1THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS!!! Also, there is a few bits of dialouge borrowed from Disney's The Lion King which I own nothing of!

Chapter 3: Laughing

Three months later...

Nala lay lazily on a large rock, trying to forget her thoughts. She had only seen Kali five times in three months, but he said he would come today. So she watched for him, getting up and stretching, wandering away from the pride.

"Hey, Nala!" called out one lioness, "Where you going?" Nala turned to face the group."I just need to take a walk. By myself," she add quickly when one started to stand. "I'll be back later."

"Before you go," called out as the king called to her, "Would you come in here so we could speak, privately?" Nala was confused, but went up anyway to visit.

"As you know, I need a queen," he started, but Nala interrupted him.

"As you know, I have a mate!"

"I don't care! King gets first choice," he smiled, licking his lips and advancing towards her. Nala stepped back, stumbling over a small stone, and flipped onto her back. The king took this opportunity to pin her. "You WILL be my queen! You have no choice!" His breath was hot on her neck.

Nala roared in his face, pushing him away. "You are breaking conduct rules! I have a mate, you cannot advance upon me!" Nala got up quickly, running toward the exit.

"Then why have we not seen this Kali!" he roared at her.

"I have! That's all that matters!" She stormed out, running out toward the open grass.

"What's the matter, Nala?" called out someone, but she ignored them, running faster. Some watched her, concerned, but others ignored her, continuing to sunbathe.

Nala ran until she reached where she had agreed to meet him. It was early yet - the day had only begun, they had agreed to meet mid-day. She sat, resting, trying not to think, watching the sky.

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"What's the matter?" asked Sarabi, sitting next to Sarafina. She sighed again.

"I don't know. I should be happy for Nala, but all I can think about is how I wish I had told her to not go, to stay, but I know it's not right."

"You did the right thing," soothed her best friend, butting her in the neck lightly. Sarafina scooted away.

"I'm thinking of visiting her, somehow tracking her."

"What! You can't! Scar might track you, which would kill your daughter! I'm sorry, Fina, but it's impossible." That's when she finally let go of the tears, the tears of knowing she will probably never see her only cub again.

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Rafiki lifted his weary brown eyes from the sand underneath his feet to the green in front of him. The wind urged him on, and he did, but his eyes did not look away from the oasis in front of him. He was weary from his travels, as old as a baboon as he was, went hurriedly to the nearest tree to take a much needed nap.

Rafiki woke to the sound of conversation. He rubbed his eyes and then grabbed onto the nearest limb, swinging with his arms. "I think that you need a girlfriend," the voice laughed. Rafiki looked down to see a lion, but he looked up again, realizing the wind had stopped. He shifted his gaze to the lion, there was something so familar about him.

Then he realized who it was. It was Simba, the King! He decided to wait until the muscular lion was by himself, away from this warthog and meerkat.

He watched the trio with careful eyes, and when he split from the warthog and meerkat, Rafiki lowered himself from the tree in front of his face. "Helloooo."

Simba raised an eyebrow, taking a step back. "Who are you." The baboon smiled, lowering himself even lower.

"Now, tat's not da question, is it? Da question is, whooo are you?" The lion was now utterly confused. The old mandrill smiled, "I know who you are! You're Mufasa's boy!" The lion looked up confused. "Now aren't you?"

"Yes, how did you know that, have you been following me, are-"

"Oh, stop before ya hurt yerself!" the shaman laughed, slapping the golden male on the back playfully. "But I know something you don't know about him!"

"What? What is it! Please tell me!" yelled Simba, eager to learn anything about his father.

"That," he whispered, and then yelled, "HE'S ALIVE!" Simba's eyes turned into large saucers, his mouth breaking into a smile.

"Do you know where he is?"

"Of course I do! And I can show him to you! You follow old Rafiki, he knows the way!" Rafiki laughed once again as he took of running to where he had rested before, by a small pond. He turned to the king, "Come on now, slowpoke!" Simba took off faster after the baboon.

Soon they approached the pond, and Rafiki ordered him to look in it. "See, it's Mufasa!"

"That's just my reflection," he said sadly, turning away.

Rafiki took the young male's head in his hands, directing it toward the water for a better look. "See, he live's in you." Simba rolled his eyes, completely convinced Rafiki was nuts.

"Look, it's my reflection, but thanks for trying," he said quietly, running away from his reflection.

"You don't get it, do you?" called Rafiki, and then suddenly he was at his side. "As long as you remember him, and don't deny his memory, he live's on." Simba gave him one more look before continuing toward where he slept briskly.

Rafiki looked up toward the sky, not knowing what to do. He called out to the Kings, Mufasa in particular, "I'm trying. But he's so darn stubborn. But of course, Mufasa, he is your son!" and he laughed, as if Mufasa was right next to him, laughing also.