"Chapter 4 I am sick?"
"This will not work!"
"Enough already you said this like the 10th time!"
"Make that the 11th time."
"All right. Yes, Nala, of course it'll work. I have complete faith in your ability to lead this pride in my stead."
"My the heavens have mercy on us all."
"Your right we are screwed. But its ok! Simba grinned.
"I am honored DumbKoff"
"Sorry bad joke."
"Can we maybe hold up on all the joking until after we've made it through the first day?" she growled. "Just temporarily, please?"
Simba flashed his trademark grin up at his mate, his smirk a bit tinier than Nala was used to but no less annoying now. "But tomorrow's fair game, right?" he asked.
"DEAL!" Lets see know….I think Ill Reassign teams to keep things on the down low.
"Sounds good. Sooo what can I do?"
"You can stay here, keep out of sight, and keep out of trouble."
"What…WHY?
"Simba what is the first rule of hunting?"
"I don't know keep your eyes peeled for prey?"
"That's third. What's the first one?"
"No smoking? And pick out a plate."
"Wrong!"
"Call the general to make sure all is clear?"
"The first rule of hunting is that if you can see the prey, the prey can see you," Nala finally revealed through gritted teeth. "So if you can see the rest of the pride, they can see you, and they can start asking questions about you. And that is not something we want right now."
"So where shall I be?"
Somewhers in a galaxy far far away, Nala said to herself. "In the sick birthing cave," she said to Simba. "No one'll go in there except Rafiki, if he comes around."
"SOOO what if some decideds to come in?"
"Then I suppose you'll just have to improvise."
"I hope Timon dosnt show up." Simba grimaced.
"Eh Screw him" Ill be back to check up on you." Just don't leave this cave."
"Hey, Nal?" Simba called out as she began to turn away. The two starred at each others eyes and they were still in love with each other even though he was a cub.
"Yeah?" she said, putting on a smile for his sake but finding it too difficult of a charade to keep up once she saw the look on his face.
"I just…wanted to say thanks for not running off on me," he said. "I know a lot of lionesses wouldn't have stuck around if something like this happened...and I know I haven't really been a lot of fun to be around today. So it means a lot to me that I know you've got my back." "And I really am sorry about screwing around a minute ago."
The two were in true bliss as they were about to kiss and make out when San from behind came up and interrupted the moment.
"I-I'm really, really sorry, Miss Highness…Y-Your Majesty, San interupted.
"Morning," she replied, not catching herself quite quickly enough to avoid displaying her exasperation for a moment or two. "Sleep well?"
"Uh, yeah! Great! I slept great! How about y…er, that is, if, uh…" San was stuttering.
"Fine," she interrupted, more for her sake than his. Well, she might as well be honest with herself about it. "Is your father awake?"
"Uh, no, he's still, um…out cold, heh heh…"
It was like talking to a mosquito, she thought. One with a maddening case of diplomatic immunity. "Okay," she said in a carefully measured tone of civility. "Well, can you go wake him up and tell him I'd like to speak with him?"
"Uh, he doesn't really like it when I wake him up early…"
"San, please go wake your father up."
"I can give him a message later…"
"Now!"
The teen lion left the cave and came right back in. Too quick to wake anyone.
"He said he be out in a minuet" San lied.
"Really?" Nala sarcastically said.
"Oh, yeah…he's just getting up now, I bet," "So what are you gonna talk to him about? I mean, if you don't mind me ask-"
"About your tour of the kingdom."
"Are you cancelling it?"
"About getting it started. Soon."
"Oh….So your going with us?
"Not today, I'm afraid," Nala replied without any hesitation. "I've got a few other things to do around here."
"So you're not coming with us?"
"No San, I already told you.!"
After about 5 seconds of getting it threw his thick head. Sooo….Whos giving us the tour?"
"Good question," Nala replied. Actually, it was a good question; she hadn't really thought about who she hated enough to take out of the hunting party for something like this. "How does this sound: I'll go find someone to show you two around, while you go and see if you can't hurry your father along. Mm-kay?"
"Yes?"
"Oh Earth to Saaaaan." Did you hear what I had to say?"
"Uh…yeah, yeah, I got it, I what?"
Nala grinned, then let out an abnormally high-pitched giggle. "Aww, that's okay, sweetie..." she murmured, the words feeling slimy just leaving her mouth. She was beginning to remember why she and Simba had enjoyed messing with Zazu so much when they were cubs. "Was there something…distracting you?"
"I don't think so."
"You sure?" Nala whispered, cocking her head to one side. And winked.
"Yes"
"Good," she said cheerfully, pulling back away from him with a silent sigh of relief. "Then why don't you turn your adorable little behind around, walk back inside that cave, and tell your father to wake up and come out here before I drag you both out by the tails. How's that sound?"
"Yes yes. Sure thing."
"Oh, and San?"
"Yeah?"
"This time, you might want to ask him a bit louder. I don't think he heard you last time."
"…huh?"
"You're not very good at this subtlety thing, are you, San?"
"My dad says that a lot."
"Amazing he is smart."
"Thanks."
"I mean your Dad."
"Oh."
"Mm-hmm."
"I better get him shall I?"
"Yes Please."
With that. Nala didn't know who to use a scapegoat tour guide." Perhaps one of Tojo's birds. But who? Who was the smartest and most knowledgeable of the land. Who could talk for hours about the policies of everything in this pride? The only one smart enough to that would be Captain Bluey.
Yes Captain Bluey was there most loyal subject and majordomo of the pride. He can be a good distraction. Any minuet he will be flying up here with something to report about. Yes. I just need to lay down. And before you knew it Mr. Bluey flew in.
"Good morning, Nala." Bluey cheerfully said. How are you?" I heard about Daddy Simba. I hope he gets better." "Now on with business at hand."
"Good Morning Mr. Bluey. Can I ask you something?"
"Oh yes certainly anything."
"Okay. Can you go find…Lia?" Nala asked, going with the first name that popped into her head. "Yeah, can you go find Lia and bring her back here? There's something I need her to help me with."
"Definitely." Bluey nodded. Then he came to realization. "You want her to give the tour instead of me?"
Dannit my drunk mother had to blab to him. Kill me know she thought as was starting to gripe.
"Nala? Are you all right, Your Highness?"
"Yeah, I'm…I'm fine," Nala finally said, wanting very badly to just go back to bed and sleep for another day or two. Maybe she was getting sick just like Simba was supposed to be. At least she'd have an excuse for it if she did, though that silver lining didn't seem as bright as it should have. "And yeah, that's what it is. Can you go get Lia, please?"
"How about I give the tour?" Bluey asked giving a one puppy eyed look.
"NO!"
"Oh come on I can do it."
Don't kill anything you're not going to eat, Nala told herself, repeating the maxim her mother had made sure was imprinted upon her brain from an early age. Not even if they really, really freaking deserve it.
"Bluey, I really just need you to go find Lia…" she tried to say with something resembling composure.
"Alrighty, Ill get right on it. Bluey said.
Nala left Bluey and decided to find Lia herself.
Nala's expedition was cut blissfully short when she found Lia still asleep in the den. Despite being a bit on the spacey side occasionally, Lia was just about the sweetest lioness Nala had ever met, and the only reason she was still single was because her greatest desire was to find a lifelong mate, rather than settle for a one-night stand every now and then. She was a month or two younger than Nala, and she had come into the pride four months earlier, after leaving her previous pride in search of new experiences. Ever since then, the two of them had been fast and close friends.
True to Nala's expectations, Lia was more than willing to lend Nala a paw for the day. "Yeah, sure, I can do that," she answered once Nala had woken her up and gone over the gist of the favor she needed. "When do you want 'em back?"
"I don't know, just…however long you can keep them out there," Nala replied.
Lia raised her eyebrows for a moment, but didn't ask questions. That was another one of her good qualities that Nala was finding immensely relieving right now. "Okay," she said. "I can probably push it till sunset. Would that work?"
"That'd be perfect," Nala sighed. Now that the load on her chest was starting to lift off a bit, she found that her fatigue was returning in force. "Thanks so much, Lia."
No problem Nala. Hugs.
"Yes thank you you're a real friend. They hugged each other.
Then the hug was over. "Why don't you go see Rafiki? He was poking around here this morning for something or other…actually, I think he was looking for you."
"Think I will go see him," Nala said. "I'm sure it's just a cold or something."
"Hopefully, it's not whatever Simba has," Lia commented with a wry smirk. "Can you imagine what he's going through right now?"
"No," Nala said, glancing back at the den for a moment. "But for the gods' sake, I hope I don't have to."
Or there's no way we're swimming back down the creek we're up.