VI

EXPLAINING

The clicks of Pumbaa's hooves were mixted with the light pitter patter of Simba's giant paws. It was evening now, and Simba and his best friends were making their way through the Kingdom, to a flatter place on Pride Rock (the place Kiara and Kovu were first married in the original TLK II). Lionesses were gathering there, and Nala was already sitting in the middle of her subjects, awaiting the arrival of her mate.

Simba sighed to himself as his friends rambled on. He could hear their distant voices, but wasn't paying attention as he attempted to figure out what words would be right to use for his son.

"Kopa," he said to himself, practicing as he walked. "It's for the pride...No...Kopa, I'm sorry, but I can't take you up today. We'll go tommorrow." With that he shook his head and groaned.

"Hmm, what is it, Simba?" Pumbaa asked, interupting Timon's constant talk of bugs.

"I made a promise to Kopa that I would take him to the top of Pride Rock tonight, but I also said I'd have a meeting at the same time." he answered, frusterated at himself as they neared the cluster of cats.

"Well how are ya gonna do that?"

"I don't know, OK?" Simba snapped.

"Eesh," Timon said. "Looks like ya got yourself in quite of a pickle."

Simba glared as he haulted in his tracks.

"Eh, heh heh, sorry," the meerkat muttered as he sat on Pumbaa's back.

Suddenly, Kopa came pouncing up the main pathway of Pride Rock, laughing happily.

"Hey, Dad!" he called as he came closer. "Ya ready yet!"

And he was forced to stop so suddenly that his paws rubbed against the ground for gripped, but he managed to stop from colliding into the King and the roya baby-sitters. Simba flinched as he looked down at his cub's eager, innocent eyes. He hadn't a clue how long the meeting would go on for, but maybe he could rush through it, just in time to keep his promise. But the idea quickly fled as the arguing of lionesses' voices rose, along with angered growls and even roars.

"Simba!" he heard Nala call, and he jerked his head to her. She sat a few yards away, still in the middle of the crow as she mouthed to him, saying it to herself, "Come-on-right-now." and the lioness nodded as she did so, her teeth now clamped.

"Woah, what are they doing?" Kopa asked curiously.

"Uh, just a minute, Nala!" he replied over the arguments. When he turned back to look down at Kopa, the lion cleared his throat, about to speak, but suddenly stopped himself as he gazed at Timon and Pumbaa, strongly.

"Oh, right," Timon said, cheekily. "We better be goin' now,"

"Uh, yeah," Pumbaa replied.

"Good idea," Simba smirked as they trotted off.

Kopa questioned, "What was that about?"

Heaving a sigh, Simba sat down and dipped his head to nuzzle his son. "Listen, Kopa," he gently exclaimed, and Kopa tilted his head at the hurt tone in his voice. "I um...I c-can't take you up Pride Rock tonight,"

"What? Why not?" Kopa cried.

"I'm sorry," and he stood up again, looking down with a sigh, eyes closed. "Ya see them over there?"

Simba lifted a paw and pointed to the pride.

"No, Dad, I don't see all those lionesses," Kopa sarcastically replied as he sat down, tail slowly swishing.

"Well, we need to sort some things out."

"What things?"

"You know those Outlanders by our lands?" Kopa nodded. "They're...they're not what you would call...'worthy' of being in the Pridelands,"

"But they weren't,"

Simba sighed for a third time. "You're right...but things can still go wrong. Oh and, Kopa,"

"Hmm?"

"Don't go near them at all."

Kopa stood up and set a paw firmly on the floor of the outside Kingdom. "Don't worry, I won't. She was a creep. They both were!"

"And don't turn your back on them,"

"I know," muttered the cub, remebering what Vitani had done when he did that.

"Anyway, we don't want anything t' happen with them so near and all..." Simba heaved another sigh. "I'm sorry, Kopa," and he nuzzled his son again, eyes briefly closed. "I really am...I'll take you up there tommorrow, though, I promise."

"Oh," Kopa said, somewhat hurt as his father stook a step back to gaze down at him with a weak, forced grin. "Uh, OK, Dad."

Simba stood there for a few more moments, before turning and heading to the pride, as he lightly said, "Love ya, son,"

"You too, Dad," Kopa replied in a whisper, though Simba hadn't known he actually heard.

With that, the little prince pounced up to the Kingdom's cave as the sky slowly darkened.

Simba blinked as he watched his pride growl and argue loudly. They hadn't even notice he was standing two feet away! And poor Nala was stuck right in the middle of all this! Lifting his head, somewhat annoyed, the King lightly cleared his throat. With that, everyone gasped and fell silent, letting their ruler through as they bowed respectfully, taking a couple steps back as he passed. He sat down by his mate and nuzzled her.

"Thanks for not being late," growled Nala.

"Sorry...had some buisness to take care of," Simba replied quietly, before turning to the pride and roaring.

Nala joined, and soon the whole pride was. Zazu came over and lightly landed upon Simba's right shoulder.

"All right," Simba started. "We all know about the Outlanders..."

Simba's voice rang through the lands, or so it seemed. Kopa was padding into the cave, humming.

"Do I hear humming, Pumbaa?" someone asked.

The prince gasped as he jerked his head to see Timon holding a hand to his ear.

"First time you're not ridin' round on your poney," Kopa snickered.

"Woah, woah, back up," Pumbaa snorted. "I am not a poney."

The cub giggled.

Timon lifted up a rock and grabbed a bug, only to have the warthog join.

"Your dad loves you, ya know that?" said the meerkat after swallowing his snack.

Then he snatched another and lifted it to Kopa's face in offering.

"Sick!" Kopa said, jumping back.

He shrugged and said as he ate his meal, "More for us."

"Ya don't know what you're missin'!" Pumbaa called as Kopa trotted over to his favorite place in the cave.

"Oh, I think I do," he uttered to himself with a smirk, before curling up into a little golden, fur ball.