This fic is currently just a one-chapter fic (I hate those) but I was watching a cartoon short and got the sudden burst of inspiration to write something. I'm planning to add onto this as soon as my muse and I can come up with a good storyline. Story title may also change... it'll probably be turned into the chapter name.

Out of the Blue
By Kari Gilmore

It was early in the morning. Two young meerkat pups were curled up next to their mother, dreaming simple dreams. They were the same dreams they had every night and early morning. They dreamed of their mother and father adding onto their home, deep within the earth. They dreamed of where their aunts and uncles disappeared to when they climbed up the ceiling where a strange, warm glow entered their dark home. It was a mystery they wanted to uncover.

One pup whimpered softly as his mother shifted and sat up. He opened his eyes to look up at her. She smiled and picked him up. "Good morning, Timon. Do you know where your father is?" She chuckled softly and smoothed his hair a bit. "Why am I asking you for? You don't know, so I'll have to tell you. Your father is outside. And guess what? You and Titus will be joining us today."

Timon didn't understand what she was saying. He only watched her as she lifted the second pup up into her arms and walked out of their nest. He looked around as they walked down the tunnel, and then he noticed the ceiling with the strange, warm glow. They were going up. They were actually leaving their home to see the glow. Timon whimpered softly as the glow grew brighter. He rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times until they adjusted.

"Good morning, Panya. Finally decided it was time to let the boys come up here, eh?" Timon looked to see his father Buzz approach. He smiled and reached for him. Buzz smiled and took him from his mother.

"Well, they're two weeks old. It's time for them to see the outside." Timon was too busy and excited to understand what they were saying. There were so many wonders up here, so many things and colors he's never seen. It was so bright and full of life up here. Bright... this was where that odd glow came from. It covered nearly everything he saw up here. He tried to see where it was coming from, and then he looked upward at a bright circle.

"Don't stare at the sun, Timon. You'll get sunspots," Buzz said as he set Timon down.

Sun... is that what it's called? Timon instantly fell in love with the source of the light, and the warm, bright world above. He never wanted to go back into the cold, dark underground after coming up here. He looked over at the pup his mother was holding as he was set down and scurried over to him, and then he tackled him. The other pup playfully growled and tackled back.

Their parents watched with amusement as they rolled over into the tall grass. "Let them have their fun. The sentries will let us know if something approaches," Buzz said.

"I suppose," Panya nodded.

Timon and Titus rolled onto a few green leaves that had fallen from the nearby tree. Timon noticed and picked one up. He tilted his head slightly and bit into it. He quickly spat it out. He licked his fur to get the taste out of his mouth, and then tried to grab the leaf again as a gust of wind blew it out of his tiny paws. He stopped what he was doing and watched as the leaf danced in the air with the wind. He smiled and tried standing on his back legs, reaching up to it. He took a few weak steps after it, and then quickly landed on his backside. He frowned and watched the leaf gracefully float away. He scurried back over to the leaves and grabbed another, offering it to Titus... until he noticed he was no longer with him. He looked around briefly, blinking. He looked down at the leaf in his paws and quickly forgot about Titus as he threw the leaf into the air and watched it dance in the wind. He reached up for it as it swooped directly over his head in a loop-de-loop. He managed to grab it and laughed. He took a bite out of this one, and then quickly spat the piece out. This one tasted the same as the other one. He heard someone running up behind him, so he turned to look. He smiled and reached up as his mother and father came over to him.

"Timon, where's Titus?" his father asked.

"You do realize whom you're asking, right?" his mother asked dryly as she bent over to pick Timon up. Timon smiled as he nuzzled his head against his mother's chest and closed his eyes.

"He couldn't have gotten far. Come on." Buzz started walking away, yelling, "Titus!"

Panya followed after him. "Titus!"

Timon didn't understand what was wrong. He only smiled as his mother held him and carried him while they called for that other meerkat pup he was always with.

"Titus!"

...

The sudden scream in his head woke Timon up with a start. He sat up from his nest, panting quickly. He took a moment to realize where he was. He was lying in his nest in the oasis. He was laying next to his mate Zuri and their pups Kito and Shani, both who were about three months old. It was night. He looked over to his right to see Pumbaa and his family nearby, sleeping peacefully. Timon's panting slowed and he rubbed his eyes.

Haven't had that dream for a while... he thought to himself. He got out of his nest carefully as to not disturb his family's sleep. His feet touched the cold, damp grass, making him shudder slightly. He rubbed his arms as he walked away. I don't know why I keep dreaming of that Titus guy. I mean, it's not like he was important, right? He suddenly felt the wind blow past him, blowing a few weak leaves from the tree branches by. He watched as the leaves danced in unison in the air and softly smiled.

He snatched a leaf out of the air and watched as it flattened against the wind, as if trying to escape from his paw. Timon released it, and watched with amusement as the leaf blew forward, landing in the stream. He pouted his lips for a moment, and then he walked over to the stream, picked up the leaf, and tied a piece of a vine that was nearby to the stem. He let the leaf dangle on the end of the vine, until the wind picked up again. The leaf struggled against the restraint of the vine, desperate to go its own way. Timon grinned and eased his grip on the vine, watching the length grow, allowing the leaf a little more freedom to move. He walked forward and watched as the leaf dance along with the wind and motion of his walk. He felt the wind strength grow, and then decided to release the vine. He watched as the vine danced with the leaf and wind, until they both disappeared. He shook his head, turned, and headed back to his nest.

Maybe I should ask Ma more about this Titus... He climbed into his nest and settled back in the position he was in when he woke up. He felt some movement in the nest and turned his eyes to the source.

"Welcome back. Are you all right?" Zuri asked with a yawn.

"I'm fine," Timon said as he rested his paws behind his head. He closed his eyes and yawned, "Just dreaming... old dreams." Soon, both meerkats were back to sleep.

To be continued...