A/N: Hey there! Happy New Year. Here's the next chapter of my mini-series.
I.
Simba felt Ruendi squirming around in his mane as he made his way to the center of the jungle floor, the primate tugged at the insides with his little grabby claws which added to the lion's growing nerves --- how was Timon and Pumbaa going to react to little Ruendi?
"I saved him from a pack of angry wildebeest…? No, they're too far away. I came across him while I was practicing my breast strokes in the stream…? Nah, monkeys don't swim. Or, do they?" he looked up as the saffron monkey appeared on his head. "Do you swim?"
"No, I groom myself."
The exotic foliage parted up ahead to reveal the classic duo preparing a smorgasbord of delectable insects, Pumbaa stirred and served an array of dishes while Timon idly handed him the ingredients. Taking a big gulp, the adolescent lion approached both of his friends.
"Hey, guys," he said, trying to sound casual. "How's it going?"
"Supper's almost ready." His warthog friend announced. "Loosen your waist fur."
Timon glanced over at their large charge, and walked up to him with his arms folded over his tan, scruffy chest. "Someone's acting rather unusual this evening." He said knowingly.
Simba mustered a nothing-out-of-the-ordinary smile. "Timon, can we set a seat for four?"
"Four?" The merekat dropped his expression. "As in… another mouth to feed?"
"Or as in someone to help clean up dishes…" He prodded him with an enticing grin. "It'll just be for tonight," the lion said levelly. " and you won't even notice he's there, Timon."
"All right, all right, jeez. I'm not that fickle. Where is the guy?"
Simba smiled appreciatively and turned to look up on his head. "Ruendi?" he inquired at the lack of small primate. "Ruendi? Um, Ruendi. This isn't the time for games" The lion searched frantically around but found him missing, he had just been riding atop his head.
"That's strange. I mean, first he appears out of nowhere and-."
"Wait," Timon cut him off. "What do you mean he just appeared out of nowhere?"
"Like I said, he just showed up on my tummy and now he's gone."
"Like he just vanished?"
Simba looked at him scrupulously in response and leaned down to listen to Timon who gestured for the lion, he held the creamy muzzle closely up to his face as he said. "Maybe someone's spent a little too much time in the sun…" This made Simba jerk up right away.
"What! I didn't make him up. Ruendi is a little orange and black monkey."
"Uh-huh." Timon started back towards Pumbaa. "Yeah."
"This tastes great, Pumbaa!" Both of them set their sights on a pint-sized primate taking a small grub, and squeezing its juicy contents into a hollowed-out coconut. "I like to cook."
"Well, stick around after dinner and I'll show you how to make a beetle cream pie." The mahogany pig said, immensely pleased at the monkey lion's enthusiasm. "Pull up a seat!"
Timon's jaw dropped.
"Ha," Simba laughed a little, strutting over to the table with a toothy grin back at him. "I guess you have a real reason to let him stay now." He took his place at the very far end.
The merekat rolled his eyes, and headed over to the other end only to find the primate had taken up residency on the stone stool. Wrinkling his nose, he crossed his arms and waited for their guest to take notice; Ruendi didn't. "Um, hello? Earth up to fuzzy little menace."
He peered over his little arm down at Timon and a realizing look crossed his pink face. "Oh, did I take your spot?" The monkey lion smiled apologetically and scampered over the table to get to Simba. Ruendi excitedly secured a place atop the young lion's mane.
Timon noticed Simba smile with some embarrassment up at the happy-go-lucky kid before he coolly went about picking up his soup bowl, and opening his mouth wide to guzzle up it's buggy contents. He felt a couple of drops plop upon his tongue and looked around to see that Simba and Pumbaa were chugalugging full-to-the-brim bowels without noticing.
"Typical," The merekat mumbled as he reclined back with a foot up against the table.
"Wait," Ruendi interrupted Simba.
"What is it?"
The lion peered up at him from the bowel he cupped in his paws. "I don't think Timon's eaten." They all watched as primate dumped the bug juice into his mouth, placed the half coconut onto his head and moved back over to Timon. The merekat nearly gagged as he spewed the saliva mixed soup back into the bowel, and offered it to him with his tiny feet.
Simba and Pumbaa exchanged uneasy glances with their cheeks round with soup before gulping in unison. "You-" Timon pointed a shaky finger at Ruendi. "You just – right in-."
He cocked his concernedly as he balanced back on his hands. "I just what…?"
The merekat passed out dramatically.
"Timon?" Ruendi inquired.
Simba came around and plucked his friend up by the tip of his tail. "Are you okay, Pop?"
He shook his head with wide eyes and clenched teeth. "I'll never eat soup again."
"Oh… I got some dribble in there," Ruendi reached in an attempt to get it out.
The lion pawed him back. "Just… go take a grooming break."
That night…
"Well, Ruendi seems like a swell little monkey." Pumbaa commented as he scrubbed his old tusks with 'toothpaste' on his leaf tied to a stick version of a toothbrush. "He's got a lot to learn in the kitchen, but aside from that Simba seems to really have taken to him…"
Timon gargled a swig of 'mouth wash'. "Yeah," he gulped it down and went lay out in their embedded grass bed. "But your missin' the point, my rotund roomy. Our duo has become a trio since Simba came along, and what would it become now? Our quarto?"
"Ah, give'im a chance Timon. He's really nice. Wait, I didn't know you spoke Spanish."
The merekat sighed wearily.
"Can you teach me? Oh, please, please, please?"
"Okay," Timon said with a sardonic smile. "Tomorrow-o, El monkey-o goes buh-bye-o."
"El mono ir ¡adios?"
"Eh?"
"Anyway," Pumbaa yawned heavily. "You gotta give the little guy a chance."
The two settled in for the night while a certain monkey lion and lion settled in the trees.
x.x.x
"Well, I can't say it's perfect," Simba mentioned as he tucked in the last of the leaves. "but at least it's soft." Ruendi moved forward and lifted a leaf up, he pretended to give it a nibble with a little smile. The lion laughed a bit to humor him. "It isn't play time."
"Sorry." Ruendi said and wrapped himself up in the large leaves. "Good night."
Simba sat back on his hunches and looked out toward the full moon. The sounds of wild life in the jungle filled the air, and he breathed in comfortably with the familiar noise that was around them. That's when he noticed Ruendi trembling a little under the large leaves.
Carefully, he laid down upon his stomach and inched his way over closer. Simba raised a paw and touched the quivering ball of monkey under the thick, dark green foliage. In an instant Ruendi stopped and peered out at Simba. "The jungle scares me." He said openly.
"I guess I could stay with you tonight." The lion offered.
Ruendi sat up with the leaf encompassing his shoulders. "I haven't told you the whole truth, Simba. I was staying with my sister and some other monkeys, but I thought I could find my parents. Truti told me to wait for them, but I couldn't…" he sniffed softly. "and I didn't."
The lion saw how scared the monkey truly was and looked down at his paws; he had been that way too. It was terrifying to face the world alone and Ruendi had done one heck of a job of it so far. Simba nudged his shoulder and Ruendi turned to him with large, sad brown eyes. "I'll take you home," he said to the monkey. "first thing tomorrow morning."
"No, you can't." Ruendi got up on his feet. "It's too far away."
"Do you know where your sister is?" Simba asked crucially.
He nodded slightly. "I think I do." His voice was meek.
"That's good enough for me." Simba smiled at him reassuringly. "First thing tomorrow."
Ruendi smiled broadly. "First thing tomorrow!" He chipped happily.
To be continued… "nchnnc
