Chapter 1: First Day Out

Siagi soon grew to be the size of Simba. All knew he was a smart cub. He had grown a tuft of curly, red hair upon his head by time aswell. He was now the age of leaving the cave. It was an early morning when his Mother Sarabi and him were sitting on the early pride rock, watching the sun rise.

"Now Siagi. You have to promise me you will be careful! Today is your first day out there. I will keep my eyes on you." Sarabi spoke lovingly. She smiled at the cub and nuzzled him. "Have fun, Dear!"

Siagi grinned and dashed off. Getting down from the pride rock, he wasn't sure where to go. Soon he was followed by Simba. Simba pounced the young cub from behind, making Siagi yelp. Loosing his balance, Siagi stumbled downhill, Simba who still had his paws around Siagi's neck, rolled along, laughing the whole way. They soon came to a quick end as they managed to roll into Nala. Nala was pushed from her place, her grooming cut short as she landed in a puddle of mud.

"Eugh!" She screamed, tongue sticking out in disgust as she instantly darted from the puddle. "Simba! What was that for!" She shook herself, looking at the cub, soon realizing there were two of them. "Oh! Hi! You're Siagi, right?" She gleefully called out, instantly forgetting her grooming.

"Yeah! I am!" Siagi said quickly, puffing up his chest. "He's cute!" Nala whispered to Simba, who now stuck his own tongue out in disgust: "Stop it!" Siag had a wondering expression on his face. "Stop what?" Simba and Nala stared at eachother, then burst out laughing. "Nevermind, Siagi.."

Early morning had turned into day, sun was beaming in the sky and three more cubs had joined up with the Trio. Two of them being Chumvi and Kula, one of them being a cub around Siagi's age. His name was Tojo and he would've looked like a clone of Simba, hadn't he had a darker fur and sky-blue eyes.

"So what we gonna do?" Chumvi asked, already bored.

"How 'bout we go to the water-hole!" Nala suggested.

Simba sighed. "And there? What're we going to do there? Stare at our reflections?" He rolled his eyes and looked to Kula, who had opened her mouth to say something.

"Well, I'd like you see and try make a better suggestion!"

Simba sighed, defeated. "Oh well. Let's go to the water-hole!" Everyone grinned and the cubs headed for the said place.

Making it to the water-hole, Siagi's eyes lit up with interest. There was a herd of zebras there and Siagi had never seen so many zebras together as one. The stripes were hurting his eyes. "Wow.. That's a lot of Zebras, Simba!" The big brother nodded, then glanced at Nala.

"So? What are we gonna do now, Genious?" He teased. Nala eyed at him and then the others, quickly glancing around. Soon noticing a few rocks on the watery surface. As it was almost drought the water had gone shallow and the rocks were visible.

"First one to cross the water-hole WITHOUT touching the water wins!" Nala called out and dashed off, leaping onto the first rock, finding it scarily slippy, yet staying on and pouncing onto the next rock. "Well? 'Ya comin'?" She asked out loud as she leapt onto the third rock, keeping her balance.

Kula was the first brave one to follow her. Luck was not with her though, and with the first leap she ended up in the water. "MAN! This is COLD!" She screamed as she quickly got out. "Brr.." She shivered as she got farer, sat down and started grooming herself.

"Hah! Amateure!" Chumvi called out as he leapt on the second rock, catching on to Nala. "I'm gonna getcha!"

"You wish!" She stuck out her tongue(Something she did a lot...) and jumped on.. Miscalculating her way though, she ended up falling into the water. And there it was much deeper than on the shore. "Heeeelp!" She called out as she tried to get a hold of the rock she had just fallen from. The rock was slippery and her tiny paws couldn't grasp it, as she gasped for air and tried to stay above the water surface. "Help me!" She pleaded, paddling on the water.

"NALA!" Simba called out as he was almost ready to run into the icy waters to save his friend.

Chumvi realized that he was nearest to her and he quickly made his way over to where she was trying to get onto the rock.

That's when reality hit Simba and he turned around and dashed off. He was going to get his father or his mother or Sarafina. Someone! Anyone! Where was Zazu when you needed quick messengers? He ran as fast as he could, praying his friend would still be above the surface when he returned.

Meanwhile Chumvi had made his way over to Nala. "Don't panic!" He called out as he stretched his paw towards her. "Try to grab on! Come on!" She was still gasping for air and dearly trying to live. She saw the paw, but heard no words as she WAS indeed in panic. She latched herself onto Chumvi's helpful paw. As he started to pull, he noticed, that she was heavier than he had believed her to be.

"Come on! Come on! Help along, Nala!" She heard that part and pushed with her rear-paws against the rock. Finally succeeding to get out. She sat on the rock, her pupils drawn into little slits, panting and wheezing, still gasping for air, her ears tucked behind her head and her paws trembling. Chumvi gave her a nuzzle. "It's ok! It's ok, Nala. Everything's fine. You're alive!"

Simba returned with Sarabi and Sarafina. Sarafina instatly ran over to the cubs. She was high enough to stay above the surface. So when she made her way over to her daugher she grabbed ahold of her and returned to safe land, placing her down and nuzzling her dearly, licking her clean from the water. "Are you ok, Dear? Nala! Oh dear. I was so afraid. I'm so glad to have you here between my paws, Nala!" Nala shivered and curled up between her mother's paws. "I'm so sorry.." she whispered.

Chumvi had returned to land also and stood beside Simba. "Good thinking, Simba."

"You too, Chumvi." Simba smiled at him. "Hadn't it been for you she could've... Well. You know." Chumvi nodded and eyed at the other three dashing over.

"Chumvi! You were so brave!" Siagi exclaimed as he and Tojo certainly looked impressed. "Mufasa should give you an award for that! You technically saved her life!"

"Not technically," Kula said, "He DID save her life."

The day went on with no major incidents. Nala did not come out of her safe cave until night wrapped the pridelands into deep darkness. She padded over to Chumvi's place and softly poked him with her paw.

"Chumvi! Wake up!" She whispered to him, soon seeing him awake from the darkness. "Humh? Who's dis?"

"It's me, Nala! Come on! Please. I can't get any sleep.." Nala begged. Chumvi got up, stretched and followed her out of the cave, into the moonlight. They sat on the edge of the pride-rock, looking over the pridelands. Everything looked very beautiful in the light of the moon.

Nala broke the silence which seemed to have lasted for hours. "Hey, I wanted to thank you for saving my life today. It was a stupid idea to play a dangerous game like that." Chumvi smiled. "It's ok. We all do stu.. dangerous stuff at times. It's what reminds you you're alive."

Nala looked happy and relieved. "I nearly got you killed aswell. I won't do that again." She edged over and gave Chumvi a lick on his cheek before returning back to the cave. Chumvi sat there for another hour, thinking and pondering over the day's events.. And over Nala. She was bethrothed to another but..