So it was that one day I was out walking in the savannah on my own, feeling the hot sun on my back, with the vague idea of heading for the waterhole.  Only half way there, lying on his back in the scorching sun, was Timon.  Only I couldn't remember him ever sunbathing in the midday heat, least of all where there were predators all over.  Slightly apprehensively, I walked up to him and peered at him closely.  He gave all the signs of being dehydrated, if not dead.  I pawed him and growled, remembering in the past that growling had always got him up if he was refusing to get up from his morning snoring.  But he lay there, breathing only shallowly.  Even when I rolled him over, his body seemed strangely lifeless.

As time went on, I began to get slightly worried. "Timon?" I asked, "er – are you, er, ok?"  No answer.

"Pumbaa? Are you here?" I called out.  But he was nowhere either.

Beginning to get really worried, I tossed Timon onto my back and headed for the waterhole with him.  When I got there, I lay him on the ground, but still he was lifeless.  I used my paw to splash some water on him, but still he remained.  Peering closely at him, getting towards the hysterical stage, he suddenly jumped up at me and shouted, "BOO!!".

I'm embarrassed to admit that for the first time in his life, he'd got me.  Heart thumping, I turned to see Pumbaa rolling on the floor in stitches, fighting for breath.  "Got 'im!  At last!" he breathed.

"Tee Hee!" laughed Timon, "oh, that felt good!"

In fits of laughter they continued rolling around on the floor whilst I gradually worked out a suitable expression to greet them with when they came round.  I decided on a sarcastic, amused one.  I never found out if I succeeded however, as before they looked at me, they looked at one another and said "Oh gee, we're gonna have to thank Nala for that!"

"He's a worrier, she said!"

"Haha!"

"Ho!"

I wasn't sure what to think.  Nala had told them how to trick me?  Was that a sign of betrayal?  In the end, I decided I'd deal with it later, and in order to shut my two hysterical friends up, gently rolled them towards the water hole.  They were blissfully unaware, until, to my delight...

SPLASH!!

Off an overhang they'd gone!

"UGH!"

"Hey, this ain't bad Timon, nice and cool!"

"Pumbaa! It's mud! Revolting!  Disgusting!  Get me oout of heeeere!!"

Well, I'd stopped them laughing, even if I'd only upset Timon with my rolling trick.

"Simba!  Get me out of here!"

I laughed, "Not a chance, my friend!  A worrier am I?  Well, don't you worry Timon, I won't worry about how you look when you finally get out!  Perhaps muddy brown will be this years new burgundy?!"

And with that, I bounded off, smiling.

In the beautiful sunshine, still smiling, I ran into a group of the older lionesses.  "Hello there!  Lovely day!"  I beamed happily.  They looked shocked at my happy nature.  Something about their shifty looks gave me the impression that they'd been talking about me before I'd bounded up.

"So, er – how is everyone today?" I asked tentatively.

"Just fine.  You're right, it is a lovely day," said Shuku, somewhat forcefully, I felt.

"Oh yeah, it's really good to see the Pridelands back to normal again, you've done a great job.  Keep it up," said Terema, rather more enthusiastically.

"Oh, um – thanks," I replied, feeling myself blushing slightly, "I'm glad you think so."  I smiled.

"Well, we'll be on our way, if that's ok with you," said Shuku, her eyes narrowing slightly, "we were just on our way to the waterhole."

"Oh, I've just been there," I said brightly, "mind you avoid the muddy parts, you might meet some, er, unsavoury figures there," I laughed as I imagined Timon climbing out covered head to tail in mud.

"We usually do, mud doesn't taste too good for drinking" replied Shuku, with unnecessary scepticism, I thought.  "We'll be seeing you then."

As they left, I was sure I heard Terema say "There was no need for..." and her voice tailed off into the distance.  I was slightly confused by Shuku's reaction.  She had never had a problem with me as a cub.  In fact, she had been one of my favourite adults.  Still, never mind, I thought to myself.  It was better if I got into a better mood, after all I'd got one over on Timon, and it was a beautiful day.  Why bother feeling down?!  Bounding along again, I ran into someone else, though they were more pleased to see me than the group of lionesses, I must say.

"Hey Simba!" said Nala brightly.

"Oh, hey!" I replied, trying my best to sound as delighted as she did, but realising that I'd failed miserably.

"You catch up with Timon and Pumbaa?" she said, sheepishly.

I looked at her, and remembered what they'd said.  Unsure whether to be angry or upset, I remained silent for a moment.

"They – er, they, made you worry did they?  Pretended to be…dead?"

I looked at her again.  Then I smiled, realising what she'd done.  She smiled back.

"You realise how you've been acting?  Worrying and being over-cautious?!  Don't you see? You're your own worst enemy if you do that!"

I had to agree with her.  "You're right, again," I said, "I just have to work at what I'm doing and deal with whatever comes along sensibly, not worry about what might happen."  A bit like Hakuna Matata, I thought.  So I knew I could deal with it.

"Don't you ever get tired of helping me?" I grinned at Nala.

"Heh, it's just like having my own cub to look after," she smiled, "only more difficult!"

We laughed and nuzzled together.  She was cleaning my ears when I saw a muddy brown…thing come towards us.

"I think cleaning me right now isn't going to do a lot of good," I said, nodding in the direction of the walking talking muddy thing.

Nala looked startled and was about to question me when I silenced her with a look.  I decided to let her watch and learn.

"Gee Simba, thanks for all your help," the thing said, from a point near the top.  I guessed Timon was in his usual spot on Pumbaa's back.

"I coulda been drowned, and now look at me!  I feel like a warthog!"

"Hey, don't say that!" said a voice below.

"But I do.  You can keep your mud.  Oy!  Gimme sand any day."

I grinned at the object and said, "Hey look, I was right!  Muddy brown really suits you Timon!"

"Oh haha," he replied sarcastically, jumping off Pumbaa's back.  You know what this meerkat has to say?  You know how it feels to look like a warthog?  You know what he plans to do right now, eh? Tough guy?"  He strolled up towards me.  I confess, I had a good idea of what he planned to do.

"Gotcha!" he cried gleefully, flinging a pile of mud into my mane and running.

I chased after him, round in circles, and caught hold of his tail in my teeth in seconds.  I gently swung him round and made him fly through the air in the direction of Nala.

Dazed, he looked up, "Oh I see Missy.  Thought you could get away clean eh?!"

And with that, Nala had mud on her fur coat and a full scale riot ensued between the four of us.