The warm winds blew in the Shadow Lands, and the wind picked up outside of the border of the Shadow Lands. The sun has risen just two hours ago. Meanwhile at Rafiki's tree. His home. Rafiki is in the tree, gently setting down the large, ancient turtle shell.
The old baboon could hear the wind coming, and squinted his eyes. Something about the wind was different, and it made him very curious. Rafiki climbed to the top of the tree, and could see that the wind was carrying some flower petals, dust, and what looked like to be fur.
Rafiki grabbed the flower petals, dust and fur, and sniffed it. He climbed back down, and settled down near the turtle shell. He sprinkled the content in his hands into the shell. After doing so, he grabbed a gourd, held it over his head and broke it in half. He lowered one half of it, and took a bite, while examining the contents in the shell, and with his other hand, he tilted the shell repeatedly, to the left and right, somewhat.
Rafiki took a closer look at the contents in the shell, and couldn't believe his eyes at first. "Simba?" Rafiki said, confused. He looks to the smeared drawing of Simba, on the trunk of the tree. Rafiki was starting to feel immense joy. "He's... He's alive? He's alive!" Rafiki laughs with joy, and gets up, grabbing the stick he always travels with, and headed to the trunk of his tree.
He dips his fingers into the gourd containing red paint, and began to draw a red mane on the smeared drawing of Simba. Rafiki has never been happier. He knew in his heart, that Simba was alive, from what he was told from the contents residing in the turtle shell. Rafiki looked at the drawing of Simba, and smiled wide. "It is time." He said. The old baboon knew what he had to do.
Countless miles away in a reed field, Nala was passing through. She finally found that forest she was told about, for that was a year ago, and now; Nala's an adult. Nala caught wind of something. She could smell a warthog. It wasn't the most pleasant smell, but it was food. She quickly lowered her body, tuned out everything else. And focused on the warthog.
It seemed as the though warthog was chasing after a blue beetle. Thankfully the unaware pig was facing away from Nala, making it easier to sneak upon him, and the reeds helped, due to her fur color. An almost silent purring could be heard from Nala's throat. She could almost taste the fresh meat now. The warthog looked back, and Nala stopped in her tracks, fixated on her soon to be prize.
The warthog screamed, for he noticed Nala, and he began to run away. Nala broke into a run, baring her sharp teeth, and growling deeply. During the chase, the warthog led her into the forest, and he was quite fast, making it a bit of a challenge for the lioness. He cornered left, and ran on a large tree trunk, and Nala followed, they almost went in circles.
The warthog continued to scream in horror, as Nala got closer. Brush of large plants lightly brushed against them, and since the prey couldn't see where he was going he ran into a tree stump, sticking out of the ground and got stuck. He couldn't move. Nala roared, inching ever closer. She then saw a meerkat jump onto the warthog's back. Yes, even more food! She was almost in claw reach of the warthog, until a lion jumped right over the warthog, surprising Nala.
The lion bared his teeth, and growled loudly, Nala stopped in her tracks, and was tackled by the lion, having her land on her back hard, almost taking her breath away. But she quickly got up, and circled almost around him , baring her teeth, her ears flat against her head. She would not give up her food, to this lion. No matter how attractive he may be.
She roared, claws unsheathed, and aims at his face with her claws, but only got at his mane. The lion tackled her again, but at that instant, Nala remembered the playful flip her cubhood friend, Tojo, taught her. She decided to use it, and she did it well. She reversed the tackle, and flipped the lion on his back, her teeth bared. Nala won the struggle.
But the lion stopped baring his teeth, his eyes showed confusing, and he relaxed his muscles. What came from his mouth surprised her even more. "Nala?" the lion asked, but in confusion. Nala stopped baring her teeth as well, and got off the lion, not sure what to think of him knowing her name.
"Is it really you?" asked the lion.
Nala tilted her head, looking over the lion. " Who are you?" She asked, as a response to his question.
The lion smiled, and replied. "It's me, Simba."
Nala took a closer look, and couldn't believe her furry ears, or her eyes. "Simba?" She asked, making sure that is what he said in the first place. The lion nodded, while still smiling. So many emotions came back, for she could see it in his eyes. It was him! Nala and Simba exclaimed with joy, lightly butting heads, as a long time no see, hello, and they often stumbled upon their words.
"How did you...Where did you come from?" Nala asked, very happy to see her once thought to be dead cubhood friend. The meerkat that sat on the warthog's back, had his mouth open, confused as well.
Simba then looked to the meerkat. "Timon, this is Nala. She's my best friend."
"Friend?" asked the confused meerkat.
"Yeah." replied Simba to Timon. Simba then looked toward the warthog who was still trying to catch his breath, from being chased by Nala. "Hey, Pumbaa, come over here." Finished Simba. Pumbaa the warthog got free from the tree trunk, and walked over to them. "Nala, this is Pumbaa. Pumbaa, Nala." Simba said, introducing them to each other.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance." said Pumbaa.
"The pleasure is all mine." Nala replied. She thought the meerkat and warthog were a bit odd, but they were friends to Simba, so they shouldn't be too bad. "How do you do..." Timon began, but then was trying to get some clarity of the situation. "Whoa, whoa! Time out! Let me get this straight. You know her. She knows you." Timon said, motioning to Simba and Nala. "But she wants to eat him, and everybody's okay with with? Did I miss something?" Timon finished.
Simba lowered his head to the meerkat. "Relax, Timon." Simba said, while Timon looked at him, panting lightly, over reacting a bit. Nala then decided to speak. "Wait till everyone finds out you've been here all this time." She said to Simba. "And your mother, what will she think?" Nala continued, and Simba's expression saddened a bit. Timon and Pumbaa watched as the two reunited friends talked.
"She doesn't have to know. Nobody has to know." Said Simba.
"Of course they do. Everyone thinks you're dead." Nala replied to him.
"They do?" Simba asked.
Nala's expression saddened as well. "Yeah. Scar told us about the stampede."
Simba's face displayed worry, and fear of her possibly knowing the truth. "He did? What else did he tell you?" Simba asked, trying to see if she knew.
Nala smiled lightly. "What else matters?" She began, and her voice became hopeful with her next words. "And that means, you're the king."
Timon felt it was time to chime in. " King?" Timon scoffed. Lady, have you got your lions crossed." Timon said while lightly resting against Simba's paw. Pumbaa looked at Simba in awe. "King? Your Majesty, I gravel at your feet." Pumbaa said, while he kneels down, and repeatedly kisses Simba's paw.
Simba moved his paw away from Pumbaa and was annoyed. "Stop it." He said to Pumbaa. Timon walked to the warthog and said: "It's not gravel, it's grovel. And don't, he's not the king. Are you?" Timon finished, while looking to Simba. "No." Replied Simba.
Nala couldn't believe he said that. "Simba!"
Simba looked to her, lightly agitated. "No. I'm not the king. Maybe I was going to be. But that was a long time ago."
"Let me get this straight. You're the king. And never told us?" Asked Timon. "Look, I'm still the same guy." Retorted Simba.
Timon smiled. "But with power." added the meerkat.
Nala lowered her head, to be almost eye level with Timon, and she asked calmly, with a cute smile: "Could you guys excuse us for a few minutes?"
Timon walked to Pumbaa and lightly tapped the warthog's snout. "Hey, whatever she has to say, she can say in front of us, right Simba?" Timon asked, and Nala looked up at Simba, raising her head, wondering what he would say.
"Mmm...Maybe you'd better go." Said Simba.
Timon's jaw hung down in disbelief. "It starts. You think you know a guy."
Timon and Pumbaa walked off, and secretly watched the two friends.
"Timon and Pumbaa, you learn to love 'em." Said Simba, smiling warmly, then looks to Nala. Simba then frowns. Nala walked away a few inches from Simba, her eyes half closed, and a frown on her muzzle.
"What? What is it?" Simba asked, with concern, walking toward her, and she turn her head, as if she was hiding her sadness from him. Nala whispers, but not to quiet, and looks to Simba. "It's like you're back from the dead. You don't know how much this will mean to everyone." She looked down, and frowned with great sadness, and concludes with: "What it means to me." Simba gave her a reassuring smile. "Hey, It's okay." Simba said, trying to cheer her up. Nala leans in, placing her head under his chin, and his eyes widen, unexpected by this, but smiles. While she did this, she said: "I've really missed you."
Simba nuzzles her face, and she nuzzles back, ever so gently. Nala felt happy. Happy to have him there, with her, close to her. She hasn't been so happy in a long time. "I've missed you, too." Simba replied.
Nala winced and felt a pain in her paw. "Ow!" She looked down, and saw a thorn sticking from her paw. As to how that happened, she wasn't sure. Simba lowered his head, and lightly took out the thorn with his teeth, and spit it out. Nala purred lightly, and nuzzled him again. She stopped nuzzling Simba after a few moments, and got up, circling him once, wanting him to follow her, and so he did.
Nala and Simba arrived near a waterfall, which wasn't to big, and this downward hill, easy enough to climb though, led to where the water fell too. The two of them climbed slowly down. At the bottom, was the lake, and a few rocks in the lake, big enough for them to walk on, and so they did.
Nala smiled lightly at him, as they crossed the lake, and she head further from him, and stopped to get a drink. She kneeled down, lapping at the water, while thinking to her self. "He's holding back. He's hiding. But what, I can't decide. Why won't he be the king, I know he is. The king I see inside."
Nala looked up at Simba, water dripping lightly from her chin, and he smiled. She tilted her head, as he walked toward her, then past her. She looked at where he was going, and was surprised. He grabbed a vine with his teeth, and swung toward the lake. Nala couldn't believe it. Simba let go of the vine, and dropped in the water. After a few seconds, Simba didn't surface, and Nala looked closely to the water, trying to see if she could see if he was alright.
Simba surfaced, and gently grabbed her, dragging her into the lake. Nala closed her eyes, as she hit the water. She surfaced as fast she could, and gasped. She never did like going in the water. Her fur all wet. She climbed out, and noticed Simba next to her. His fur all wet, and his mane covering his entire face, but his muzzle. He was smiling, being a silly lion.
She put her paw on him, and pushed him back in the water, playfully, while smirking. Nala purred, and ran as he got out of the water again, and they chased each other, as they once did as cubs. In an open field, the sun dried their fur quickly, and Nala continued to run from Simba, laughing. Having fun. Something she didn't have in a long time.
The sun painted the sky beautiful colors, as it slowly set. In the field, Nala scared a few white birds, and they flew away. As their playful romp continued, night has arrived, and they went deeper into the forest. Nala turned around, and got on her hind legs, lifting her body, and playfully pawing at him. Simba does the same, and she falls forward, Simba catchers her, and it's as if the two are hugging. Smiles on both of their maws, as Nala moves backward, and she feels one of her paws pressing against a thick vine.
She exclaimed lightly, and fell backwards, down a hill, bringing Simba down with her. The two of them rolled down the hill. The grass making the rolling down less painful. Nala reached the bottom first, and Simba lands on her. His chest resting upon hers. Simba smiles lightly, with his eyes closed, looking away from her.
Nala reaches her paw up to Simba's face, and leans in, licking slowly at his cheek, and smiling warmly, after doing so. Simba opens his eyes, surprised, and looks down at her. She lets go of his cheek, and smiles with love and seductively at him. Simba smiles soon after, nuzzling her nose, and she returns the nuzzle. During this moment, Nala thought: "And if he feels the love tonight...In the way I do...It's enough for this restless wanderer—just to be with him."
An hour has passed, and Simba and Nala are walking on a very large fallen log, ridden with moss, and grass. "Isn't this a great place?" Simba asked.
"It is beautiful. But I don't understand something. You've been alive, all this time. Why didn't you come back?"
"Well, I just needed to get out on my own, live my own life." Simba retorted while climbing on a few hanging vines, and he lied back on them. "And I did, and it's great." Simba finished. Nala walks closer to Simba and says softly: "We've really needed you at home."
Simba looked away. "No one needs me."
Nala narrowed her eye brows, and sighed softly. "Yes. We do. You're the king."
"Nala, we've been through this. I'm not the king. Scar is."
Nala lifted her body lightly, and rested her front body on the vines, the same ones Simba is on. "Simba, he let the hyenas take over the Pride Lands."
Simba leaned forward lightly, shocked by the news. "What?"
Nala looked down, in light anger. "Everything's destroyed. There's no food, no water. Zira had Tojo...Killed...The pride has been divided. Simba, if you don't do something soon, everyone will starve."
"I can't go back." Simba replied after a few seconds.
Nala couldn't believe this, she needed to figure out why he is like this. "Why?"
Simba gets off the vines and turns his back, not facing her. "You wouldn't understand."
"What wouldn't I understand?" She replied a bit loudly.
Simba turned to look at her. "No. It doesn't matter. Hakuna Matata."
Nala scrunched up her face, a little, and tilted her head lightly. "What?"
"Hakuna Matata. It's something I've learned out here. Sometimes bad things happen..."
"Simba..."
"And there's nothing you can do about it. So why worry?"
Simba was now walking on the log, and Nala jumped off, walking near him. "Because it's your responsibility." Nala told him, firmly. Simba looked down at her.
"Well, what about you? You left." Simba said.
"I left to find help, and I found you. Don't you understand? You're our only hope."
Simba lightly rolled his eyes. "Sorry." He said, although didn't sound very convincing.
Nala hated the way he was acting, it was starting to annoy her, and how selfish he could be. "What's happened to you? You're not the Simba I remember."
Simba looked down at her again. "You're right. I'm not. Now are you satisfied?"
Nala shook her head. "No. just disappointed."
Simba jumped off the log, and walked off, saying bitterly: "You know, you're starting to sound like my father."
Nala turned to see him walking off. "Good. At least one of us does."
Simba stopped in his tracks and turned around, anger in his eyes. "Listen. You think you can just show up and tell me how to live my life? You don't even know what I've been through." Simba said, while turning around, leaving again.
"I would if you'd just tell me." Nala replied, softly, and with sympathy.
"Forget it!" Simba replied.
Nala growled lightly and responded, while looking away. "Fine!"
Simba disappeared in the brush, and Nala was just so frustrated with him, she almost felt like breaking down. She decided to just cry, and not hold it in. All of what has happened, not just with Simba, but with the events back home. She knew to let it out, and not hold all the emotion in.