(A/N: I mention in this chapter that it will be morning "soon." Now, I do not have the intention of going through the whole story and trying to work out what time of day it should actually be in the story right now, but I can tell you that (in my mind) the event started in the afternoon, so even when it is daylight there will still be a bit left. That being said, I would like to see at least a couple of reviews to this chapter. I am aware that Sarafina doesn't come into play as much in this chapter as much as some people would like, which is why I want to know certain things like: are you looking for the story to begin ending? to continue as it has been? for someone to die? for someone to be included more (or less) in the story? - if you want to answer these specific questions once you have finished this chapter then, please, be my guest! Anyways, that being said, here's the chapter! Hope you enjoy.)

(A/N 2: This is the longest chapter in the story so far, but not only that, it now means that The Siku Choka has now passed Rated M for Nala as my longest story. Of course these statistics may be false because of the amount of words included in A/N's and the paragraph breaks (which...aren't really words, but are counted as such for some reason)).

Juni ran across the line.

49 – she told herself subconsciously. She and Nakshi were both after the antelope…whose advantage was speed: something that Juni had lost over the years, and that Nakshi still had. As a result, Nakshi got the edge and brought the antelope down. Off in the distance, the Kimaland pride cheered.

Juni groaned as she slowed down and decided to wait in ambush on the outside of the track.

"Good morning Juni," said Rakusa as she made her way over.

Juni shook her head. "I'm getting too old for this."

"Why's that?"

"Points, Rakusa. 49." She took a deep breath. "I just don't have the energy."

"Well that kind of self-talk isn't going to help you. I mean…you have been asleep most of the time…that won't score you points."

Juni sighed. "Maybe I should just stay here and ambush."

"I just thought about giving it a try. Honestly, I've been running a lot today."

"How many points has that gotten you?"

Rakusa smiled and turned away, not really wanting to answer. "You wouldn't want to know."

"Come on now, Rakusa."

"Juni, I'm your king."

"Please? If you don't tell me, I'll just think it's higher than it actually is."

"Good," replied Rakusa, "maybe that'll make you more determined to score points."

"You're a bit too young to be in the handicapped lane," came a voice from behind Sarafina. Sarafina checked over her shoulder, and her heart skipped a beat when she realized it was Uku. It still just seemed unnatural for her to be communicating with a lioness that she considered this legendary.

"Yeah…I…uh…I got in an accident. Have no idea what happened. I've only succeeded in ambushing antelopes since."

"That's the way to go. I think I've gone and fractured my shoulder or something. I shouldn't even be walking, but…given the circumstances…" and she ended there. Sarafina got the idea. "So what are your plans now?" Uku asked her.

"Well walk this lap, and I'll see what's on the front stretch when I get back there. I really don't want to sleep anymore, although I think it would do my headache some good."

Uku yawned. "Should be daylight again soon."

Sarafina frowned. "Really?"

"Yes Ma'am. Time flies when you're having fun."

Sarafina chuckled. "Time also flies when you're in the Siku Choka."

Uku laughed.

"Seriously though, I guess it's time to get going."

"Wouldn't be a bad idea," agreed Uku. "Especially for those of us who have healthy shoulders."

"Well…"

"Go on Sarafina, exercise will do you some good."

Sarafina frowned. "How did you know my name?"

"Does it matter?"

"I'd like to know."

"But it doesn't matter."

"I guess not."

"Go on, Sarafina. Run."

Any advice from a four-time champion must have been good advice. Sarafina began to move off again.

"Your mom's running."

Nala looked over at the backstretch. Seeing Simba was right, she replied: "I hope she doesn't push herself too much, she's actually doing really well."

Wamariri was the only one running on the front stretch. She had a buffalo and an antelope both there for her, with no other lion around to challenge her. It was entirely her choice…and she chose the buffalo. She easily had the speed to outpace it, but strength was something that was beginning to get away from her as she ran and competed further into the night. As a result, she was able to grip the buffalo's rear flanks with her claws and get a grip with her mouth on its back, but that was about it. Now, she was just being dragged along behind the creature. Fortunately for her, she was on it pretty securely, and slowly but surely the buffalo was being dragged to the ground. All it meant for Wamariri, was she was along for a very rough, fast, and long ride. When she finally brought it to the ground, nipped its neck, and scored ten points, her back legs were all scraped up and bleeding from the ride she had just been on. It wasn't a pain she could ignore. Cursing under her breath, she made her way to the outside of the track to rest.

Out of the final turn, Tumaini was now beginning to make a run on the newly released buffalo. Bahati and Lenny were just beginning to walk down the front stretch when they heard the lioness approaching them from behind.

"It's now or never," said Lenny.

"Never," replied Bahati. "From what I've heard and seen, you've been having trouble with the buffalos, bro. We need to just try ambushing some zebra and antelope. Let her have this one."

At the other end of the track, Nakshi was able to run across the track and bring down a zebra for ten points, resulting in a new zebra being released just in time for Tumaini to go after it instead of the buffalo.

"Wamariri's gone to sleep," observed Simba, rather surprised.

Those around him looked towards the brown lioness lying down on the front stretch.

"I think you're right," replied Nala, smiling.

"She could still win though," commented Timon.

"Most definitely, but I'm still sure she didn't plan on this," replied Nala.

"That 181 you said Guvu won with last year is going to be obliterated this year, I think," said Simba.

"I agree."

"He's almost tied that score already."

"Yeah…he's going to need to sleep again eventually though."

"I don't know, Nala. Got to remember, he's young."

"Aha. You were young once, Simba. I don't think you've slept as much since."

Nala's statement was met with no immediate reply.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" asked Nala. "It's a complement."

"Sure…" replied Simba.

"Uh oh," said Pumbaa.

"What?" asked the others.

"Juni just tried to ambush that antelope…and she missed."

The rest of the Pridelanders looked over towards the turn on their right side. When Juni had missed, a couple other lions had taken advantage, and now Juni, Rakusa, and Nakshi were all after the antelope.

"Wouldn't you think Juni and Rakusa had an agreement set up?" asked Simba.

"I don't think it matters," replied Nala. "It's Nakshi's. But if she can't…" but then Nala was suddenly cut off as the rest of the spectators stood up on their feet and let out 'Ooh!'s and cheers. It wasn't too hard for the Pridelanders to work out why: a giant cloud of dust had just swept over them.

Each of them closed their eyes and began coughing. When the dust settled and they opened their eyes back up, each Pridelander looked back down at the track to try and work out what had just happened.

A dead zebra carcass lied on the outside of the track with a trail of blood lying on the ground behind it. It was evident that the carcass was lying on top of one of the competitors. Two other lionesses were lying injured in the middle of the track, but seemingly okay. From behind the scene of the accident, a new zebra was let out onto the circuit, but was almost immediately brought down by Sarafina.

"Whoo!" exclaimed Timon. "Did you see that guys? Sarafina just…"

"That's great Timon, but would you please keep it down for a sec?" asked Nala 'politely.'

"But…but…Sarafina…Nala…she's your mother…and those lions are okay and…"

"SHH!" shouted the others in unison.

"What happened?" asked Sarafina as she walked up to the first of the injured lionesses. "Tumaini?"

"My stupid mistake," confessed the lioness. "I tried to ambush a zebra…I thought it was alone…but that other lioness was chasing it…I hesitated and they both tripped over me…I don't know what else happened."

Sarafina looked over Tumaini and saw the other lioness on the ground, and also the zebra carcass lying on top of one of the competitors. She decided to run up to the lone lioness first.

"You okay?" she asked.

The lioness on the ground was crying, but nodded her head.

Sarafina looked down at her, concerned. Suddenly however, she heard the sound of hooves coming from behind her. Another newly released zebra was now being chased by Lenny. Sarafina ducked and lied down next to the injured lioness as the two creatures ran over above them. The lioness whimpered.

"Oh gods, I'm so scared…" she said.

"Hey, hey, it's alright. Look…I…I'll help you to the outside, okay? I'll get you out the way of all of this until you get better."

"That'd be great."

"What legs can you move?"

"I don't want to move."

"Well I can't drag you."

"I…I…" the lioness sighed "…alright…I'll try. It's just…my sister went earlier…and I was on that zebra…and he fell…and…and…" she continued, her voice getting higher with each word.

"Your sister? Oh! Oh…you're…" Sarafina looked away. This was not where she wanted to be. "You're Winda."

"Yeah."

"Well…come on…let me help you up. We'll get you to the side."

"Thanks."

"Your mom has a big heart, Nala."

Nala smiled. "It runs in the family, I'd like to think."

"Heh, not from the Nala I know," Simba replied.

Nala smiled and shook her head. "I hate to make you sleep outside Simba. It makes our bed so cold."

Back on the backstretch, Nakshi was still struggling to keep up with the antelope. Enough so, that she actually gave up and let Uku ambush it. The crowd seemed to approve of that.

Back on the front stretch, one of the track workers removed the dead zebra carcass off of Wamariri. The lioness was not very impressed about the whole situation. The crowd seemed to approve of that.

Lenny was able to bring down the zebra he was after, and Guvu scored another ten by ambushing a buffalo. Guvu then broke out into a run though, as there were now too many lions between him and where the new pieces of prey were being released.

Ema began chasing the new zebra as soon as it was released, and, thanks to a mistimed attack by Sarafina as she tried to ambush it, Ema brought the zebra down. Anzi got an antelope and Bahati was able to score ten points by bringing a buffalo down.

A newly released buffalo now joined the circuit, just as Nakshi, Juni, and Rakusa came running out of the final turn.

"Nakshi's," said Simba.

"Juni's," replied Nala.

"Rakusa's," commented Zazu.

Nakshi was the closest to the buffalo, and the first to jump on its back. As she pulled the creature down, Juni jumped up over her and nipped the creature's neck. The buffalo wailed but continued to try and run, until Rakusa came running up from the side and wrapped his arms around the side of the buffalo, finally bringing it down to the ground.

"Um…okay…" said Timon. He chuckled. "That's something you don't see often."

"Wow!" exclaimed Pumbaa. "Who gets the points?"

Nala suddenly felt uneasy as a lot of the Pridelanders turned to look at her.

"Come on Nala," said Simba, smirking as he knew he was putting her under a lot of pressure, "you know most about this. Who gets the points?"

"Well…um…by definition, the one who 'brings the prey to the ground' gets the points, but usually that means they killed them…and in this case, the buffalo was only dead because of Juni."

"So it's not Nakshi's?"

"No."

"Sounds like it's Juni's to me," said Pumbaa.

"It's the infield volunteers' decision though," replied Nala.

None of the three competitors could help but smile, at least a little. They'd brought this thing down to the ground as a team…not that they were meant to, of course, but it proved to each of them how good of a hunter each of them was.

"Excuse me, sir," called Rakusa to a leopard in the infield. "Who are you giving the points to?"

"Either you or Juni, sir," replied the leopard. "I'll let you know when I do."

"Alright!" exclaimed Rakusa, holding his paw up for Juni. She gave him a high five. "Ten points to the Majibuluu pride!"

Juni laughed.

Nakshi smiled as she watched them, but then saddened and turned away so that the others wouldn't know.

Rakusa saw though, and his face fell. "Geez, I didn't want to upset her."

Nakshi heard him. Not wanting to make him feel guilty, she turned around and replied: "Oh…no, no, no, it's not you at all. I…you have every right to cheer. You did a good job." Her ears then fell flat again though. "It's just I…" she said, but then stopped. She shook her head. "Never mind. Well done, both of you," she added with a faint smile, before turning back around again.

"Points go to Juni!" a voice suddenly exclaimed from the infield behind her. The Majibuluu pride, and many others, cheered.

Nakshi sighed. Why couldn't that be me…and Maneno? she asked herself. We would have done the same thing.

"That antelope's gone," observed Simba, as Anzi began slowing down after trying in vain to chase the antelope down. They'd now made it out onto the backstretch. "And the only other lion on the backstretch is Uku. She might as well try and ambush it."

"Well there's that," replied Nala, "but there's also a pack of lions chasing a zebra down in the first turn. Mom's in it! And if she can't get the zebra, maybe she can get the antelope."

To get the zebra, however, Sarafina was going to have to be able to outrun the brothers of Bahati and Lenny. Usually she'd be able to, but with all of her injuries slowing her down, and with Lenny's light weight allowing him to run exceptionally fast for a male lion, Lenny was able to pull out in front and bring the zebra down. Sarafina was going to have to go for the antelope.

"Wasn't that antelope just able to outrun Anzi though? Surely your mom won't be able to keep up with it either."

"Yes," admitted Nala, "but if Mom or Bahati is quiet enough on their feet…maybe they can catch the antelope off-guard."

As soon as she finished talking, Nala's attention became focused on a sudden event that took place right in front of her very eyes, and seemed to slow down in time. Guvu had been running down the front stretch, and then, in a single bound, he was able to jump up onto the back of a buffalo right in front of where Nala was sitting. Almost immediately, the buffalo stumbled, and Nala continued to watch as the young, muscular lion used all his force to bring the strong animal down onto the ground where the crash sent out a cloud of dust and chunks of dirt all flying into the air.

By the time the spectacle was over, Nala's lower jaw had completely fallen.

"That was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen," she whispered to herself.

"Hmm?" asked Simba, not quite sure what she had just said.

Nala snapped out of it.

"Oh…um…I said…'that buffalo must sure wish he was still grazing in a green,'" replied Nala, smiling innocently.

Simba frowned. "Are you sure that's what you said?"

"Positive," replied Nala.

Simba shrugged. "Okay."

Nala looked back over at the backstretch to see where her mom was, before any further questions could be asked. Simba suddenly mumbled to himself.

"What did you say, hun?" asked Nala.

"Oh…um…'that Nakshi must sure wish that she…' you know, do you just want me to stop there?"

"I think I get the point."

"Thank you."

"No more Guvu fantasies."

"Exactly."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright."

"Hi Anzi!" called Lenny as he ran up towards the walking lioness.

"Lenny!" called Anzi back.

"Goodness!" exclaimed Lenny. "You look awful…" he said, looking at the amount of bags that had formed under Anzi's eyes.

"I haven't slept yet."

"Nor have I. I tried to get Ema to hypnotize me earlier, because I was injured."

"And she didn't?"

"No."

"Oh well. I guess she was in a hurry. Where'd you hurt yourself?"

"Shoulder," replied Lenny, "it still hurts, but nowhere near as much as what it did earlier. I still think I'd have difficulty trying to sleep right now."

"Hey Lenny!" called a voice from the stands. Lenny looked up into the sea of faces and was quickly able to pick out the lioness who had just called him. "Want to sleep here for a moment? We'll wake you."

Anzi smiled. "Right, that's your pride, isn't it?"

"Yeah," replied Lenny to Anzi. "Do you want to sleep here too? I'll wake you."

"I thought you said you'd have difficulty falling asleep right now."

Lenny shrugged. "I'll manage," he replied. "I guess it's better to try while it's still dark."

"Then I'm all for it," replied Anzi smiling. And with that, she lied down on the ground.

"Yeah…just wake us when it gets light, I guess," replied Lenny to the lioness in the stands.

"Okay!" shouted the lioness back.

Lenny slowly set himself down on the ground, being careful not to hurt his shoulder any more than it already was. Once he finally got into a comfortable position, he looked over at Anzi. The young lioness was already fast asleep. Lenny smiled and closed his eyes too, hoping to soon join her in dreamland.

Nakshi ran out and attacked a zebra, wounding it but not killing it, but it only gave chase for a short while before Nakshi was able to get back up onto its back and kill it.

Sarafina continued to try and stalk the antelope on the backstretch, but he knew she was there, and if Sarafina were to begin running…it would be over. The antelope simply possessed the speed right now that Sarafina, nor Bahati, could match. As a result, Uku was able to wait in ambush and successfully bring the antelope down when it got to her.

"Everyone is falling asleep," Simba observed, as Rakusa became the latest lion to lie down and close his eyes.

"Join them," replied Nala.

"You think it will be that boring?"

"For you maybe. I'm excited."

"Why?"

"Well Mom and Juni have already gotten plenty of sleep. And now with the competition all falling asleep, they should hopefully have much more opportunities to score points."

"Who else is awake?" asked Simba.

Nala scanned the course. "Bahati…Uku, but she's injured…Guvu…Mom…Juni…and Nakshi."

Simba yawned. "I suppose I could stay up a bit longer."

"Feel free to sleep whenever. I'm not going to stop you."

"I know…but I honestly think this could be interesting."

To prove to Simba, the rest of the Pridelanders, and just about everyone else still awake in the audience, at how good she was at this time of day, Juni ambushed and successfully brought down a buffalo.

"Ten points to Juni gives her seventy," said one of the scorekeepers to a hornbill, who then flew off to give his report to a curious spectator.

He landed at Nala's feet.

"Juni has seventy, the leader Guvu has one hundred and eighty-six."

Nala groaned. "Thank you," she replied. She then leant onto Simba's side. The lion king looked down at his mate.

"She's gotta get to work."

"Yup," replied Nala, looking up at her mate.

"Do you have to lean on me like that?"

"It's getting cold."

"It is," replied Simba.

"Your mane is warm," Nala added, continuing her explanation of why she was leaning on him.

"How does this temperature affect the competitors?" asked Simba.

"Heh, doesn't matter. It's the best time to hunt. Hard ground, and you can see better than your prey can. You've just got to do it."

"Hmm," Simba replied. He looked back at the track and then let a wide smile cross his face. "Guvu's gone to sleep."

"He has?" asked Nala. She moved her head off of Simba's mane and looked down in front of them. "YES!" she exclaimed as she saw him.

"Don't wake him!" replied Simba in a whisper.

"Oops," replied Nala timidly, placing a paw over her mouth. She checked to make sure that Guvu hadn't stirred. He hadn't. "You're right. Sorry," she said to Simba.

"I thought you wanted him to win."

"After Mom or Juni. This makes it so much easier for both of them, now."

Most of the spectators knew that Guvu was currently leading with a score of 186. Juni caught a zebra. She now had 80 points. Nakshi ambushed an antelope, and now had 102 points. Bahati ambushed a zebra and now had 122 points. Sarafina completed a lap and was able to wrestle a buffalo to the ground, giving her 112 points.

Bahati attempted to give chase after the newly released antelope, but he mistimed it and the antelope ran off…and was brought down seconds later by Sarafina, who had been waiting in ambush for it. Sarafina now had 122 points. Bahati was able to ambush a zebra successfully though, and as he crossed the line he now had 123 points.

This was catch-up time for the competitors that were still awake. Every competitor asleep, except for Anzi and Lenny, already had more than 100 points. They'd already done their hard work, and now they were resting. The lions that were now hunting were done with resting, and were going to take it to the end. As Nala and others knew, given the improved conditions, this was a much better strategy, but with a big disadvantage: the end. The end of the Siku Choka was where a lot of points would need to be scored in not a lot of time, and if these competitors that were still awake were planning on going all the way to the end, then they needed to make sure that they still had enough energy to go for the win in the final minutes of the Siku Choka. For now though, they each all had the energy, they just all needed one thing: points.

Rafiki peered over the heads of the lions that were still awake. At the front of the crowd he could recognize a few Pridelanders. He headed in their direction. He tried to be quiet, like the rest, when he got there. Even when Sarafina ambushed and brought down an antelope, the lions from the Pridelands that were still awake only let out some minor cheers, letting the other sleep.

The mandrill continued to be as quiet as possible as he finally found who he was looking for. They were both sleeping too, with the meerkat rising up and down on the warthog's chest with each breath the warthog took. Rafiki poked the meerkat gently with his finger, to see if it would wake him up. It didn't. He then held his stick up and rattled it gently, seeing if the noise from the shells knocking into each other would wake them. It didn't.

"Timon…Pumbaa…" he called quietly.

They still didn't wake up.

Rafiki sighed. He then brought his stick back over the top of his head…but before he could bring it back down, he felt it being pulled back from someone behind him. He checked over his shoulder to see who it was. It was Simba. The male lion shook his head 'no,' as if to tell Rafiki: "that hurt me when you did it to me, and I am a 500 pound lion. I would not recommend doing it to my friends who are at least four times smaller than me."

Rafiki placed his stick on the ground, and then took a step back, signaling for Simba to go on by and wake them up his way.

The lion acknowledged the gesture, and then walked on by Rafiki and up to his friends. Out of curiosity, and the fact that there wasn't anything happening on the circuit, Nala and the other Pridelanders moved themselves around so they could watch how Simba was going to wake them.

The lion took in a deep breath, and then roared.

Timon was too focused on hanging onto Pumbaa's ears for dear life as Simba's roar sent out gale-force winds in their direction, to even begin wondering whether he was awake or not. When it was over though, it turned out that Timon, Pumbaa, and all the Pridelanders and other spectators around them had now all, indeed, woken up.

"What kind of a wake-up call was that?" asked Timon angrily.

"I dunno," replied Simba nonchalantly, "but it was a wake-up call. He's all yours, Rafiki." And with that, Simba left and wandered back over to his mate, who was wearing an expression much like that of everyone else around: angry and slightly confused.

"You had to draw attention to yourself like that?" she asked. "We're running this thing here, we don't need to be creating a scene."

"What thing?" Simba asked back.

"The Siku Choka."

"The Siku Choka? Oh, you mean that event where most of the competitors are sleeping."

"Uh…yeah. Exactly. And I bet you just went and disturbed…disturbed all…all of…them…"

Simba smirked.

Nala smiled and shook her head. "That's cheating."

"Then why are you smiling?"

"Wh-what if they get up, now?" Nala asked, trying to be serious…and failing.

"Ah, so now the competitive part means more to you than the morale part? You should be concerned about me giving your mom an unfair advantage, Nala, not whether it's actually an advantage or not."

Nala ran his statement through her head a few times. Once she finally figured out what he was trying to say, she stretched her front legs forwards and slumped down on the ground. "I'm just going to lie down here, now…and if anyone comes up to us with complaints, you're in it on your own, okay?"

"Whatever you say, dearest."

Meanwhile, Rafiki had finally got an awake Timon and Pumbaa, as he had desired.

"Alright, here's what I want you to do," said Timon, before Rafiki could even get a word in, "I want you to say what you want to say, without using the word…" Timon shuddered, "…rainberries."

Rafiki placed his head on his hand for a few seconds, thinking. Finally he shook his head.

"I am afraid dat is impossible," was his reply.

"It better not be," snapped Timon back.

"Well…" said Rafiki, still thinking, "…I haven't said dat word yet…but here," he added, placing the empty tortoise shell, which he had gotten back from the hippo, down in front of Timon and Pumbaa.

"Everyone's asleep!" shouted Timon, still trying to find a way out of this chore, whereas Pumbaa had already given up and gotten back up onto his feet.

"Come on, little buddy," said Pumbaa, "since they're all asleep, it means we won't miss anything."

"Nobody is going to want dat many more in the morning," added Rafiki, "this could be your last batch for a while."

Timon sighed. "Alright then, but if you're wrong…" he finished off, pointing a finger at Rafiki's face. He then turned around and jumped up onto Pumbaa's back.

"Ready buddy?" asked Pumbaa.

"Yeah….sure…" replied Timon. "You're probably right, we're not going to miss much. Some points will be scored, but they're all asleep. It's not like anyone will win yet…or lose yet…you know…die."

"Exactly," replied Pumbaa back, as the two headed off into the night.

Simba and Nala heard them as they left. Simba turned around and waved them goodbye, whereas Nala ran Timon's final words through her head. She shuddered. Timon had no idea how unpredictable this event was.

(A/N: I decided to post the questions I posted at the beginning of the chapter again here: are you looking for the story to begin ending? to continue as it has been? for someone to die? for someone to be included more (or less) in the story? I can tell you that as of now I have listed two names in my head of the next two competitors to be killed off. No guessing! Review please!)