The Lion King and its characters belong to Walt Disney. I only own my OC, Athena.

The Lion Princess

Chapter 4: The Elephant Graveyard

Simba and Nala stood together as they walked to a foggy yet creepy place filled with bones that were in different shapes and sizes.

They have arrived at the elephant graveyard.

"Whoa..."Simba and Nala said in unison.

"It's really creepy here."Nala complemented.

"Yeah."Simba agreed and smiled. "Isn't great?"

Nala smirked. "We could get into big trouble."

"I know."Simba chuckled.

Simba and Nala then looked at the big elephant skull in front of them.

"I wonder if it's brains are still in there?"Nala asked.

"There's only one way to know."Simba declared with a smirk. "Come on. Let's go check it out."

Simba started walking towards the elephant skull, only for Zazu to flaps suddenly up in front of him.

"Wrong!"Zazu snapped. "The only checking out you will do will be to check out of here."

Simba smirked at Zazu.

"Aw, man!"Simba retorted in annoyance.

"We're way beyond the boundary of the Pride Lands."Zazu declared nervously.

"Look."Simba chuckled. "Banana Beak is scared."

"That's Mr. Banana Beak to you, fuzzy."Zazu replied with a glare and poked Simba by the nose. "And right now we are all in very real danger."

Simba smirked and moved nearer to the entrance of the skull.

"Danger? Hah! I walk on the wild side."Simba stated smugly. "I laugh in the face of danger. Ha ha ha ha!"

Following Simba's confident laughter, there was suddenly more laughter that was more sinister coming from inside the skull.

Simba runs back and hides behind Nala and Zazu.

Then three hyenas emerge from the elephant skull's eyes and mouth.

"Well, well, well, Banzai."Shenzi said smugly. "What have we got here?"

"Hmm. I don't know, Shenzi."Banzai replied with an evil smile. "Uh...what do you think, Ed?"

Ed let out a crazy laughter as he followed his two companions.

"Yeah, just what I was thinking."Banzai responded before glaring at Zazu and the two cubs. "A trio of trespassers!"

"And quite by accident, let me assure you."Zazu assured with a nervous smile. "A simple navigational error. Eh heh heh..."

Zazu tried to escape but Shenzi used her paw to catch his tail.

"Whoa, whoa, wait wait wait..."Shenzi sneered. "I know you. You're Mufasa's little stooge."

"I, madam, am the king's majordomo."Zazu answered firmly.

Simba and Nala stood together with Zazu as the three hyenas surrounded them.

"And that would make you?"Banzai said, looking at Simba.

Simba frowned. "The future king."

"Do you know what we do to kings who step out of their kingdom?"Shenzi asked.

"Puh."Simba scoffed with a glare. "You can't do anything me."

"Uhh...technically, they can."Zazu admitted. "We are on their land."

"But Zazu, you said they were nothing but slobbering mangy stupid poachers."Simba reminded.

"Ix-nay on the oopid-stay."Zazu murmured surreptitiously.

Banzai glared at Zazu.

"Who you calling oopid-stay?!"Banzai demanded.

"My, my, my. Look at the sun."Zazu declared and starts to try to hasten the four cubs away. "It's time to go!"

Shenzi blocked Zazu and the two cubs' path from running away.

"What's the hurry?"Shenzi questioned evilly. "We'd looove you to stick around for dinner."

"Yeaaaah!"Banzai agreed. "We could have whatever's...'lion' around!"

"Oh wait, wait, wait. I got one, I got one."Shenzi laughed uncontrollably. "Make mine a "cub" sandwich. Whatcha think?"

Ed suddenly jumped up and started gesticulating and jabbering.

"What? Ed?"Shenzi asked. "What is it?"

Banzai notice where Ed was pointing to.

"Hey, did we order this dinner to go?"Banzai questioned.

"No."Shenzi responded. "Why?"

"Cause there it goes!"Banzai growled.

While the hyenas were distracted, Zazu was leading Simba and Nala out of the elephant graveyard.

However, the hornbill got caught in mid-flight while helping the four cubs.

"Did we lose 'em?"Nala asked.

"I think so."Simba suggested and notice Zazu wasn't with them. "Where's Zazu?"

The hyenas have Zazu near a steam vent as the hornbill shouted in terror.

Banzai held Zazu, who was trying to escape.

"The little majordomo bird hippity-hopped all the way to the birdie-boiler."Banzai remarked.

Banzai walked Zazu to the vent and stuffs him into it, plugging it up.

"Oh no!"Zazu panicked. "Not the birdie-boiler!"

The steam vent shoots Zazu off in a puff of steam as the three hyenas start laughing hysterically.

"Hey!"Simba called out, earning the hyenas' attention. "Why don't you pick on somebody your own size?"

"Like... you?"Shenzi assumed.

"Oops."Simba murmured nervously.

The three hyenas start chasing Simba and Nala.

They dart around behind them and poke their heads through an active methane vent.

"BOO!"Shenzi, Banzai and Ed cackled in laughter.

The hyenas chase the two cubs up and over the skull and the cubs slip away by sliding down the spine.

The two cubs shoot off the end of the spine and land on a hillside of bones.

Simba started climbing on the hillside of bones while Nala struggled to catch up with him.

"Simba!"Nala yelled out.

Simba turned around and became horrified to see Nala slipping back down the pile.

"Aaaaiee!"Nala shrieked.

Simba ran bravely back and claws Shenzi across the cheek, drawing blood and distracting her while Nala escaped.

Shenzi became enraged as she and the other two hyenas pursue the two cubs quickly and corner them in a cave.

Simba and Nala tried climbing up a wall, but they ended up down.

The two cubs panicked more when they realised the hyenas had them cornered.

"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty."Banzai taunted in a dark tone.

Simba came forward and tried to roar, only to let out a nice medium yowl.

This caused Shenzi, Banzai and Ed to laugh at the young prince.

"Oo-hoo...that was it?"Shenzi chuckled. "Hah. Do it again...come on."

Simba opened his mouth to roar again, but it was a full- grown lion roar causing Shenzi, Banzai and Ed to become nervous.

Mufasa charged the hyenas from behind as Zazu flew over to Simba and Nala.

The Lion King fought the three hyenas off until they were cringing under him.

"Oh, please, please."Shenzi begged. "Uncle. Uncle."

"Ow. Ow. Ow."Banzai mumbled.

"SILENCE!"Mufasa roared out.

"Oh, we're gonna shut up right now!"Banzai assured.

"Calm down!"Shenzi said nervously. "We're really sorry!"

"If you ever come near my son again."Mufasa growled.

"Oh this...this is your son?!"Shenzi said in a fake surprise tone.

"Oh, your son?"Banzai added.

Shenzi looked at Banzai.

"Did you know that?"Shenzi asked.

"No... me? I-I-I didn't know it. No."Banzai lied and looked at Shenzi. "Did you?"

"No!"Shenzi replied. "Of course not!"

Shenzi and Banzai looked at Ed.

"Ed?"Shenzi and Banzai asked in unison.

Ed stupidly nodded yes causing Mufasa to roar loudly in anguish.

"Toodles!"Banzai declared with a nervous smile.

Shenzi, Banzai and Ed scattered out of the cave in quick speed until they were no longer in sight.

Zazu landed in front of Mufasa, giving him a "that'll show 'em" nod, but then it withered under Mufasa's angry glare.

Simba then approached his father with Nala following from behind.

"Dad, I..."Simba started.

"You deliberately disobeyed me."Mufasa said with a glare.

"Dad, I'm...I'm sorry."Simba apologised.

"Let's go home."Mufasa said with a stern look.

They all start walking out of the burial grounds with Simba and Nala bowing their heads down in shame.

Nala looked at Simba.

"I thought you were very brave."Nala whispered.

As the group walked away, it was revealed at one of the walls of the cave showed Scar glaring and standing on a ledge where he had been watching the cubs' near-demise.

Later that Day...

It was now night time when Mufasa, Zazu and the two cubs returned to the Savannah.

Simba and Nala were still walking in a shamed manner behind Mufasa as Zazu was flying between.

"Zazu."Mufasa responded.

Zazu flew forward and and landed in front of Mufasa.

"Yes, sire?"Zazu asked.

"Take Nala home."Mufasa ordered and glanced at his children. "I've got to teach my son a lesson."

Simba crouched lower in the grass as if to hide after hearing his father's words.

Zazu flew back to Simba and Nala.

"Come, Nala."Zazu instructed before looking at the royal siblings. "Simba."

Zazu puts his wings on Simba's shoulders, gives a heavy sigh and then reassuring pats.

"Good luck."Zazu declared.

Zazu flew off as Nala followed after him while silently glancing at her friend.

"Simba."Mufasa called out.

Simba tense up a bit and glanced at each other before they began approaching his father.

The young prince looks down seeing that his forepaw fits inside just the palmprint of his father's paw.

He then quietly went next to their father.

Mufasa thinks silently for a few moments, not looking at his son. Then, finally, he turns to look at him.

"Simba, I'm very disappointed in you."Mufasa declared.

"I know."Simba answered in shame.

"You could have been killed. You deliberately disobeyed me."Mufasa continued. "And what's worse, you put Nala in danger!"

Simba became more sad, feeling guilty of his foolish actions.

"I was just trying to be brave like you."Simba cried.

"I'm only brave when I have to be."Mufasa stated softly. "Simba. Being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble."

"But you're not scared of anything."Simba reminded.

"I was today."Mufasa declared.

Simba looked at Mufasa with disbelieved expressions.

"You were scared?"Simba said.

"Yes."Mufasa answered.

"How come?"Simba questioned.

Mufasa bent his head down low to look Simba directly.

"I thought I might lose you."Mufasa admitted.

Simba was silent as he took in what his father just said.

"Oh."Simba commented. "I guess even kings get scared, huh?"

Mufasa nodded. "Mm-hmm."

"But you know what?"Simba whispered.

"What?"Mufasa asked.

"I think those hyenas were even scareder."Simba remarked.

"Cause nobody messes with your dad!"Mufasa laughed with a smirk. "Come here, you!"

Mufasa picked Simba up and started giving him a noogie.

"Oh no, no!"Simba groaned lightly. "Aaagh! Errrggh!"

Simba and Mufasa tussle playfully for a brief while.

When they came to the other part of the field, Mufasa laid down with Simba on his head.

Simba bit on his father's ear before he relaxed on his dad's red mane.

"Dad?"Simba spoke up. "We're pals, right?"

"Right."Mufasa chuckled.

"And we'll always be together, right?"Simba asked.

Mufasa sat up with Simba now on his shoulders.

"Simba. Let me tell you something that my father told me."Mufasa stated and looked at the starry night sky. "Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars."

Simba stared at the beautiful night sky in amazement.

"Really?"Simba said in surprise.

"Yes."Mufasa answered with a nod. "So whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you. And so will I."

"Wow."Simba responded in a quiet voice and then a question came into his mind. "Hey, dad. Does that mean they will be there for Athena too?"

"Indeed."Mufasa responded. "The Great Kings will be there to guide both of you. But you and Athena must remember to always be there for one another no matter what."

Simba nodded. "Okay."

Athena stood at the entrance of Pride Rock, waiting for Mufasa and Simba to come back.

The blonde haired girl then notice Zazu arriving back with Nala following him.

"Hey, Nala."Athena greeted. "Where's Simba?"

"His with your dad."Nala replied.

"Nala!"Sarafina's voice called out. "Come here!"

"Coming, mum."Nala answered.

Nala went to Sarafina as Zazu gives Athena a bow before flying away.

Athena then went up to Sarabi to rest on her chest as she wrapped her paws around her.

"Hello, Athena."Sarabi greeted. "How was your time in the water hole with Simba and Nala?"

"We actually didn't go there, mother."Athena said with a hint of guilt. "Me and Simba planned to go to the Elephant Graveyard with Nala. But then I changed my mind when I remembered daddy said we weren't allowed to go there. When I met up with Lerato, I ratted Simba out to dad. Now he will hate me forever."

Sarabi licked Athena's hair to clean it up a bit.

"Simba can never hate you, darling."Sarabi commented.

Athena looked down as her mother cleaned her head.

"But family should stick together and I betrayed him."Athena commented. "I should now better. Even though I am not a lion."

Sarabi brings Athena closer to her chest.

"You are a lion, sweetheart. A different one, but that's what makes you unique."Sarabi stated. "You may not look like a lion on the outside, but you are on the inside."

The five year old girl looked at her mother in the eyes.

"How are you so sure?"Athena asked.

"Because, I can feel it in you."Sarabi responded, putting a paw on the five year old girl. "Even, despite our differences, I am still your mother."

Athena hugged her mother tightly and she hugged her back.

"And I will always be your daughter, mother."Athena remarked kindly. "I will be the best lioness ever."

Sarabi smiled. "I'm sure you will be."

Athena giggled as Sarabi snuggled her tummy with her head.

Both Simba and Athena have learned from their mistake, but what kind of other adventures they will go next? See you all in the next chapter!