I'm back! Welcome to Chapter 6 everyone. First things first, I would like to give a huge apology to everyone who was eagerly waiting for this next chapter to come out. I hope you all have read the update and before we begin, let's spend a second to read some reviews.
Kynedi: Don't worry; they won't be any more major time skips. There will be A LOT more chapters with Matthew as a cute little human cub. Thank you so much for reviewing and I'm glad you like it.
Samguti729: I haven't given up on this story. No way would I, it would not be fair to all the wonderful people (like you) who has given time to read this story and to leave such great feedback.
Steelcode: Thank you so much. I put my heart and soul into these chapters as I know how much you all enjoy them. I never upload a chapter if I'm not happy with it. That's how dedicated I am to this story.
John Aldridge: Thank you so much! Your comment has made my week. I'm glad you enjoy it so much. I hope this chapter was worth the wait.
Thank you guys so much and I'm glad you guys haven't sent me any hate for waiting more than enough for the next chapter
Chapter 6: Return of the Man Cub
Matthew and Simba continued to walk back to Pride Rock from the Outlands and for every step the two took, the deathly desolate land grew smaller and smaller into the distance, each step making the two more calm and not as tense. But Matthew sighed sadly, as he thought his father's restrictions were too hard on him. Simba noticed his man-cub sighing.
"What's wrong son?" Simba asked, concerned.
Matthew shook his head, forcing out a fake smile. "Oh… it's nothing Papa"
Simba stopped and stood in front of Matthew, making the boy walk into his father's soft and fluffy body and looked up at his worried father.
"Son…" Simba said with a worry "Please… tell me… I worry about you…"
But Simba couldn't finish his sentence as the child hugged the lion king tightly and started to weep. "I…I…I'm so sorry Papa…I'm a bad cub…I didn't stay with Mama…I walked off to look for you…I was worried about you…and then I got attacked by that scary lion..." The child said in between sniffles and scared sobs.
"Shhh… my little cub-cub…Shhh…" Simba wrapped his fluffy paws around the child's body, wrapping him in a warm fluffy loving cocoon. "It's okay…you're not a bad cub…you're a good cub…you're my little angel…" Simba said with a caring smile and kissed the child's forehead and nuzzled the child's cheek which made a small squeak escape Matthew's mouth.
Simba then proceeded to lick all over Matthew's face, replacing the child's sadness and fear with happiness and love, which he deadly missed and needed after his containment by Muuaji and his dark pride. "Papa…papa best papa…" Matthew said with a tiny squeak.
Simba smiled at his son's cuteness and kept him close. "Let's go home Matthew. Everyone will be happy to see you okay."
Matthew squeaked happily like a lion cub. "Okay Papa…I can't wait to see big sister Kiara and Mama…" Matthew smiled and nuzzled his father in affection. Simba smiled and nuzzled his son back.
After a few minutes, the familiar giant mountain appeared in the distance and Matthew smiled.
"Papa…Papa..." Matthew squeaked "Look…Pride Rock come on Papa let's go" Matthew giggled and sprang into a run. Simba chuckled and ran off after his son, which he easily caught up to.
"Oh… my cheeky cub-cub, thinking you can beat me back."
Matthew giggled and continued to run with Simba on his heels. Meanwhile, at Pride Rock, Nala was resting on the cliff of Pride Rock, looking at the distance with a sad sigh. She missed her man-cub dearly and she hoped that Simba would come back with her son alive.
"You okay Mum?"
Nala quickly stood up from the mysterious voice only to find Kiara coming out of the cave. "Yes Kiara?" She said, trying to hide her sadness.
"I know you're worried of Matthew. And I am too. But I know he's out there, alive. I have hope Daddy can find him."
Nala smiled. "I do too… but…"
Nala was caught short of speaking when Kiara leaped down the rocky steps of Pride Rock to her surprise, Simba and Matthew!?
When Kiara reached the duo, she pounced on Matthew playfully and licked his face and nuzzled him. "Oh Matthew…" She said with happy tears rolling down her cheeks. "I was so scared. I thought you were dead."
Matthew hugged his big sister tightly and relaxed into her warm fluffy fur and cried happy tears. "Big sister… I missed you…so much…I'm sorry…"
Kiara smiled and cradled his little human brother in her paws and she shushed him as she stroked his light brown hair with her paw. "Shhh… I know…you're back. That's all that matters."
Matthew smiled and stayed close to Kiara and he looked back at his home, smiling as he saw Nala running towards them, crying happy tears.
"My baby cub" She smiled as Matthew ran to her and hugged her tight, allowing Nala to wrap her paws around him. "I was so scared. I and your father looked for you every day. We thought you were dead… Why did you wonder off?"
Matthew looked up at his mother with tearful eyes. "I'm so sorry Mama" He wept. "I wanted to find Papa… I was so worried…"
Nala held her man-cub close, not wanting to lose him again. "I know you were my son… but don't wonder off again okay? It's dangerous here for someone your age okay?"
Matthew looked up at his mother with a tearful nod and clung to her warm fur. Nala smiled and picked up him up by his shirt and carried him back to Pride Rock.
Simba smiled at his daughter and she smiled back. "Where did you find him?" She asked.
Simba sighed and looked back where he and his cub came. "Muuaji…he kidnapped him."
Kiara looked back at Pride Rock where Nala carried her man-cub back to the cave and she smiled. "But he's back now… and that's all that matters."
Simba smiled at her words. "You're right Kiara. Thanks come on…let's get back inside and enjoy the feeling of becoming a family again." The two then headed inside.
Once they entered, they smiled at seeing Matthew snuggled in between Kovu and Vitani cutely and clinging to their fur.
"…Uncle Kovu…Auntie Vitani…" He said cutely as Simba realised his cub was asleep.
Kovu smiled and licked Matthew's cheek and smiled at Simba.
"I'm glad you found him Simba. I was worried about the little guy."
Simba smiled and nodded. "I am too. He was kidnapped by Muuaji and his pride…and I won't let him get kidnapped again."
Kovu and Vitani kept the man-cub close to their warm and soft fur which made the child smile and snuggle into them more.
"Wait!? Uncle Kovu?" Simba gasped.
Kovu chuckled. "Yeah… that's what he said when he first saw me… I think it's cute despite me never being an Uncle before."
Simba smiled and he watched his cub sleeping peacefully in the paws of his new Uncle and Auntie.
"…Cute…" He muttered.
"…Adorable…" Kovu joined.
"…So precious…" Vitani added.
The three lions smiled as they watched the young human sleep peacefully, now safe from evil's clutches.
Feeling the three lions so close by, Matthew slept calmly and he happily hugged the closest thing to him, which was Vitani's paw.
Vitani smiled happily as she saw the human hug her paw so innocently and with such cuteness in his actions. Vitani started to stroke the human's head with her paw.
"So cute…what a sweet little thing" She said with love she had for Kovu. A family love so strong that no matter what Muuaji and his evil pride could do, the love that they all shared as a pride and as a family would prevail.
Matthew smiled at feeling such a soft paw stroke his hair and he let out a high pitched new-born cub squeak that it melted the hearts of the three lions.
"Awww…so precious…" Kovu and Vitani said in unison and they cradled the human in between their soft fur while still allowing Matthew access to Vitani's paw.
As the human child slept, he nuzzled Vitani's paw and held it close, using it as some form of temporary teddy bear.
Simba smiled and kissed his human son on the head and let him rest up. He needed it.
Kovu smiled at Matthew and nuzzled him and saw Simba walking towards the cave entrance.
"Simba? Where are you going?" Kovu questioned.
The lion king gave the brown lion a smile. "Just taking a little stroll around the border, making sure Muuaji and his evil lions isn't trying to sneak in again."
"Well alright then. Be careful then." Kovu smiled.
Simba continued to walk, out into the shining harsh African sun and he laid down, looking out into the wondrous horizon. After a few moments he sighed. The king felt like a failure.
"I was so lucky." The king whispered to himself quietly, a hint of sadness lingering in his words. "I could have lost him. My cub, my baby…if this happens again, I may not be so lucky."
As Simba said this, memories of the past returned to him, memories of his human son, including the moment where the child was discovered. At that moment, Simba couldn't be away from him any longer; the urge to keep his son close was burning like the blazing and shimmering African sun that loomed over the land.
Simba strolled back into the den and towards his son, still sleeping close to Kovu and Vitani.
"May I have my son back please?" Simba asked politely. The two once evil lions nodded and allowed Simba to pick up the child gently in his maw and move him to the slightly raised rock platform and laid down, sliding the child into his paws.
The sleeping child recognised the scent of his father and snuggled into his paws, making the king smile as the small hands of his man-cub curled around one paw, treating the paw like a teddy bear.
"My cub…so cute, you will make a strong king one day…" Simba smiled as he whispered the caring words into the human's ear and he licked his cub's cheek.
Matthew giggled from the licking and nuzzled Simba's cheek in affection, staying close for the king's protection and warmth. The king's soft and fluffy warm fur acted as a blanket for the child's body and the body heat of his lion father made Matthew feel safe.
"Daddy… please don't leave me." The human spoke in his sleep, tossing and turning while his small hands continued to hug the king's paw.
"There there…" Simba cradled his baby cub in his paws and kept his fur warm. "I will never leave you. Not now. Not ever." The king kissed his son's head and giggled at how Matthew squeaked in reaction to the sweet kiss.
A small leaf blew in from outside, dancing on the African wind until it rested on the child's nose, tickling it enough for the child to sneeze cutely, waking the child up.
Simba giggled and allowed a warm chuckle to leave his mouth. "Had a good nap my cub?"
Matthew nodded happily and wiggled his nose to rid himself of the weird feeling, stretching his body so the feelings of sleepiness were gone. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he swallowed to find his mouth dry.
"Daddy? Can I go to the waterhole to get a drink?" Matthew asked, placing his hands on the king's side cutely.
"Remember son that you must have someone with you if you are to leave Pride Rock…" Simba reminded him. The king needed to make sure his son knew that he needed to be careful when not close to Pride Rock. Danger was all around him.
Kovu smiled at his friend. "I and Vitani can take Matthew Simba."
"Yeah, please can we? We need some more time with our little cute nephew." Vitani added, pulling Matthew into a tight cuddle and lick to the forehead, making a giggle escape the child's mouth.
The king nodded. "Thank you Kovu and Vitani. But please bring him back as soon as he is finished drinking. I don't want him to be in harm's way."
Matthew smiled happily as he left with his Uncle Kovu and Auntie Vitani, running a little ahead, enjoying the African sun on his tanned skin. "Matthew, don't run too far ahead now, okay?" Uncle Kovu asked.
Matthew nodded and slowed down a little. "Okay Uncle."
Kovu smiled and sighed. "I've noticed Simba becoming a lot more protective recently."
Vitani nodded. "Yes, ever since Simba saved him from those evil lions, I guess Simba started to think he failed him."
Kovu gasped. Simba thinking such a thing, there's no way. To Kovu, Simba was always a strong and courageous lion who wouldn't let such negative emotions like fear and worry get to him? Right!?
"No." Kovu replied. "We've always seen Simba as a brave lion that wouldn't let such emotions get to him. It's true that Simba has a new responsibility in looking after Matthew. But it's not like Simba would change suddenly."
"Kovu, Simba was close to losing his son. We both know how much Simba does, out of his way to make Matthew comfortable and happy. It's a lot harder looking after a human than it is looking after a lion cub." Vitani responded, a smack on Kovu's head with her tail.
The black maned lion nodded, rubbing his head with a paw. "Yeah, you're right Vitani. It's just so weird seeing Simba acting like this. It's unnatural for him and it worries me."
Vitani just smiled. "I'm sure the king is alright."
Matthew giggled as he saw the waterhole, running happily towards the body of water. Kovu gasped as he saw this, seeing the child running too fast. Scared that the child may fall in, Kovu ran after him.
Matthew continued to run, closer and closer to the precious water until he felt something fluffy and furry landed on top of him.
"Matthew. What did I say about running off? Your father is worried about you getting lost again." His tone changing from normally happy to a more serious and concerned one.
"I… I'm sorry Uncle. I was just really thirsty." Matthew said sadly, knowing that what he did was wrong. Kovu knew he couldn't stay mad at Matthew, especially with that cute face of his. "It's fine Matthew." Kovu smiled. "But promise me you will never run off from me or anyone else from the pride again, okay?"
Matthew nodded, hugging his Uncle and nuzzling his chest in affection. "Yes Uncle." Kovu chuckled and pulled his nephew in, messing with his hair with his paw, enjoying the child's cries of laughter. "S… Stop Uncle" Matthew giggled.
Kovu chuckled and continued to mess with the child's hair, adding in some caring nuzzles to the child's cheek, making Matthew squeak.
"Hehe…aww…my little nephew" Kovu responded.
Upon hearing this, Matthew's cheeks turned a bright red. Vitani giggled as she saw and she pulled her brother away. "Okay…okay…you two can play later. Matthew needs a drink, that's why we brought him here."
"Okay. Okay. I'm sorry." Kovu giggled as his sister hit his nose with her tail.
Matthew quickly got to drinking, lapping up the water with his tongue, or trying to. He did see his parents drink water before and he tried to copy them but no luck, the water kept on escaping.
Kovu walked up to him as he saw Matthew struggling. "Do you need help?"
Matthew shook his head. "No way, I am a big strong cub. I don't need help." Kovu smiled as he knew Matthew did need help, but he just wanting to prove something.
"Matthew." Kovu chuckled as he leaned down his head close to the human's. "It's fine to ask for help. Even your Mummy and Daddy do at times. That's what friends and family do."
Matthew looked up at his Uncle, bewildered. "What? Really Uncle Kovu? They do?" Matthew gasped as he responded, a look of shock on his face.
"Of course they do. Even and Auntie Vitani" Uncle Kovu smiled as he lowered his head to the water. "Now, how a lion drinks is they use their tongues to pull water into their mouths, but you have to put your whole mouth into the water, like this.
Matthew watched his Uncle and once he knew what to do, his tried to copy his Uncle's stance and he dunked his mouth into the water, trying to pull in water into his mouth. Now he was drinking like a lion.
"You did it nephew. Such a good cub" Kovu smiled as he stroked the human's head. Vitani applauded happily and nodded in agreement. Blushing hard, the human snuggled into Kovu's body, feeling embarrassed. "Uncle Kovu…best Uncle ever…in the whole world." Upon hearing the child's words, Kovu looked at the horizon, so that not Matthew or Vitani could see the tiny tears of happiness appearing under Kovu's eyes.
Wow, I can't believe I am finally done. Anyway, I'm so sorry this chapter took so long, guys. School and real life has just been overpowering me at the moment, and I am so grateful for you guys staying with me even after I haven't updated in these last couple of months. A big thank you to all you guys that had posted reviews and I am shocked and grateful that you guys have stayed with me and didn't lose hope I'm so happy you all still believe in me. I didn't realise it has been over a year since the last chapter. Until next time… bye bye *waves*