AN: Welcome back everybody! I happy to have this fanfiction back on schedule. I want to thank all of you guys who read my silly stories. In a way, it's kinda therapeutic to write. Anyways I'll probably be sticking to 12-16 days in between each chapter just to make sure I don't rush them out. Don't worry this series isn't going anywhere.
"Alright let's review the progress that you've made," Chumvi said to Malka. r. After a couple seconds the brown cub sighed with defeat, "Okay, let's be real here, you haven't made any progress." The two boys were at the waterhole lying on a large rock near the edge of the water. Chumvi was in the middle of his campaign to make Malka a ladies man. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't working out. Malka's awkwardness had already offended Tojo earlier that day, luckily it wasn't any more cubs than that
"That's not making me feel better, Chumvi," Malka remarked, the prince closed his eyes preparing to take a nap, then a paw smacked the back of his head.
"OW!" Malka cried out snapping his eyes open and rubbing the back of his head, "What was that for!?"
"IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER!" Chumvi screamed. The cub dragged his paws across his face exposing the underside of his eyes, "Okay, okay, okay, okay. We can turn this around it's just going to take a little work."
"How did it come to this?" Malka thought, "Taking dating advice from Chumvi, and letting him put me down." The reddish cub looked up to see Chumvi talking with Nala across from the waterhole.
"Well it's not like this day can get any worse," Malka thought to himself. Across from where Malka was sitting Chumvi was explaining to Nala about the current situation.
"Since Tojo, walked out on us I figured that you can help us," Chumvi said.
"Sure!" Nala responded with glee smiling, "I would love to. Perhaps you could help me with my relationship problems. I only have one question before we start."
"What's that?" Chumvi asked.
"Have you seen Simba or Kula, it's unusual for them to miss lunch. I haven't even seen them all day," Nala said, "I hope they aren't getting into too much trouble."
"Well, I think that Simba might have a jealousy problem," Chumvi said. This confused Nala. She knew that Simba was a bit possessive sometimes but why would he have a reason to. Simba didn't have the same feeling for her as she did for him.
"Jealous?" Nala said, surprised.
"Oh come on, all that time you've been spending with Tama. Plus she's a little umm… how should I put this, harsh," Chumvi explained.
"Well, I shouldn't let, Simba's jealousy affect my other relationships, like with that whole Mwezi and Jua incident," Nala said.
"Didn't they turn out to be evil," Chumvi reminded the cream lioness.
"That's beside the point!" Nala cut off the chocolate brown cub, waving her paw in his face, "look let's just help Malka."
The two cubs walked over to Malka who was sitting nervously. When they reached him Malka straightened up with an anxious expression.
"Alrighty," Nala said, "let's get to work."
Simba and Kula continued to look at the inscriptions on the side of the cave.
"Hmmm," Simba pondered as he scanned the markings again.
"Well, what does it say?" Kula asked tilting her head to the side.
"Tall and proud I stand, seasons pass I fade and brighten again and again. My reach extends to the sky and the ground below your paws," Simba quoted. When he finished a silence fell upon the two again.
"Reach to the sky and the ground," Kula repeated. Then as if a light brightened in her head, the lioness cub sprang up.
"I got it it's Rafiki's tree!" Kula explained.
"What? Are you sure?" Simba asked. Kula nodded.
"A tree's branches reach to the sky and its roots go into the ground," Kyla explained, "and the only tree that would be that important to the past kings would be Rafiki's tree."
"Huh, so there is a brain up in there," Simba said.
"What do you mean by that?" Kula asked tilting her head to the side.
"Never mind, that, let's go!" Simba said. The two cubs leaped out of the hollow rock and into the lush green fields. Just as they left a small mole emerged from the ground. He watched as the two cubs grew smaller in the distance.
"This isn't good, I must alert the underground network," he muttered to himself before returning back into the ground.
In the heat of the day, the sun was slowly but surely was creeping across the blue dome of the sky, commencing the late afternoon. Sprinting across the grasslands passing several of the lionesses and other various animals. Eventually, Simba and Kula reached the massive baobab tree that Rafiki called his home.
"We have to be careful when looking for the clue," Simba whispered to Kula.
"What? Why?" Kula asked tilting her head.
"Well, Rafiki doesn't like to be disturbed," Simba explained, "remember last week. Tojo had a sizeable lump on his head for 3 days."
"Oh right," Kula said. The two then crouched down camouflaging themselves in the tall grass. The two crept quietly around the base of the tall tree.
"Okay, where could the clue be hidden on the tree?" Kula asked.
"The most important part is in the branches where Rafiki makes the paintings," Simba said, "the only problem is how are we supposed to get up there without getting in trouble."
"We could fake an injury," The brown lioness cub suggested.
"Nah," The prince shook his head, "He could tell if it's fake or not."
"Ah, what a beautiful day," a voice rang out in a sing-song voice, "nothing like a nice relaxing nap in the warm sun." Simba and Kula turned around to see Tojo settling down on a rock to sunbathe.
"I got an idea," Kula said. She then stalked silently creeping up behind the daydreaming tan cub. The brown lioness snatched up a stick with her paw raising it and then striking Tojo across the head rendering him unconscious.
"What the heck was that!" Simba screamed in shock at Kula's action.
"Hey, I got an injury for Rafiki to treat," Kula said. She then grabbed the scruff of Tojo's neck dragging him across the ground to the base of the large baobab tree.
"Kula, you scare me sometimes," Simba remarked.
"That's one of my specialties, golden boy," Kula said, "I got the body now what?" she bluntly stated.
"Don't say that so loud!" Simba said. He anxiously looked around for any signs of other animals, "Let me fetch Rafiki he should be with my Dad at the northern border. Wait here and make sure Tojo doesn't wake up."
"Aye aye, sir," Kula saluted the prince. Simba rolled his amber eyes before taking off to find his father.
"Come on Malka you're never gonna impress a girl that way," Nala called out to the reddish-brown cub.
"You try tightrope walking from the top of a tree!" Malka screamed back at the cream lioness.
"Once, again it's to improve your overall posture!" Nala shouted back.
The first exercise was a tightrope walk over the waterhole. Chumvi managed this by tying several vines together and stretching it across two palm trees that were on opposite sides of the body of water. When Malka started to walk across the thin vine, he maintained his balance for the first couple seconds and then immediately started to fumble on the vine.
Nala watched the struggle from below, she then turned to Chumvi who was sitting next to her, "You don't think that we're pushing him too far right?"
"Oh no, I think that this is an important step to the process," Chumvi explained.
"Doesn't seem a bit...extreme?" Nala asked, her eyebrows curving up. The chocolate brown cub paused for a bit.
"Nah," Chumvi said brushing off the subject.
"Gahhh!" Malka screamed as the thin vine snapped under his weight. The pair looked up to see the reddish brown cub fall into the water with a large splash. Chumvi and Nala cringed as a loud slap noise could be heard.
"Oooo, that's gonna leave a mark," Nala said.
"Huh I thought the water would break his fall," Chumvi bluntly stated.
Malka emerged from the water, his muzzle along with his underbelly starting to redden.
"I AM NEVER GOING TO DO THAT AGAIN!" Malka screamed stomping over to the two cubs.
"ALL YOU'VE DONE ALL DAY IS TORMENT ME! WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? IM DONE WITH THIS!" Malka stomped away angrily.
"Malka, wait!" Nala named after him. The two cubs attempted to chase after him, however, Chumvi's legs got caught in a vine. He tripped knocking over Nala.
"Chumvi watch where you are going!" The cream lioness scolded at the brown cub. She looked up to see that Malka had disappeared.
"Great we lost him!" Nala said.
"Yeah, well it's not like we could get anything accomplished with him anyways," Chumvi stated standing up and brushing himself off.
"Okay, now what do we do?" Nala turned to look at the boy beside her.
"We could find and bother Tojo," he suggested. Nala gave Chumvi a look for a solid minute.
"Okay," Nala agreed. The two then began to make their way back to Pride Rock.
Meanwhile, Kula was lying on the ground next to Tojo's unconscious body. To pass the time Kula was having a full conversation with herself and the tan cub.
"Well, I mean the relationship with Chumvi had been a bit rocky as of late," Kula said, "He hasn't been as affectionate, as usual, I hope for the best, but I'm starting to get worried." The brown lioness cub looked over to the tan cub neighboring her. Of course, Tojo didn't respond, but that didn't stop Kula from getting a response. She reached out her paw and moved Tojo's muzzle.
"Well, I think you need to hit stronger on him and see what the results will be," Kula responded mimicking Tojo's voice. At that moment the tan cub started to wake up. Kula flinched and snapped back to her previous position as Tojo opened his eyes.
"What the…," Tojo said groaning and rubbing his head, "what happened I think I blacked out."
"Uhh… nothing, you passed out on the rock," Kula lied as droplets of sweat started to form on her face. Tojo gave her a suspicious look.
"Right," Tojo said resting back on the ground, "jeez I have a really bad headache, can you get Rafiki for me."
"Already taken care of, buddy," Kula said. The two turned their heads at the sound of footsteps in the grass. Mufasa, Rafiki, and Simba were approaching from the border.
"I'm finally back!" Simba said. Rafiki and Mufasa were directly behind the cub.
"You cubs always find a way to become injured don't you?" Rafiki said with a chuckle. Tojo cracked a small smile, his reputation was notorious for getting himself injured quite often. It wasn't his fault, he just happened to be a clumsy cub.
"Don't feel bad, Tojo," Mufasa said, "your mother was the exact same way when I was a cub." Rafiki then scooped up Tojo and began to take him up the tree. Simba and Kula began to follow.
"Where, are you two going?" Mufasa asked. The two stopped in their tracks in front of the baobab tree.
"Uhhh...we're gonna stay by Tojo so he has someone with him," Simba said nervously. The King gave his son a look, before smiling.
"Well, that's very nice of you, son," Mufasa said before turning around to return to border patrol.
"Phew," Simba breathed a sigh of relief, swiping the sweat from his face. The two cubs proceed to climb up the tree and into the sparse branches. When they entered Tojo was resting on the ground as Rafiki searched around the various branches for medicins.
"You cubs must be more careful," Rafiki said, "If I could count the number of times you get injured, the tallys would overtake de tree."
"Sorry, Rafiki," Kula said, "but you know Tojo."
"How exactly did this happen?" Rafiki asked while he took a closer look at Tojo's body. Kula and Simba exchanged nervous glances with each other. They didn't know exactly how to explain Tojo's head injury.
"Um...he fell straight into a rock," Kula stated.
"Well dat explains the abrasion on his head," Rafiki said examining the back of Tojo's head, "There's a sizable lump from swelling, I'm going to have to get some herbs." The old mandrill looked up to the pair of cubs. "You don't mind staying with him do you?"
"Not at all," they said in unison. Rafiki then leaped from the top of the tree leaving the three alone.
"Okay, where are we gonna find the next clue?" Simba said.
Nala and Chumvi were lying on the ground of the den staring up at the cracked ceiling. Since Malka had stormed out on them, a void had been left unfilled by his absence. However, Nala's mind was swarming with thoughts concerning, Simba and their betrothal.
"Married, why wasn't I told?" Nala thought, "is it because Simba would hate it if he found out? What if he'll hate me if I told him how I felt about him?" the cream lioness couldn't deny the amazing thought of marrying Simba however it brought anxieties with it. What is the cub liked someone else? What would happen if he rejected her confession? What if they would have an unstable marriage?
"Whatcha thinking about?" Chumvi asked breaking Nala's tranced state. The cream lioness turned to face the chocolate brown cub, yesterday she already spilled the beans about her crush on Simba.
"Well, I um… you know about my crush on Simba," Nala said crimson flushing her light cheeks, "I've just been really, on edge concerning being betrothed to him. I just don't know how it's gonna work out. What if he doesn't like me back, if he'll hate me if I tell him."
"Nala, you can't assume that," Chumvi said, "your friendship with Simba spanns all the way back since we were babies. He cares for you deeply and will always be your friend no matter what. So how can you say that he'll hate you."
Nala looked down, "well I guess that you're right."
"In that case, I just can't wait to be queen!"
AN: before I conclude this chapter, I have an announcement. Because I'm still in high school the PSAT is something I have to study for. So don't be surprised if the chapters will take while longer for the next month or so. Anyways thanks for reading and I'll see y'all in the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed!