Hey, guys! Chapter 6's up! Timon, Pumbaa, and Zuri are napping... what with the gummy worms, brownies, and leftover Who Wants to Be King Of the Jungle grubs they've been eating, they're so full they're tired. Me, I'm pretty awake. And I'm loving the cake, chips, and gummy worms.
BTW, I'm usually not good at mothers meeting son's girlfriends reactions (I'm usually out of the room or something when my Ma meets my bro's girlfriends... even so, Ma's usually pretty open to it... can't wait to see how she is when/if I start bringing boys over) so I'm sorry if Ma meeting Zuri isn't as funny as her reaction to Timon running off to meet Zuri.
Chapter 6:
The next morning, Timon bounded over to the log with a leaf platter of grubs over to Zuri, who was on her back laughing.
"Oh, Timon, I've never met someone who told lies so good it made me laugh!" she laughed as Timon grimaced and offered her some grubs. She sat up and took a few beetles.
"I'm not lying. I really did raise a lion!" Timon said as he sat down next to her and bite the head off a beetle.
"Right, and he didn't try to eat you the moment he met you. Next you'll be telling me it was the king," Zuri said, still with a smile on her face.
"Well, actually--" Timon stopped when Zuri started laughing again. Timon furrowed his brow at her. "Zuri, would you stop doing that?"
"The king! That's rich, Timon!"
"I'm serious! I've been telling you the truth and the only thing you seem to believe is that I was a tunnel klutz."
"Tunnel klutz is pretty obvious," Zuri said with a giggle. Timon grimaced once again. She sat up and tried to wipe the smile off her face. "But the rest? You tell me your father was the legendary Fearless Buzz, you tell me you found this gorgeous oasis you and your colony live in with no predators, you tell me you raised a lion cub who's now the 'king,' you tell me you fought off a pack of hyenas at the battle of Pride Rock, and you tell me you babysat the lion princess! What's to believe?"
"I also have a warthog for a friend," Timon mumbled. Zuri let out a few more giggles. "You don't believe that either?"
"Oh, sure. I have a warthog for a friend, too," Zuri grinned, not really sounding conviencing.
"Somehow I doubt that. What do I have to do to prove everything? You don't wanna come with me to the oasis, and the witnesses to these events are back there. So, you want me to bring one of the lions here?" Timon grinned, "Or maybe I can just take you to Pride Rock to show you."
Zuri gulped, "Pride Rock? With the lions? The lions with the teeth and claws? The claws and teeth that hunt the little guys like us?"
Timon kept his grin and reclined against the log. "Thought so. You're scared."
Zuri furrowed her brow at him. "Am not."
"Oh, yeah?" Timon cocked a brow at her. "Then why don't you come?"
"Makali and Papa will come looking for me if I'm gone for more than 10 or 15 minutes, and it's almost time for me to go anyway." She stood and stretched. "I have no freedom."
Timon pouted his lips out a bit, thinking. "What if we brought your whole colony to the oasis? Nothing to worry about there, so Makali and Shomari can give you a little breathing air."
"... You keep talking about it, insisting to bring me there... like it's real."
Timon stood and took a step over to her. "Because it is. Zuri, I've been trying to tell you that."
"What would you do if I said yes?" Zuri watched his face to see if his face would turn colors. It remained the usual shade.
"I'd say 'get ready for a new life.'"
"... You're serious."
"Do you believe me now?"
Zuri looked up behind Timon and said, "Well, if that's him, I believe you about the warthog."
"Huh?" Timon looked where she was looking and gulped. Pumbaa was standing over him, with Ma and Uncle Max standing on his head. Zazu landed next to Timon. Timon gave him a dirty look, to which Zazu helplessly shrugged and flapped away. Timon nervously chuckled, "Pumbaa, Ma, Uncle Max! Funny running into you here! I--"
"Save it, Timon. Pumbaa told us everything," Ma said, folding her arms in front of her chest.
Timon turned to Pumbaa, furrowing his brow at him. "Pumbaa, how could you? You were suppose to cover for me, as in, don't tell the colony what I was really doing! And that especially includes Ma and Uncle Max!"
Pumbaa knelt down to Timon with his front hooves pressed together. "I'm so sorry, Timon! Your mother forced it out of me! Please don't kill me!"
"Well, what'd she do, twist your arm?"
"My leg, actually." He looked at Zuri. "Ooo, you're right, Timon. She is cute... Cuter than cute." Timon blushed as he put his paws on Pumbaa's mouth to keep him quiet.
"Ix-nay!" Timon whispered. Pumbaa nodded, then Timon cleared his throat. Zuri blinked a bit and stepped up next to Timon. Ma and Uncle Max climbed down from Pumbaa's head. Ma immediately walked over and looked Zuri over, walking around her.
"Are you Zuri?" she asked.
"Yes, I am. And I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say you're Timon's mother."
"That's right. What are your intentions with my son?"
"Intentions? What do you mean 'intentions?'" Zuri blinked at her as Timon made some motions with his paws to make Ma stop. She looked at Timon, who immediately switched his motions to some stretching.
"My little boy had just come home where he belongs and then he immediately leaves so he could come back here to meet you. And then we get a message saying he's staying longer." Zuri looked at Timon a moment, who nervously grinned. "So what are your intentions?"
"I don't have any intentions... he was just trying to take me home with you to this 'predator-free oasis' he keeps talking about. I was waiting to see his face turn pale when I said I would."
Ma then turned to Timon. "Do you invite every pretty face you see to the oasis, Timon? I thought you had higher standards than that."
"I do! I only invited her because she has an extra unhappy life," Timon nervously replied.
"Unhappy life?"
"'Cuse us, Zuri." Timon pulled Ma over to the side. "Ma, this girl has a pushy father, an arranged marriage on the way, and because of all that and unable to make her own choices, she thinks she's a nobody... she needs a new life, and I'd like to give that to her."
"Oh, Timon, that is so sweet," Ma said as she ran a paw over Timon's hair, trying to smooth it out.
"Please don't do that."
"Force of habit. That's still no excuse for you leaving home without telling us."
"I couldn't help it! I couldn't stop thinking about her... even though I wanted to, Pumbaa had to stick his nose in and got me in this 'I gotta know' feeling." Ma turned to Pumbaa and furrowed her brow at him.
"Sorry," Pumbaa said with a sheepish smile.
"Didn't Dad do anything like this for you?" Timon asked.
"No. Your father and I didn't live on different sides of the desert."
"Nothing that could get him and/or you in trouble at all?"
Ma thought for a moment, and then grinned, "Well..."
"Uh, forget it. I don't think I wanna know with that grin. OK, look. Could you look at her as a friend who is a girl and not a girlfriend? At this point, that's probably all she's gonna be."
"Oh, all right, dear." Ma turned back to Zuri and walked towards her with a tight smile. "So, Zuri, what did Timon tell you about our oasis?"
"First, I'd like to confirm if such a place exists," Zuri said, folding her arms in front of her chest.
"Of course it does."
Zuri blinked. "Seriously?"
"Seriously," Uncle Max stepped in.
"But he didn't really raise a lion by himself!" Zuri said, trying to prove Timon lied about something.
"No, he didn't..." Pumbaa said.
"I knew it," Zuri grinned as Timon furrowed his brow at her.
"He had me with him."
"Huh?!"
"Did I say 'I raised a lion by myself?' No," Timon said, grinning and folding his arms in front of his chest.
"Then you really can take me to this oasis you keep talking about?"
"If you become brave enough to leave this life behind."
"Leave this life... for a new one?" Zuri was silent for a few moments, and then was about to open her mouth when a distant voice broke the silence.
"Zuri!"
"Oh wonderful... my father's calling," Zuri said.
"That voice sounds familiar..." Uncle Max said to himself. Timon went back over to Pumbaa and started to push against him.
"Shomari's bad news. Let's get going to Pride Rock, OK? I'll meet you here later tonight, Zuri," Timon grunted as he pushed on Pumbaa.
"Shomari?" Ma and Uncle Max both asked. On that note, Shomari pushed his way through the blades of grass.
"Zuri, what are you doing--?" he began, then stopped when he noticed the company, Timon in particular. "Timon. I thought I told you to stay away from my daughter." He growled as he began to approach Timon. He stopped when Max and Ma stepped in front of Timon, keeping Shomari away.
"Keep away from him, Shomari," Max said in a low voice.
"We mean it," Ma added in a low voice.
Shomari looked at the two of them for a few moments, and then growled. "This rogue belongs to you?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Uncle Max said. Ma elbowed Max in the ribs, making him cough. "What? I'm only telling him like it is."
"Gee, thanks, Uncle Max. I'm getting warm fuzzies all over," Timon said flatly.
"'Uncle' Max? This pup is your nephew?" Shomari asked.
"Great-nephew," Uncle Max corrected him, rubbing his ribs.
"I really wish people would stop calling me a pup. I'm 5 years old now," Timon mumbled to Pumbaa and Zuri.
"Looking good, too," Pumbaa mumbled back.
"Can't argue with that," Zuri softly said with a grin.
Shomari then turned his attention to Ma. "And I take it he's your...?"
"My son," Ma said, nodding.
"I thought so..." Shomari said, sneering at Timon. "The resemblance is unmistakable. You're the son of Fearless Buzz." Timon returned the sneer.
"What? You were telling the truth about that, too?" Zuri asked, almost screaming in disbelief.
"Hey, I lie a lot, but not when I'm telling the truth," Timon said, folding his arms in front of his chest again.
"Wait a second here..." Pumbaa said, looking at the group. "Mrs. Ma, Uncle Max, you know this guy?"
"His colony once tried to take over our colony," Uncle Max said.
"What?!" Timon asked. Shomari reached over, grabbed Zuri by the arm, and separated her from the group.
"Keep your boy away from my daughter. She's already been promised to someone and I intend to keep it that way," Shomari said.
"I don't want to marry Makali!" Zuri tried to get out of Shomari's grip.
"I don't really care about what you want." Zuri pulled away from him.
"Papa, I've had it! I don't want this life anymore! I want freedom, to make my own choices, choose whom I want to marry if at all!" She became quiet when Shomari threatened to backhand her.
"Being with this rogue has poisoned your mind. So long as he remains in the Pride Lands, solo outside privileges is now off-limits to you, Zuri."
"That's not fair!"
"You'd better rethink that and get with the times, Shomari," Ma said, narrowing her eyes.
Shomari growled at her, "And if you want to keep your son alive, you will leave things the way they are."
Ma, amazing Timon a little, walked over and promptly slapped Shomari, causing him to growl again. "No one threatens my son." Shomari released Zuri from his grip and made for Ma with full intention to fight with her. Timon quickly got between the two, holding his arms out.
"Hey, cut it out! We don't need to draw blood to keep Zuri outside!" Timon said.
"This is an old fight, Timon. A very old fight... one that started before you were even born," Ma said.
"I get it now." Timon turned to Shomari. "You don't want your daughter associating with a member of the colony that didn't let you in. Talk about beating a dead horse."
"Stay out of this. This fight began before your existence, so get out of my way before the sight of you angers me furthur," Shomari hissed at Timon.
"If you've got a beef with Ma, you've got a beef with me. I'm not letting you take Zuri back to that mud hole you call a colony."
"Stop this!" Zuri said as she stepped up in front of Timon and Shomari.
"Would people stop stepping in front of me?" Timon asked, a little annoyed.
Zuri gave Timon a bit of a look, and then turned to her father. "This isn't necessary! Shomari, in case you haven't noticed, I'm a big girl now, so I can make my own decisions!"
Shomari hissed at her, "Big girl or not, I am still your father. And as your father, I still have a say in whether or not I approve of your love interest..." He glared daggers at Timon, "And I don't like this one."
"Love interest?" both Timon and Zuri asked, looking at each other. Zuri quickly looked away, blushing softly.
"Whoa-whoa-whoa! Back up! Did I say something out loud that I don't remember saying?" Timon asked.
"Well, you did come all this way to learn more about her, Timon," Pumbaa said.
"Because of your reverse psychology, Pumbaa," Timon mumbled.
"Yeah, but before that..."
"It's practically written on your face, Timon," Uncle Max said, making Timon slightly blush and gulp. Zuri watched Timon a moment, but then Shomari yanked her away from him again.
"I'm going to make this easy for you, Zuri. Either you do as I say, or the next time I see Timon near the tunnels or you, I will personally rip his throat out," Shomari growled. Timon put a paw to his throat and gulped.
"Papa, you're being way too extreme!"
"Your actions are becoming way too extreme. Since he came into contact with this colony, you have deliberately disobeyed me. Now, you are going to marry Makali and forget about Timon. Do I make myself clear?"
Zuri looked at Timon, then back to her father. She lowered her eyes. "... Yes, sir."
"Zuri..." Timon began to step up to her, only to have Shomari pull her back from him. Timon looked past Shomari to Zuri, who lifted her eyes up to look at Timon. "Are you serious? You're going to marry Makali?"
"I have to. I'm sorry, Timon. I guess I won't be going to your oasis after all." Shomari threw one last glare at the group, then took Zuri by the arm and dragged her back towards their tunnels. Zuri took one last sorrowful look at Timon as she disappeared through the grass. Timon watched after her, and felt a paw on his shoulder. He looked and saw it was his mother's.
"I'm sorry, Timon. If Max and I hadn't--" Timon held his paw up to her and weakly smiled.
"Hey, I'm better off without her, right? Just another Kovu and Kiara thing going on, but I don't think it would've worked out. The way you stormed over you weren't going to approve of the relationship either, right?"
"Timon--"
"C'mon, let's just go to Pride Rock and forget this ever happened," Timon said as he cheerfully started walking in the direction of Pride Rock. Pumbaa looked at Ma and Uncle Max.
"He's in so much denial," Uncle Max said as he watched Timon walk away.
"The Nile? Isn't that in Egypt?" Pumbaa asked.
"That joke is older than Uncle Max," Ma poked Pumbaa.
"Hey!" Uncle Max protested.
"Joke?" Pumbaa blinked.
"Hey! Are you guys coming or not?" Timon called out to them. Pumbaa knelt down to let Ma and Uncle Max onto his back.
"That poor girl... there must be some way we can get her father to agree to let her go her own way," Ma said as she tapped her chin.
"Are you kidding? You know how much he hates our colony. He wouldn't even invite us to the wedding if we were the last colony in Africa!" Uncle Max said.
Gee, I hope this doesn't turn out to be a sad ending... Pumbaa thought to himself as he trotted off after Timon.
To be continued...
BTW, I'm usually not good at mothers meeting son's girlfriends reactions (I'm usually out of the room or something when my Ma meets my bro's girlfriends... even so, Ma's usually pretty open to it... can't wait to see how she is when/if I start bringing boys over) so I'm sorry if Ma meeting Zuri isn't as funny as her reaction to Timon running off to meet Zuri.
Chapter 6:
The next morning, Timon bounded over to the log with a leaf platter of grubs over to Zuri, who was on her back laughing.
"Oh, Timon, I've never met someone who told lies so good it made me laugh!" she laughed as Timon grimaced and offered her some grubs. She sat up and took a few beetles.
"I'm not lying. I really did raise a lion!" Timon said as he sat down next to her and bite the head off a beetle.
"Right, and he didn't try to eat you the moment he met you. Next you'll be telling me it was the king," Zuri said, still with a smile on her face.
"Well, actually--" Timon stopped when Zuri started laughing again. Timon furrowed his brow at her. "Zuri, would you stop doing that?"
"The king! That's rich, Timon!"
"I'm serious! I've been telling you the truth and the only thing you seem to believe is that I was a tunnel klutz."
"Tunnel klutz is pretty obvious," Zuri said with a giggle. Timon grimaced once again. She sat up and tried to wipe the smile off her face. "But the rest? You tell me your father was the legendary Fearless Buzz, you tell me you found this gorgeous oasis you and your colony live in with no predators, you tell me you raised a lion cub who's now the 'king,' you tell me you fought off a pack of hyenas at the battle of Pride Rock, and you tell me you babysat the lion princess! What's to believe?"
"I also have a warthog for a friend," Timon mumbled. Zuri let out a few more giggles. "You don't believe that either?"
"Oh, sure. I have a warthog for a friend, too," Zuri grinned, not really sounding conviencing.
"Somehow I doubt that. What do I have to do to prove everything? You don't wanna come with me to the oasis, and the witnesses to these events are back there. So, you want me to bring one of the lions here?" Timon grinned, "Or maybe I can just take you to Pride Rock to show you."
Zuri gulped, "Pride Rock? With the lions? The lions with the teeth and claws? The claws and teeth that hunt the little guys like us?"
Timon kept his grin and reclined against the log. "Thought so. You're scared."
Zuri furrowed her brow at him. "Am not."
"Oh, yeah?" Timon cocked a brow at her. "Then why don't you come?"
"Makali and Papa will come looking for me if I'm gone for more than 10 or 15 minutes, and it's almost time for me to go anyway." She stood and stretched. "I have no freedom."
Timon pouted his lips out a bit, thinking. "What if we brought your whole colony to the oasis? Nothing to worry about there, so Makali and Shomari can give you a little breathing air."
"... You keep talking about it, insisting to bring me there... like it's real."
Timon stood and took a step over to her. "Because it is. Zuri, I've been trying to tell you that."
"What would you do if I said yes?" Zuri watched his face to see if his face would turn colors. It remained the usual shade.
"I'd say 'get ready for a new life.'"
"... You're serious."
"Do you believe me now?"
Zuri looked up behind Timon and said, "Well, if that's him, I believe you about the warthog."
"Huh?" Timon looked where she was looking and gulped. Pumbaa was standing over him, with Ma and Uncle Max standing on his head. Zazu landed next to Timon. Timon gave him a dirty look, to which Zazu helplessly shrugged and flapped away. Timon nervously chuckled, "Pumbaa, Ma, Uncle Max! Funny running into you here! I--"
"Save it, Timon. Pumbaa told us everything," Ma said, folding her arms in front of her chest.
Timon turned to Pumbaa, furrowing his brow at him. "Pumbaa, how could you? You were suppose to cover for me, as in, don't tell the colony what I was really doing! And that especially includes Ma and Uncle Max!"
Pumbaa knelt down to Timon with his front hooves pressed together. "I'm so sorry, Timon! Your mother forced it out of me! Please don't kill me!"
"Well, what'd she do, twist your arm?"
"My leg, actually." He looked at Zuri. "Ooo, you're right, Timon. She is cute... Cuter than cute." Timon blushed as he put his paws on Pumbaa's mouth to keep him quiet.
"Ix-nay!" Timon whispered. Pumbaa nodded, then Timon cleared his throat. Zuri blinked a bit and stepped up next to Timon. Ma and Uncle Max climbed down from Pumbaa's head. Ma immediately walked over and looked Zuri over, walking around her.
"Are you Zuri?" she asked.
"Yes, I am. And I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say you're Timon's mother."
"That's right. What are your intentions with my son?"
"Intentions? What do you mean 'intentions?'" Zuri blinked at her as Timon made some motions with his paws to make Ma stop. She looked at Timon, who immediately switched his motions to some stretching.
"My little boy had just come home where he belongs and then he immediately leaves so he could come back here to meet you. And then we get a message saying he's staying longer." Zuri looked at Timon a moment, who nervously grinned. "So what are your intentions?"
"I don't have any intentions... he was just trying to take me home with you to this 'predator-free oasis' he keeps talking about. I was waiting to see his face turn pale when I said I would."
Ma then turned to Timon. "Do you invite every pretty face you see to the oasis, Timon? I thought you had higher standards than that."
"I do! I only invited her because she has an extra unhappy life," Timon nervously replied.
"Unhappy life?"
"'Cuse us, Zuri." Timon pulled Ma over to the side. "Ma, this girl has a pushy father, an arranged marriage on the way, and because of all that and unable to make her own choices, she thinks she's a nobody... she needs a new life, and I'd like to give that to her."
"Oh, Timon, that is so sweet," Ma said as she ran a paw over Timon's hair, trying to smooth it out.
"Please don't do that."
"Force of habit. That's still no excuse for you leaving home without telling us."
"I couldn't help it! I couldn't stop thinking about her... even though I wanted to, Pumbaa had to stick his nose in and got me in this 'I gotta know' feeling." Ma turned to Pumbaa and furrowed her brow at him.
"Sorry," Pumbaa said with a sheepish smile.
"Didn't Dad do anything like this for you?" Timon asked.
"No. Your father and I didn't live on different sides of the desert."
"Nothing that could get him and/or you in trouble at all?"
Ma thought for a moment, and then grinned, "Well..."
"Uh, forget it. I don't think I wanna know with that grin. OK, look. Could you look at her as a friend who is a girl and not a girlfriend? At this point, that's probably all she's gonna be."
"Oh, all right, dear." Ma turned back to Zuri and walked towards her with a tight smile. "So, Zuri, what did Timon tell you about our oasis?"
"First, I'd like to confirm if such a place exists," Zuri said, folding her arms in front of her chest.
"Of course it does."
Zuri blinked. "Seriously?"
"Seriously," Uncle Max stepped in.
"But he didn't really raise a lion by himself!" Zuri said, trying to prove Timon lied about something.
"No, he didn't..." Pumbaa said.
"I knew it," Zuri grinned as Timon furrowed his brow at her.
"He had me with him."
"Huh?!"
"Did I say 'I raised a lion by myself?' No," Timon said, grinning and folding his arms in front of his chest.
"Then you really can take me to this oasis you keep talking about?"
"If you become brave enough to leave this life behind."
"Leave this life... for a new one?" Zuri was silent for a few moments, and then was about to open her mouth when a distant voice broke the silence.
"Zuri!"
"Oh wonderful... my father's calling," Zuri said.
"That voice sounds familiar..." Uncle Max said to himself. Timon went back over to Pumbaa and started to push against him.
"Shomari's bad news. Let's get going to Pride Rock, OK? I'll meet you here later tonight, Zuri," Timon grunted as he pushed on Pumbaa.
"Shomari?" Ma and Uncle Max both asked. On that note, Shomari pushed his way through the blades of grass.
"Zuri, what are you doing--?" he began, then stopped when he noticed the company, Timon in particular. "Timon. I thought I told you to stay away from my daughter." He growled as he began to approach Timon. He stopped when Max and Ma stepped in front of Timon, keeping Shomari away.
"Keep away from him, Shomari," Max said in a low voice.
"We mean it," Ma added in a low voice.
Shomari looked at the two of them for a few moments, and then growled. "This rogue belongs to you?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Uncle Max said. Ma elbowed Max in the ribs, making him cough. "What? I'm only telling him like it is."
"Gee, thanks, Uncle Max. I'm getting warm fuzzies all over," Timon said flatly.
"'Uncle' Max? This pup is your nephew?" Shomari asked.
"Great-nephew," Uncle Max corrected him, rubbing his ribs.
"I really wish people would stop calling me a pup. I'm 5 years old now," Timon mumbled to Pumbaa and Zuri.
"Looking good, too," Pumbaa mumbled back.
"Can't argue with that," Zuri softly said with a grin.
Shomari then turned his attention to Ma. "And I take it he's your...?"
"My son," Ma said, nodding.
"I thought so..." Shomari said, sneering at Timon. "The resemblance is unmistakable. You're the son of Fearless Buzz." Timon returned the sneer.
"What? You were telling the truth about that, too?" Zuri asked, almost screaming in disbelief.
"Hey, I lie a lot, but not when I'm telling the truth," Timon said, folding his arms in front of his chest again.
"Wait a second here..." Pumbaa said, looking at the group. "Mrs. Ma, Uncle Max, you know this guy?"
"His colony once tried to take over our colony," Uncle Max said.
"What?!" Timon asked. Shomari reached over, grabbed Zuri by the arm, and separated her from the group.
"Keep your boy away from my daughter. She's already been promised to someone and I intend to keep it that way," Shomari said.
"I don't want to marry Makali!" Zuri tried to get out of Shomari's grip.
"I don't really care about what you want." Zuri pulled away from him.
"Papa, I've had it! I don't want this life anymore! I want freedom, to make my own choices, choose whom I want to marry if at all!" She became quiet when Shomari threatened to backhand her.
"Being with this rogue has poisoned your mind. So long as he remains in the Pride Lands, solo outside privileges is now off-limits to you, Zuri."
"That's not fair!"
"You'd better rethink that and get with the times, Shomari," Ma said, narrowing her eyes.
Shomari growled at her, "And if you want to keep your son alive, you will leave things the way they are."
Ma, amazing Timon a little, walked over and promptly slapped Shomari, causing him to growl again. "No one threatens my son." Shomari released Zuri from his grip and made for Ma with full intention to fight with her. Timon quickly got between the two, holding his arms out.
"Hey, cut it out! We don't need to draw blood to keep Zuri outside!" Timon said.
"This is an old fight, Timon. A very old fight... one that started before you were even born," Ma said.
"I get it now." Timon turned to Shomari. "You don't want your daughter associating with a member of the colony that didn't let you in. Talk about beating a dead horse."
"Stay out of this. This fight began before your existence, so get out of my way before the sight of you angers me furthur," Shomari hissed at Timon.
"If you've got a beef with Ma, you've got a beef with me. I'm not letting you take Zuri back to that mud hole you call a colony."
"Stop this!" Zuri said as she stepped up in front of Timon and Shomari.
"Would people stop stepping in front of me?" Timon asked, a little annoyed.
Zuri gave Timon a bit of a look, and then turned to her father. "This isn't necessary! Shomari, in case you haven't noticed, I'm a big girl now, so I can make my own decisions!"
Shomari hissed at her, "Big girl or not, I am still your father. And as your father, I still have a say in whether or not I approve of your love interest..." He glared daggers at Timon, "And I don't like this one."
"Love interest?" both Timon and Zuri asked, looking at each other. Zuri quickly looked away, blushing softly.
"Whoa-whoa-whoa! Back up! Did I say something out loud that I don't remember saying?" Timon asked.
"Well, you did come all this way to learn more about her, Timon," Pumbaa said.
"Because of your reverse psychology, Pumbaa," Timon mumbled.
"Yeah, but before that..."
"It's practically written on your face, Timon," Uncle Max said, making Timon slightly blush and gulp. Zuri watched Timon a moment, but then Shomari yanked her away from him again.
"I'm going to make this easy for you, Zuri. Either you do as I say, or the next time I see Timon near the tunnels or you, I will personally rip his throat out," Shomari growled. Timon put a paw to his throat and gulped.
"Papa, you're being way too extreme!"
"Your actions are becoming way too extreme. Since he came into contact with this colony, you have deliberately disobeyed me. Now, you are going to marry Makali and forget about Timon. Do I make myself clear?"
Zuri looked at Timon, then back to her father. She lowered her eyes. "... Yes, sir."
"Zuri..." Timon began to step up to her, only to have Shomari pull her back from him. Timon looked past Shomari to Zuri, who lifted her eyes up to look at Timon. "Are you serious? You're going to marry Makali?"
"I have to. I'm sorry, Timon. I guess I won't be going to your oasis after all." Shomari threw one last glare at the group, then took Zuri by the arm and dragged her back towards their tunnels. Zuri took one last sorrowful look at Timon as she disappeared through the grass. Timon watched after her, and felt a paw on his shoulder. He looked and saw it was his mother's.
"I'm sorry, Timon. If Max and I hadn't--" Timon held his paw up to her and weakly smiled.
"Hey, I'm better off without her, right? Just another Kovu and Kiara thing going on, but I don't think it would've worked out. The way you stormed over you weren't going to approve of the relationship either, right?"
"Timon--"
"C'mon, let's just go to Pride Rock and forget this ever happened," Timon said as he cheerfully started walking in the direction of Pride Rock. Pumbaa looked at Ma and Uncle Max.
"He's in so much denial," Uncle Max said as he watched Timon walk away.
"The Nile? Isn't that in Egypt?" Pumbaa asked.
"That joke is older than Uncle Max," Ma poked Pumbaa.
"Hey!" Uncle Max protested.
"Joke?" Pumbaa blinked.
"Hey! Are you guys coming or not?" Timon called out to them. Pumbaa knelt down to let Ma and Uncle Max onto his back.
"That poor girl... there must be some way we can get her father to agree to let her go her own way," Ma said as she tapped her chin.
"Are you kidding? You know how much he hates our colony. He wouldn't even invite us to the wedding if we were the last colony in Africa!" Uncle Max said.
Gee, I hope this doesn't turn out to be a sad ending... Pumbaa thought to himself as he trotted off after Timon.
To be continued...