Chapter IX

Atop Pride Rock sat King Simba. He was soaking up what was remaining of the luscious afternoon sun, watching down, looking at his peaceful kingdom. Ever since Scar was torn from the throne the beauty of the Pridelands had been oblivious to the king. The water from Amani falls that provided water reflected the peaceful afternoon and no fights or arguments had been recorded all day. It was at this time that Simba could have thought that all was well...just one thing haunted the relaxation.
The outlands, the shadows upon the light. After the fire no hope was left for the separate territory. It was destroyed forever. The Outlands sat there, a dry barren where they would sit forever.
Simba sighed, his dreams of the lands joining together had been destroyed. The Outlands were to remain off limits and vacant forever.

The peaceful and relaxing silence was drawn to a sudden close by a click of two birds feet landing on the floor. The majordomo grunted as he pulled himself up. Zazu, exhausted, choked and rustled his feathers before clearing his throat.

"You okay there?" Simba chuckled as he turned his head with a warm smile.
"Simba," Zazu inhaled. "I have come with news. I am here to announce that…"
"Oh what is it now? Those stupid rhinos aren't..."
""On the contrary! I am here to announce that I...well...how do I put this?."
"You can tell me anything."
"I want to retire as your majordomo."

Simba's attention was suddenly drawn to the horn bill. This was not something Simba was okay with, if Zazu was to retire it sparked the possibility of a departure from his old friend.

"Are...are you sure you have thought this through?" Simba asked. Zazu glared at him.
"Oh I am very sure! I can't keep doing this; I've been doing it for far too long. Plus I never ever migrated in my life; it's something I want to try. Look Simba I'm sorry but this is what's for the best. I'll visit on occasions."

Simba sighed. He didn't want Zazu to leave, but as king he was obligated respect his decision.
"Okay then Zazu. I'll respect your decision." He sighed. "I'll take this opportunity then to thank you on sticking with us throughout the years. My father would be...no is proud."

Zazu nodded and flew back off without a destination choice. Simba sighed and he rested his head atop his paws.
Fucking fantastic. He thought. There's a friend gone...

he grunted as he stood from his relaxing, and plodded down the uneasy ramp, then entering the cavern of Pride Rock. If Zazu was to be ending his duties then a new majordomo was needed quickly. As he stepped in the cave he noticed who he could ask.

"Timon," He announced. "I need a favour." Timon flipped around and pranced up to Simba.
"How can I help?" He answered.
"I'm sure you heard Zazu is retiring."
"Really?"
"And I want you to take his place."
"So, you want me to be a majordomo? Me? Why didn't you ask Pumbaa first?"
"Because, being a 'domo is sort of...undercover work."

Timon's face lit up like a forest fire. His love for undercover work was certainly not going to supersede an opportunity like this.
"You see," Simba started, lowering his muzzle to Timon's level. "The current residents of the pridelands don't like the idea of constant surveillance after hearing about stories of Scar. So you will have to be quick and unseen. Which is a perfect position for you because of…"
"My size?" Timon finished.
"I'm not insulting you. Pumbaa's slightly too…hefty to handle this task at hand. So I would like you to do it."
Timon smiled up before he began to skip out of the cavern.
"Don't you worry Simba; I'll be back before you can say 'morning!'" Timon shouted back.
"Morning" Simba chuckled to himself. Having sorted the future majordomo events within minutes and his patrol duties not for yet another hour, Simba proceeded back up to the upper summit for a snooze.

()0()0()

The late afternoon pressed on hesitantly. The warthog Pumbaa trotted around the pridelands alone, searching for anything to savage upon. He was so hungry, without Timon dictating Pumbaa on good bug feast destinations he had no clue where to search. In fact without his small meerkat friend sat astride his back brought the awful feelings of sadness and alone back to the warthog. The way he felt before he met Timon in the long grass that faithful evening. The first night he made a friend.

The hefty warthog sat alone in the centre of the pridelands, slumped to the floor and almost in tears. His head lifted slowly to find the two young lions Nira and Shemba approaching him.

"Hey, you okay?" Nira asked with an essence of concern in his voice.
"Nah, I feel alone." Pumbaa replied. "I'm all alone since Simba gave...him a more important job."
"Yeah, gramps has a little tendency to change his mind..."
"Look I know you're only tryn'a help, but could you leave me alone?"

Shemba pondered his request for a moment.
"Are you sure you don't want us to keep you company? We're happy to!"
"Nah..."
"Sure you're not up for a round of tag?" Nira turned to Shemba with a sneer on his face.
"Tag?" He whispered to her. "Are you a cub?"
Shemba silenced the brown lion. She turned back to Pumbaa with a warm smile spread across her muzzle but Pumbaa didn't react. He wasn't exactly the first warthog for cub games and even so definitely not at this point in time.

"Uhh, you know what;" Pumbaa sighed. "I'll just leave you two love birds..."
"What?" The two lions replied simultaneously. "No- No we're not, we aren't…we are not..."
"Right..." Pumbaa raised his eyebrow before trailing off into another location.

Nira, shocked by what Pumbaa had uttered flopped to the floor. Shemba, also in shock just sat down.

"What you think he meant by that?" Shemba asked.
"What do you think he meant?" Nira hissed. "He thinks we're...like...like in luurrrrvvvee…" He sighed. "Do you...do you think that they all think that?"
"Oh, no! They can't be thinking that! Can they?" Shemba replied.
"Well, I don't know, do you think we're in love?"
"...no of course we're not!" Shemba remained in her thought's briefly. "Are we?"
"No! No we're not! How can we be? We're cousins!"
"Adoptive cousins! That doesn't mean that..."
"Even so, we're not…"
"No! No you're right! Of course we're not! We was just playing with us!"
She turned her head and looked at the floor and sighed. The brown and dim furred lions remained silent for a moment until it was broken by a large crack of long grass to the left of them.

Nira's ears pricked up and his eyes narrowed to the long grass. Nothing was in his current eye line. His stance slowly dropped a level. When Shemba lifted her head once more she noticed him.

"What are you doing?"
"They've found us." Nira whispered. "Keep low."
"It won't make a difference if were low, Nira." Shemba whispered back, lowering her stance as well. Cautiously, they began to proceed into the long grass of the pridelands were another crack of the long grass snapping was heard followed by light cackles.

"Can you see anything?" Shemba asked as she walked behind Nira.
"No, but I think they're that way." Nira replied.
"Are you sure? I think that maybe the sound could have travelled from the other direction and judging by the wind direction…"
"Shemba, Shhh! I know what I'm doing."
"I bet you do. Ooh look at me I have a mane, so I'm much smarter than everyone else." Shemba joked to herself. She sighed and continued to follow the prince while grumbling to herself. Nira followed two sets of paw prints that trailed through the grass until they stopped.

"They're both here," Nira whispered, "They separated ways."
"No, Nira, you're looking at it the wrong way. The tracks go in the other direction on the right than they do on the left it's obvious that they went in a circle and went back the other way. You can even see the circle they made up ahead."

"But, Shemba, their scent is going this way." Nira used his paw to point in the direction he was taking. "If their scent is that way then it's obvious they went that way."
"It's not all about scent. It's also about how old the tracks look and which direction the tracks go in. The tracks change on the other side..."
"No, because if they had gone the other way, then we would have seen them walk past."
"Or they could have snuck by the, oh I wonder what we are surrounded by? Long grass!"
"Yes, but the tracks on the left are fresher, their scent is that way and the sound is that way, the signs point that way."
"No, Nira. You think they are, but the whole time we walked the grass the wind has blown in the other direction, which means the wind would have carried the scent from the other way. There are tracks on the other side which I may add are fresher than the ones your following and you can see the circle they made ahead. But obviously you can't because you're so stupid!"

"What's your problem, Shemba?" Nira grunted as he turned around. "Why are you so irritable?"
"Maybe because your acting like you know everything just because your royalty. This is all just a game anyway, Jasiri and Hasira have probably run off by now!"
"Oh I'm sorry I think I'm right about something in my life."
"When was the last time you were wrong about something? Oh and if it was wrong, just because your blood's so precious to these lands you could make it right! You'll probably just say 'Look at me I'm fucking king so an antelopes a zebra!'"
"You're saying I can't do anything right now?"
"I never said that!"
"Yes you did! You said that if it wasn't right I'd just change it! That's saying I can't do anything right!"
"For crying out loud Nira, I'm just telling you to realise that you're wrong at the moment. You're not wrong all the time!"
"Oh, is that so? Well, we'll see who's right then. I'll go the right way, and you go the other."
"Fine by me!"

The two angry lions swivelled round and sped off in other directions. They grumbled to themselves as they searched around for the two cubs trying to prove that they were right.
Know it all, Shemba said to herself. Who does he think he is, just because he's royal blood and I'm not.
Well, what's eaten her?
Nira said to himself. I'm just showing her I'm right. I'll show her how it's done around here.

As this thought occurred to Nira, he was suddenly drawn to a halt after feeling his nose hit something. Within seconds his eyes dilated at the shock of it being a wet nose.

Shemba could also feel a wet nose pressed against her own and they could both feel the air seeping from each others noses. Without realising, the two young lions had sneaked in a circle to meet in the middle. With the same expression of shock wiped across their faces, they lifted their heads and found their noses connected. In an instant they stepped back from each other and laughed awkwardly and abruptly. A silence haunted the lions before either of them dared to speak.

"Well...aint this...strange?" Nira stammered.
"Yeah…this is...perhaps a little-stranger than...the lake and..."
"Nice?" they spoke together.

"Errm…is this…is this still a...how did that feel?" Shemba uttered.
"How-how do…you mean?"
"Well errm…what I mean is…do you think…is it just…"
"I think…I don't know if…that was an accident?"
"Oh, yeah I mean…the only reason…we would…you know…do that is…if we were…"
"In love?" They spoke together once more.

"This is still a little…awkward…tense…maybe…"
"Do you think...do you think its a little more…than awkward?" Shemba asked.
"What…what you mean?"
"Well I mean, did you…feel anything else?"
"Well…" Shemba optimistically looked into Nira. "I only felt awkward…did you feel differently?"
"Oh no…I just said it for arguments sake."

The young lions said nothing after their speech. The awkwardness bounced off of the atmosphere, almost like a bubble and surrounded them. They didn't want to look each other, but every time they looked away, something was drawing them back. Neither tried to stop it. They continued to look away then look at each other awkwardly before either of them was brave enough to say anything.

"You know, maybe what Pumbaa was saying back there…" Shemba sighed.
"What, the stuff about us…liking each other as in, like like?"
"Yeah, maybe this was…" Shemba inhaled.
"You are joking, right?" Nira said, chuckling slightly.
Shemba exhaled almost like a sigh, though she had lost something. She had to cover.

"Yeah, course I'm only joking. Of course were not…"
"Oh thank god! Phew, its only because, you know, I don't see you that way."
"Oh no, I don't see you that way either!"
"Oh, I didn't mean it like that, Shemba." Nira sighed. "What I mean is, well, I just don't see us getting together you know, I mean I'm sure you don't as well, because…well you know."

Shemba was unable to understand what Nira was saying so just nodded her head.
"Yeah…"

Quite suddenly a small golden cub threw himself onto the back of his brother causing Nira to yelp in surprise.
"Jeez Hassy," Nira laughed. "that was pretty good actually, was not expecting that!"
Hasira clawed at the back of Nira's mane.

"Thanks, Ra!" Hasira shouted. Another cub quietly snuck behind Shemba, and managed to trip her up somehow. Jasiri then jumped onto Shemba's stomach, causing the dim furred lioness to wheeze.

"Ha! I got you!" She laughed. Shemba laughed along as she pushed Jasiri off and she landed in a puddle, which caused Hasira to laugh almost uncontrollably and roll off his brother's back.

()0()0()

In the central pridelands, the lonely warthog Pumbaa continued to trot along. He couldn't prevent the up most sadness that was currently brewing inside him. He sat under a very high tree that swayed a little too much.
As the charcol lion Kamba strolled around the pridelands in search for food, he stepped past the lonely warthog, snorting as he did. Kamba then looked behind him again and watched the warthog take a prolonged sigh, before flipping his head round again and shaking his head.

Pumbaa felt like he had lost all of his close friends. It was exactly like he used to feel before he met Timon. His large throat began to tighten but he managed to prevent himself from crying; remembering some advice given to him by his dear mother:
"When the world turns it's back on you; you turn your back on the world."

Pumbaa tried not to cry at times but often found it difficult due to the softness of his heart. It was torturing, being on his own again. He remained under the shady tree for a few minutes before he could suddenly hear a loud crack followed by a creaking of a tree. His head snapped up and turned slowly and watched in horror as the tree he was sat under began to collapse. Without second thoughts, he jumped up, watched the tree beginning to come closer and began galloping away from the falling shadow. Every time he got a little closer to safety it moved further away. He quickly leaped just in time to only get hit by a few twigs and leaves.

Panting and out of breath, he hopped out of the leaves that he had become buried under and wheezed loudly. The charcol lion sprinted back up to him.

"Oh my god! What just happened?" Kamba spluttered.
"I don't...don't know."Pumbaa wheezed.

Upon hearing the commotion, Nira and Shemba galloped over.
"What happened?" Nira asked.
"Well, Pumbaa almost..."
"We can see that, stupid!" Shemba interrupted rudely. "But how did the tree fall?"
"Well how am I supposed to know?"
"You're here aren't you?"
"It doesn't matter!" Pumbaayelled in interruption. "It doesn't matter. I'm okay. Let's just leave it."

"Are you sure your okay?" Nira questioned.
"Yes. I'm fine." Pumbaa sighed. He turned around with his head down and proceeded back to Pride Rock.

()0()0()

The late afternoon was quick to draw in that day and turn the warm summer air icy cold. Nira sat alone, residing in Pride Rock. His decision to not take on the role of king in later life was going to have to be told to his parents sooner or later and since Nira wasn't a prince yet he still had a chance to get out of it. He sighed as he watched the orangey glow flood into the cavern and shade off corners. When he saw his parents walk in Nira sat up and cleared his throat.
"Mother, Father, I need to talk to you." Nira announced. Kovu and Kiara sat down simultaneously. Nira sighed. "Well," he started. "You know this whole...being next in line business?"
"Yeah?" Kiara asked.
"Well, I don't really want to be king. Like when you have gone I don't want to take over."

Kovu stood up immediately.
"But….but it's in your blood, Nira. You're a royal blood of this sector. You don't really have a say in if you want to or not. It's your duty and obligation." Kovu explained.
"Well, yeah, point taken, but...but I feel like it's not where my heart is. I feel like my heart wants to be elsewhere."
"Don't you think you could have thought it through a little more?" Kiara asked. "I mean, your father's right when he says you kinda don't have much of a say in the throne yet..."
"I have known since my first lesson I didn't want to!"
"Look, Nira, it really isn't as easy as we say okay and you don't become king. You've been training since cub – hood and the law states once you have passed your second test it becomes your duty."
"Okay, how about Hasira does it?"
"I can't just do that. If you are to fail your last test then I can, and that's not an excuse to fail your final test. Trust me, I tried that one..."
"And did it work?"
Kiara raised her eyebrow.

"No...I had to re take it."
"Look I could train Hasira..."
"But you just said you were confused." Kovu replied.
"Fine, but I'll remember...somehow. Look after my last lesson I could start teaching him. Please I just don't want to be king." Nira replied.
"It's not as easy as that, Nira." Kovu said. "You cannot just say I don't wanna do it."
"I thought you told me I never had to do anything I didn't wanna do."
"That's different. What you don't want to do at the moment is something you must do. Is it just because you're nervous about it?"
"A little..."
"Don't worry. Being king has up most benefits. And also that final test is a lot easier to pass than you think. Simba only makes it sound impossible so it's dramatic and so you prepare more."
"Father..."
"Nira don't ignore me, I can't say yes! If I was to, first of all; Simba will murder me. Secondly, I thought you were smart enough to realise this is your duty. I want you to be happy, son, but I can't accept you not finishing your life purpose."
"It's too much pressure dad."
"Look, I understand why you feel under pressure. To be honest I've always thought we started to train you too early but just remember Gramps and Grandma don't have long left and once your mother and I take over we're going to be busy beyond belief."

Nira sighed.
"I'll probably embarrass myself on my first day..."
"You only look at it negatively Nira. Look at the positive side of being king; you can boss people around, you can make up your own laws, you can do anything you want."
"Isn't that what fucked it up before though? The idea that great-great uncle Scar could do anything he wanted?"
"Trust me Nira, it was a lot more fucked up during King Ahadi's reign."
"Please dad..."
"Stop pleading! It's not going to make me change my mind."
"But-but..."
"No buts!"
Nira growled lowly. "Dad, I want to say what I have to say..."
"Pull in your claws, son, I'm not arguing about it anymore."
"For crying out loud dad..."
"Look, just think about it more and we'll talk to you about it another time."

Kovu winked at his eldest, something to which Nira only sighed to. He stood from his relaxing and extended in a stretch, proceeding out to be alone. Royalty was definitely something he didn't want to be. It was the idea that he would be an awful king or worse, constant embarrassment. As Nira looked back into the cavern his parents smiled warmly at him. He didn't want to be a disappointment to them but he felt like he was.

As he turned his head to leave he once again suddenly felt a wet nose pressed up against his when he bashed into Shemba's nose once more. She wasn't looking in front of her either. Nira quickly stepped back when he heard the sniggers from his father. Shemba looked into Nira's eyes deeply, once again looking at him in a way she never had done before.

"Errm, well…how about that?" Nira laughed.
"Yeah…" Shemba whispered. "Strange."

Upon eavesdropping on the entire conversation Nira had just had with his parents, the young lion Kamba stepped down from the crumbling ramp, down to the grass and laughed uncontrollably.
Didn't want to be king. He thought. How strange.

Kamba then proceeded to gallop to the old cavern of Vitani, his old home. He hadn't visited in a long time, but he was more interested in the visions Vitani had left inscribed in the wall those years ago. Unsheathing his claw and without a proper reason, he began to draw crosses through the visions that had horribly come true. He scratched a line through the fire and the lightning, the lions falling off of mid gorge and just before he could scratch off anymore a familiar voice startled him.

"Who's in here?" Kovu said. His voice slightly echoed in the damp abandoned cavern.
"Oh! Only me. God you freaked me!" Kamba said.
"What are you doing?"
"Oh, nothing, I just...ahh...wanted to see the premonitions again, just to prepare myself, yeah."
"Okay...Jeez I still don't like it in here! I mean how'd you used to live in here is completely beyond me." Kovu chuckled.
"Ha! I can't remember. I'm-I'm gonna leave now, b-bye."

Kamba briskily stepped past Kovu. Kovu raised his eyebrow at the confusing young lion and turned his head. He saw the fresh scratches through the true premonitions. Confused, he walked closer in and looked at the wall, pondering why he would do this. He shrugged his shoulders and took a steady stroll back to Pride Rock through the orange tinted pridelands.

Upon returning he found Kiara at the bottom of the ramp having an uneasy discussion with Shemba. Shemba looked almost in tears.

"Kiara, help me, what's happening to me?" She said. "I'm...I'm all confused and I ache inside."
"Why? What's wrong?" Kiara questioned.
"Well, you're gonna think I'm crazy-"
"You can tell me anything."
"I think you were right when you said love is tough. I may be in love with Nira." Shemba whispered.

Kiara was speechless, but surprised that she was right about Shemba. She felt the urge to squeal but suppressed it.

"Have you told him?" Kiara asked.
"No, I haven't! You didn't tell Kovu when you fell in love with him!" Shemba hissed back.
"No, I did something about it. Look, this sounds silly but get him alone and..."
"And...?"
"Well, establish if the feeling's mutual."
"How do I approach it? I can't just be like one night 'hey Nira how are you? By the way I love you' can I?"
"Look, see me tomorrow morning about it. Sleep on it and come and then find me in the morning."
Kiara smiled and stepped back up the ramp of Pride Rock. Kovu walked past Shemba and whispered "You really should" in her ear.

Shemba sighed and proceeded back into the large cavern. Inside the cavern she watched Hasira and Jasiri snuggle into Nira, they found him most comfortable. She was going to sleep next to him as she would every night, but decided not to. She was far too nervous.