." I got their attention again, "Say I manage to get Simba to come back in a short amount of time. Then what? He isn't big enough to challenge Scar. Not even close. I mean, thinking about it, sure, the lionesses would help, but there are so many hyenas. Too many for all of them to handle. How do you expect him to win against those kinds of odds? He would need to be a full-grown adult. I don't mean to doubt your cause so much, but I don't see it happening." I cast my eyes to the ground, finding it difficult to criticise the lions more than I already had.
I could hear them all, a small huff, though looking up to them, it didn't seem like they cared that I questioned them again, "We wouldn't have tasked you this responsibility if we thought it was impossible. Tishala, when you were set on this path in life, we had faith in your decision making. We believe you will know what to do, so that the future may see a flourishing Pridelands. A lion who thinks with their head is a cynic, a lion who thinks with their heart may be blinded to a calculated solution. A lion that thinks with both, leads." I was told, though the statement seemed to come out of nowhere, making me a little confused. "Tishala, we must leave now. Know that we will guide you in our design, but the choice is always yours." The middle lion nodded to me.
"Wait, wait!" I jumped forwards to them, "I still feel awful about leaving everyone behind. If you can, keep any eye on them all for me. Sarabi, please let her know that I'm okay, that she doesn't have to worry. I know she will...I know she has been. I just need you to let her know I am safe. She and I were close, and I know that she would have been heartbroken to know I had left. She needs to know she hasn't lost me. I am thinking of her all the time. Please." I tried to speak as clear as I could, though I was having to speed up because the kings of the past starting to disappear in front of me. They didn't vocalise their response, but they nodded, giving me confidence, they would follow through with my request. It put me at peace enough that I could feel myself slipping away from the area as well. Consciousness was calling to me. As they had vanished in a warm glow, I smiled at the thought of Sarabi getting some good news.
My eyes opened, keeping half shut as the sunlight breached through the safety of the treeline. I could make out the various different colours in the jungle oasis I had fallen asleep in before. All the sights were blurry though, adjusting to waking up. I opened wide and let out a yawn, closing my eyes again as I rested my head down onto something soft. It didn't feel like the ground. That sparked my mind into action. I pressed my head down against it more, trying to feel what I might be resting on. It was warm, had some solidity to it, but not unmoving like the earth would have been. When I pressed down again, it reacted, twitching up, trying to push back. Then, a moment later, it was struggling out. With my eyes still closed, I tried to pin it with my chin, growling as it was pulling away. Victory for the mystery opponent was secured when I felt the ground. It was softer than I thought, but not like what had just escaped. Feeling lazy, I accepted the loss, but let out a huff.
The next thing I could hear was a small amount of laughter. My ears perked at that, scanning for the source of the laughter. I relented, allowing my eyes to open and start to enter the waking world. I looked to my side where the laughter was coming from. My eyes focused on Simba with a case of bed hair, or in this case, his beginnings of a mane were looking a little crazed. Regardless, he was still looking at me with a silly smile, chuckling all the while. "What are you doing, trying to break my paw?" He asked, wiggling a paw in front of me, then pressing it to my face. That was when I realised that my foe had just been Simba's paw, trying to get out from underneath my chin. In a split second, it all came rushing back to me. We had fallen asleep in the trio's communal bed, holding on to each other. The memory made me feel uncertain about myself, largely due to it being me who initiated that behaviour. The lion beside me seemed as oblivious as ever, continuing to wait for an answer.
It was lucky I had started smiling at him before my confused thoughts hit me. I pushed his paw off my face and smirked, "And what if I was? Maybe your paw needs to toughen up." I shot him a wink, forcing the prince to look at me, a surprised look on his face. "What's wrong Simba? Don't think I could manage?" I continued to taunt, getting used to being so close to him again.
He shook his head, looking a little more concerned than I thought he would, "No, I actually just didn't think you would be so comfortable with hurting someone. You're not the same lion I thought you were." I blinked. I didn't know how the tone had shifted at such a sudden pace.
My words stumbled out, leaning my head closer to him as my expression faded into a more nervous one than before, "Wait, no, I didn't mean it like that." I argued, my mind racing over different thoughts. The main thought coming to my mind was that Scar had corrupted me more than I thought. I cursed myself for the thoughtless words I shot his way before. I didn't know how I was going to be able to be his friend if I was going to be like that without knowing it.
Simba didn't take long to respond, his response first being to look at me with a victorious grin, mimicking the wink I shot him before, "I'm just joking around. I didn't think you would get that upset." He couldn't stop himself from laughing. I felt stupid for a moment there. Of course, he was joking with me. He was just trying to do to me what I thought I had done to him. "You should have seen the panic on your face." He snickered before looking to me again, "You actually did start to hurt my paw a little bit though." He shook it in front of me again before putting it down. I let him know my displeasure at the joke, pouting, although I think we both knew I would recover soon enough. He pressed himself against me, rubbing our cheeks together and purring. My resistance broke at that, leading me to return the purr, smiling again as our eyes met once the embrace broke, "Better?" He raised a brow.
The sigh that came from me told the young lion how I felt, the growing smile supporting this further. I could feel my cheeks go red after we embraced like that. "Yes, I'm better. Just...don't worry me like that again, you idiot." I called him, spitting those last two words with a good degree of affection. We both smiled at each other before I started to look around, feeling like something was missing from this area. My eyes settled on a space in the bed. "Wait, where are Timon and Pumbaa?" I asked, causing Simba to look at the same space I was.
He responded in a calm tone, "They got up earlier. Said they were gonna find some grubs for everyone. They also wanted to let you sleep some more. Oh, I spoke to them, and they're okay with you staying with us. They said if you don't want to though, you can stay in the place they found you." He shrugged. "You slept in really late. I must be comfortable!" He jested, teasing me further. "It's way past the time I get up. We don't have any rules though, so that's fine. We can just go to sleep later today, I guess. Come on, I have so many things to show you to do around here. I know you'll love them!" He almost bounced out of the bed at the suggestion of all we were going to do. "Timon and Pumbaa are fun, but they aren't my age, so they get tired fast. I know all the best trees to climb, trust me." He stood up, puffing his chest out. With his growing mane, I could see a lot of Mufasa in him. I couldn't help but smile up at him, joining him in standing.
"Aren't they going to come back expecting us?" I questioned, hesitant to leave until the two adults returned. Simba's response was a simple shake of his head. The lion prince started nudging me out of the bed and away, forcing me to start walking. I chuckled at his attempts and stepped ahead, causing him to stagger behind for a couple of steps, "I'm going, I'm going." I beamed at him, prompting the other lion to bound to my side. Just as he got there, my stomach rumbled. I hadn't eaten for a while and that rumble was enough to make me start feeling the hunger. "I know where we're going. We need to get food. What is there to eat?" I looked at him, waiting for an answer.
The lion walked ahead, "Follow me, I know where we can get food." I didn't hesitate, feeling my hunger grow by the second. As if I needed the encouragement, my stomach sounded again. Simba noticed and laughed, "We need to get you food fast!" He grinned. The two of us sprinted away, stopping a few minutes later in a clearing. Simba gestured for me to follow him to a rotting tree, its bark looking a little eroded.
I wasn't sure what to make of it, "Is there something under that? A secret stash?" I asked, prompting Simba to shake his head. "Simba, I am not eating tree. I know it's dead, but I am not eating that." He was laughing once I said that, shaking his head again.
The prince started talking through his laughter, having mixed success, "No, you're not eating that. I wouldn't make you eat that." He snickered, moving ahead of me to then get his claws out, rearing up before smashing his claws down, pulling away with his strong front legs. He repeated this until the bark had been broken through, smashed as he looked to me, "Timon and Pumbaa showed me the best places to get food. Here, there's plenty to eat." He stepped away and waited for me to approach.
Once I was looking over it, Simba was looking at me as I saw what was inside. He would have seen me go almost green, "Oh, Simba, no. No, you can't be serious." He smiled, like he understood my reaction. I was looking down at a collection of bugs. There were so many there. I figured that was the reason for the bark being eroded. They had eaten through it. I looked Simba, "This is one of your jokes, right? Please tell me this is one of your jokes." I pleaded, seeing him shake his head. "Bugs? I have to eat bugs?" I could feel my appetite go, at least in my mind. However, another argument from my stomach betrayed my words.
"I know that they don't look good, but we need to eat, and Timon says that they don't have any gazelle or zebra, so we eat grubs. If you just give them a chance, you'll find that they don't taste that bad. You might have to get used to how slimy some of them are." The word slimy made my body cringe, looking back down to my proposed meal. "Look, if I pick one and you try it, then it's just one, okay?" He asked. With a clear reluctance, I nodded. He looked down at the grubs for a moment before selecting one and picking it for me. "This one is really nice. You'll like it." He insisted, putting the bug close to my face. I shot him an expression that suggested I wasn't comfortable with this but was going to try anyway. I didn't know what kind of bug it was, but its bulbous body didn't fill me with enthusiasm. I opened up and felt a paw push into my mouth a little bit. He let go and took his paw out. I could feel the bug crawling around in my mouth, so I reacted by closing my mouth and crushing it, chewing fast to get it over with. I swallowed and opened my eyes again, looking back at Simba, "So, how was it?"
The answer didn't come straight away, but as the taste lingered in my mouth, I thought about it. It wasn't amazing, but nowhere near as bad as I thought it was going to be. The crunch that bug had from its carapace was satisfying in a way. The more I thought about it, the more I realised he was right, it wasn't that bad. It was pretty good, in fact. "It wasn't bad. I think I could learn to like it."
The prince seemed satisfied with that answer, nodding, "Good, because you have a lot more to try." He smirked, gesturing to the still full bank of food he discovered. I sighed, knowing I would have to try them. A thought went out to the great kings of the past. If I wanted to get out of eating bugs for long, then I would have to get Simba back to the Pridelands soon. The good news was, he already liked me. The bad news, this would still take a while.
A month had passed since I had reunited with Simba. The time had gone by fast. We settled into a similar routine for the most part. Timon and Pumbaa were with us most of the time, although they insisted that they all, Simba included, give me some space. I was confused at that, but guessed it was to do with the fact I was the only girl there. Even after a month had passed, I still wasn't as keen on eating bugs as the other three were. However, I didn't trust my hunting skills enough to try and find something I could hunt. I wasn't sure if it would upset Simba, either, so I didn't take the risk. I had seen different animals, but only from a distance, although a few might have come to greet me, noticing I was new to those parts. Even then, they kept a distance, having a natural aversion to lions. Despite Simba having been a longer-term resident than me, I noticed they were also cautious around him. I didn't know if he was blind to it, or if he just accepted that this was how it was going to be. Timon had told me that he was a little uncomfortable being with two carnivores at first, but knew that if I was Simba's friend, then he didn't have to worry. In addition, he told me he knew Simba would protect him if I did try anything anyway. That was enough to convince me that hunting in the jungle would only lead to conflict between me and the prince. Pumbaa had been kind to me since I arrived, trying to find alternative foods, though most were different kinds of grub. He was still trying. There was one time when he offered to go buzzard bowling with me, on the promise I could help myself to a buzzard. He seemed more lax than Timon, but I declined, knowing it would make him feel uncomfortable if I were to do that with his help. I wanted to live just like they did, even if it meant I wasn't going to enjoy my meals. That wasn't to say I didn't like any of the grubs I had been offered. The issue was that I only seemed to like the grubs that were least common. Timon referred to my taste as gourmet and picky but was still happy I hadn't turned my attention to him as an alternative. In all, living there with the three of them was easy. There hadn't been any arguments, I was welcomed by all three, treated the same for the most part. The four of us shared an enlarged bed, with Simba and I curled up together, pressed against Pumbaa. Timon would sometimes get held under Simba's paw, sometimes under mine. It seemed like he used our paws as a blanket. It also looked as if he was making sure to get between us often. I shook it off as nothing, but it seemed too often to be frequent.
One time, I went to have a night away from them, sleeping in the hollowed tree they found for me. Before I got to sleep though, Simba appeared and spent that night with me. I wasn't certain, but I thought I could see some peeping eyes in the brush behind him. The two of us made a habit of going there to sleep after a few nights shared with Timon and Pumbaa. It wasn't as cosy a setting, and the floor was less comfortable. However, all of that was made up for by having the extra space. That was without mentioning the fact that whenever we were at the tree, we would keep each other warm. Nothing was said most of the time, but the shared purring and the smile on our faces was all we needed. The first night we slept there, I woke up and saw him beside me, his head resting on my paws as my head had been on top of his. I caught myself just smiling at him. I watched, not for long, but long enough to wonder what he was dreaming about, if he was dreaming at all. I pondered if he ever had bad dreams about leaving the Pridelands before I found him in the jungle. It made me feel warm on the inside that I might be the reason he was sleeping well. Feeling a little uneasy in my thoughts, I pushed them to the back for a while, reasoning that he would have been happy to see anyone from the Pridelands.
Each time I got those kinds of feelings toward him, I felt like I had to push them away. Despite my efforts though, they would return if I went back to looking at him. Speaking to him, I felt lost for words sometimes, like I had been caught off guard, even if I was listening. Of course, the little teasing comments by Timon didn't help. It wasn't clear if Timon was amused or concerned that Simba and I were getting close. A few times, Simba would notice what Timon was trying to get at, and he would get defensive, mainly on my behalf. The two never snapped at each other, not in the way that I sometimes would. Neither of us spoke about it to each other, but we did notice the energy between us. I didn't like being stuck in that feeling and I didn't want to get it wrong, so I never approached him about it. Of the month that had passed, the last week was the most awkward for me. We tried acting as if nothing was happening. During the day, for a while it was easy to pretend nothing was happening. When the nights came, I would make a subtle effort to lay beside Pumbaa if we were looking to the stars, or 'fireflies', as Timon insisted. Each time I did that though, Simba would put himself next to me, offering me a kind smile. I would smile back, but I would feel my stomach swirling a little bit, like I was nervous about something, when it was nothing! Even when he didn't get next to me, with Pumbaa in between, he would look over after he said something, making sure I was listening or watching. I was still confused, but I didn't want to upset Simba, so I would meet his cheerful looks with my own. It didn't mean I resisted all the time. When together, he wasn't the first to start an embrace all the time. When by myself, I would think of those moments we were together like that, and I didn't know if I should look with fond thoughts or if I should be concerned. I would sit and try to think about him objectively. Simba was fun, a friend, would be my first thoughts; he's growing up to be quite good looking. I would have to shake myself to think of something else, a small punishment to clear my head. No matter how often I tried though, thoughts like that would come up again, only to be pushed back by my reasoning. I would tell myself I was just acting like this because he was the only other lion. That was all. One time, he walked in, breaking my thoughts, the resisting ones dissolving when our eyes met. Each time something similar happened, I would feel just as confused as before.
It was possible that my own confusion led me to hold back on trying to ask him any more about the Pridelands. I didn't feel comfortable asking him something like that, remembering his previous response. I would tell myself to ask him, but I could never find the resolve, instead going along with his plans for the day. I guessed that he would open up to me when he was ready, knowing I would be waiting for an answer. He didn't look like he was going to start the talk about it though, content to leave it behind if I didn't bring it up again. I was desperate not to upset him, but I knew I still had to get the prince talking to me, opening up so that we could both get back to our home.
We had been running around all day, the four of us swimming in one of the lakes, this one having a couple of small waterfalls feeding into it. The water away from the falls was still, meaning swimming around in it was easy and on hot days, refreshing. Simba, unbeknownst to the warthog and meerkat duo, had taken me along to where the vines he used were. Much like the time I found him in the jungle, he would use the vines to leap into the air and crash into the water, surprising his carers with the splash that was only getting larger with the passing times. Simba looked to me from the distance and nodded for me to do the same. I grinned as I did the same, letting out a gleeful scream once I let go of the vines and plummeted to the water, hitting the duo with a second splash, though a smaller one that Simba's. Both had an unamused look, but Timon was the least pleased. However, he had gotten used to it, Simba often involving me in pranking the two of them. He swam up to me, still chuckling, his still growing mane soaked through so that he couldn't really see me. He saw me enough to use one of his paws to dunk me under the water, making me thrash about so I could get back to the surface, gasping for air. "hey, I wasn't ready for that!" I shouted, pouting at him.
The lion continued to snicker, shaking his head, "I know, that's why I did it. Gotcha!" He flicked his mane enough so that he could look at me with a smug grin. At that point, he got even closer to me, pressing our cheeks together, though his expression didn't change, "Problem with that, Tish?" He waggled his eyebrows. I looked at him with a deadpan expression, though it did nothing to shift the grin on his face. "Oh, you're not upset, are you? You don't seem to mind it when you do that to me." He argued, keeping the tone on his voice playful. He was teasing. I just looked away from him with a huff. He followed me around, pressing our cheeks together again. When I didn't respond, he moved over to get in front of me.
At that moment, I shot him a smirk before trying to lunge, "Ah, gotcha!" I lifted a paw out the water and hit the top of his head, pushing him under the water. I grinned at my success, taking my paw away so he could come up. However, the prince had other ideas, pulling me under with him. I struggled, thrashing about under the water as I was held against my will. I stopped when I noticed he wasn't trying to stop me. I opened my eyes, the water making my vision blurred, but after another little pull down, I could see that Simba and I were face to face. The freedom of movement in the water meant our noses pressed together soon after. In that moment, it felt like time stopped. I didn't know why, but at that point, any of the thoughts I might have had against this closeness, weren't there. Instead, I felt nervous. Simba didn't hesitate to pull me in, the two of us committed to the embrace, holding on to each other. I didn't notice that we had started floating to the top. Once we had broken the surface, we didn't stop, just nuzzling each other as we used our back legs to keep ourselves afloat. I had no sense of anything around me. It was like all the feelings I had been forcing back had decided to come out all at once. It felt as if there was just the two of us. "That was a fun game." I smiled, though I didn't move from the embrace, not wanting to leave it just yet.
He started purring in my ear, "Yeah, the best game." He replied in a hushed, warm tone. The next thing I felt forced me to start purring, feeling him lick at my ear, like he was cleaning it.
Feeling that, I held closer to him, "well, you were the one who said you wanted to just run around and play all day, remember? Before you even started growing a real mane." He pushed me out of the embrace to look at me with a bit of surprise, but it turned to a smile.
Simba responded, "Oh yeah, I guess you're right." His eyes seemed to glint as his smile shifted to a smirk, "Oh, so you've noticed the mane." He grinned.
I rolled my eyes as I looked back to him with a smirk, "Well, don't get too excited. I said it's growing to a nice mane. You've still got some growing to do, first." I leaned over to nip at one of his ears.
The other lion didn't flinch, "Oh, so you like my mane too?" I raised a brow as he looked at me, "You said it will be a nice mane. So, you like it." He teased, prompting my face to go red. I had just said that to him, and I didn't even realise. I was about to protest when he moved back to splash me, "Can't take it back now." He pulled up close to me again, our heads almost touching, with Simba edging closer.
"Alright you two, we're gonna go." Timon shouted over to us, a smirk on his face. I couldn't tell if it was because he caught us or if he was interrupting the moment. Both Simba and I looked over to him, waiting to see if he was serious.
A thought popped into my head, prompting me to speak up first, "Actually, Timon, Simba and I were thinking of taking a walk, weren't we, Simba?" I looked to him, smiling, hoping he would go along with it. The prince looked to me with the same smile, then back to Timon, saying that was the plan. "So, we'll see you two later." I grinned at the meerkat before getting out of the water, the opposite side to them. Simba joined me a moment later, both of us shaking ourselves to dry our fur some. Even if we were going to do it anyway, we waited for the permission from Timon and Pumbaa.
The meerkat crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at us, his smirk growing, "Yeah, that's fine." He started, but I could tell he wasn't done, "Pumbaa and I think it's been nice for you two to spend some time together. In particular, your alone time." He emphasised the word 'alone', clasping his paws together and puckering his lips afterwards. Simba and I exchanged confused frowns, as if we both didn't know what Timon was insinuating. I could see Pumbaa holding back his laughter, all four of us involved in the joke in some way, "Of course, we wouldn't wanna get in the way of whatever it is you kids get up to when we're not looking. What happens, happens, right?" He shrugged his shoulders, leaning back, acting relaxed.
I had enough of the teasing Timon was subjecting Simba and I to, so I retorted, "Actually, we just wanted to give you and Pumbaa some alone time." I smirked at him, knowing that the meerkat wasn't expecting a response like that. Seeing his surprise and confusion, I shot him a wink. "We'll be going then, right?" I asked, as if I hadn't just challenged Timon at his own game.
Turning to leave, I didn't expect him to start up again, but I was wrong, "Oh, rest assured, Tishala, my buddy and I will be fine whilst you two go and have fun together. Enjoy." He cooed, waving the two of us off. Before I could start to respond, Simba pushed me forwards, knowing our verbal battles could drag on if they were allowed to start. I took a last glance over to the meerkat, who kept a slow wave, a triumphant smile on his face. We caught each other's eyes for a moment, and he winked just as he went out of view. Even with Simba pushing me away, I could see Timon's smirk, mocking me. I had to get him back sometime.
Once we were far enough away, Simba go in front of me and frowned, "Why do you and Timon always do that?" He asked, making it clear his frown was of concern, not anger.
"Do what?" I replied.
"Why do you two always argue like that?" He stepped in closer, ready in case I started going teary eyed, which happened more often than I would have liked to admit. However, it was one of the nice things about having Simba around. I would always get a hug if I cried, no matter the reason.
Being asked that question, I mulled the thought over for a moment, "I don't think it's really an argument. It's more just a bunch of silly words thrown at each other." Simba gave me a blank stare, not understanding what I was saying, "Come on, don't pretend like you don't notice when he says stuff like that. You gave me the same look I gave you. I just threw it back in his face. So, what if we spend a lot of time together. You're a lion, I'm a lion, it's normal for two lions to hang out, like we do." I explained, giving Simba enough understanding for him to nod and agree. "Timon acts like there is something for him to be making fun of. What is there to be so funny? Two lions being friends and spending time together. Yet, because that's what we are, he thinks there's something else going on. He thinks he's so funny about it as well. It's not like that joke isn't obvious...I just don't know why he thinks he has to make it every time you and I go somewhere together. I think he's jealous that we're such good friends, don't you think?" I rambled on, looking to him once I had finished, seeing that he was just smiling down at me. Now that he had grown some more since I reunited with him, I had to look up a bit. Not much, but a little bit. "Simba, you listening?" I snapped him out of staring at me.
The lion woke up from his stare, keeping that smile, "Sorry, yeah I'm listening. I always listen to you." He started, placing a paw on top of one of mine. I looked down at it then back up to him. "Don't worry about Timon, he's just messing around with you. If you think I don't notice what he says, then I think you might need to pay better attention. I've been living with him for longer, I know what he's like. It's all harmless." Simba assured me, putting his face right in front of mine.
The closeness froze me up for a second, only able to find my voice once I regained my composure, "Well, it's annoying. That's not so harmless." I huffed, pouting. I didn't ask for it, but that seemed to be enough to draw Simba in to nuzzle my cheek. "Hanging out is normal." I mentioned, my voice muffled by the mane that was getting in my face a bit. I didn't return the nuzzle though.
I pulled away from it and gestured for Simba to follow me. Without saying a word, I broke out into a gentle run, making sure I hadn't left the other lion behind. Seeing his face, it didn't look like I had upset him by not returning the affection, though I knew he could be hiding it from me. We got clear of the trees, finding an open meadow. I stopped there and turned to face him. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes to ready myself. I hadn't realised Simba was doing the same thing, so as I was opening my mouth to speak, he beat me to it, "We need to talk." He used the exact words I was going to start with, bringing me hope that we were on the same page. "Tishala, we're pals, right?" He asked, getting a rather confused look from me, but also a nod. "Well, that's what I thought, which is why it was so good to see you here when you arrived. Even though we had a bit of a fight the first night you were here, I knew you were just looking out for me. I knew you were happy to see me too, so you asked all those questions. I'm sorry I didn't answer them." I nodded again, knowing what he was referring to. "Since then, we've had a lot of fun together. You, me, Timon and Pumbaa, we all get along great and have fun. It all makes me so happy. I don't like to think what it would be like if I were alone again." My ears perked. It sounded like he was starting to open up.
I couldn't help but edge closer as he spoke, "When Timon and Pumbaa found me, I wasn't happy. They made me happy again. When you arrived, it was that same feeling of happiness again, but something different. A nice kind of different though." He gave a small chuckle, breaking eye contact with me for a moment, "You know, that first night, when you fell asleep and needed me to be with you? You put your head on my paws when you were sleeping, and when I woke up later that night, you were still there. I hadn't been dreaming you came here. You actually did. I thought how lucky I was to see a friend again. I just let you sleep there, watching you. You looked so peaceful there. I realised at that moment; I didn't wake up from a nightmare. Instead, I was there, smiling down at you, my friend." His endearing smile was right in front of me. With what he was saying, I knew what he was saying was going one of two ways, I just couldn't pinpoint which. He could see a small frown coming from me, responding to it, "I wasn't watching you in a creepy way! Anyway, since that night, we've been inseparable. I've loved every day since you arrived. I just want to...well, I want to know, Tishala, have you loved it as much as I have?" He asked. Looking at him, I could see what was going through his head, and it made me nervous. However, seeing his expression, he was putting himself in a vulnerable position. He looked almost worried as he waited for my response.
My mouth opened to speak, but it took a couple of moments before I found my voice, "Simba, of course I've enjoyed every day with you, Timon and Pumbaa. It makes me feel good knowing that you were happy that I found you." I replied, though according to Simba's reaction, for a split second, I could see the slight hurt in his eyes.
He nodded, "Tish, what I'm saying is that I've had the most fun when I've been with you. Only you. Timon and Pumbaa are great, they have been looking after me. But they're not you. I know it sounds weird hearing this, but I wanted to tell you away from them, because I know how you and Timon get when he starts joking about it." He explained, placing a paw on top of mine again. I could see how nervous he was, hearing him gulp whilst he waited to hear what I was going to say.
The words were stuck in my head, locked in conflict with the thoughts that were telling me to resist and tell him in a way that would hurt, but soften the blow at least. The fact he was looking as worried as he was meant I didn't have much time to think of a response. My lack of time to formulate a response led to me forgetting about my reservations. Without thought, I moved so that my head rested against his neck, under his chin, "Simba, you are the reason I have stayed." I revealed, which wasn't inaccurate. "Talking about 'us' though...doesn't it feel weird to you?" I asked, my eyes closed as I felt him pull me in closer.
His response came fast, a slow shake of the head, "At first, I thought it was a little weird. I talked to Pumbaa about it." I froze, opening my eyes wide, though didn't bother moving because I was too comfortable. "He told me that it might feel weird to start liking a friend...as more than a friend. Until you came here, I hadn't thought of it much at all. When Pumbaa told me that I might like you, I knew he might be right, because I didn't even try denying it to him." He explained, keeping his tone calm, making sure I was still with him like that. "So, once I got past the fact, I was seeing you as more than a friend, it didn't become so weird. It did become nervy though." He chuckled a little bit, "I knew you liked me, but I was scared it wasn't the same way. I thought you just nuzzled because you were happy to see me. I started to think maybe you did like me the same way when we fell asleep together in your tree place. You rested against me again, like you didn't want to let go." He started reminiscing again.
His chatter was stopped when I cleared my throat, indicating that I was going to speak. "Simba," I sighed, "I don't know if I feel the same. It feels like I do sometimes. A lot of the time it does, actually. There's just a small part of me that says I shouldn't. Like it's a mistake, or I shouldn't be feeling that way because I've done nothing to deserve it. I'll admit though, when I'm with you, like this, then I feel the same way. Maybe if I stayed like this forever, I'd always feel that way." I commented. It wasn't the most positive thing to tell him, but I thought if we were going to talk about the two of us, I would have to be honest.
The response Simba gave surprised me. It didn't sound hurt, but optimistic, "I'm willing to stay like this. I'm willing to do this as often as I need to, to make you feel the same way." He purred.
My own purr started, though I had to speak again, chuckling a little bit as I started nuzzling the lion, "Simba, you never made me feel that way n the first place. It was something I felt that first night I was here too. You don't need to try. It just happens." I assured him.
Simba seemed enthused by that news, "So, does that mean?" He started to ask. However, I decided to get a bit playful in that moment, pushing him to the ground onto his back. His surprise faded when I laid down next to him, leaning my head against his with a calm smile. The two of us looked into the sky as stars were starting to emerge.
"It means that we can see what happens. I'm not leaving you, Simba. I don't want to call it anything yet. I need to be sure this is really what I want, okay?" I looked to him, getting a nod to confirm he was okay with it. I had a sense that he was a little saddened I wasn't as ready to go full steam ahead with it, but I didn't want to jump into something and then regret it later. "That doesn't mean no, though." I smiled at him, going onto my side to then reach over and grab him, taking a risk by licking his cheek. My cheeks went red, but this time I didn't mind what I had done. Simba's cheeks glowed a little, but when our eyes locked, he smiled at me with a look in his eyes that I hadn't seen in him before. I couldn't help myself, doing the same thing again before burying my face into his neck, both of us giggling, both savouring what had just happened as well as being embarrassed by it.
For a while we stayed there, holding each other, watching as the night sky emerged with its millions of lights. It felt good to be with him like that, my own piece of mind saved by telling him there was nothing set in stone yet. It meant I wasn't obliged to commit to anything I didn't feel comfortable with. With our spirits high, I decided to take a risk and speak about what I was going to ask before Simba asked his own question. "Simba." He looked to me, "Please don't hate me for this." He leaned in closer and shook his head as if to say he never could, "I need to ask you. I need to know why you don't even seem to want to consider going back home to the Pridelands?"
I wasn't surprised to see him back away, even if I didn't want to. His eyes cast to the ground, hunching over some. I pressed up to him, trying to show affection again, hoping it would settle him. He didn't reciprocate, instead moving his head away. I heard a heavy sigh as he kept his eyes from me, "I will tell you, but I need more time." He spoke in a soft tone, trying to make a promise. It was promise that I knew wouldn't be kept though, so I continued to push the issue.
This time, I didn't get closer to him, knowing he would just move away again, "Simba, I can't know how hard it is for you to tell someone, but I know the longer you take to make up your mind, the worse off your home...your real home, gets. I know you, Simba, you're too thoughtful to let it happen now you know about it. So, if the only thing stopping you from going back is something you can't tell me, then I need you to push past it. Everyone needs you to." I tried reasoning with him.
Simba stayed still as I spoke, a glum expression, as if lost in a dark thought, "You told me that uncle Scar had said my father and I died, right?" He looked to me. I nodded, "Well, he wasn't wrong, was he? The king did die. On that day, the prince I used to be, he died to. I couldn't live that life anymore. I could never be king. If Scar is letting the Pridelands hurt, then I would have done the same, or worse." His head lowered, another sigh escaping him. His growing mane somewhat hid his face, but only a little, the red fur not long enough to hide him fully.
I had to hold back a small gasp at his announcement, but I couldn't be too dramatic. He hadn't lived in Scar's reign like I had, even if I had it better than most. "Don't be silly. You didn't die. You're still the prince that Nala and I were playing with...got in a lot of trouble with." I lowered my head to try and catch his eyes. He did perk up a little bit at the mention of Nala, no doubt a closer friend than I had ever been. "You're still here, the same lion." That knocked him back into a slouch, shaking his head again.
"You don't understand, I am not the same lion. I never will be. I don't deserve to be in the Pridelands, so it's better if they all think I'm dead." He looked back up to me, those red eyes locking with my grey ones. He laid down, getting me to lay down beside him, still looking at each other as I waited for him to continue, questioning him with my eyes. "Stop. You don't need to know, it's all in the past. Hakuna matata." He turned his head again.
My soft expression shifted into a frustrated one, growling so I could grab his attention again, "Stop talking like that. You speak about yourself as if you don't deserve to be alive. You do. I've waited for you to open up to me for a moon now. All the times we've been alone, just talking. I hoped that you might just say something and start it, because I want to help you. Stop being so stupid and hiding from it, just tell me why you don't want to come back. How else am I supposed to help you? If you're being so secretive, how am I supposed to trust you? I wish you'd just stop being such a baby and tell me, or is that too much to ask, Simba? Can you grow up enough to do that, or do you still need permission from your dad?" I snarled at him but regretted what I said straight away.
Regret only built up once I saw the look in his eyes before he responded to me. I felt scared to hear what he was going to say, and whatever it was, I felt like I deserved it. "Don't talk about my father like that! You don't know anything. You think that just because you turned up here, crossing the desert that you just know everything, but you don't. Guess what, I had to cross that desert too. I had to cross it after everything that happened. I was younger, scared and alone. You're calling me a baby, but most of the time I see you cry. I'm the one who is comforting you! You want to talk about secretive? You cry so often, but then when I ask what's wrong, almost all the time you tell me that I wouldn't understand." He glared at me, pushing me onto my back, pinning me down. Because of his larger frame, I didn't feel like I could do anything. His teeth were bared as he continued, "Does that sound familiar to you? You're telling me to tell you things when you won't even tell me something that upsets you. How is that fair, Tishala? I told you I needed more time before I would tell you. I told you that from the start, so why can't you give me more time? You shout at me like I wanted to run away from everything I knew. I didn't have a choice. You did, and you chose to run away. You're not perfect." He growled, finally getting off me, still laying by my side.
My body trembled, adrenaline rushing through as Simba pushing me down scared me. I hadn't seen him quite so angry. Even if I thought I deserved it, I wasn't ready for that. I rolled onto my front, still silent in shock. It took a few moments of silence before I felt everything hit me. In a second, I couldn't see, blinded by the volume of tears I was producing. It didn't help disprove some of Simba's arguments, but I didn't care, starting to sob, then breaking into a full-blooded cry next to him. I pressed my face into my front paws, making the fur wet from my tears, but they kept coming. It made me even less comfortable that the reason for those tears was right next to me. Even if I couldn't see too well, I stood up, looking down to Simba with tears filling my eyes more than before. My voice croaked, uneven the entire time I spoke to him, making squeaks as I spoke, sniffling almost all the time, "I've only been asking because I care about you so much. I...I, Simba, I just see you hurting and it breaks my heart every time. Someone I like so much, hurts and I can't do anything to help. I look when you're upset and all I can think of is how much happier you could be." I turned away from him, "It could be me to make it better..." I wanted to say more, but with my tears falling to the ground, I couldn't compose my words enough to try again.
I didn't wait for a response, starting to run away, although in my state I wasn't fast. "Tishala," I heard Simba call to me, worry clear in his voice. I slowed, almost being knocked over when Simba came in to embrace me, pulling me in so I could let me tears soak into his chest. "Stop crying. I don't want to make you cry." He shifted a bit, trying to wipe the tears from my eyes with his tongue. I kept my eyes closed, not even thinking as I pressed against him, continuing to sob, but letting him try and help. "I didn't mean to be so harsh, I'm sorry." With my tears slowing enough, I looked up to him, both of us with hurt expressions. "I'll tell you everything. If that will make you happy...and if you think you can help. But please, don't tell Timon and Pumbaa. It's hard enough that I'm going to tell you." He rested his head on top of mine, putting his front paws ahead, like he was protecting me. My silence told him he had my promise. "Just know I might struggle. It's not easy." I nodded.
"Tell me from the start of the day." I requested, remembering I had been with Simba in the morning, seeing him for the last time before his supposed death.
He sighed, letting out a deep breath before starting, "My uncle took me to the gorge. He said my father and I were going to do something together, but it was a surprise. I was told to wait until he came back with my father. At first, nothing was really happening, I was practicing my roar. I did a really loud one, and I think that scared the wildebeest into a stampede. They went straight into the gorge. I thought I was going to die then. I ran and held onto a tree, but it was going to break. Zazu appeared and told me my father was coming. Just as I thought everything was going to end, my father had grabbed me. I can't remember everything. It was chaos. Before I knew it, I was put on a ledge and I saw my father climbing. I had to climb to go see if he made it, but when I could see him again, he was falling into the stampede. After it stopped, I ran down there..." He paused, swallowing slow as he tried to compose himself. Even though he was trying, I could hear him start to sob. "I saw him there, my father. He was on the ground. He looked like he was sleeping, but he wouldn't wake up. I tried. I just laid there with him. I was crying, wishing it was just a horrible dream, that he would wake up and everything would be okay. Uncle Scar showed up and saw what I had done. He told me he knew I didn't mean it. It didn't matter though, because of me, my father died. If I hadn't roared and started the stampede, he would still be alive. Scar asked me what my mother would think. I knew she would be very upset and angry with me. I was the reason my dad, the love of her life, died. I couldn't face it but didn't know what to do. I asked my uncle and he told me it was best if I ran away. That way, my mother would never have to see me again. I wouldn't be there to make any more bad things happen." He explained. I pressed up to him more, trying to support the downtrodden lion. "So, I ran away. I didn't look back. Well, not until I saw I was being chased. Three hyenas were chasing me. They looked like the ones when we got chased in the elephant graveyard." He commented.
I perked at that, but stayed close to him, "Shenzi, Banzai and Ed were chasing you? Where did they come from? Seems odd, doesn't it?" I asked, my eyes opening. Something about that didn't feel right.
Simba's confusion was obvious, "You know who they are? That seems odd." He commented.
"I'll explain that later, but please, keep going." I frowned, though he couldn't see because of how we were held together.
"Well, they were chasing me, trying to kill me for sure, but when I fell into the desert, I was lucky to get through all those thorns without a scratch. I thought they would follow me, so I kept running into the desert, but they didn't follow. The last thing I heard them yell was that if I ever came back, they would kill me. I was running for a long time. Eventually I stopped and was lucky Timon and Pumbaa found me." He finished, catching me up to the point I knew.
I broke away from him, taking a few steps before turning around, frowning, deep in thought as I processed everything he told me. Because I was lost to my thoughts, I didn't register Simba's worried expression, "Scar told everyone you had been killed in the stampede. Why would he do that if he knew you had run away? If he told you to run away? Was he trying to protect you? It doesn't make sense that he blamed you for your father's death either. You needed support, but all he did was let you think you'd done something wrong. Isn't that strange to you?" I asked.
His response came after a small consideration time, "I think he was trying to help me get away, because he knew my mother would be devastated with me." He paused, having a similar frown to mine, "Now that you question it...it does seem weird. Uncle Scar always was weird, but he was the one who told me all the cool things. He told me about the elephant graveyard as well." Simba explained.
My expression remained the same, but I fixed my sights on the other lion, "He told you about the elephant graveyard?" I asked, wondering if I already knew that. I wasn't sure. He nodded in response. "We're going off topic. The gorge, you said the hyenas came out of nowhere...is it possible they ran past him?" I asked, though I wasn't waiting for an answer. "Just after you were gone, the hyenas joined the Pridelands, with Scar being their leader and ally." I paused, staring at the ground, all my tears having dried up at that point. I looked hard, feeling the cogs turn in my head.
Simba heard me gasp, stepping in close again, "Tishala, what?" He leaned in, knowing I had thought of something.
I looked at him with shock in my eyes, "Simba, I think your uncle tried to kill you." The young lion looked at me in a quizzical manner, "Think about it; you were running away and got chased by hyenas out of the Pridelands. I was there when Scar took the throne and let the hyenas join. You weren't there as heir to take the throne instead. We all thought you were dead, so no one could argue against his ascension. Simba, he did it all! He must have told the hyenas to make sure you died. I'll bet he was the reason Mufasa died too." I reasoned. I could see hesitation to accept that last part in Simba's eyes. "I don't know how on that one, but if he tried to have you killed, why wouldn't he have done the same for your father?" I asked, stepping right up to Simba. "With you and your dad gone, he was the rightful king. You're not gone though. Simba, he tried to murder you." I shot him a grin, having felt a weight lift off with this discovery. "You can come home." I realised what I said wasn't quite true. "Well...you could, but he's king and has a lot of hyenas. Not to mention you don't even want to go back." My ears fell back as I thought of that reality.
A weight pressed against me again, Simba trying to support me this time, "I don't know if you're right. I don't know if I'm ready to go back to see everyone. But Tishala, I know I can do it with your support." He purred, licking at one of my ears. "Scar isn't going to be happy to see me, but at least-" I cut him off, shaking my head.
"We can't go there yet. If you challenged Scar, there is no way you would win." Simba looked at me like he was about to protest, but I was too fast again, "He is still bigger and stronger. Simba, I don't want you to go back, only to kill yourself. We haven't spent all this time together for me to lose you. I need you." I appealed, hoping to use our close bond to keep him from just charging in. "Besides, even with the help of everyone else, Scar still has too many hyenas to help him. We're outnumbered if we go back there. We're barely out of being cubs, we won't be doing much." I sighed in frustration. "I don't know what we can do though."
For a while, we were both silent, then the next thing I heard was Simba starting to cry his eyes out. He noticed I was looking at him, "For so long, Tish, I thought my uncle had tried to help me. If you're right, then what else? If you're right, then it wasn't my fault my dad died, right? I've been living with the guilt ever since." The wave of emotion hit me too, and I pressed our cheeks together, trying to comfort the prince, though I was tearing up with him, the two of us wetting each other's fur. "If you're wrong, I don't think I should try to go back. I couldn't go in accusing that. You come here, telling me to go back, but we don't even know how to go back without getting ourselves killed. I'm sorry, it just all hit me pretty hard." He let out a small chuckle, "I think I'm starting to act more like you...crying about everything." He started to tease, breaking the tension that had been there.
Even if I was feeling emotional, I couldn't help but smile at his comment, "Don't blame me. You're the one who wants to spend even more time with me." I shrugged, starting to grin at him.
Simba shared my expression, beginning to purr, "I didn't say it was a bad thing." He shot me a wink.
The two of us were laughing again, almost unable to stop ourselves. That moment of shared joy between us sparked a memory. It was when I had been forced to spend time with another prince. Prince Fikiria. I ended up enjoying spending time with him. He was fun to be around. That spark led to me stopping my laughing. "I think I have an idea."
The lion with me raised a brow, "An idea? To get into the Pridelands?" He asked.
My smile only started to grow as I thought of it, nodding at him, "You know how I told you about Scar making me his heir?" He nodded in response. I had told him, but hadn't gone into too much detail, "Well, there was a point where he was trying to arrange my betrothal." I cringed at telling Simba this, thinking of the moment we shared earlier, "I hated it. However, I made friends with one of the lions that came along. Fikiria. I think we might have a chance if we can get to his dad's pride, then maybe we can get them to help. If he agrees, then it doesn't matter how many hyenas Scar has. Two prides against him? No chance." I stopped grinning though, "Oh, wait, I don't actually know where their pride is." Simba's expression dropped with mine. "That makes it tougher. Unless, wait, do you think Zazu would know? He does know a lot."
Both of us thought about it, Simba speaking up first, "I think you're right. If anyone would know where the other prides are, then it would be Zazu. How are we going to ask him though? If we tried, we'd get caught by Scar, then we can't do anything." He warned.
Stress was building as I tried to think. "It's true. If we got his attention before Scar knew though...we could ask him. I don't know how we would convince him to keep quiet about us, but it could work." My ears fell back as I thought how I had put him in potential danger before, "The only problem is that not only would we be at risk, but we would put Zazu in a lot of risk himself. If he got caught, I don't want to think what would happen." I sighed, taking an extra moment to consider, "No, I can't think of anything else. Unless you have any other ideas?" Simba shook his head, "Okay, so we're going to ask Zazu, but we're going to try and not get any of us in trouble. It's settled then?" I looked to him, waiting for a response.
"It's settled, I'll be by your side."
"I'll always be by yours too." I replied, both of us smiling at each other. I let out a big yawn, prompting the prince to chuckle and nudge me back the way we had come into the meadow, the stars now emerging to prominence in the night sky. "What are you doing?" I smirked at him.
Simba chuckled again, "We've been out here for a while now. You're tired, we should go back to Timon, Pumbaa, and the bed. You want to make sure you get your spot again, right?" He teased.
Holding my expression, I walked past him, going deeper into the meadow. I never lost eye contact with him as he watched me disobey his request. "I think I want to stay here tonight." I laid down, still smirking at him.
The lion with the growing mane padded over to me, "You want to sleep here, not in the comfortable bed for all four of us?" He raised a brow, a somewhat confused smile on his face, "I thought you wanted Timon to stop joking about how you and I are always together...y'know, alone time." He mimicked Timon as best he could on the last two words.
I smiled, gesturing he join beside me. The mention of 'alone time' didn't bother me. It made me smile, like it was nothing to get flustered over anymore. The thought of it, it didn't make me uncomfortable, at least in that moment. "Well, maybe now it is our alone time. Just lay under the stars with me." I said to him, patting a spot next to me.
Simba laid beside me. "What about our plan?" He asked.
"Simba, for now, just sleep under the stars. We'll tell them tomorrow." I assured him. "We'll tell them everything with our plan...and maybe tell them about us. My position on it hasn't changed." He was about to respond when I rested my head on his front paws, prompting him to rest his head on mine, "Simba, we'll see them tomorrow. they'll be fine." Both of us were purring, and for maybe the first time, I didn't feel as if I was going to have any reaction where I tried to resist acting like this in front of him. In that moment, all I needed was his company. I didn't feel any fight in my body over it, I just wanted to hold him close in the same way he would be doing for me. The night sky was just a bonus. My thoughts drifted to how beautiful a scene it was, and how lucky I was to share it with someone like Simba. "I promise we'll tell them."
"Hm, Okay." He replied.
"Tonight though, it's just you and I."
A/N: Well, there it is. I am happy to announce I don't have a massive assignment weighing me down anymore. It's not entirely over, but anything else isn't going to slow me down now. I decided it would make most sense to have some time pass before any progress was made for the characters. Obviously quite an emotionally charged chapter here. Let me know what you think about it. I'm loving the support that some of you are giving Tish x Simba. Now that they have made a plan, their adventure will really begin. Still a ways to go yet, folks! Buckle up! As always, I don't own Lion King, that's Disney. I would love to see any reviews on what you guys think. I always love seeing a response, particularly a good one, so please, if you can, leave me a review on what you think! See you all next time!