Kari: Well, aside from the lack of a lot of humor and cuteness, Chapter 8 still got a few good reviews.
Zuri: Oo, good, my emails must've gotten through.
Kari: ...
Zuri: Kidding! I just said that because I wasn't in the last chapter.
Kari: Yeah, well... hopefully we'll get more by the time I put this chapter up.
Timon: Hey, look on the bright side... we've got more cereal, cakes, and pocky!
Pumbaa: ::pushes in the wagon with the treats.:: We get the best treats!
Ma: ::walks into the scene.:: Hey, what are you guys doing? ::looks up at the pile of treats.:: Timon, you haven't been snacking in-between meals again, have you?
Timon: Ma! No, this is just cereal... late breakfast. ::holds up one of the older boxes they didn't throw away.:: See? It has Pumbaa's and my pictures on it.
Ma: Oh, you look so handsome, Timmy. So, can you explain the cakes and brown and pink sticks?
Pumbaa: Uh... those are Kari's.
Ma: ::stares at Kari.:: Does your mother know about this?
Kari: She hasn't been reading along... as I write this, she still hasn't finished reading Son of Fearless Buzz. ... How much to keep you from spilling the beans?
Ma: You can pass me a piece of that cake and a bowl of that cereal.
Zuri: I'll go grab the milk.
Kari: Eh, why not? Pass a bowl over here, Pumbaa. While we chow down, you readers begin reading Chapter 9!
Chapter 9:
Zuri walked through her tunnel, humming to herself as she passed by her father's nest. She stopped when she noticed Makali was in with him. She decided to give them the impression she had forgotten Timon, so she walked in.
"Good morning!" she said cheerfully to them. She walked over to Shomari, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him on the cheek. "Morning, Papa."
"Morning. You're in a good mood today, Zuri," he said.
"Why shouldn't I be? Sun's shining, I can go outside by myself... everything's wonderful, Papa."
"Good. You've forgotten about that rogue?" Makali asked.
Zuri pretended to play dumb. She grinned as she strolled over to Makali and kissed him on the cheek. "What rogue?"
"Never mind. Excited about the wedding?"
"You bet."
"Good... Makali and I were just discussing about moving it up," Shomari said. That brought a frown to Zuri's face.
"W-What?"
"Yeah. We were thinking of moving it to tonight, actually," Makali nodded.
"Oh, I see. Uh... why so soon?"
"Being wed under a full moon... too traditional. You wanted me to stop being so traditional, didn't you, sweetie?" Shomari asked, cocking a brow.
"Well, yes, but--"
"But...?"
"But tonight? I'm not ready for a wedding tonight."
"Oh, you let us worry about that, beautiful. All you have to do is show up," Makali said as he gently pushed Zuri's back to send her on her way. "Why don't you go out and enjoy the fresh air?"
"Well... I'll be less ready if you keep pressuring me."
"Oh, all right... we'll wait for you to scream before we come after you. Just don't stay out all day!" Shomari called after her.
"Thanks, Papa..." Zuri said as she continued walking down the tunnel. She climbed out of the tunnel and started pacing. "Tonight? By the time Timon gets back, he'll be too late! What'll I--?" She stopped when she looked towards Pride Rock. She gulped, "Maybe I can get a messager. Timon said he was staying over at Pride Rock, so if I tell the lions I know him... C'mon, girl, you gotta be brave..." She inhaled deeply a few times, and then raced towards Pride Rock. When she reached the bottom, she stopped to pant a moment. She looked at the climb ahead and gulped. "Why couldn't they live on the ground like normal animals?"
She saw a shadow loom on the stonewall in front of her, and she froze. "It's got a great view," a voice behind her said.
With wide eyes she slowly turned and looked up at the animal with the shadow. There stood a lion with a black mane and a scar over his left eye. "L-L-L-L-Li-Li-Li-Li-" Zuri stuttered.
"Um... lion?" the lion asked.
"Yes. Thanks." Zuri inhaled and screamed. The lion winced at her scream and covered his ears. Zuri dropped down to her knees and put her paws up in a pleading manner. "Please, don't eat me! I need to speak with the king!"
"About what?"
"I know the king has a hornbill, so he could reach Timon faster than I could!"
"You know Timon?"
"Yeah, so I... I... I... Ay-yi-yi..." Zuri froze again when she noticed two more lions step up next to the other lion. One was Simba, the other was Kiara.
"Kovu, who's the meerkat?" Kiara asked.
"She says she knows Timon," the black maned lion replied.
Zuri whimpered when Simba bent down to her level, taking a good look at her. "L...Li...Li..." She rolled her eyes back into the back of her head and fainted.
...
Zuri woke up inside the lion's cave, where she noticed the same lions looking down at her. She sat up and screamed. The other lines winced at the scream, and then Zuri closed her eyes tightly and covered her head. "Don't eat me! I need to speak with the king! I have to get a message to Timon!"
Kiara rubbed her ears, "She's got some good lungs."
Kovu rubbed his ears. "Are my ears bleeding?" Kiara looked, and shook her head.
Simba looked down at Zuri. "I'm the king. What's this about a message to Timon?"
Zuri opened an eye to look at Simba. "The king?"
"Yes."
"... Did Timon really raise you from a cub with his warthog friend?"
"Yes, he did."
"What?! He told the truth about that, too?! Unbelievable!" Zuri stood and put a paw on her hip, now more annoyed than she was scared. "I've never known a man to tell the truth so much. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not."
Simba and Kovu chuckled as Kiara giggled. "Now, what's this about a message to Timon?"
"Huh? Oh, right!" Zuri stepped up to Simba's face, leaning her weight on his nose. "My father moved my wedding up to tonight instead of two days from now. Timon doesn't know and he had some kind of plan to get me out of it, but he had to leave the Pride Lands."
"Where did he go?"
"He didn't tell me, but he said he'd be gone a day or two." Ma and Uncle Max walked into the cave, each carrying half of an eggshell.
"Oh, she's finally awake," Ma said as she walked over. She offered the egg to Zuri. "Bird egg?"
Zuri politely pushed it back. "No thanks... hey, do you know where Timon went to?"
"Yeah, he said something about bringing peace to the colonies, so he's probably at the oasis by now," Uncle Max said as he slurped down the whole egg.
"You're away from the tunnels... why don't you just leave?" Ma asked, putting a paw on Zuri's shoulder.
"I don't want to leave the colony like that. I want my father and the others to approve of Timon before I decided to leave." Zuri turned to Simba, put her paws together in a pleading manner. "Please, sire. Can you do this for me? If not for me, then as a favor to Timon?"
Simba looked at her for a moment, then he turned towards the exit. "Zazu!"
Zazu flapped into the cave, landed, and bowed to Simba. "Yes, sire?"
"I need you to go to Timon and Pumbaa's oasis and tell him to hurry back to the Pride Lands. Zuri's wedding has been moved up to tonight."
"Back to the oasis? Oh, but sire--"
Ma grabbed Zazu by the front of his feathers. "Don't talk back to your king, Banana Beak! Get flapping!"
"That's Mr. Banana Beak to you, madam," Zazu shot back.
Ma pulled Zazu down to her face and growled, "It'll be the LATE Mr. Banana Beak unless you go and give that message to my Timmy!"
Zazu gulped and then started flapping. "Which way was it? That way? Oh never mind, I'll ask directions!" Zazu flew out of the cave quick-like. "Oh, Mr. Timon! Mr. Pumbaa!"
Zuri looked at Ma, a bit amazed. "Wow... you need to tell me how to do that."
Ma smiled at her, "If all goes well, I will."
"Here's hoping... I should get going before Papa thinks I was eaten or something." Zuri bowed to Simba, and then scurried out.
"Do you think Timon'll make it back in time, Daddy?" Kiara asked Simba.
Simba watched Zuri leave and said, "If it's meant to be, he'll find a way."
To be continued...
Zuri: Oo, good, my emails must've gotten through.
Kari: ...
Zuri: Kidding! I just said that because I wasn't in the last chapter.
Kari: Yeah, well... hopefully we'll get more by the time I put this chapter up.
Timon: Hey, look on the bright side... we've got more cereal, cakes, and pocky!
Pumbaa: ::pushes in the wagon with the treats.:: We get the best treats!
Ma: ::walks into the scene.:: Hey, what are you guys doing? ::looks up at the pile of treats.:: Timon, you haven't been snacking in-between meals again, have you?
Timon: Ma! No, this is just cereal... late breakfast. ::holds up one of the older boxes they didn't throw away.:: See? It has Pumbaa's and my pictures on it.
Ma: Oh, you look so handsome, Timmy. So, can you explain the cakes and brown and pink sticks?
Pumbaa: Uh... those are Kari's.
Ma: ::stares at Kari.:: Does your mother know about this?
Kari: She hasn't been reading along... as I write this, she still hasn't finished reading Son of Fearless Buzz. ... How much to keep you from spilling the beans?
Ma: You can pass me a piece of that cake and a bowl of that cereal.
Zuri: I'll go grab the milk.
Kari: Eh, why not? Pass a bowl over here, Pumbaa. While we chow down, you readers begin reading Chapter 9!
Chapter 9:
Zuri walked through her tunnel, humming to herself as she passed by her father's nest. She stopped when she noticed Makali was in with him. She decided to give them the impression she had forgotten Timon, so she walked in.
"Good morning!" she said cheerfully to them. She walked over to Shomari, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him on the cheek. "Morning, Papa."
"Morning. You're in a good mood today, Zuri," he said.
"Why shouldn't I be? Sun's shining, I can go outside by myself... everything's wonderful, Papa."
"Good. You've forgotten about that rogue?" Makali asked.
Zuri pretended to play dumb. She grinned as she strolled over to Makali and kissed him on the cheek. "What rogue?"
"Never mind. Excited about the wedding?"
"You bet."
"Good... Makali and I were just discussing about moving it up," Shomari said. That brought a frown to Zuri's face.
"W-What?"
"Yeah. We were thinking of moving it to tonight, actually," Makali nodded.
"Oh, I see. Uh... why so soon?"
"Being wed under a full moon... too traditional. You wanted me to stop being so traditional, didn't you, sweetie?" Shomari asked, cocking a brow.
"Well, yes, but--"
"But...?"
"But tonight? I'm not ready for a wedding tonight."
"Oh, you let us worry about that, beautiful. All you have to do is show up," Makali said as he gently pushed Zuri's back to send her on her way. "Why don't you go out and enjoy the fresh air?"
"Well... I'll be less ready if you keep pressuring me."
"Oh, all right... we'll wait for you to scream before we come after you. Just don't stay out all day!" Shomari called after her.
"Thanks, Papa..." Zuri said as she continued walking down the tunnel. She climbed out of the tunnel and started pacing. "Tonight? By the time Timon gets back, he'll be too late! What'll I--?" She stopped when she looked towards Pride Rock. She gulped, "Maybe I can get a messager. Timon said he was staying over at Pride Rock, so if I tell the lions I know him... C'mon, girl, you gotta be brave..." She inhaled deeply a few times, and then raced towards Pride Rock. When she reached the bottom, she stopped to pant a moment. She looked at the climb ahead and gulped. "Why couldn't they live on the ground like normal animals?"
She saw a shadow loom on the stonewall in front of her, and she froze. "It's got a great view," a voice behind her said.
With wide eyes she slowly turned and looked up at the animal with the shadow. There stood a lion with a black mane and a scar over his left eye. "L-L-L-L-Li-Li-Li-Li-" Zuri stuttered.
"Um... lion?" the lion asked.
"Yes. Thanks." Zuri inhaled and screamed. The lion winced at her scream and covered his ears. Zuri dropped down to her knees and put her paws up in a pleading manner. "Please, don't eat me! I need to speak with the king!"
"About what?"
"I know the king has a hornbill, so he could reach Timon faster than I could!"
"You know Timon?"
"Yeah, so I... I... I... Ay-yi-yi..." Zuri froze again when she noticed two more lions step up next to the other lion. One was Simba, the other was Kiara.
"Kovu, who's the meerkat?" Kiara asked.
"She says she knows Timon," the black maned lion replied.
Zuri whimpered when Simba bent down to her level, taking a good look at her. "L...Li...Li..." She rolled her eyes back into the back of her head and fainted.
...
Zuri woke up inside the lion's cave, where she noticed the same lions looking down at her. She sat up and screamed. The other lines winced at the scream, and then Zuri closed her eyes tightly and covered her head. "Don't eat me! I need to speak with the king! I have to get a message to Timon!"
Kiara rubbed her ears, "She's got some good lungs."
Kovu rubbed his ears. "Are my ears bleeding?" Kiara looked, and shook her head.
Simba looked down at Zuri. "I'm the king. What's this about a message to Timon?"
Zuri opened an eye to look at Simba. "The king?"
"Yes."
"... Did Timon really raise you from a cub with his warthog friend?"
"Yes, he did."
"What?! He told the truth about that, too?! Unbelievable!" Zuri stood and put a paw on her hip, now more annoyed than she was scared. "I've never known a man to tell the truth so much. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not."
Simba and Kovu chuckled as Kiara giggled. "Now, what's this about a message to Timon?"
"Huh? Oh, right!" Zuri stepped up to Simba's face, leaning her weight on his nose. "My father moved my wedding up to tonight instead of two days from now. Timon doesn't know and he had some kind of plan to get me out of it, but he had to leave the Pride Lands."
"Where did he go?"
"He didn't tell me, but he said he'd be gone a day or two." Ma and Uncle Max walked into the cave, each carrying half of an eggshell.
"Oh, she's finally awake," Ma said as she walked over. She offered the egg to Zuri. "Bird egg?"
Zuri politely pushed it back. "No thanks... hey, do you know where Timon went to?"
"Yeah, he said something about bringing peace to the colonies, so he's probably at the oasis by now," Uncle Max said as he slurped down the whole egg.
"You're away from the tunnels... why don't you just leave?" Ma asked, putting a paw on Zuri's shoulder.
"I don't want to leave the colony like that. I want my father and the others to approve of Timon before I decided to leave." Zuri turned to Simba, put her paws together in a pleading manner. "Please, sire. Can you do this for me? If not for me, then as a favor to Timon?"
Simba looked at her for a moment, then he turned towards the exit. "Zazu!"
Zazu flapped into the cave, landed, and bowed to Simba. "Yes, sire?"
"I need you to go to Timon and Pumbaa's oasis and tell him to hurry back to the Pride Lands. Zuri's wedding has been moved up to tonight."
"Back to the oasis? Oh, but sire--"
Ma grabbed Zazu by the front of his feathers. "Don't talk back to your king, Banana Beak! Get flapping!"
"That's Mr. Banana Beak to you, madam," Zazu shot back.
Ma pulled Zazu down to her face and growled, "It'll be the LATE Mr. Banana Beak unless you go and give that message to my Timmy!"
Zazu gulped and then started flapping. "Which way was it? That way? Oh never mind, I'll ask directions!" Zazu flew out of the cave quick-like. "Oh, Mr. Timon! Mr. Pumbaa!"
Zuri looked at Ma, a bit amazed. "Wow... you need to tell me how to do that."
Ma smiled at her, "If all goes well, I will."
"Here's hoping... I should get going before Papa thinks I was eaten or something." Zuri bowed to Simba, and then scurried out.
"Do you think Timon'll make it back in time, Daddy?" Kiara asked Simba.
Simba watched Zuri leave and said, "If it's meant to be, he'll find a way."
To be continued...