Okay, time to go back to the days of "Hakuna Matata" and Simba's childhood. Back when things seemed simple and the trio had no real worries. Except for the small challenge of raising a lion cub. And there are plenty of problems and odd moments dealing with that particular challenge. Even the glimpses in "Lion King 1 ½" didn't reveal too much. Hope you enjoy it.
A lion cub. How in the world are they supposed to keep the kid out of trouble? Keeping a young predator around to discourage any hunters that Pumbaa's stench didn't drive away sounded like a good idea. Protection from being eaten was always a plus, but they needed Simba to grow up a little first. And if he got himself killed with his playing (or killed Timon instead), it wouldn't help him at all. Maybe keeping the dangerous young predator was a bad idea.
Feeding him was also a challenge. The cub was already larger than Timon and not much smaller than Pumbaa. Trying to find enough for him to fill up on bugs was already taking quite a bit of time for the young lion, especially since he wasn't that skilled at finding this particular type of food. The amount needed would only get worse as he grew. How many grubs would it take to feed a growing cub? What if hunger eventually pushed the predator to follow his instincts into… hunting?
Timon curled up tighter on Pumbaa's stomach, trying to go back to sleep after Simba's numerous interruptions. He knew exactly what would happen if that predator's instincts won out. Just because his own natural instincts weren't working properly didn't mean Timon was ignorant of the risk. There was a reason why most meerkats were more comfortable underground and freaked out over any larger animal they spotted: they were prey for hungry carnivores. He didn't have that natural desire to hide in a hole in the ground and he was definitely less paranoid than Uncle Max, but he understood the threat regardless. No matter how cute the kid was or how much Pumbaa didn't seem to notice, there was a chance that this entire thing could be a huge mistake that might end up with someone being eaten. But, if he was careful and the cub didn't get too hungry, they might be able to get this to work.
He shifted slightly, trying to relax. The whole "Hakuna Matata" philosophy was harder to maintain when dealing with a wildly-energetic cub all day that also refused to stay asleep. The meerkat felt like he was losing his mind and sanity. He couldn't be the kid's keeper like this. Having a lion on their side was supposed to mean having a bodyguard and another guy to pal around with, not all the added responsibility and stress the kid was causing. He wanted a carefree life.
"Timon," called Simba softly for what felt like the hundredth time that night.
He didn't want to snap at the kid. Even when he kept in mind what kind of animal he would grow up into, it was hard to ignore the fact he was essentially a decent cub who was a little too rambunctious and playful. But a rough day and too many similar interruptions to his sleep already pushed him to the limits of his patience.
"Yah!" the meerkat yelled, sitting up and sliding off his comfortable spot on Pumbaa. "What have you got against the concept of a good night's sleep, huh?"
He turned around to see the cub cringing and his ears flattened. Instantly, Timon felt bad about his reaction. That guilt didn't dissipate as the kid continued hesitantly.
"Actually, I… uh… had a bad dream."
"Oh, well…," Timon stumbled verbally in response to the upset cub's explanation.
How in the world was he going to fix this? Yelling at a frightened kid who just experienced a nightmare? He needed back-up. The meerkat quickly elbowed the slumbering swine in the side.
Pumbaa snorted loudly, blinked groggily, and muttered, "Wasn't me."
Quickly, Timon explained, "Junior had a bad dream."
"Oh… Why don't you sleep over here with us?" suggested the warthog reasonably, solving the problem with a simple solution that seemed to repair the damage Timon's earlier response created.
"Me Pumbaa, su Pumbaa," the meerkat added, patting the side of his friend to indicate he was okay with this idea too.
The prospect seemed to cheer the cub immensely. The cringing, uneasy posture of the young lion eased and his expression shifted to enthusiasm.
"All right," Simba shouted, pouncing towards the pair.
It took a few moments to rearrange things in their cozy bed, but they finally got settled again. The cub was now curled up on the warthog's stomach with Timon leaning next to him.
"Good night," smiled Simba.
"Sleep tight," Timon added.
Pumbaa finished, "Dream of bed bugs tonight."
As soon as the words left the warthog's mouth, he fell asleep. Both meerkat and lion cub chuckled at the sight and sounds of the snoring pig briefly before the kid closed his eyes. Drifting off to sleep, Simba pulled Timon closer to him with his paw. The meerkat felt surprised by the action, but quickly relaxed. The cub might be trouble and there was no way to guess what new problems he'd cause in the morning. But, somehow, he couldn't see the young lion intentionally hurting either of them. And if he was wrong, Timon couldn't quite make himself care about the possibility much at the moment. There was just something about Simba that made him want to protect the cub and keep him safe. Regardless of what species he might be, the kid was absolutely on their side and was a part of their team.
Hakuna Matata. No worries. Put your past behind you. The entire philosophy that Timon and Pumbaa introduced him to was exactly what the young prin… the young lion needed. It meant he didn't have to think about it. Pride Rock. The pride. Uncle Scar's description of everything that happened. The stampede. Da…
No, he didn't have to think about it. He didn't have to worry about anything. This was an absolutely carefree lifestyle. All he needed to do was play with his friends, explore the lush forest, and eat bugs. Granted, he wasn't originally that excited about the idea of eating crawling things with too many legs that lived under rocks. Bugs weren't his first food option he'd have chosen if he had other options, but they were becoming more appetizing. He still liked grubs more than the crunchy ones with wings. And those tended to be more filling anyway. Life here was relaxing and perfect.
But, even with a "worry free" lifestyle, Simba couldn't get rid of all his concerns. He stared down from his current perch in the tree while he watched the meerkat gingerly straighten up with the green beetle he found in his grasp, grimacing slightly. As the small mammal popped the bug into his mouth, Simba closed his eyes. It was so easy to forget how different his companions were in comparison to his previous playmates. It was easy to forget how much smaller and more fragile Timon was than the growing cub.
He expected his more strenuous and rough games to result in bumps and scrapes for everyone involved. That was just part of playing and he knew he'd receive similar minor injuries when he used to wrestle with other lion cubs. But he didn't even mean to do anything to the meerkat. Especially not anything dangerous. But he'd been chasing a butterfly through the forest and it happened. While running after the flying bug and batting at it roughly with his paws, Timon had ended up right in the middle of it. The cub had accidentally smacked the meerkat and sent him tumbling. In a panic, the young lion began instantly apologizing for the accident. Surprisingly, Timon quickly assured him that it was okay and that he wasn't upset. But Simba could still tell that the careless hit hurt his friend and that he was still sore a couple of days later.
The cub opened his eyes and stared down at his paws numbly. It was the second time he'd gotten someone important to him hurt. It wasn't as bad this time; Timon was still alive. And yet, he still caused this. It was his fault. And it could happen again. Should he run away again? Just… run away and never return? It might be safer for everyone.
Drowning in his guilt, the cub didn't realize that he'd been spotted until the meerkat was staring at him firmly and gestured at him.
"Get down here, Simba" Timon ordered gently.
Climbing down slowly, the young lion refused to meet his eyes. Neither Timon nor Pumbaa would act mad about the event or make any statement of blame, but the cub felt like they should. They were being far too forgiving about the incident.
"Listen up, kid," stated the meerkat. "You are seriously putting a cramp on the whole 'Hakuna Matata' thing by moping around like this."
"Sorry," he muttered.
Timon continued, "I know. You didn't mean to do anything wrong. It was an accident. They happen."
"But I hurt you," pointed out the cub, his ears drooping further.
"And I'll get over it," he reminded. "Just try to be more careful in the future, okay? I like butterflies as much as the next guy, but there is such a thing as overkill. You'll be getting bigger, kid. You'll need to be aware of how strong you'll be and how to control it."
"But I…" began the young lion, unable to believe how little the meerkat was getting upset over everything.
Timon interrupted, "Accidents happen. Sometimes over and over again to the point where the entire colony hates being in the same tunnel with you and they'll accept any suggestion that'll keep you from breaking another hole…" He trailed off, looking mildly embarrassed. "Well, my point is that it wasn't your fault and, if you keep worrying about it, then you haven't learned a thing about Hakuna Matata. Put your past behind you and that's in the past now. Got it?"
Slowly, Simba nodded. The meerkat smiled, reached over, and began to rub the cub's head. It wasn't quite the same sensation as his mother's tongue washing his face or his father nuzzling him reassuringly, but it was close enough to relax him. The young lion leaned into the calming contact and began to purr. After a few moments, Timon chuckled slightly.
"Come on, kid," he remarked, halting his rubbing. "I know a spot to find some of those tasty pink grubs as big as my head. If you want to make it up to me, you'll help me find a few of them."
"Okay, Timon," the cub agreed enthusiastically.
He couldn't ignore the problem much longer. Even Pumbaa was noticing it. Of course, it was hard to ignore a young lion's stomach growling all night when all three were curled up together. More and more of the growing cub's time was spent digging up and finding bugs to eat. But even all that effort and his developing bug-locating skills wasn't keeping up with the kid's current growth spurt and Simba was looking on the scrawny side.. They needed to figure out something to keep the young lion fed.
Timon studied the growing cub carefully. Simba was almost the same size as Pumbaa by now and, if it wasn't for the thinness, he'd be starting to look like a predator rather than a jumble of fur and paws. He wasn't an expert in the proper development of lions, but the meerkat was willing to bet that Simba was reaching the age where he'd be able to start learning to hunt. Unlike in the early days, he wasn't even a little bit concerned about the cub eating them out of pure hunger. Now the meerkat was more worried about their kid simply starving while trying to follow a diet he couldn't survive on completely.
The meerkact paused and review his last thought. Their kid? Where did that come from? Simba was their friend and everything, but that was it. He wasn't the cub's father or anything like that. Pumbaa might act all protective of the young lion, but he was a rather protective warthog. He met Pumbaa in the first place because the swine worried about a small meerkat wandering around alone. The warthog acted like a parent sometimes, but Timon wasn't the one who automatically considered any young or small animal his responsibility. Besides, it was hard to feel particularly parental for a creature who had always been far larger than himself. Simba wasn't really their kid; he was their friend and that was it. They would stick together, but he couldn't claim the cub in any manner.
But he did need to figure out something. Simba was a growing kid and grubs weren't going to be enough. It wasn't like Timon and Pumbaa could chase down an antelope for him and the kid certainly couldn't do that sort of thing for himself, even if those larger animals managed to wander into their little slice of paradise. But there were smaller creatures, such as lizards and birds. And the young lion certainly stared at them rather hungrily, even if he couldn't get close enough to them. It wasn't a topic he would be comfortable dealing with and he certainly didn't think Pumbaa would be able to bring it up, but the kid needed to start eating something other than bugs and that meant learning to hunt somehow. Simba needed to learn and that left very few animals available to teach him.
The only way to do this would be in complete denial. Timon wouldn't be able to even admit to himself what he was doing or what he was doing or what Simba would end up doing with what he learned. If he didn't admit it, he wouldn't have to think of the kid as a predator. He wouldn't even fill Pumbaa in on it if he could manage it. If no one really acknowledged the situation, it would be easier to keep from worrying.
"Hey, Pumbaa," he called suddenly. "Simba. I've got a new game to try. Interested?"
"Sure, Timon," answered the cub. "How do we play?"
The meerkat explained, "It's sort of like hide-and-seek. Me and Pumbaa will wander off somewhere. Then you'll have to track us down, sneak up on us without us noticing, and try to catch us. If we see, hear, or figure out in any way that you're close, we'll try to escape. So you'll have to practice being sneaky, kid."
"I don't know, Timon," began Pumbaa, apparently wondering about the similarities between the game and a rather more serious activity between predators and prey. "Isn't that kind of like…?"
"Okay," agreed Simba, making the realization he wanted the kid to make. The young lion was recognizing the way he could apply the skills the game required to the problem of his stomach. "I can do that. I'll give you a head start."
Timon reached up and tugged on the warthog's snout, "Come on, buddy. Can't make things too easy on the cub."
The moment he spotted the small pack of wild dogs, their ribs visible through the colorful patterns of fur, Timon froze. Predators, very hungry and vicious predators, were in their lush home. It didn't make sense; how did that happen? Larger animals don't cross the desert except when circumstances forced them away from their hunting grounds. Carnivores never showed up here. They hadn't seen him yet, but they would soon. Any other member of his species would have a tunnel to dive down. He could only crouch behind a large leaf and hope the canines miss him. Even as he felt that tiny hopeful thought, he knew his luck wasn't that good. Meerkat was on the menu tonight.
Then, he heard a noise besides the unsettling growling. It was a soft, familiar humming that was approaching through the undergrowth. The wild dogs perked their ears at the sound while the hidden meerkat realized uneasily who was coming. And Timon knew that he was still too small to stand up to them, especially against a whole pack.
Against all common sense and self-preservation, the meerkat burst out of hiding and yelled, "Simba, run!"
"Timon?" asked the cub as he stepped into view, just as the pack of predators shifted their attention towards the crazy meerkat. The young lion stiffened in shock as he spotted the wild dogs. Simba's fur rose up and his ears flattened. Timon broke into a panicked run and yanked the kid's ear, causing the feline to yelp, "Ow."
"Move it, kid. This is not a drill," shouted Timon, continuing to flee as the excited yelps of the predators in pursuit followed. Happily, the cub was keeping up with him. Unfortunately, so were the hunger predators. "Faster. Faster would be better. Keep running" The meerkat thought through their limited options, trying to find a way out of this situation. He had absolutely no intention of letting him and Simba get eaten if he could avoid it. "Tree. Up a tree. They can't climb."
"Jump on," the cub ordered.
As soon as the meerkat landed on the lion's back, Sima leapt towards the closest trunk and scrambled upwards. Timon held tightly onto his fur, trying to remain in place until the kid reached the first branch that would support their weight and stopped. Both struggling to catch their breath, they stared down uneasily at the angry pack of wild dogs snarling loudly at the base of the tree. They couldn't reach the cub and meerkat, but they weren't going away yet.
"You okay, kid?" Timon panted after a moment of watching the predators below.
The young lion nodded, "Yeah. Yeah, I'm all right. What do we do now?"
"Hakuna Matata," he assured him. "We simply wait."
"Until what?"
The meerkat, feeling much calmer now, indicated below. The collection of canines were no longer focused on them. The wild dogs were sniffing audibly now, their eyes widening in horror as their noses twitched. Then, the entire pack fled the area while yelping loudly.
"Until they are defeated by the power of stench," Timon answered as Pumbaa charged into view. "Hey, buddy. Perfect timing."
The young lion, finally gaining a little weight and muscle mass again, yawned slightly from his cozy spot in the sun. The feline wasn't completely asleep, merely dozing lightly in the warmth. Timon was leaning against the feline, but he was completely unconscious and would not be waking any time soon. Pumbaa merely stared at them for a little while with a smile.
The growing cub shifted slightly, resulting in a quiet moan of protest from the meerkat. It still amazed the warthog that he had not one, but two friends who would put up with his less than pleasant aroma. Everyone he encountered fled except for one meerkat and one lion cub. He could hardly believe how lucky he was to have them. He'd do anything for them. And he knew that the pair felt the same way about him and each other. They were a team, united together in their support of each other and their desire for a carefree life.
From the moment they found Simba, he cared about the cute cub. He wanted to keep him safe, even when Timon began arguing against the idea. But now the little guy (though no longer that little) was an irreplaceable member of their Hakuna Matata lifestyle. None of their pasts or the fact that they didn't quite fit into their own species for different reasons mattered. They were family, even if no one admitted it. They weren't a normal herd, colony, or pride, but they were just as close. And, whether or not Timon really accepted it, they were essentially raising Simba between the both of them. The cub needed them, especially considering how sad he was when they first met him. All of them needed Hakuna Matata and all of them needed each other.
He might not always be the quickest thinker and he might sometimes have difficulty judging when Timon was being serious or not, but Pumbaa could still recognize something right in front of him. And there was definitely some real love involved with that meerkat and cub. It rather reminded the warthog of how his own mother treated him when he was little. Timon would deny it, but he showed real signs of parental nuturing towards the feline. Since Simba still needed parents, the cub reacted strongly to the offered affection from both of them and was growing into a rather wonderful creature. And he was certainly growing into a stronger animal.
Pumbaa sat down underneath one of the larger trees in the area. He knew why Simba was suddenly putting on weight again and the reason that Timon had devised that particular game. The young lion was no longer living only on bugs. True, insects were clearly still the majority of his diet and he ate plenty of those. But the cub would now vanish into undergrowth for extended lengths of time only to return looking guilty. Timon's invented game gave Simba a chance to practice his stalking and everyone pretended the cub didn't use those skills to eat. Even if hunting down and eating other animals was how the young lion was naturally supposed to act, due to fact his species was a predatory one and it was just a normal part of the Circle of Life thing, there was some things that animals lower on the food chain preferred not to consider too much. It was easier not to think about it, about how their kid was learning those skills, so they didn't. But it was Timon's idea and the fact he willingly taught their cub how to hunt them proved he absolutely trusted and cared about Simba.
There were moments where he truly understood Ma's continuous efforts to fix his hair. Simba's growing mane was a strong temptation to mess with, especially since it would make the growing lion purr and act like the cub they found lying in the sun and rescued. It was hard for the meerkat to accept how much time had passed since they first met Simba. It was even harder to accept how much he'd grown. The half-grown lion was certainly larger than Pumbaa now and could consume more bugs than should be possible. Their cub wasn't much of a cub anymore. And Timon no longer denied, at least to himself, that Simba was essentially his and Pumbaa's kid. You don't spend this much time raising a young lion without accepting the fact he was important.
More and more, the meerkat realized he was wondering how his mother would react to Simba. Timon might not necessarily follow his imagined answer of her behavior, but he used her as inspiration. He never expected to be a parent and she was the only example he really had that he could follow. He wasn't perfect and neither was Pumbaa, but they were managing to raise a member of a different species into a happy and healthy-looking individual somehow regardless.
Simba was certainly turning into a rather impressive specimen of his species. All those bugs (and other creatures Timon knew nothing about the lion eating) certainly agreed with him. And as impressive as the feline looked now, he knew he wasn't done yet. The brownish-gold cub they rescued was turning into the powerful creature who stood at the top of the food chain. And even with all that growing strength, Timon wasn't even mildly concerned about his large friend. Simba had worked hard to remain in control of his deadly strength and prevent himself from causing accidental harm. He was very gentle and coordinated for such a powerful animal.
Unable to resist the temptation, Timon climbed onto the growing lion's shoulders and rubbed at the base of his growing mane. Simba's purring was deeper now than it was as a cub, but the feline still turned into a relaxed and happy cat on contact. The meerkat contemplated flattening the darker hair. In the end, he settled for just rubbing his kid's head comfortingly.
"Knock it off," the lion finally chuckled. "You're messing up my mane."
"And you used to run me ragged all over the forest, Junior," he pointed out. "Let me have a moment. Maybe I'll put some flowers in here too."
Simba, no longer chuckling, remarked, "You wouldn't dare."
"I don't know. You did feed Pumbaa extra stink bugs last night. Remember?"
"We both suffered for that," the lion reminded reasonably.
"True," nodded Timon. "Fine. Your hair is safe for now. Happy?"
Simba laughed, "Very. Now get off."
Feeling rather mischievous still towards the feline and not ready to leave his perch yet, the meerkat reached over and twisted his ear gently, "Is that anyway to talk to your friend? Can't even manage a 'please'?"
"Ow, that hurts," complained the young lion, shaking his head. "Okay, I'm sorry. Let go."
"Okay, kid," he relented, releasing the ear and jumping down. "You're way too easy to mess with, Simba."
The feline nudged Timon with his head, using just enough pressure to make the small mammal stumble slightly. The meerkat grinned and shoved back at the lion. Even if he had no hope of actually moving Simba, it was the principle of the thing.
"Come on," the lion suggested. "Let's meet up with Pumbaa near the waterfall."
The feline broke into a run, which quickly left the meerkat behind. Not that he really cared since he'd catch up eventually. Eating, having fun, and no worries. That was the life of all three of them. And nothing would ever change that.
Okay, the next chapter will be a bit of a wait. I've caught up to what I've already written. Hope you like the little snippets of their lives so far. Soon, Simba will have to take his place as king and his friends will have to adjust to that fact. I enjoy feedback. Feel free to review.