I'm back again! Did you all miss me? Of course you did.

Sorry I haven't posted in several weeks, but I've been very busy.

I will try to update 'Dreams and Nightmares' as much as possible, usually on the weekend since that's when people have the time to read it. Note that high school has started for me again and out of the 7 periods I have classes (lunch doesn't count) 3 are weighted courses, 1 involves a new language, another involves a lot of public speaking, which I am not used to doing, and another which involves a lot of hands-on 'self-teaching,' so that would probably means I will be able to post a new chapter every 2 to 5 weeks.

New Chapter Up! Please read and review.


Chapter 7: Truth and Understanding

"Did you just hear what happened? Nala ran off away from Pride Rock."

"No, but this may play to our advantage."

"How, exactly?"

"Keeping her away from Pride Rock will make her isolated, alone."

"Yes, it will. We could strike at her now, while she's unaware."

"No. This doesn't give us a good moment of opportunity, but it will allow the newer plant to work even more. Besides, we have no idea where she even went and even if we did, she could still defeat us. Nala is still one of the strongest lionesses this pride has and also, notably, one of the brightest. The disadvantages still overrule the advantages."

"So, we wait?"

"Yes. We wait."


"Nala!" called Simba. No one answered as his voice echoed across the open savannah.

He tried again, hoping to get a better response, any response. "Nala!" he called out once more. Still nothing, nothing but silence and the calm wind.

The lion look down towards the ground, his heart full of sadness. How could I have let something like this happen? Simba thought to himself.

It had only been one gesture of kindness that started it all. It was only because Simba had thanked Tama with a hug for being a good friend and for giving some helpful advice that Nala was gone now. He didn't mean for it to be like this. She thought he betrayed her and, in return, ran away. It was his fault that he let this happen.

The king had been searching for hours, up until fairly late in the afternoon. He looked everywhere for her, but still came up with nothing. It was almost as if she had completely disappeared. He was running out of options. If he didn't find her soon who knows what could happen. He didn't want to think about what could happen to her, but as the hours passed the thought kept growing and he got more worried.

He thought about how everything led up to where he was now and how he might lose it all. Taking back Pride Rock, reuniting with Nala in the jungle, growing up in a carefree world, meeting Timon and Pumbaa for the first time, Mufasa's death, exploring the Elephant Graveyard, seeing the whole kingdom during a sunrise with his father, and meeting Nala for the first time.

He remembered the first time he had met Nala, his queen, his mate, his wife. Though it was such a long time ago and he was so young, he remembered meeting her almost as if it was yesterday. The first time he met her was the first time he was introduced to the pride. When he had first laid eyes on her he thought he was seeing an angel. She was so beautiful, with her smooth cream fur, her lean, muscular body, and her fiery, playful attitude. But it was her eyes that caught his attention the most. Her gleaming sapphire eyes shone more beautifully than anything he had ever seen or known before or since then. They showed care, kindness, compassion, and, most importantly, the need to love and be loved back.

He remember when they had first met, how they had been introduced, how they got along almost immediately, how they had played with each other in such a happy manner.

And then he remembered when he had what was truly one of the best days of his life. Simba had asked to go on his first date with Nala and she accepted. It brought him such happiness to hear such a response. He had chosen the best spot he could find, near a relatively secluded area of the waterhole, facing an amazing sunset. It was, as far as he could remember, his most romantic childhood memory.

The thought suddenly hit him. It hit him like a rhino slamming into a rock head-on.

The waterhole. On our first date, the Pridelander thought. How could I have forgotten so easily?

Wasting no time, Simba turned around and ran as fast as he could toward the waterhole. If he could get there he would be able to fix everything. This was where it all counted.


The trek was long, longer than he expected, and more difficult, for he hadn't seen, or been to for that matter, his secret spot in years. Maybe it was all that worry, that fear of loss that made it seem like such a long trip. Maybe it was all in his head.

Or maybe it was true. Maybe it did take a long time to find that one place, out of all others. Maybe it was too late. No, he thought to himself, it's never too late. I can't give up now.

And, evidently, he made it. Despite all the years of separation from that one spot he still remembered it as clearly as day. He saw it, the waterhole.

It was fairly late in the afternoon by the time he got there, the sun already beginning its slow descent towards the horizon. Everything was at a calm standstill, serene and unmoving. All the plants sat about casually, the animals natural and unafraid of the world around them. The sky was taking up an orange hue and the water shimmered with reflected light.

He got closer, looking around for any familiar signs, signs that would show that he hadn't made a wrong move. He scanned the area, seeing the rocks, tall grass, as well as the few and widely scattered trees.

And then he heard it. Out in the distance he heard a sound, a sound that knew he would find but hoped he never had to cause, a sound that resounded in the near silence of the afternoon, a sound that pounded him when he heard it. It was the sound of crying. And not just anyone's crying. Anyone could cry, but very few people could make his heart pound as much as it did. It was the sound of a lioness crying, his lioness crying.

He followed the sound, moving past the unwavering terrain, getting closer to the waterhole. It was getting louder for every step he took and it confirmed his suspicions.

He was now only a few feet away from the water. Simba could definitely hear it now, just behind some nearby foliage. The lion stepped through the brush and found who he was looking for.

Sitting underneath a tree near the bank of the waterhole was Nala, her head hanging low and her tears dropping from her face in a slow drip. Simba approached her slowly, fully aware of how upset she was. She didn't seem to notice him as she approached and in the silence he wondered if she was truly aware of him.

"Nala?" he asked in a calm, concerned manner. The lioness ignored him, continuing her sobbing.

He tried again. "Nala, please," he said, trying not to plead. This time she looked at him, but as soon as he tried to say something she looked away.

This time he stood right next to Nala, trying his best to get her attention. "Nala, please look at me." She continued looking away from him.

"Tama and I weren't doing anything. We were just talking. I don't know why that would make you upset." Nala sat up and looked at the lion, her eyes red from the tears that fell off her face.

This time it was the lioness that talked. "What makes you think I would believe you? Why should I believe you?" questioned Nala, anger and venom slowly creeping into her voice.

Simba looked at her, shocked by the response. "Because I'm your mate, Nala. And, more importantly, I'm your friend."

The queen stopped crying and narrowed her eyes at him. "Yeah, well so is Tama. She's my friend and your friend, too. So that makes it ok to mate with her?"

Simba was horrified by the accusation Nala inflicted upon him. "What? Why do you think I would do that?"

"Because I saw you with her!" Nala snapped at him. "I saw what you two were doing and, to be honest with you, I am horrified by what you've done!"

"We weren't doing anything like that. I was just-"

"Just what, Simba? Kissing up to her? You think I'm not good enough for you, is that it?"

"You are good enough for me. Meeting you has been the best thing that's ever happened to me." Nala looked away, replacing her upset with slowly growing anger.

Simba sat there, irritated by Nala's attitude. There had only been one other time in which she had been this mad at him. But this time it wasn't his fault. She's so stubborn. Why can't she see what I'm trying to say?

The lion tried to get her attention again. "Please, listen to me. Tama and I were just having a talk."

Nala pouted. "That's what you would say, trying to salvage your most useful lioness from the flames of betrayal."

Simba snapped at the comment. "MOST USEFUL LIONESS!? Nala, if anything, you are more, so much more than a useful lioness!"

The queen looked glared at her husband. "Yeah, I'm more than that. I'm your play toy as well. You know, it's not every day I find myself wondering 'Would it have been better to not even come and find you? To have died here instead of leave?' Well, today seems like one of those days."

"Well, maybe you should just leave then if that's the case. You think you aren't good enough for me? Fine! Then leave! Go find someone else who can treat you better than I can!"

"Fine, then! I will! And don't expect me to come back!"

And with that, almost like their argument in the jungle, Nala turned and started walking away furiously. She took two steps, stomping her paws against the ground, apparently taking his word seriously.

"And do you want to know what Tama told me?" Simba asked from behind her as she started walking away, his voice now calmer and less despaired. Nala stopped to hear what he had to say.

The lion turned his head toward her and continued, "She told me that if I really loved you I should let you go. And, well, I think I'm just about ready to do that now." Nala turned around and started walking again, this time much more slowly. Simba faced toward the water's edge, lowered his head, and closed his eyes.

The lioness took a few more steps, still unhappy from their argument. And that's when she heard it. At first it was only a sniffle but as she moved a little further away it soon turned from a small sniffle and grew into full-on sobbing, making the sounds a person would made it he had lost everything in the whole world.

Nala turned around and saw, with great sadness, Simba crying with tears of grief and loss. His tears fell from his face with a rapid drip-drip-drip like water from a raincloud. The lioness's heart sank as she realized it, why he had been crying.

He really is telling the truth, she thought to herself, wishing she could just take everything that she said back. He really was just talking to Tama, not cheating on her, and now that she said what she said he thought she would leave him forever, never to return. Nala really was everything to him and now that she was leaving he would lose it all once again.

Touched by his cries, the lioness turned around and walked back to her mate, a sad expression etched across her face. She reached Simba's side and, trying to get his attention, touched her nose to his face. He didn't react. Nala went up to him again, this time nuzzling him, brushing her cheek against his large red mane.

She purred comfortingly, trying to lighten his mood. Simba looked up at her, tears still streaming from his eyes, but obviously aware of what was happening. Nala had come back.

"Nala?" he asked, trying to hold back his sniffles.

"Shhh," whispered Nala. "It's alright, honey. I'm not going anywhere." The lioness hugged him with one paw, holding Simba against her side.

After a while, they pulled away just enough to be able to look in each other's eyes. "I thought you'd have left me," said Simba. "Aren't you mad at me?"

The queen took in a deep breath before responding. "No, Simba. I'm not mad at you and I never will be. I'll never leave you, not even if the world sets us apart."

They stared into their mate's eyes, their love growing stronger than ever before. "I'm sorry, Nala. I should have known better than to do what I did this morning."

Nala took this in before responding, "No, Simba, I'm sorry. I should have known better than to think you were cheating on me. I should have known that you were only thanking Tama. I'm so sorry for everything that I just said to you. Will you forgive me?"

Simba was surprised by the apology, but decided to let it be. "Of course I forgive you. I will always forgive you, no matter what." He stopped before continuing. "I love you so much, Nala."

The lioness smiled. "Well, guess what? I love you more, Simba."

The king laughed. "Oh yeah? Then prove it." But before he could do anything else he heard a high-pitched cry. Simba backed away from Nala and turned his attention toward the source of the noise.

"Sire! Sire, where are you? Madam, are you here?" Up above, the majordomo, Zazu, glided overhead, scanning the savannah for any sign of the royal couple. Apparently he hadn't seen them.

"Zazu! We're down here!" yelled the king from far below. The bird turned his head and saw, to his relief, Simba and Nala by the waterhole. Slowly, like a leaf in the wind, the hornbill descended, eventually landing on a low-hanging branch.

"Are you alright, sire? I couldn't find you, either of you, the whole afternoon." He seemed uneasy, frightened by the recent disappearance of the king and queen.

"Whoa, whoa," said Nala, trying to get him to relax. "It's alright, Zazu. We're fine."

"Are you sure you're both alright? I was worried."

"Yes, we're sure Zazu," said Simba. "We were just…" he stopped for a second, considering what to say next, before continuing, "…having a private moment together."

Suddenly a smile crossed his lips. He had thought of something marvelous to do for the night. He looked at the bird straight in the eye. "You know what, Zazu? I think Nala and I would like spend some time alone tonight. Tell the rest of the pride we'll be home tomorrow morning."

The majordomo raised his eyebrow at the statement and smiled. "Yes, sire. I will do as you ask." Zazu bowed before turning, preparing to leave.

Another thought crossed the lion's mind and he called out to the bird again. "Oh, and Zazu?"

The hornbill turned his head to face Simba again. "Yes, sire?" he asked.

"Please don't tell them where we are. Nala and I would prefer to not be interrupted, ok?"

Zazu nodded his head, ready to fulfill his promise. "Of course, sire. Anything for the both of you." He stopped one more time. "Good night, sire."

"Good night, Zazu. See you tomorrow." And with that the blue bird flew off, moving back to Pride Rock gracefully. Simba turned back to his mate with a smile on his face.

"Now then," said Nala, a gleeful mood etched across her face as well, "where were we?"

The lions went back to each other, hugging, cuddling, kissing, and making love like never before. Tonight would truly be their night, a night of forgiveness and harmony, a night where all the worries and despair in the world faded away into distant memory, a night where the only thing that mattered to them was each other. Tonight was their night of love, true love.


Due to content rating I will not go further in detail to the following events. Hope you enjoyed reading the new chapter as much as I enjoyed making it. If my stories get enough reviews, I might make an exclusive content section of my stories, most like being rated M. :)