Author's Note: Wow- I tried to not let it happen again, but I guess I can't help it all the time! I apologize for the long wait again. I didn't think school would make life so hectic, but it turns out that I thought wrong. I've been kept busy by a bunch of things, but I'm trying to make room for writing! I've been reading like crazy though, haha… In this chapter, you don't get very far, but you pretty much get to pry into Nala's brain and read it. I think that the next chapter is going to be the last!Well, anyway, on with the story! Enjoy! - Alexa
Chapter XVI: Looking in Many Directions
Feeling weary, Nala lied down to take a break. She didn't recognize where she was at all after more than an hour of running. Still, she felt as if she had been running her whole life.
Sort of, she thought to herself. Running from the fact that Simba was gone, and running from Scar's rule. Running from everything she didn't want to hear or see. Running was what kept her so strong, she didn't face anything. She still, sometimes, couldn't admit to herself that she was – or, had been – living in the Pride Lands. It was the place where she grew up, and once loved to frolic with her mother, with Lisani, with even memories of her former best friend were vague, for all she could remember was the pouncing on each other they would do. Her eyebrows rose for a split second as she recalled how one day, Simba and she were having a contest: who could pin the other one the most. She was winning of course when their game was put to a stop and Simba was disappointed he had lost to Nala, and made it clear he would one day beat her. And that's when she promised him that she would never feel an ounce of pity for him and let him win.
She never did get to fulfill that promise, she thought. With his spirit, he could have overcome anything, and I know he would have been able to beat me right now. Then she let out a laugh at the thought of him still not being able to, through all of these years.
Then, she remembered that one dream she had. "I have to run away," those are the words that Simba had left Nala with. Some say dreams are wishes your heart makes, and her wish was that Simba really never died, and he was out there… she just had to find him. Just like one of the games that they used to play together. Desperately, she wanted to find him. Her mind continued to tell her, though, that he wasn't coming back. Simba was gone.
Nala would have to proceed soon. She stood up and walked towards a small watering hole. All of this running simply made her parched, she realized. Not to mention hungry.
Nala gazed at her reflection as she lapped down water. She had not been able to stare into water like this for the longest time. She really had grown, but looked somewhat like what she would have expected herself to look like. What would Simba look like about now?
She frowned at herself and raised her head. "Enough about Simba!" she demanded herself. Think about someone who exists, for once. Like… Lisani.
Lisani, she thought. She was more than blessed to have him sent when she was in dire need of some sort of a companion. He was always there for her, always supporting her, and knew just what to say. Even if his constant father-like attitude towards her made her a bit peeved at times, she loved having him there were those awkward moments between them when the thought of them both, together, made her think. Lisani was the perfect soul mate. And sometimes, she felt as if he was hiding something from her, although he was never exactly the most open lion to begin with. She sighed, wondering if there ever could have been something between them. Or, even if there was something there her expression changed from being in deep thought to baffled. Lisani had almost willingly let her go. She really did trust him, and he wouldn't have just shooed her away from him if he didn't desire her company. He looked at her in a way that couldn't be explained; there was some sort of pain in his eyes when he looked at her, but at the same time, it seemed as if he were ready to "let her go." As if he knew she had to, or else. That, she thought, or he put all of the faith he had inside of him into her.
With her mind now clear, Nala realized that she had worked up an appetite. Then her ears perked as she picked up a faint noise; somewhat musical; in the distance.