VII

WORRIED

Back at the pride meeting, the lionesses were still arguing as the sun fell.

"It's settled then," Nala finally concluded, hours later. "We'll send Zazu to warn them again, and after that, we'll just have t' wait for something to happen."

"Just wait for them to kill us!" someone blurted.

The Queen narrowed her eyes at the lioness, and she lowered her ears, backing into the crowd again.

"We're stronger than them," Simba began. "I'm not worried about that...I'm worried about them sceming."

"Do not judge," someone then said.

A few lionesses backed up to make a pathway for Rafiki, who was walking over to the King and Queen. When he stopped in front them, they were smiling, and he hugged both.

"It's good to see you, Rafiki," Simba quietly said.

"You, too, my King. And Queen." He bowed respectfully.

"Rafiki!" Nala quickly exlcaimed, though she was flattered. "You don't have to do that!"

The shaman just chuckled.

"Sorry." Simba then said, more seriously. "I don't like to judge...it's just, I keep remembering the hyenas...and Sc-"

"De past is de past," Rafiki replied as everyone watched and listened. "Remember our little 'talk'?"

Simba grinned and nodded. "But that's why we wait...to see if they really are up to something...that's why we let them live their lives," and his voice rose as he looked at the pride again. "until something does happen...if something happens, that is."

"Then what's the point of Zazu flying out there to tell 'em?" another member of the pride challenged.

"Hu-what? What?" Zazu suddenly asked, fluffing his feathers as he awoke.

The bird was still perched atop Simba's shoulder, and had been asleep for awhile.

"Zazu'll just be a warning," Nala answered. "To keep them in line."

"Quite right, quite right," Zazu said, puffing out his chest. Then he turned to whisper in Simba's ear, that twitched as he did so. "What am I doing?"

"Go tell the Outlanders to be careful if they are to stay near our lands," Simba calmly said, staring out in the distance.

"Oh right, right." and Zazu took off into the night sky.

"We're done with this meeting." Nala stated, and the pride began to tiredly stumble up Pride Rock to the royal cave.

Simba nuzzled Nala.

"Just like your father," Rafik then exclaimed, smiling warmly as he put both hands on his staff, resting. "Strong, proud, brave...He would've been proud of you."

The King looked down at his paws, listening to Rafiki's words and his mate's purring. When he looked up, he cleared his throat and replied, "You're a bit late if you've come here for the meeting."

Rafiki shook his head. "No, no. I need to show you some'ding, Simba."

"Hmm?" Simba quiered.

"Just go," Nala insisted as she started up after the family. A couple feet away, she turned and looked over her shoulder to say, "I'll go check on Kopa. You go," and she continued on her way.

"C'mon," Rafiki said as he turned and began down the main pathway of the Kingdom.

Simba jumped up to walk slowly by his side.

When they were out in the dark Pridelands, walking through the green, lush grass, Rafiki asked, "Do you remember de time I took you to see your father's spirit?"

"Of course, how can I not?" Simba replied, looking away briefly.

"Figures," Rafiki chuckled, before they came to his baobab tree.

The monkey, as old as he was, easily climbed up. Simba leapt up after him, into a place he had never been. Hanging vines were tied to several fruits and objects. The shaman put down his staff, took a hanging coconut and broke it in half, and took some of its juice in his fingers. From there, he began to paint on the "wall" of a part of a large branch that stook up vertically from the huge trunk which they now stood on. Simba took a step closer as he watched. There was a picture of himself on that tree, and he smiled as he saw a picture near his - it was Kopa's. Yet, Rafiki was painting another cub, a few inches from the prince's.

"I have been speaking to de spirits lately, Simba. Your father warns me about something." Rafiki exclaimed as he continued to work.

"My father" Simba quickly replied.

"'Eet ees with great honor that 'ee speaks to me by de wind."

And with that, a cool breeze broke into the tree, and Simba closed his eyes as his mane flowed in the night. He opened them again, still listening as the wind died down.

"He does? What'd he say?" the King questioned, his voice smooth but not totally calm.

"I am not sure...'Eet is something to do with a cub...in de Outlands."

Simba blinked. A cub in the Outlands? Who was he talking about? And how threatening could a cub be?

"Dis Zira fills de cub's heart with hate," Rafiki then said, and Simba watched as the shaman smudged an inky, black sustance on the newly-painted cub's chest. "I am very worried about dis, Simba." He turned around to face his King. "'Eef dis goes on much longer..."

"Zira's cub?" Rafiki nodded. "But what can a cub do?"

"It's when de cubs grows..." said the baboon warily, gazing down for a moment.

Simba growled and straightened up. "I'll keep an eye out...don't worry."

Rafiki looked up again with a weak smile, put his hand to his chest, and bowed.

The King leapt from the Tree of Life and began to run west, back to Pride Rock. Rafiki watched from his tree as Simba called over his shoulder while still sprinting through the grass which he was now making a trail in, "Thanks for the heads up, Rafiki!"