+Jem Boy- thank you, yea I know I still have some more things to work on but thanks for noticing. And welllll we will have to see, all I know it some drama is headed Simba way.

+Money100- lol thanks, glad you enjoyed and commented.

+Guest- Aw thank you for reviewing and enjoying!

Chapter 3

Last night seemed to have been the most magical night to two had spent together in a long time. So magical in fact, it seemed that the great circle raised slower in the sky, just to let to two lay together in each other arms, just a little longer. The two were seen tangled in each other embrace. As the small rays of light gentle touched their smooth faces. Waking the red eyed male up slowly. When he looked down her could see his beloved fast asleep underneath him. Amazed by her peaceful glow and beauty, the last thing he wanted to do was awake her. He laid his head back down her on check, watched as her chest raised and lowered with each breath. This was what it was about, all the fighting and disagreements. Everything that could possibly put a damper on their relationship had nothing compared to this. The quality alone time to two finally got as a young couple. The feeling of not having a care in the world.

"Wake up sleepy head.' He voice, knowing soon that he would have to leave and meet with his father. "Nalaaa-" a cream colored paw on plopped on his mouth to keep to peace. "haha, babe."

"Five more minutes…"

"No"

"Two for minutes…" she begged, sticking her head inside his red mane. The prince again shook his head, with a small smile on his face.

"Nope."

"Just one second…"

"Fine." One second is hardly enough time to breathe, let alone try to get back to sleep. So sadly and very very slowly, the cream blue eye lioness opened one eye. "Morning love."

"ugh." She threw her head back down on him. "Why can't we just stay like this forever?" Simba laughed and nudged his fiancé up, she rested on his shoulder as they still both laid together. "Is alittle alone time too much to ask?"

" I know Nal, but we gotta do what we gotta do."

"yea, yesterday your mother took me on my own patrol of the herd animals." Mention Nala, Simba looked surprised and interested. She hadn't mention that. She hadn't mention anything yesterday because they were…busy.

"Really?"

"Yea, I think I might have to leave you Simba, that patrol took forever! I'd go insane doing that every morning by myself."

" Hey if I have to go insane with ruling a kingdom, you have to go insane with me!"

"Yea…" she got up slowly " but no one told me that was apart of being queen."

"Surprise?" she rolled her eyes. Following in her lead the king got up, and watched as his mate walked stiffly and stretched her limbs. Small cracks could be heard popping form her joints. Reminding him of how much they…clicked. He walked up beside her. "and speaking of insane." He notioned to her with a look. She blushed a flush red. " You um, went alittle crazy there."

"Meh." She brushed passed him, like she didn't know what he was talking about.

"Meh? What do you call that? I mean we've had fun before, but that- that was different."

"I was in the mood." She confessed. She had stopped and looked back at him to join her. He came and stood beside her.

" andddd what do I have to do to get you in that mood again?" he asked, annoying getting in her face.

"haha, stop it. Leave me alone- you could barely handle it anyways." She teased, smiling with an evil look in her eye. "Ya big baby."

"Me?"

"Like a cub following it's mother." Simba could not lie, Nala has a very mature and sexual appeal to her for her young age. It's the way she carried herself, and ever snice he's noticed that in her, well he's always been drawn in. She just has a way with him, and Simba knows she knows, she can get what she wants from him, by just going a few things. Hey, he's not ashamed he's a guy.

"Well, when a lioness goes a male will follow." He retorted knowing full well of his own game on Nala. That, by just a chance he needed to use it on her, he could. She wouldn't be able to resist, even if she tried. However, Simba doesn't need to pull out that card, yet. " My lady we better get going." Nala, rolled her eyes. He was such a jokester, but she loved it anyways. Even it if annoyed her. She still followed suite close behind her future king.

As the days passed, things in the pride lands couldn't have been any better. Simba was finally getting the hang of his patrol and duties around the kingdom. He had gotten some of his task down to a T that he was even able to be done early and spend more time with Nala and his friends. Nala herself was also getting the hang of her new queenly duties. For the first time it seemed like nothing anyone did could go wrong. Now across the territory of the pride lands, back at the side den near the small pond, was a very different morning for Ingine. A sick and feeble Ingine comes running out of the cave. An aching sickness ran all over her body as she lost the remaining of last nights' dinner.

It took her a moment to recover from her up-chucking. Small bags under her eyes had started to form from the sudden tiredness spell that was befalling on her. It put a smile on her face, as she felt the changed happening within her body. Ingine sat herself down before another dizzy spell hit her. Her symptoms were very strong, so strong she had no doubt. She had picked the right lion for the job. She placed a paw on her lower stomach.

"Now…I guess it time we start to head home." A smile came gentle across her face as she looked down at her small stomach, which she could tell was starting to puff. "We have to go see daddy. We have to give him a little surprise. Don't we." Chimed a very content Ingine, she turned around and slowly making her way back to her den in preparation for her travels.

Back across the plains of the Savannah the king of the lands Mufasa was accompanied by his long wife Sarabi. Today Mufasa had decided he and Sarabi should talk about the future wedding ceremony for Simba. Now it was costume for a king to fully take the throne after he has declared and married his wife. Yes, Mufasa was getting up there is age, but he wasn't that too, were he still couldn't rule his kingdom. He had been doing it for so long it had become apart of him, Sarabi too, but their time was soon coming.

"I think it would be best to have their ceremony before the winter season, what do you think?" the king asked as he and Sarabi walked down the worn down path. "Or would another time be best?" as a king Mufasa handled any affairs around the kingdom, but ceremonies…weddings, well that was his wife's department. He knew he best wait for her, then try to climb up the word tree.

"Yea, I'd say before the winter seasons, especially if we're going to have one like last year. It seemed like the rain hadn't come for an extra month."

"Yea, it would be difficult having a ceremony then, especially snice most of the herds we migrant. But that does give us much time. And I doubt your son has even thought about it yet."

"It probably hasn't crossed his mind, my poor son."

"He'll have us to come to."

"Yes, but I don't think Simba or Nala are ready in planning a wedding. They are still just babies."

"Haha, some pretty big babies then." The king teased, the one thing his wife could not do was see Simba for the grown lion he was becoming. He was still baby Simba. Which is understandable, it's hard for a mother to let go.

"You're right you're right. I have to keep telling myself he's not my baby anymore."

"Please, Simba knows growing up is a pain, and he realizes the best way to stay stress free, is don't rush it."

"Tough luck for someone who calls himself wanting to marry. I think that means you're an adult now." The parents of the prince both laughed. "But I think he and Nala preparing their ceremony will be good for them. They can see how well they work together as a team."

"Yes, this is why I waited to discuss this with you, you know what you're talking about."

"Oh you call yourself trying to do my job Mufasa?" asked the queen with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh no, I call myself trying to talk to Simba about it, but then I realized I didn't know where to start. I mean don't you remember our wedding ceremony? you practically ran the whole thing. My mother and father didn't have word in."

"Well your mother said she wanted my wedding to be for me, so who better to plan it than me?" voiced the queen.

"I can see why she liked you so much."

"great minds think alike."

"haha." The king leaned over and nuzzled his close companion. "Alright, I'll tell him tonight before dinner, or would you like me to wait for you? He might need his mother for this."

"No dear that's fine, I'm actually going to let Nala co-lead the hunt tonight with me. Just so I can see where she stands." The king nodded.

"Right." Chimed the king satisfied. He and Sarabi walked step in step with each other as they continued down the longing path.

Back at pride rock a more than happy Simba was spending so much needed times with his friends. He was given the day off after he had finished with his normal routine. So by lunch time, a free Simba could be seen totting down the path in the pridelands. No one was happier than his fiancé Nala. This has been a luxury where he spent the majority of his time with his friends.

"Yo, I'm glad your pops let you off today. We really missed to buddy." Voiced Simbas other best friend, Malka. He the Simba had been friends ever snice Malka and his mother moved to the pridelands years ago. "feels like we haven't seen you in forever."

"Guys I see you on night patrol."

"Yea, but by that time we've already eaten and can't stand each other, because we just want to go to bed."

"True!"

"Yes, I found myself wanting to kill Tojo many a night for his stupid late night ghost stories." Confessed Simba as he laid close to Nala. Tojo looked hurt and wide eyed.

"but you guys love my late night ghost stories. "

"Tojo…Buddy." Malka walked over to the brown male lion and put a paw on his shoulder. " We love your stories because we love you, you get it." Offended, Tojo knocked the friendly paw off.

"Well guess who isn't getting any of my stories tonight. Sucks you be you two, let see how fun tonight will be without me saying anything." Simba then whispered over to Nala ear, but loud enough because he knew he wanted Tojo to hear.

"The kings have finally answered my prayers."

"I heard that!" retorted Tojo, so over his friends right now. Suddenly the cream lioness shot up at the sudden realization of the time.

"Oh crap! I forgot I'm helping Sarabi today with the hunt- I have to go! Tama, Kula C'mon we'll be late!"

"Okay okay, hold your horse's lady." Said a none-too eager lioness. Who was enjoying the most of her time going nothing.

"Tama!"

"Fine I'm coming!"

"Haha, you got in trouble" teased Kula. Tama rolled her eyes. Nala was her friend, yea the three girls bossed each other around at times-most times, it was what they did. But sooner or later it Nala would be the boss of them. In a sense, which wouldn't have changed anything, because Tama listen to no one, she just glides along the boundaries of acceptable behavior.

"Shut it! Lets go." Kula and Tama go ahead of the Nala who was being held back by Simba. Who finally got a chance to be with Nala for a decent amount of time, didn't want to let her go.

"Simbaaa stop, I have to go!"

"But I miss you!" he begged.

"I didn't leave!"

"But you're about too!"

"Well you have to give me chance first! Let go!" she threatened. "I'll see to after dinner, love you- bye!" she turned catch up with her friends, but not too soon that she couldn't send the prince a kiss goodbye. The boys watched as the three girls figured got smaller in the distance.

"Ah, lionesses one moment they're here, then the next their gone. Tough times kid." Commented Malka. As he sat down near a half fallen tree stump. Simba then turned to his friends.

"Yea, I heard it only gets tougher when your married." Then the guys remembered, that was right. He had proposed to Nala, and she did accept. He was a soon-to-be married lion. Which was weird because he was their best friend, and nothing has changed about him.

"Well heck all couple argue, but he make ups the best part." The two boys looked at their friend.

"And what making up are you doing?" asked Simba.

"A guys business is a guys business." Well the two took him for his word. They haven't known Tojo to be talking to anyone lately. Out of all of them Simba has been the one in the longest relationship. Malka has his occasional flings every now and then. So it's Simba who is the old man of the group.

"Well I have to give Tojo that, the makeup is the best part of anything. You can argue about anything- the sky being green or it raining! But when it comes to the makeup portion, it's all worth it."

"Satisfied much?"

"Very" confirmed Simba "She's my one and only lioness." Malka and Tojo took sometime after hearing that to reevaluate their own situations. Nope, they haven't found their lioness just yet, but they know she's out there. "

The three prideland boys spent the rest of their time fooling around, talking, doing challenges and dares to pass the time until they usually heard the wonderful sound of the dinner bell. For some odd reason, it had been a while. So they decided to just head over to pride rock anyways. Maybe by the time they had gotten there the hunting arty would be arriving. By the time the trio had gotten there, there hadn't been sight or sound of the hunting party yet. It didn't worry the buys, more like hurt their stomach feeling more than anything. At the top of pride rock sat Mufasa, whenever he had time to be home before the hunting party he made sure he could be the first to see their safe arrival. It had been a long day and Simba hadn't spoken to his father in a while, so he decided to part with his friends and head over to see his father.

"Son, you're just the lion I wanted to talk to." spoke Mufasa.

"Well, I must have some great timing. Whats up dad?"

"Have you been thing about you and Nala engagement ceremony?" think question caught him well off guard.

"Well…uh…recently I've been so busy I haven't." hearing himself say that, the prince started to feel bad. Man, what kind of lion doesn't think about he and his fiancé wedding ceremony…apparently not him. Well he starting off at being a great husband right.

"Haha, it's okay. Your mother and I are here to help. But we really think you and Nala should start planning."

"Oh, okay. What time do you think is best for the ceremony?"

"Definitely before the winter seasons."

"Before the winter seasons!? But that starts in a couple of weeks. What five or six?"

"Yes, you two have a month or two to prepare."

"Why so early?" asked Simba nervously.

"It'll be harder to plan anything in the dry season, and it's better to start off your rule when the seasons are just starting to change."

"Wow...wait, what do you mean by rule?" Mufasa sighed, he figured his son would have this reaction.

"Traditionally son, when a prince has his wedding ceremony, he becomes king. He now was a wife, and will have heir to follow suite." Heir? Simba couldn't even get passed ruling at this point. There was no way he was ready to rule the entire prideland kingdom by himself. "Now again, I said your mother and I will be here to help guide you two, but you guys are going to have to start running things on your rule. What you think your mother and I want to rule forever- well your mother, probably does. She likes to stay busy. But me, son. I'm getting old."

"Ugh, don't say that dad."

"No no it's true. I think it's best that we all start accepting it. Your mother and I have ruled a long time, yes of course we love it. But it's time to pass the torch. I can't wait to have the day where she and I can sleep in and everyone else, has to get up. Son, if you thought you could sleep it, you haven't seen me." Joked Mufasa, laughing, however his wasn't a funny moment for Simba. He just got the most terrifying news of his life. Planning his own wedding and then taking over the kingdom. He might need to sit down on this one.

"But dad, you can't step down yet. There is still stuff I don't know."

"Simba, to be honest. Everything I learned I did while becoming king. I didn't have all the answers and solutions given to me."

"But what If I mess up, get something wrong-let you down?"

"Son, you could never let me down. If you mess up, don't worry there will be a solution. And don't forget you have a young lioness, with a very wise head on her shoulders to help you." He did have a point there. Simba couldn't name all the times he had gone to Nala for outside advice on things. She seemed to be an empty book of lioness wisdom. The truth is, she probably just thinks about the situation more. The answer will come sooner or later, Simba just know when he has a problem he wants to quickest way to fix it- no matter what.

"But dad-"

"Look, your mother and the lioness are finally here." Over the falling horizon. The figure of several lioness long casted shadow could be seen entering the pridelands. "Good, I was getting a little worried. C'mon, let goo help them." Simba wasn't done freaking out, and still had many question for his dad, but before he could get a word out Mufasa was already heading down the steps. I guess he'll have to save this conversation for later.

Down at the base of priderock a few of the other lioness came clearing the way. A very excited and eager Nala, came rushing towards Simba.

"Simba look!" she pointed to the huge water buffalo that laid slain on the ground. " Guess who help lead the hunt to that victory?!"

"Hmmm, probably Tama… she's been telling me how much she's been practicing." Nala had the right to punch him, but she didn't care. She took and breathe and rolled her eyes.

"Well then I guess Tama turned into this fine lioness." Going along with his game. There was always something she did that made him love her move. She constantly surprised him. "C'mon, lets go eat."

"Hey, what took you all so long?" added an outside voice, Malka.

"We had a pick up." Confirmed Nala.

"Pick up?" voiced Simba, confused. As he and Nala walked closer to the circle of lioness his mother stepped forward with a new face behind her.

"Yea."

"Who is this?" asked Mufasa as he put the large water buffalo down in the center of the pride. All eyes went to a small unknown figure, who stood next to the queen. The shadow sent a wave of uncertainty down the prince back as he got closer. When he reached the circle his heart dropped.

"Mufasa this is Ingine. She's a prideless lioness, we ran into her and I told her she could stay the night. Until the morning."

"Oh, welcome Ingine. I'm glad you could join us." The grey lioness, with the pale yellow eyes turned with a small embarrassed smile.

"No your highness, it's a pleasure to be here." She beamed at the older king, with a gracious smile, that passed by the king unknowingly and hit the young prince in the face. If he thought the news of ruling was terrifying, he just got hit with a double-whammy of problems.