Okay, so I want to answer any questions you have and I'd love to hear who you guys think the shaman of love is. Hints will start popping up in later chapters, maybe this one too. And I have a few choice words for a few of my reviewers…
To T5Tango – Thank you so much for your extensive reviews. I appreciate it a lot and I love reading about your opinion. Also, I'm very flattered that you think that about my writing skills, I always thought they were average but you're causing me to think that they were better than I had thought. So thanks for that self-esteem boost.
To Shimmy Tsu – I'm glad I'm not the only one on this site with the same sister dilemma. Now I don't feel so alone!
To Lion King Girl – Well I mentioned in an earlier chapter that Sarafina's mate was a lion named Akida who was from another pride. So chances are, he's Nala's father in my imagination. I don't plan on going into detail about him because he doesn't really play a role in this story.
That's all for now, but I'd like to talk to my other reviewers and say something to them but I don't know what to say other than thanks for reading and I'm glad you liked it. So I hope all of you continue liking it. Oh and if any of the characters are a bit OOC, tell me because I want to keep them as in character as possible. One last thing, because I'm placing a bunch of focus into completing this and the fact that it's Friday means this chapter gets to be updated early! Woohoo! Okay, I think I've wasted enough of your time with this idle chit-chat. Back to the reason you're even still here!
-X-
In the middle of recalling Kopa's death, Vitani slowly stood up and walked back into the den. She was depressed, everyone could tell. Nala was about to follow her but Kovu stopped her.
"Thank you Nala but you've been helping her ever since we got here. I think it's my turn to help out the only blood related family I have left" said Kovu.
Nala nodded in understanding as Kovu followed his sister into the den.
Once Kovu was gone, Kiara turned to her parents. "You said you guys would always be honest with me from now on right?" she asked.
"Of course, forever and always" promised Nala.
The other four non-lions, knew that it was more of a family members only moment so they moved down the steps of Pride Rock to give them some more space and privacy.
"Then can you tell me why you exiled Kovu? Without listening to what he or I had to say?" asked Kiara looking towards Simba.
Simba sighed knowing he would have to answer. "It's simple really…I was suddenly ambushed, completely dazed, and felt as if I was completely betrayed. With the information I knew at the time, banishing him was the right thing to do. Even though it was wrong for me to do so, it's what any other animal would've done if they were in my situation"
"But-"
"I should've listened to him? Yeah, I know. That was the main mistake I did. And I'm deeply sorry for that"
Kiara watched her father looking down and averting her gaze. He felt guilty, she knew that. She walked over to him and gave him a loving nuzzle. "It's okay dad, I understand, I just wanted to hear why" said Kiara.
"Thank you…For being part of my family" Simba said back as he returned her gesture.
Nala smiled at the scene as she looked out towards the Pridelands. She noticed how dark it had become with the moon illuminating the grass. Before she could even mention retiring to the den, fireflies began to flutter about. It was a beautiful sight for a beautiful night.
-X-
"Hey, Vitani, you okay?" asked Kovu, sitting down next to his sister.
"I'm fine Kovu…Just…I just get a little bit emotional whenever I think about Kopa" sniffed Vitani.
"Why didn't you tell me about him earlier? I could've helped you or maybe we could've averted this feud with Simba"
"Well…It was just too hard for me to say his name until now. And I thought that there would be no point to telling you about him if you were never going to meet him anyway"
Kovu remained silent before sighing softly. He was never actually very good at this sort of thing, but then again, none of the ex-Outsiders were, but he still had to try. "Well why did you agree to Zira's plans if you had so many good memories here?...If you knew that Kopa wouldn't have wanted you to do something like that?"
Vitani turned so that she was looking him in the eye. "I didn't, at least not at first. When we had first arrived to our home in the Outlands I was always depressed. I was so sad and I just didn't want anything to do with mother. She knew this and on the day of Kiara's presentation, she took me there. She wanted me to see how sad Simba and Nala were after Kopa's death. But what I saw was their smiling faces and I got angry at them. I was mad at them for smiling even after what happened to Kopa. I just kept thinking how unfair it was that I was miserable and they were happy. So I just thought they had forgotten about Kopa…And I just wanted nothing more than revenge on them"
"Well what made you change? As far as I could tell, you were the least affected by Zira's words since you were the first one to disobey her at the final battle. And yet, you say that all you could think about was vengeance" said Kovu.
"I discovered how wrong I was about them forgetting about Kopa when I attacked Nala. When I had encountered her, I said 'where's your pretty daughter Nala?' hoping it would strike a nerve. Hoping it would remind her of Kopa. But instead it angered her. When we were fighting, I yelled hurtful words to her about forgetting about Kopa. But then she pinned me down and I was just about to fight back…I felt something warm fall onto me. I looked up to see Nala crying…Even in the rain I could see the tears rolling down her cheeks. She was telling me how much she missed Kopa every day of her life…She wouldn't kill me…As a matter of fact, if I wasn't so stunned I would've killed her in that moment of weakness. But the truth was…Hearing someone else say Kopa's name with such deep sadness made me realize…I wasn't the only one who still remembered him" said Vitani softly.
"And then when me and Kiara came?" asked Kovu.
"When you two came, I looked at Simba and I realized that if Kopa was still alive…He'd be on their side. He'd look just like Simba with maybe some differences. It made me realize that that's where I belonged…Where Kopa would've been"
"That sounds just like me" Kovu chuckled.
"Huh?"
"When you and the other Outlanders ambushed me and Simba that day…I was immediately knocked out. Remember that?"
"Yeah, I do…Why did that happen? Mother trained you so hard…You were the strongest of us but you were unconscious in a matter of seconds. What happened?"
"Simple, before Kiara, I had no idea what a family meant. When I did, I knew I wouldn't be able to fight the Pridelanders nor you guys. Because before Kiara, you and the others were the only family I had. And I didn't want to hurt my own family. So when I jumped in, I held back…A lot"
"I could tell"
"And I still need that family here with me. You're the only other lion I care about that's actually related to me. I don't ever want to lose you because just like Kiara's a part of me, so are you" said Kovu as he gave her a brotherly nuzzle.
She returned the gesture. "Thanks Kovu"
"Also, don't forget that Kopa will always be a part of you as well. His memory won't ever fade away as long as you're here"
"Geez, you've been taking these king lessons to your head!" laughed Vitani, finally smiling again.
"There's the old 'Tani I know! Now why don't we go see the others outside before going to sleep?" suggested Kovu.
The two siblings exited the den to see the beautiful fireflies flying around. They walked over to the royal family who were at the bottom of Pride Rock getting a better view of the fascinating lightning bugs.
"I haven't seen so many fireflies since I was just a cub" said Vitani.
"Really, why not?" asked Kiara.
"Well, the only insects in the Outlands were termites. Not as pretty as fireflies" said Kovu.
"It's such a beautiful night" whispered Nala. "I remember watching them together when we were cubs" recalled Nala as she rested her head on Simba's shoulder.
"I remember too. Everything is just as it was all those years ago. Only this time it's better" said Simba as he looked at the other animals around them watching with them.
"Yes, I can tell that the spirits of the Great Kings are calm and peaceful now" smiled Rafiki. "Even Taka seems to be at rest"
"Taka?" questioned Kovu.
"Yes, Scar may not be up there but Taka is. He may not have been a king but that is irrelevant. If you are a good animal then you will join the Great Kings of the Past. You just won't be able to give any of the other animals any guidance like the kings do" the old mandrill chuckled. "Unless you are a shaman like me"
"And I for one am actually glad that he is up there. It gives him the chance to bond with his brother once more" smiled Zazu.
"Yeah, that would be nice" said Simba.
With this peaceful and happy atmosphere now, which was in deep contrast to how it was before, it felt as if nothing could change it. But as we all know, nothing peaceful can remain.
Timon cleared his throat, and despite his small size, was able to bring all of their attention towards him and his Pumbaa.
"Sorry for ruining this peaceful moment but I just have to tell all of you something" said Timon.
"What is it?" asked Simba.
"Well…Pumbaa and I were just talking and we plan on going back to the oasis tomorrow morning" said Timon.
"What's the oasis?" inquired Kovu.
"Just their first home. They usually travel between here and there" replied Kiara before turning back to the famous duo. "But why now? You haven't been back since a whole month ago"
"We know, we just stayed here to make sure everything had settled down. We were planning on returning earlier actually" admitted Pumbaa.
"Yeah, and besides, if I don't go back soon then Ma will start making a fuss and get all worried. You know, like how I used to whenever you got hurt in some way" added Timon.
"Well I hope you guys have a safe trip. Be careful out there and I hope you guys come back visit us soon" said Simba.
"Hey, we'll be fine big guy. Well, we better hit the hay now. Got a big day tomorrow" yawned Timon as he jumped onto Pumbaa's back.
"Well, you guys will be back for the new heir's presentation right?" asked Kiara.
"We wouldn't miss it for the world" promised Pumbaa as he trotted off to their separate den, a cave far away from the lions. It's not like you can expect them to sleep in the same cave as a bunch of carnivores.
-X-
Timon sat down right outside the cave. He just sat there and watched the fireflies and the stars. He was having a hard time trying to get to sleep while Pumbaa was snoring away inside the cave. He looked down at his paws and for a moment he thought he saw little baby meerkat paws instead of his own. He was shaken out of this daydream at the sound of something big hitting the wall of the cave.
Timon stood up and looked inside the cave. Pumbaa was ramming his head on to the cavern wall. He looked like he was suffering even though his eyes were still closed. Timon ran up to his friend and leapt onto his back.
"Pumbaa, buddy, wake up!" shouted the meerkat worriedly.
"Huh, wha?" said Pumbaa waking up and stopping his ramming. "Timon? Did something happen?"
"No…You were just having one of those nightmares again"
"Oh, sorry, did I wake you?"
"Nah, I was already awake. Insomnia and stuff"
"Oh, you okay?"
"I should be asking you that. Ever since that fight with the Outsiders you've been having these nightmares again. You haven't dreamt them since that fight against Scar or when we first met. So can you tell me what those nightmares are about?"
Timon was much more considerate and generous than people gave him credit for. Pumbaa sighed knowing that he couldn't keep it a secret anymore.
"As you already know, I suffered through amnesia and there are many lapses in my memory. I don't remember my family or my home. All I could remember was being chased and tormented by carnivores. Not just hyenas, jackals, wild dogs, leopards, cheetahs, and even lions would try to hunt me down. They all called me 'pumbaa'. So all my nightmares have me at my worst memories" admitted Pumbaa.
"Gee, I'm so sorry. I always thought I had it hard with being a meerkat. Just hiding in tunnels, jumping out on rare occasions to gather grubs, and of course the old sniff, scurry, and flinch. My life was so boring but hearing your life full of danger…I'm not sure if I could go through what you did" said Timon quietly. "And all I ever did was treat you badly"
"That's not true…You became my very first friend and because of you I was happy"
"Yeah I get that…But I just think that I should've treated you a little bit better"
"Hey Hakuna Matata right?"
"Yeah…Hakuna Matata…Just like back then"
"Well what about you Timon? Why are you having trouble sleeping?"
Timon sighed exasperatedly. "Talking about Kopa and love and a disapproving guardian reminded me of that talk I had with Uncle Max and Ma before we left the oasis last time. Remember that?"
"Uh, no" said Pumbaa.
"Oh…Right you weren't there. Well I guess I could tell you now"
-X-
Timon sighed peacefully in his hammock. He was really enjoying the life of no worries, although the Outsider situation did leave something to worry about. Then again, the last time he saw any of those Outsiders was a long time ago, when Kiara ran off from him and Pumbaa and ended up meeting that Kovu cub.
The carefree meerkat decided to just put it off for later. He shifted into a more comfortable position and was just about to fall asleep when a large clump of dirt hit him in the face.
"Gah!" exclaimed Timon, sitting up.
He immediately turned to the source which of course turned out to be his very own great uncle Max who was digging into the ground. Timon sighed and walked over to his less paranoid uncle and tapped him on the back.
"Eh? What is it Timon?" asked Max, crossing his arms with a look that said he had more important things to do.
"Uncle Max, I've told you about a hundred times that there is no need for tunnels anymore. We can live above ground with no worries of being eaten by a predator" said Timon.
"And I've told you that it is a meerkat's natural instinct to dig. I can't help it and besides, it doesn't hurt to be cautious you know!"
"Yeah, I do know. But the roots under the ground make it too hard to dig in the first place! And you've been living here for years; you should be used to it. And yet you try to dig a tunnel at least once a week!"
"Look, you just don't get it. And I understand that. But I'm going to tell you right now, when it comes to digging tunnels, animals like us have to do it" said Max, placing a paw on his great nephew's shoulder.
"Because we're the bottom of the food chain I know!"
"No, not that…Just like how the animals in the Pridelands live with their Circle of Life, we live with ours. It's the natural order of things. And if you mess up that order, you end up being distant, an outcast. Just look at you! You've seen several summers already and yet you don't have a mate. When I was your age I was already a great grandfather. You know what that means? It means your cousins and siblings all have kits!"
Timon knew that his uncle was right. Sure every meerkat in the colony thought of Timon as a hero, but all of them dug from time to time. Even the newborns, they can't help it. And even though Timon was considered a hero, his individuality made it hard for female meerkats to like him.
"Oh, hush Uncle Max. Timon is technically a parent. He's Simba's foster parent. And let's not forget that Kiara's around too. That already makes him a foster grandfather. We should be proud of him, I mean how many meerkats can say that lions are a part of their family?" said Ma as she came out from the thick foliage.
Timon was just about to thank Ma when he noticed her expression. What she said was sincere but he could tell that she wanted real grandkids. Not a lion. His siblings had kits already but they all lived in other colonies. Timon felt heartbroken…It felt as if he had failed his family.
He decided to hide it with a chuckle. "Yeah, Simba and Kiara are a great family after all. Speaking of them, Kiara's first hunt is coming up soon. Me and Pumbaa should probably get going so we can cheer her on and stuff"
"Oh, well, how long do you think you'll be gone?" asked Ma.
"A while maybe… Don't worry though; we'll be back as soon as possible" promised Timon as he turned around so he wouldn't have to face them with an expression of shame and guilt.
"Alright, just be sure to stay out of trouble over there" said Ma.
"…No problem Ma…"
-X-
Alright! An early update! I feel so proud of myself! Thank you Friday! Anyway, seriously guys, I'd really appreciate some feedback. Anything really. I just love reviews, they make me happy. No really, I work hard on these chapters; it irritates me to watch huge spikes in my view chart and so little reviews. Please say something! I'll try to post the next chapter as soon as possible, oh and the next chapter will most likely be meerkat centered (Hooray, a Timon and other meerkats chapter!). Stay tuned!