Kari: Hey, look, the readers are here!
Timon & Pumbaa: :give a brief wave as they chow down on Mud and Bugs cereal, each having their own box:
Zuri: :drops a few gummy worms into hers.: I hope this chapter turns out better than the last one.
Kari: What are you talking about? The last chapter got good reviews. I actually got pocky!
Zuri: Yeah, but Papa's all threatening and stuff and I'm pretty much forbidden from seeing Timon.
Pumbaa: But Timon's right here.
Zuri: :puts a paw over her eyes.: I'm not seeing him, am I?
Timon: See? She's tricky.
Kari: Just eat your cereal... this chapter has some more Jekyll & Hyde music in the background. Enjoy! UPDATE: Removed Once Apon a Dream and Someone Like You lyrics.

Chapter 7:

Timon sat at the edge of Pride Rock, letting his feet dangle over the edge. He had some pebbles rolling around in his paws and tossed a few over the edge, watching them fall to earth. He sighed and looked at the rising moon. He then looked up at the stars.

"Dad, what am I suppose to do? You never had this much trouble with Ma. Should I just forget about Zuri and let fate run its course?" Timon asked. He felt the wind brush against his fur, and in a way it comfort him a bit. "But I can't forget her. I..." He looked down towards Zuri's tunnels, almost expecting to see her. He couldn't. Timon sighed and ran a paw through his hair. "I don't wanna forget about her."

Zuri walked outside of her tunnel with Makali close behind. She walked over to the water hole with her nutshell, scooped some water up with it, and took a drink. She offered it to Makali, who took it. As he took a drink, she looked towards Pride Rock. After the drink he followed her to the log Timon and Zuri had been meeting. She climbed on top of the log and started to balance on it, remembering the other night when they were together, talking about her life and their colonies. She closed her eyes as she thought about that night, a few images replaying in her mind.

"Have you ever heard anyone call you a nobody?... You're only putting yourself down, sister... I'll take you to the oasis... What do you have here? A pushy father, a fiancé you don't even want, life in the Pit of Shame... I think you're a pretty special nobody... and a pretty one, too," Timon's voice rang in her head as she replayed that night's events in her head. She reopened her eyes and looked towards Pride Rock, suddenly feeling so alone.

Timon looked down in the direction the log and thought to himself what happened that night.

"I sing depressing songs when I'm by myself, about the life I actually have... Arranged marriages, living in constant fear, can't really do what you want, no one listens to a word you say... Someone like me is just a face in the crowd, someone who doesn't count... A caring family. I can't throw that away... I never had someone like you say such things like that before and mean it. It's... refreshing," Zuri's voice rang in his head. Timon shook his head and sighed.

Zuri shook her head and sighed, sliding down the log.

"You're not thinking of that rogue, are you?" Makali asked.

"Timon? I'm trying not to," Zuri said, her head bowed down.

"You can't believe everything he says. How do you know he actually has such a paradise home?"

"It was just something in his eyes... that made me want to believe him."

"You're so desperate for a better life, you'd believe anything. Your problem, Zuri, is you're too trusting." Makali walked ahead of her. Zuri grimaced and slowly followed. She took another look at Pride Rock.

"Good night, Timon," Zuri said softly as she blew a kiss towards Pride Rock and headed back into the tunnel.

Timon was looking down towards her tunnels. "Sleep tight, Zuri," Timon softly said. He felt someone walked up behind him and laid down. "Can't a guy mope alone?" He turned to see it was Kiara.

"Moping won't get you anywhere," she said, resting her chin on her paw. "Do you love Zuri, Timon?"

Timon felt his heart leap into his throat. He swallowed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Love?"

"Yes. Do you love her?"

Timon put a paw over his eyes, rubbing them. He slowly dragged it over his face, thinking. Then he put the paw over his heart. "Yeah... I think I do."

"Then take action."

"Like what? I tried asking my father, but..." Timon motioned up to the stars. "He's become the strong silent type lately."

Kiara looked up at the stars and softly grinned. "Well... the Pride Landers and Outsiders were once two separate prides until Kovu and I brought them together into one. Why can't you and Zuri do the same?"

"And form a pride?"

Kiara let out a few giggles, "No... I mean, form a mob."

Timon stood and turned to face her. "That won't work! Her colony still holds a grudge about my colony beating them! You'd think they'd wanna live under the same treetops without killing each other?"

"Well, that's about the best advice I can give you. To me, this situation is almost identical to the Outsider situation. Maybe the same solution--"

"Kiara, seriously."

"Well, seriously, unless you and Zuri do something soon, you'll never be together." Kiara stood and walked back into the cave. Timon watched her leave, and then he rubbed his chin, thinking.

Kiara walked over to Pumbaa, who was on his back, sleeping. Ma and Uncle Max were leaning against him, but were still awake.

Ma looked up at her. "Well?"

"I think he's thinking about it," Kiara said. "I'm not exactly the best at giving advice..."

"Maybe not, but here he comes," Uncle Max pointed to the entrance. They turned and saw Timon walking towards them. He walked over to Pumbaa and poked him in the ribs.

"Wasn't me," Pumbaa said with a soft grunt as he woke up.

"C'mon, Pumbaa, I need you to give me a lift," Timon said as Pumbaa rolled onto his stomach, allowing Timon to climb onto his back.

"And where are you going now?" Uncle Max asked as he and Ma watched him.

"I'm gonna try to bring peace to these colonies. Let's go, Pumbaa." Pumbaa nodded and trotted out with Timon.

Meanwhile, Zuri was lying in her nest, staring up at the ceiling. She couldn't sleep. The day's events had upset her too much. She sighed and rolled over onto her stomach. She was told to forget about Timon, but how could she? He was different, he made her laugh, and made her dream... he understood her, her wants, and her needs. How could she possibly forget someone like that? She stood and stretched, yawning. She decided to take a walk around the tunnels.

"Zuri?" Zuri stopped and sighed when she saw Makali walk up behind her.

"What do you want now, Makali? Can't I even take a walk in the tunnels alone?" Zuri asked, a bit annoyed.

"I'm only making sure you don't go out looking for that rogue--"

Zuri growled as she promptly slapped him, "He is NOT a rogue!" Makali put a paw on his redden cheek as Zuri continued. "Just because of what his family did to ours, we're treating him like a rogue?"

Makali looked her over for a moment, almost reading her mind. "So what makes him better than me?"

"I'll give you three things. One, he has a personality. Two, he has a sense of humor..." She glared up at Makali when he looked away from her, and then Zuri tapped his chin to get his attention. "And three, he actually listens."

"And what do I have that he doesn't?"

"The only thing I care that you have that he doesn't is me," Zuri said as she lightly pushed him away from her. "Now would you give me some breathing room? Just because we're engaged doesn't mean we're joined together at the hip."

Makali did what he was told, but not happily. "Just remember, I'm not letting you go... especially to the son of Fearless Buzz."

"What's wrong with Fearless Buzz? He was a hero!"

"He was the reason we lost those tunnels in the Kalahari, so he was a hero to his colony. Trying to prove meerkats shouldn't stay underground, he attacked a hyena and he was killed. There's nothing heroic about that."

Zuri stared at him for a few moments before she said in a low voice, "It is when he died saving his son's life. That's more than you've ever done." They exchanged stares, and then Zuri finally walked away from Makali. She stood under one of the tunnel exits to see the moon, which was halfway past the first quarter. "Oh, Timon... I'm sorry I didn't leave with you sooner. Maybe that could've spared us both the pain," she softly said to herself, and then started to turn and leave. She stopped when she heard footsteps above.

"Zuri?" She immediately ran back to see whom it was. Timon was peering down into the tunnel. "Hey."

"Timon. You can't be here. If someone sees you--"

"I won't be long. I'm gonna find a way to get our colonies together."

"There's no way, as much as I'd like to believe there is." She climbed up the tunnel to meet Timon a bit closer. "I'm going to have to marry Makali the next full moon. That's in 3 days."

"Which is probably something you're not looking forward to. Honestly, I'm not either. I have a plan... but I'll have to leave the Pride Lands for a day or two."

"You are coming back, right?"

"Hakuna Matata," Timon winked.

Zuri blinked, then shook her head. "Just hurry, OK? I really don't wanna marry Makali."

Timon leaned forward, supporting his weight on his forearm. "Frankly, I wouldn't either."

Zuri let out a laugh. "That's what I like about you, Timon. You make me laugh."

Timon grinned, "I try my best."

"Now try your best in coming back before the full moon, OK?"

"I doubt it's gonna take that long. Sit tight." Timon began to stand, but Zuri reached up and grabbed onto his arm. He settled back down, waiting to hear what she had to say. He took a moment to feel her fur. "Wow, you do have soft fur." He noticed she blushed slightly, and then he nervously grinned. "Did I just say that out loud?"

Zuri cleared her throat, "OK, I gotta know, Timon... why are you doing this for me?"

"Uh... well... 'cause I want to?" Timon nervously replied.

Zuri grinned and arched a brow. "Timon..."

Timon gulped, "... Uh... well... I..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "What was the question?"

Zuri grinned as she climbed up further and kissed him on the cheek. "Never mind. I think I know what you're saying."

A quick flash of red came to Timon's cheeks. "Glad to off it. I hear to be need now." He shook his head to clear it. "I-I-I mean, 'glad to hear it. I need to be off now.'" Timon backed away from the tunnel, tripping backwards. He nervously smiled as Zuri let out another laugh. "I'll hurry back. Promise." He blew her a kiss and then climbed back onto Pumbaa's back, who was waiting nearby. He tugged on his ears and took off. Zuri watched them leave, and then she dropped back down to the tunnels. She headed back to her nest, trying to cover the smile on her face. She entered her nest and laid on her back, staring up at the ceiling, now confident something good will happen. She smiled and closed her eyes, allowing sleep to finally take over.

To be continued...