Legal disclaimer: I own nothing!
Authors note: thanks for all your great comments! I will try and post as often as I can. If you want to know what happens then I am sorry but you will just have to read on! All I will say is that things will get darker for our fav lion king and queen, but then again this is based on TLK1 so nothing new there!
Simba awoke suddenly as the first gentle rays of sun began to creep over the plains. The pride had all slept together that night, huddled in the large cavern directly underneath Pride Rock to keep warm after the sun went down. As he looked round in the gloom he could see a sea of golden fur which made the other lions indistinguishable from each other at that moment.
Sarabi and Saratani were huddled up together on the northern side of the cavern, that was their spot, and no one would dispute it.
However even though all looked peaceful Simba knew something was wrong and as he looked around he cursed himself for not recognising it earlier, he had just become so used to it....
Nala was gone from his side. The rock they shared together was empty except for him. He rose quickly and had a glance at the others around him to see if she was among them. She was not. Quickly he made his way round the still sleeping pride and came out at the cavern entrance on the plateau below Pride Rock. There was still no sign of her. Using his nose he tracked her scent to the edge of the savannah and then lost it almost instantly in the tall grass.
At the extreme boundary of the Pridelands walked a solitary lioness who had travelled far since leaving her mate's side in the early hours of the morning. Nala, ever since the death of Mufasa and his heir had always been a wanderer since cubhood. Her total misery over the death of Simba had made her an outcast from the rest of the cubs and, wanting to do anything to avoid Scar she had taken to going for long walks alone. As she had matured, and even with the return of Simba, Nala still retained her desire for solitude on these occasions.
There was also the fact that she now walked through these lands as Queen. As Chief Huntress, it was also her job keep an eye on where the big herds were moving, the state of the waterholes and good lookout points. Almost without realising it she went into stalking mode, her padded feet making absolutely no sound on the soft grass. She came across a small Gjani mouse and lazily pounced on it, soon after letting it go, such fare was insufficient for a lion, she would eat with the rest of the pride when they hunted later.
As Nala turned for home, back to Simba and her friends, she realised for the first time in her life that she actually felt as if she was going *home* not just back to a prison.
Simba was pacing at the top of Pride Rock, where had she gone! Was it customary for lionesses to do this? Again he felt his frustration that arose due to the fact he had not been raised with his own kind. The very top of his home gave a unhindered view of his kingdom for miles in every direction. Yet he could see no beloved golden blur back moving through the grass. Even though he had not been raised by Lions instinct was still strong and from deep in his chest came a roar that could have no doubt as to its meaning. It was the mighty cry of a leader calling solely for his mate.
Nala, now firmly within sight of Pride Rock heard the call and smiled, she knew as he did that the call was for her alone as was her own reply that she threw back.
They met at the base of the rock in a tumble of fur and paws. All royal dignity was forgotten by Simba for the moment, so glad was he to have her back with him.
**********************************************************************************
Unknown to both Simba and Nala, at the edge of the Pridelands had gathered a group of lions who could barely call themselves a pride. They were a rogue pack who had travelled far in the hope of allegiance with King Scar, then news had spread like fire of his death and of the fast growing legend of the new, true King and his queen, who herself was legendary for her beauty and hunting prowess.
The group consisted of four males and five females, now they had found something approaching a home on the very edge of the Pridelands, the male lions were restless. They needed females, not just to prevent inbreeding but to build up a pride that could rival the one whose territory they now overlooked.
The two dominant lions of this unlikely band were brothers, born of the same litter and both at full maturity, the other two were barely past adolescence and had nowhere near the strength of the other two, which perhaps could have rivalled Simba's .
Ketu was the more dominant of the two in a shared leadership, he was the driving force behind their aim. He had heard of the beauty of the new queen and of the resilience of the other lionesses who had just come through hard times. Those others he would leave to his brother Mukki and the other males, he wanted the Queen for himself. So arrogant was he that he had no worries that she would want to abandon her mate without a second glance and follow him instead.
It was natural in the pride that the females far out numbered the males and this was never more apparent then when the females gathered for the hunt. The males would wait around for their return. Besides Simba there were two other fully mature males in the pride, one the mate of Chetu, Nala's friend and a distant cousin of Nala herself and Tamon, the other had been one of the few opposed to Scar in the old pride and had proved his loyalty to Simba by helping drive the hyenas from the Pridelands on that fateful day. He was an older lion and content just to let what was happen, he had seen enough suffering in his lifetime. There were also a handful of immature adolescent males, whose fate at the moment lay undetermined.
Simba was sat with the older males now as he watched those lionesses who were going out on the hunt silently slide into the long savannah grass. He was not worried about Nala going off now, she was very strong, he knew that from first hand experience! And she was now in a group, he still wished he could be with her.
Nala could feel her mate's eyes on her as she led the hunting party away from Pride Rock. But she soon forgot about him, she had to, as she attuned her senses to the surroundings, her shapr eyesight missing nothing.
Today she had a plan in mind to travel right to the edge of the territory, the lush plains there had been favourite grazing grounds for all kinds of game and she wanted to see if any had returned. She had no qualms about going so far away from Pride Rock, and from Simba's protection, she probably knew this land better then he did.
What she didn't know however was who awaited her there.
Ketu knew the lionesses were coming near their area a long while before it was necessary to take any action. The way they were heading, towards a narrow canyon which they would have to pass through in order to reach the big game, was perfect for ambush. Even better was that the hunting group was smaller then normal and there were even no male lions following at a distance.
From his vantage point his sharp eyesight easily picked up the leader. His eyes followed her graceful yet powerful figure with perfect lines and a rippling golden coat. All doubt was now erased from his mind, she was perfect and she would be his, was his! He would even go as far as to fight the King of the Pridelands for her. Not of course, that that was going to be necessary....
Authors note: thanks for all your great comments! I will try and post as often as I can. If you want to know what happens then I am sorry but you will just have to read on! All I will say is that things will get darker for our fav lion king and queen, but then again this is based on TLK1 so nothing new there!
Simba awoke suddenly as the first gentle rays of sun began to creep over the plains. The pride had all slept together that night, huddled in the large cavern directly underneath Pride Rock to keep warm after the sun went down. As he looked round in the gloom he could see a sea of golden fur which made the other lions indistinguishable from each other at that moment.
Sarabi and Saratani were huddled up together on the northern side of the cavern, that was their spot, and no one would dispute it.
However even though all looked peaceful Simba knew something was wrong and as he looked around he cursed himself for not recognising it earlier, he had just become so used to it....
Nala was gone from his side. The rock they shared together was empty except for him. He rose quickly and had a glance at the others around him to see if she was among them. She was not. Quickly he made his way round the still sleeping pride and came out at the cavern entrance on the plateau below Pride Rock. There was still no sign of her. Using his nose he tracked her scent to the edge of the savannah and then lost it almost instantly in the tall grass.
At the extreme boundary of the Pridelands walked a solitary lioness who had travelled far since leaving her mate's side in the early hours of the morning. Nala, ever since the death of Mufasa and his heir had always been a wanderer since cubhood. Her total misery over the death of Simba had made her an outcast from the rest of the cubs and, wanting to do anything to avoid Scar she had taken to going for long walks alone. As she had matured, and even with the return of Simba, Nala still retained her desire for solitude on these occasions.
There was also the fact that she now walked through these lands as Queen. As Chief Huntress, it was also her job keep an eye on where the big herds were moving, the state of the waterholes and good lookout points. Almost without realising it she went into stalking mode, her padded feet making absolutely no sound on the soft grass. She came across a small Gjani mouse and lazily pounced on it, soon after letting it go, such fare was insufficient for a lion, she would eat with the rest of the pride when they hunted later.
As Nala turned for home, back to Simba and her friends, she realised for the first time in her life that she actually felt as if she was going *home* not just back to a prison.
Simba was pacing at the top of Pride Rock, where had she gone! Was it customary for lionesses to do this? Again he felt his frustration that arose due to the fact he had not been raised with his own kind. The very top of his home gave a unhindered view of his kingdom for miles in every direction. Yet he could see no beloved golden blur back moving through the grass. Even though he had not been raised by Lions instinct was still strong and from deep in his chest came a roar that could have no doubt as to its meaning. It was the mighty cry of a leader calling solely for his mate.
Nala, now firmly within sight of Pride Rock heard the call and smiled, she knew as he did that the call was for her alone as was her own reply that she threw back.
They met at the base of the rock in a tumble of fur and paws. All royal dignity was forgotten by Simba for the moment, so glad was he to have her back with him.
**********************************************************************************
Unknown to both Simba and Nala, at the edge of the Pridelands had gathered a group of lions who could barely call themselves a pride. They were a rogue pack who had travelled far in the hope of allegiance with King Scar, then news had spread like fire of his death and of the fast growing legend of the new, true King and his queen, who herself was legendary for her beauty and hunting prowess.
The group consisted of four males and five females, now they had found something approaching a home on the very edge of the Pridelands, the male lions were restless. They needed females, not just to prevent inbreeding but to build up a pride that could rival the one whose territory they now overlooked.
The two dominant lions of this unlikely band were brothers, born of the same litter and both at full maturity, the other two were barely past adolescence and had nowhere near the strength of the other two, which perhaps could have rivalled Simba's .
Ketu was the more dominant of the two in a shared leadership, he was the driving force behind their aim. He had heard of the beauty of the new queen and of the resilience of the other lionesses who had just come through hard times. Those others he would leave to his brother Mukki and the other males, he wanted the Queen for himself. So arrogant was he that he had no worries that she would want to abandon her mate without a second glance and follow him instead.
It was natural in the pride that the females far out numbered the males and this was never more apparent then when the females gathered for the hunt. The males would wait around for their return. Besides Simba there were two other fully mature males in the pride, one the mate of Chetu, Nala's friend and a distant cousin of Nala herself and Tamon, the other had been one of the few opposed to Scar in the old pride and had proved his loyalty to Simba by helping drive the hyenas from the Pridelands on that fateful day. He was an older lion and content just to let what was happen, he had seen enough suffering in his lifetime. There were also a handful of immature adolescent males, whose fate at the moment lay undetermined.
Simba was sat with the older males now as he watched those lionesses who were going out on the hunt silently slide into the long savannah grass. He was not worried about Nala going off now, she was very strong, he knew that from first hand experience! And she was now in a group, he still wished he could be with her.
Nala could feel her mate's eyes on her as she led the hunting party away from Pride Rock. But she soon forgot about him, she had to, as she attuned her senses to the surroundings, her shapr eyesight missing nothing.
Today she had a plan in mind to travel right to the edge of the territory, the lush plains there had been favourite grazing grounds for all kinds of game and she wanted to see if any had returned. She had no qualms about going so far away from Pride Rock, and from Simba's protection, she probably knew this land better then he did.
What she didn't know however was who awaited her there.
Ketu knew the lionesses were coming near their area a long while before it was necessary to take any action. The way they were heading, towards a narrow canyon which they would have to pass through in order to reach the big game, was perfect for ambush. Even better was that the hunting group was smaller then normal and there were even no male lions following at a distance.
From his vantage point his sharp eyesight easily picked up the leader. His eyes followed her graceful yet powerful figure with perfect lines and a rippling golden coat. All doubt was now erased from his mind, she was perfect and she would be his, was his! He would even go as far as to fight the King of the Pridelands for her. Not of course, that that was going to be necessary....