"So…Mom…what exactly are we doing?" asked Nala as she and Sarabi began another lap walking through the shallow water around the perimeter of the waterhole.

"You're getting used to what the water feels like, Nala. How it pushes you back when you try to move. How the ground reshapes itself when you step on it."

"I think I'm already used to it," replied Nala.

"Really? You want to go into the deeper water, then?"

Nala stopped walking and looked at the center of the waterhole. Sarabi did too. "Do you think I'm ready?" asked Nala.

"Actually, Nala. You were already ready. By your age it's just basic instinct. I could throw you right in the middle of the waterhole if I wanted to, and you'd know what to do."

"Then why didn't you do that?"

"Because it would scare you. You want to go into the deeper water?"

"If you think I can," replied Nala, beginning to walk inwards. "What do I do?"

"You swim by kicking your paws and legs. Just start slowly at first. I'm right behind you. I'll catch you if you begin to sink."

Nala stopped walking. "Sink?" she asked, slightly afraid.

"Don't worry, Nala. If you sink it's only because you won't be kicking hard enough. I'd rather start you off too slow than too fast though. Now go on, just control how hard you kick, and don't worry about timing. That's what your instinct is for."

Nala hesitantly began walking again, and then with every step she got slightly more nervous and walked slightly ever slower as the water made it up to her neck.

"Today would be nice," Sarabi said. She really hadn't wanted to say that, but once a fallen leaf raced on by them both through the stagnant current, she couldn't have helped herself.

"I'm afraid," replied Nala.

"Trust me, Nala, there's nothing to be afraid of. If something goes wrong, which it shouldn't, I'm here to help you."

"Okay…" replied Nala. She put another paw forward and was surprised to find that the ground seemed to fall away quite steeply here. Her foot finally touched the dirt, but it slipped and she fell forward. As a reaction, she remembered Sarabi's words and kicked both of her back legs.

"That's right, do that again," encouraged Sarabi from behind her.

Nala heard her, and began to kick all four of her paws. She was doing it faster than what Sarabi would have liked though, but Nala wasn't concerned about that. She just wanted to stay afloat. She didn't really like this 'swimming' thing, and she was beginning to panic because she still hadn't fully recovered from the slip. She wanted to shout back at Sarabi to make it stop, but she was using all the energy that she could right now on attempting to keep herself afloat. Fortunately for her, Sarabi read her mind and reached out and pulled her back to the shallow water, pulling her close to her chest so that Nala could worry about spitting out any water that she accidentally swallowed without having to hold her ground.

Nala took a deep breath and then looked up at Sarabi. "I didn't like that," she said.

"It's only because you slipped," replied Sarabi in a friendly tone.

"Yeah, well, I didn't like slipping."

Sarabi chuckled and set the cub back down in the shallow water. "You got a mouthful of water, didn't you?"

"I was trying to call you for help," replied Nala.

"Okay. Say Nala, doesn't this water help you cool down?"

"It sure does. My head's still hot though."

"Well there are two solutions for that. One, I could throw some water over you, or two…" but then Sarabi was suddenly cut off, as a wave of water crashed into the side of her face.

Nala giggled.

Sarabi smiled back. "Very funny. Or two…" but then she was cut off again, as Nala threw another wave of water at her. "Nala, I don't need help getting this soot off my face," said Sarabi.

Nala giggled again. "Sorry Mom."

"Or two, I could teach you how to go underwater."

"Well that's easy," replied Nala, and to confirm it she moved her head downwards and placed it underwater.

Sarabi rolled her eyes, but before her pupils could get through a full cycle, Nala had came back up, and was spitting out water and trying to rub her nose and eyes.

"I think you might need some h…" but Sarabi was cut off again as Nala finally opened her eyes. An ugly dark weed had floated on top of Nala's arm while she'd been underwater, and now it had just appeared in her vision right next to her eyes as she'd been rubbing them with her arm. Not knowing what the weed was, Nala screamed and took a jump back…into the deep part of the waterhole.

"Oh no." Sarabi ran across the shallow end and pulled Nala out from the depths. The cub clung onto the side of her with her claws erect, and then began to slide down Sarabi's body. Sarabi winced in pain. She grabbed a hold of Nala again. "Nala…please…no claws."

Thankfully for Sarabi, Nala heard her, and she retracted her claws, allowing Sarabi to place the cub back down in the shallow end.

"What was that thing?" asked Nala, still startled by what had just occurred.

Sarabi couldn't answer her though. She was in too much pain. The water had loosened up the fluids from the gourds that had fell on her earlier, and now thanks to Nala's claws, the fluids were beginning to seep into her skin and cause unpleasant reactions.

"Mom?" asked Nala, as she watched the queen make her way back out onto dry land. "Mom, are you okay?" asked Nala, a little worried now.

Sarabi didn't answer. She couldn't. She got out onto the land and collapsed on the floor.

"Mom, did I scratch you?" asked Nala, following her out.

Sarabi rolled onto the side where Nala had got her, and began rubbing her body hard against the ground, just in case that would help. "Nala…" Sarabi began, "…I'm okay…but…oh Gods, this hurts!"

"Mom, are you sure you're okay?" asked Nala, beginning to get a little teary now.

"Yes…Nala…I'll be fine…" replied Sarabi. She stopped squirming and she took a deep breath. "I hope…" but then a jolt of pain came through and she took another deep breath, "I hope it should just go away soon."

"Can I help you?" asked Nala, her voice rising higher with each question.

"Don't go running off…" but then she was interrupted again with another jolt of pain and another deep breath, "…don't go running off anywhere, but if you can see anyone…call them over, please." Another jolt passed through and Sarabi took another deep breath.

Nala couldn't stand seeing her like this anymore. "Mom…I know where Rafiki lives…I'll go and find him…"

"No, Nala, don'…" another deep breath, "…t…too late…she's gone."

Sarafina carried a bored Simba by the nape of his neck. Simba had seen all this before: what Pride Rock and the Pridelands looked like from three feet off the ground as he was carried up the steps and into the main den. Sarafina placed him down on the floor.

"Now, you're going to stay in here until your real mom gets home, alright?"

"Whatever," replied Simba, as he lied down and tried to take a nap. He looked over his shoulder as Sarafina walked out. "Hey, where are you going?" he asked curiously.

"I'm not grounded. I'm just going to go and sun myself out here. And if you come out, I'll see you."

"Have fun," replied Simba, as he lied his head back down again, alone in the cave. "Would it help if I said I was sorry?" he asked.

Sarafina stopped in her tracks and turned around. "It depends," she replied. She sat down. "What are you sorry for?"

"Telling those lioness jokes."

"And…?"

"Being rude to you."

"And…?"

"Eh…I don't know. Making you wave that giant leaf?"

"Hmm…"

Simba forced a pleading smile. Sarafina was seriously considering giving him one more chance.

"You're back early, aren't you?" came a voice from outside.

Sarafina turned around.

"Hi Uncle Scar!" called Simba.

"I thought you'd still be out, playing."

"He's grounded," explained Sarafina.

"Ah…what for?"

"Some minor stuff, really. I'm wondering whether to let him back out."

"That's interesting…" commented Scar. He walked into Pride Rock and up to Simba. "See, rumor has it, that young Simba here thinks that you're not a strict mother, Sarafina."

"That's correct," replied Sarafina.

Simba frowned. What was Scar getting at?

"But if he's grounded, doesn't that mean that you are strict, after all? Wouldn't you prefer if your real daughter won that bet, Sarafina?"

"Uncle Scar! What are you doing?" asked Simba in a whisper. Sarafina heard him.

"You have a point there," agreed Sarafina. "If I keep Simba grounded, I can have time to wash, which would help me win my bet with Sarabi. But what's in it for you, Scar?"

Simba was thinking the same thing.

"Oh, Sarafina. It sure does get lonely around here, sometimes. I'd like to have some company."

"Simba, you're not grounded anymore," replied Sarafina without thinking. She placed a paw over her mouth. She let it drop as she chuckled nervously. "I suppose that came out a bit too quickly, didn't it?" she commented, as Scar glared at her. "I mean, eh…just kidding Simba, stay in there." Too late though; the damage was done. Scar let out a 'hmph' and turned around, heading back to the back den in Pride Rock.

"Way to go," commented Simba sarcastically. "You hurt Uncle Scar's feelings."

"How come you're concerned about his feelings, but yet not about mine?" asked Sarafina seriously.

"Sarafina," suddenly came another voice from behind her. Sarafina recognized this one.

"Oh, hi Mufasa," she replied, turning around. "How long have you been here?"

"Just got here," replied Mufasa, which was obvious to Sarafina now, seeing as Mufasa didn't seem upset or offended at how Sarafina had reacted to Scar's proposal.

"So…uh…taking a break, I see?" Sarafina asked.

"The kingdom seems all in order," replied Mufasa. "I do have some areas left to touch up on, though. Are you here with Simba?"

"Yeah," replied Sarafina, "I grounded him." She lied her ears back, hoping that Mufasa didn't find her actions out of line.

"Really? Why?"

"He was just being so rude. He been saying derogatory comments about lionesses all day, and he's treating me like a tool!"

"I'm assuming some exaggeration is being used here."

"Not as much as you'd expect, unfortunately."

"Let me have a word with him," replied Mufasa. He walked on by Sarafina and into the cave.

Sarafina sighed.

Simba was being so rude…I had to ground him! But now look at me, wondering whether I'm the one in trouble and thinking I'm being selfish for just wanting to be cleaned and having nothing to do with this anymore. How can Sarabi make a game like this? She just blew Simba's health off for no reason!

Be quiet, Sarafina, you know she had a reason.

Yeah, to keep me away from my daughter. And for what? This stupid game! It's ridiculous! Has this whole world gone crazy?

Just then Rafiki came running on by her cackling and carrying about four different tortoise shells which knocked into each other and spilt all their contents out as he ran on and continued to sing.

"Yup," replied Sarafina.

(A/N: Thank you sunburn for burning me enough so that I stayed up to 3:30 AM one day on my three-week vacation because I was in too much pain to go to sleep. It's really hard to describe what the pain was like, because it wasn't a normal burning or itching sensation. Every now and then though it would send a shot of pain right through me and I took a deep breath, and the only way I could prevent sounding like I was hyperventilating was to talk...and then I just took deep breaths every five or so words. I would like to thank that sunburn because it helped me to write the first half of this chapter, and because I like to talk about myself. Tell you what, let's talk about this story instead. You start! Just hit the review button and tell me what you think! What, doesn't that work for you? *Sighs* Okay, I'll start. Well...would you please kindly review, and tell me if Nala seemed too OOC. I realized when I finished the chapter that she's usually more brave than what I probably made her out to be and that she holds herself together really well...but then my excuse for making her panic, etc. is that she doesn't really like water and also she really didn't know if Sarabi was okay, and hey, she's only a cub. Alright, now your turn. Review time!)