CHAPTER SEVEN

Simba had no idea how long he had been out,but he found himself being awaken by water being splashed onto his face and that stirred him.The next thing he smelled was something that smelled,but really was it? Yes,it was it was Meat! Ick..Simba thought when he first looked at the merecat that had saved his life. I hate those things.And is that a warthog? His mouth began to water but then remembered that he whould be no match for one;those tusks and two;these guys had just saved his life.It whould be pretty rotton to just decide to eat them,so he pushed that thought out of his mind but he was still groggy.

"Wha...where am i?"

"You nearly died!" The warthog said his eyes widening in shock,the merecat nodded and said. "And I saved you!" The hog snorted and he corrected himself. "And Pumba helped..a little.."

Simba who wasn't much for talking frowned and went to sit down outside the shade looking at his paws.

He chould hear the merecat and Warthog wispering behind him.

"Gee,he looks blue."

"I'd say brownish gold."

"No,no i mean hes depressed." The merecat added looking at him.Pumba walked over and sat next to Simba. "Hey kid,whats eating you?" He asked looking at Timon but he took it as a joke,and jabbed Simba in the ribs and began cracking up.

"Nothing he's at the top of the food chain...Hahaha! Get it..The food chain?" Simba didn't find that joke funny or amusing at all and Pumba looked at Timon,and he sighed and looked at Simba. "ahh..ah..ehm So kid where you from?"

"Who cares..." Simba replied looking at his rescuers. "I can never go back."

"Ahh. You're an outcast! That's great, so are we!" He looked at Pumba excited,and Pumba looked at Simba. "Watch'ya do kid?" Simba sighed. "Something terrible but i dont wanna talk about it."

"Good,we don't wanna hear about it!" Again Timons joke was a flop.

Pumba frowned at Timon and gave him a reproachful look,then looked at Simba. "Anything we can do?" He shook his head no. "Not unless you can change the past." And right now Simba whould do anything to do just that,and either turn time back to be with his father,or maybe Li.

Pumba looked at Simba and sat down on the ground looking at him"You know, kid, in times like this my buddy Timon here says, 'You got to put your behind in your past..I mean...' " Timon shook his head no and waved his arms. "No,No.Lye down before you hurt yourself,It's You gotta put your past behind ya.Look Kid,bad things happen,and you cant do anything about it right?"

Simba nodded. "Right!"

"Wrong!" Timon poked Simba's nose."When the world turns it back on you,you turn your back on the world!"

"Simba looked at them. "Thats not what i was taught..."

Well,Kid it looks like you need a new lesson." Timon said poking Simba on the nose. "Repeat after me,Akuna Matata."

Was this merecat crazy from all the heat?Maybe his brain fried from too much son.Whatever it was Simba went along with it. "Akuna-ma,what?"

"Aku-na,Matata.It means no worries!" The warthog jumped in.

The warthog too? Man these guys are looking more and more delicious every secound. Then the merecat broke into song.

"Anukna Matata,What a wonderful phrase!"

"Akuna Matata,aint no passing craazze"

It means no worries for the rest of your dayyys.Its our problem free Philosaphy.Akuna Mataaaa."

Timon Pushed Simba back into a bush

"Akuna Matata?" Simba said

"Yea its our Motto!" Pumba said proudly sticking out his chest.

Boy does that look good now. Simba thought staring at Pumba,his mouth watering.He didn't care that these guys were crazy or think they were in a musical.All he wanted to do was eat.Maybe if he threated them they'd shut up?

"Whats a Motto?" Simba asked more confused then before now.

"Nothing," Timon said cracking up. "What's A motto with you!" The merecat and Warthog both broke into fits of laughter.Simba laughed with them.After about two mintues of laughter Pummba looked at Simba and said "You know, kid-- These two words will solve all your problems!"

"That's right! Take Pumbaa for example," He broke into song again. "Why when he was a young wart hog!"

Pummba answered back. "Why when I was a young WartHog!"

Timon looked stunned but recovered,and said "Very Nice."

"Thanks!"

Timon began singing again. "He found his aroma lacked a certain appeal He could clear the savannah after every meal."

"I'm a sensitive soul, though I seem thick-skinned And it hurt that my friends never stood downwind."

Uhhh when will this freakshow end! Simba thought to himself watching as both the merecat and the Warthog began to sing again.

"And,Oh the shame!"

"He was ashamed!"

"Thoughta changin' my name!"

"Oh,whats in a name?"

"And I got downhearted! "

"How did you feel!" Timon kept going.Simba was going to pounce on them if they didn't shut up.His stomach growled,he wanted something to eat.He imagined eating a large antilope that his mother caught,and brought into the cave,and Nala and himself fighting for it. Nala He said to himself.How much he missed her.He didn't even relize he was being pulled up now.He looked around to see himself in a vine.

They were singing again.Maybe if Simba made himself sing with them theyd stop.Both were singing out loud again together.

"Hakuna Matataaa! What a wonderful phraseee! Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze."

Simba finnally joined in hoping for one,to get this song over with,and two so he can eat something. "It means no worries forrr the rest of your days!"

"Yea Sing it Kid!" Timon said skidding across the floor.

All three sang now,Simba glad this was over. "Its our problem free...Philosophyy...Akuna Matataaaa."

Timon lead Simba over to a large leaf,and pulled it open revealing a beautiful landscape of Trees,Waterfalls,and a large Rugged Jungle.Simba was momentarily stunned. "You live here!"

"We live where ever we want." Timon said shrugging.

"Home is where your Rump rests." Pummba said.Simba didn't listen.He was now more hungry then ever.

"Its Beautiful." Simba said softly,and immeditly began looking for something to eat.

Timon let out a loud beltch. "I'm Starved."

"I'm so hungry I chould eat a whole Zebra!" Simba said bouncing alongside Timon,who frowned but had a desprate face that said i-knew-this-whould-happen. "Eeeahhah. We're fresh out of zebra."

"Any Antilope?"

"Na ah..." Timon said shaking his head.

What do they eat around here?

Sounding desprate,Simba said. "Hippo!"

"Nope. Listen, kid; if you live with us, you have to eat like us. Hey, this looks like a good spot to rustle up some grub." Timon said stopping at a log.Simba groaned.He really hoped they weren't suggesting..."Ewww,whats that?"

"A grub. What's it look like?"

Simba just was thinking one thing; HELL NO! He'd rather starve then eat bugs.He looked back twords where he came,and thought a moment of running off.But he was so hungry.He whould collapse before he got anywhere.Timon grabbed a mouthful of Bugs and chewed them. "Mmmm tastes like chicken!"

"Slimey yet satisfying!" Pumba said poping his head near Simba,who was growing more and more desprete to either tear Pumba to shreads,or to eat the stupied bugs.

"These are rare delicacies. Mmmm," Timon bit down hard on them crunching them."Piquant, with a very pleasant crunch."

Stop talking about them ughhh. Simba looked at the bugs,which looked increasingly more satisfying.

"You'll learn to love 'em." Pumbaa said talking with his mouth full.

Timon sighed,and smiled as he went around grabbing random bugs. "I'm telling you, kid, this is the great life. No rules. No responsibilities. pokes his hand into a knothole-- many bugs scramble out Oooh! The little cream-filled kind," He ate it. "And best of all, no worries!" He offered Simba a leaf which was now full of bugs.Simba sighed and grabbed a grub.If he didn't eat this now,he whould starve.

"Well,Kid?"

"Oh well-Akuna Matata.." He ate the bug,and grimiced at first but it tasted good,either because he hadn't eaten or because it was just plain good.

"Slimy,yet satisfying."

Timon smiled and looked at Pumbaa to say wisper. "Well that takes care of our Carnivor problem!"

Simba began to gouge out on the bugs around him now.Timons mouth dropped open.Simba looked up. "What? Im a growing kid i need to eat too."

"But,how much do lions eat?" Timon said softly watching Simba continue to gouge down food that whould usually last a year with Timon,which Simba finished in Five mintues.

"I eat alot!" Simba said continuing to eat.Pumbaa looked at Timon.Timon looked back at Pumbaa.Both swallowed.

"Buddy,I think we've bitten off more then we can chew."

"Simba can eat all that we dont eat!"Pumbaa said looking back at Simba who was exploring the area.

"That-where'd Simba go?"

"He was just there Timon..." Pumbaa said looking over Timon's head. "Where did he run off to?" Simba burst out of a side bush tackling Timon.Timon yelled,and Simba burst into laughter.

End chapter 7