I.

As morning engulfed the heart of the desert lands, a sole figure rose up to greet the fast spreading rays. It's large, fanged mouth opened with an even larger yawn as the creature revealed itself to be that of a head-furred cat, stretching the length of its big but not quite well-muscled body to flex out its knotted muscles. He shook off his body, and moving to face the source of the feathery red mist that hung in the cool sands, Simba found himself a convenient spot further down from the outcropping he and Ruendi had used for shelter.

No water to swim in, The lion thought with slight agitation, Gotta clean the normal way.

Simba pawed down the shifty grains and made himself comfortable between a tiny dune with a good-sized indention in it. He sat down, bringing his shoulders back and wrapping his long, flowing tail around his ankles as if to hide himself there. A quick survey around showed no one. Simba composed himself and raised his large furry arm. He snuck a few more side glances here and there before moving the front of his muzzle to his big armpit.

Once his wet nose was wedged comfortably in just the right spot, he made tongue strokes.

Slurp, slurp, slurp.

Then there came a slightly louder, slurp, slurp, slurp.

"Ruendi," Simba said patiently.

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing?"

"What are YOU doing?"

"Grooming myself."

"You don't groom like that," He smiled cheekily, "You groom like this."

Simba watched amusedly as Ruendi plucked an insect from his fur and plopped it in his little pink mouth. The lion started to give him a sarcastically surprised look, which was quickly mimicked by Ruendi. He then flashed a wide, white-toothed grin. Once the lion monkey attempted this, Simba realized that he had him beat but once it was obvious that his friend's upper lip was stuck in place the brief triumph wore off. Ruendi squealed out.

"Hold still, hold still!"

"Mmm-mmm!"

"This is why it's not a good idea to play copy cat," Simba told him, licking his talon and unsealing the primate's upturned lip with its wet tip, "There! Just like nothing happened."

"Sorry…" Ruendi grinned coyly.

"Well," The lion went back up to the rocky ridge, "Let's get our stuff and keep going."

By mid-day the two had reached a welcoming surrounding of fresh green grass that gave Simba a sense of familiarity. He had never really cared for desert, and if it were up to the lion he would have stayed in his jungle oasis home the rest of his life. But – if this didn't work – he would turn back by the following morning and start right for home. He had to give it one more final push though. It was not for Simba; after all, it was just for Ruendi.

"Simba," the monkey lion started to speak in a small voice of doubt.

"What?" He asked, afraid his friend was already losing hope.

"I think something's wrong."

Simba hung his head dramatically.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, it feels like something's just… not right."

"Specifics?" The lion turned to him. He was a little too tired for games right now.

"Simba," Ruendi scampered off of his shoulders, frightened. "Look out, Simba!"

One second he was trying to get Ruendi back, the next Simba found himself cut off from all sides as long, rod-like arms and mouths of razor-filled teeth flew at him. He let out a terrific roar that caused the monkey lion to scamper out further into the bushes. With his pair of wide, disbelieving eyes, he saw as three cheetahs pinned him to the ground. From beneath their combined strength, the lion found that they were mercilessly pressing down on his windpipes and were possibly moments from suffocating him. Finally though, as he began to wheeze out a desperate plea for air, the female cheetah from yesterday gave it to him. She stared at him beadily, an absolute purpose behind her very fast and rather vicious ambush.

"The bird."

"What about him?" Simba croaked weakly.

"He broke free from his confines and we have been instructed to find him."

The lion struggled under her perfectly poised leer.

"I don't know where he is," Simba admitted, though the mystery of Zazu only grew.

"You have four minutes to tell us," She pushed down again on his throat. "Or else."

"Ruendi," Simba coughed out, "Run, Ruendi! Go on without me!"

The moments seemed to stretch far too long as a blur started to fringe around the corners of his red-brown eyes. He was about to surrender to going unconscious when a loud, shrill 'RAWR!' woke him up with a startled inhale that made them fall back into the grasses. But before Simba could try and attack them, a pair of passion-filled baboons jumped from his backside. The angry pack of animals was led by a flame-streaked female one that was just too big to be Ruendi, the monkey lion screeched noisily and thrust out at the lead cheetah.

"RAW!" She screamed.

As Simba stumbled back in disbelief, watching the brown, red-bottomed monkeys as they wrestled the three shocked cats into the long reeds, a cheek-to-cheek grinning Ruendi was making his way up to the side of him. When the lion gave him a questioning look at what he had done, the monkey lion gestured at a large, hollow stump with a long, narrow wood projection sticking out of it. Simba's face brightened in memory at the fact that his friend had used the same method of alerting danger as he had. Ruendi eyed down at his feet now.

"Ruendi, hey! What's wrong? We would've been goners without you!" Simba told him.

The primate didn't look up.

"If this is about copying me, then don't worry about it. You can copy me forever!"

"It's not that… it's just that," He peered up sadly, "I know I'm not a lion."

Simba felt his eyes moisten.

"What-what do you mean?" he forced a grin. "Of course you are!"

"Simba… I know you're supposed to eat me."

"What?"

"I finally figured it out," Ruendi said temperately. "Why didn't you tell me?"

The lion sighed heavily, "Because I didn't want you to be afraid and leave me."

He rubbed at his chocolate eyes, "I thought you didn't want me around."

Simba shook his head. "You've got it wrong, Ruendi."

"Why?"

"Because now I don't know if I can let you go."

To be continued.