Chapter Six

Nala's POV

I watched over the next few years as the paradise that I called my home shriveled up and became nothing more than a barren wasteland, devoid of all life save for the pride and the hyenas, who weren't exactly getting along as well as they used to anymore.

I decided to leave and go get help, I had no idea where to even start looking, but I figured there was somebody out there who could be talked into kicking Scar off the throne.

"Nala, where are you going? there are no hunts today." My mother's voice stopped me cold in my tracks.

I met her concerned gaze with a confident one, "Mom, I cant stand him anymore, the pride needs help if we are going to last another dry season." I began my arguement for leaving, thinking my mother would be opposed to it.

Mom shook her head, "I don't like the idea of you travelling alone honey, but if you can bring back help of any kind, food or otherwise, I think the pride would be proud of you." she said, waving me along.

I cocked my head, not quite sure if I heard her right, "So, your ok with me doing this?" I asked, wanting to be as sure as possible before I left.

Mom sighed, "Nala, sweetheart go. You aren't a cub anymore, you don't need my say-so." she said with a weak smile

I nuzzled her warmly, "I won't let you down." I reassured her as I turned to leave

Her smile widened, "Even if you do, it's not me you'll have to worry about." she joked

I smiled and quickly made my way into the wasteland, not wanting to waste much time.

Simba's POV

I was feeling particularly lazy that morning, so when Timon and Pumbaa asked me if I wanted to help them gather some bugs, I politely declined and went back to sleep.

This was the first time I had "That" dream.

I was standing on a familiar looking cliff, looking down toward a raging wildebeest stampede

'Simba, help me!' cried out an all to familiar voice

I looked over the cliff edge to see my father hanging on for his life, 'Father!' I cried out

Dad suddenly seemed worried as I streched out one of my forepaws to help him, 'Simba! behind you!' he called up to me

I turned and saw...

Myself. I was laughing evilly and slowly making my way over to where I tried to help my father.

'Dad, just a little farther.' I said as our forepaws almost touched

I felt a sharp pain, I looked back and saw the other me, he dug his claws into my wrists, 'This is all...your...fault.' the other me whispered into my ear.

'Simba!' dad cried out as his grip failed and he fell into the raging stampede below

I snapped awake, I was breathing heavily and looking around, unsure where I was at the moment.

I shakily made my way to a small puddle of water nearby and began drinking from it, the nightmare had left me rattled. I had almost forgotten everything about my previous life in the pridelands pride, why had I relapsed now? I took a few more drinks of the clear, cold liquid, dipping my face in the small pool when I was done, thinking that the temperature would calm me down.

I stood in that spot for a little while, I was in one of those trances that Zazu had called being 'zoned out'

The thing that brought me out of it was distant screaming, it sounded like Pumbaa. And Pumbaa only screamed when something was really wrong. I ran over to the area where the screams were coming from, I saw Timon trying to help Pumbaa get unstuck from a tree root, they seemed to be trying to escape form something directly on the other side

"Why do I have to save your...AHHHHHHH!" I heard Timon say to Pumbaa as I jumped over them, not knowing what they were so afraid of.

As I looked down at the ground I saw what it was, and I think that both me and the lioness were startled to see each other.

Nala's POV

This was the last thing I'd expected to find when I started chasing the deceptively fast warthog, the male had genuinely scared me, but I also think that I scared him, there was a moment where neither of us knew what to do.

We then began fighting, the meerkat was telling the male to go for my jugular, I put my head down to prevent that from happening. As we traded blows, I couldn't help but think that I knew this lion.

I pinned him to the ground after he had attempted to tackle me, I didn't want to kill him, I wanted to see if he could be the help our pride needed, he surprised me though, as I calmed down, he spoke to me.

"Nala?" he asked, as though we had known each other from a long time ago.

I backed off, certain it was a trick, "Who are you?" I asked, fully ready to fight with him again.

He smiled, "It's me, Simba." he said

I stared for a little while, there was no way. But the more I stared, the more familiar he began to look, "Simba?" I asked, still trying to put two and two together.

He nodded encouragingly, a huge smile formed on my face, "Wow!" we both shouted in unison.

"How did you?"

"How did you..."

"Wow!"

"Whadda know it's great to see ya!"

To say that we were at a loss for words would've been stating it lightly

"Where did you come from?" I asked

"What are you doing here?" he asked over me

I stepped forward a little, "What do you mean 'what am I doing here' what are you doing here?" I asked, still not quite believing that it was him.

The meerkat looked up at us and shouted, "Hey, what's going on here!"

Simba stepped up to the plate to answer that one, "Timon this is Nala, she's my best friend!" he said, causing me to blush slightly.

The meerkat looked as though he was going to pass out, "Friend?"

Simba nodded, "Yeah." he said, then he turned his attention to the warthog, "Hey Pumbaa, get over here!" he shouted

The warthog popped himself loose from the tree root and made his way over to where we all stood.

"Nala, this is Pumbaa. Pumbaa, Nala." Simba said

"Pleased to make your acquaintance." the warthog said in a polite voice

I laughed a little, "The pleasure's all mine." I replied

"How do you-" the meerkat started, "Wait a minute, wait, you know her, and she knows you, but she wants to eat him. and now everyone's ok with this? DID I MISS SOMETHING?" he shouted, confused.

Simba was worried at the meerkat's outburst, "Relax Timon." he said

I was practically beaming over my good fortune, "Wait until everyone figures out you've been here all of this time, and your mother, what will she think?"

Simba seemed to withdraw a little, "She doesn't have to know, nobody has to know." he said

I was a little worried, "Of course they do, you're alive. Which means, you're the king." I said, realizing that Simba could be the one to force Scar to step down.

The warthog crawled over to Simba's forelegs, "Your majesty, I gravel at your feet." he said, mixing up his words.

The meerkat stepped forward, "No no no it's not gravel it's grovel, and don't, he's not the king..." he then looked up at Simba and added, "are ya?"

Simba shook his head, "No." he answered

Simba was really starting to worry me, "Simba?" I asked, wondering if he was feeling well, this was the same Simba that used to sing songs about how he couldn't wait to take up the position.

But Simba wasn't going to budge, "No, I'm not the king, maybe I was gonna be, but that was a long time ago."

The meerkat persisted, "Wait a second, you're the king? And you never told us?"

Simba sighed, "Look, I'm still the same guy." he said, trying to dismiss the subject.

The meerkat began to beam over this news, "But with POWER." he said holding up a clenched fist.

I decided that I needed to talk to Simba alone, "Could you guys give us a few minutes please?" I asked the meerkat

He shook his head, "Whatever you two have to say, you can say in front of us, right Simba?" he asked.

Simba sighed, "I think you'd better go." he said waving them along.

The meerkat seemed offended, "It starts. You think you know a guy." he said as him and the warthog slowly walked away

Simba watched the two leave with a smile, "Timon and Pumbaa, you learn to love 'em." he said

I honestly didn't care, I was just happy to see Simba again, so much so that I began to cry.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Simba asked, noticing my emotional state.

"It's like you're back from the dead, you don't know how much this will mean to everyone...or what it means to me."

I could hold back no more, I embraced him, "...I've missed you." I added.

Simba nuzzled me reassuringly, "I've missed you too."

Timon's POV

This was not good, not good at all, "Oi Pumbaa, this stinks." I said as we watched Simba and his girlfriend nearby

"Oh sorry..." he replied, thinking I was talking about him.

I sighed, "Not you, THEM." I said

Pumbaa nodded, "Oh." he said

"Him and Her, ALONE." I said, not wanting to make much sense anymore.

Pumbaa looked over at me in confusion, "What's wrong with that?" he asked

"I can see what's happening."

"What?"

"And they don't have a clue."

"Who?"

"They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line, Our trio's down to two."

"Oh."

"The sweet caress of twilight, there's magic everywhere, and with all this romantic atmosphere...DISASTER'S IN THE AIR..."

A/N: Can you feel the love tonight? Lol. This chapter has been my favorite to write so far, maybe it's because the others have been kinda depressing.

Thanks for the reviews thus far my friends, and keep 'em coming.

Look out for the next chapter, Simba and Nala didn't always get along in the jungle, remember?

Thanks Guys!