Author's Note: Again, thanks for reviewing. No, I will not be writing Kimba and Simba as adults. However, I am thinking about writing a sequel starring Kovu, Kiara, Vitani, Rune, and Rukio as adults. Kimba, based on canon, would be long dead by then. However, Simba will play a minor role in the story, and yes, he'll be an adult.

And now for Chapter 5!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Lion King or Kimba the White Lion.

Chapter 5

"Kitty!" Kimba cried, joyfully bounding towards the new lioness. She was about Simba's age, and, as Simba couldn't help noticing, quite pretty. As for Kimba, he overshot his last bound, sending him sailing over Kitty and headfirst into a bush. When he popped out, his face was bright red, and he, along with everyone else, started laughing hysterically.

"Are you all right?" Kitty asked.

"Sure," Kimba replied. "Kitty, these are my new friends, Simba and Nala. I met them today."

"How do you do?" Simba asked. "I presume your name's Kitty, 'cause that's what Kimba yelled when he saw you."

Kitty nodded, smiling. "Yeah, that's my name."

"How's your uncle Specklerex doing?" Dot asked, getting up from the table and making her way towards Kitty. Dash and Dinky followed.

"He's fine, he's fine!" Kitty replied.

"Are you finished?" Dan'l called from the restaurant.

"Yeah!" Dot, Dinky, and Dash yelled in unison. Dan'l strode back to the hollow baobab tree with the now empty palm leaves.

This was followed by a somewhat awkward silence, which was broken by Dash shouting, "Last one up the tree by the Dirt Road is a pussycat!" Instantly, the seven of them tore off. Simba and Nala just followed Kimba, not knowing where the Dirt Road or the tree in which they were referring to was.

Predictably, Dash reached the tree first, and raced up it. It was a large, bare acacia with a huge trunk, lots of branches, and lots of shade. Kitty and Dinky tied for second place, followed by Dot. Simba gave a burst of speed, and reached the tree next. Last were Nala and Kimba. Nala was falling behind, so Kimba slowed down to let her catch up and beat him. Simba felt a flicker of jealousy, but pushed it aside when he reminded himself that Kimba was most likely the type who would do that for anyone. In fact, the jealousy completely evaporated when Dinky yelled, "Come on, Kimba! You're always doing that!"

"Yeah, give us a real challenge!" Dot added.

"Nala's just a beginner," Simba defended both Nala and Kimba. Nala nodded gratefully at both Simba and Kimba, but when she reached Simba, she whispered, "Actually, I only slowed down to let you beat me." She smirked playfully.

"Hey!" Simba protested. Dash, who was within earshot of Nala's comment, let out a guffaw of laughter.

"Let's play our favorite game!" Dinky crowed. "Last one to fall is the winner!"

"How do you play?" Simba asked curiously. The other Pridelands cubs never came up with any games like that, especially since there were hardly any trees in the area.

"Last one to fall off the tree is the winner," Dinky repeated, smirking. "And someone shakes the tree. Usually, we let one of the chimps do it, but they're not here right now."

"I'll do it!" Kitty volunteered, padding towards the trunk. "Ready, and…go!"

"One, two, three!" everyone chanted when Kitty pounded on the branch with her hind legs, causing it to shake up and down. "Shake the tree! All fall down—except me! One, two, three! Shake the tree!"

"Not again!" Dash cried as he fell down first. Nala lost her grip, but quickly hung on to Dinky's tail. The caracal let out a howl of pain, startling Dot, who complained, "Dinky made me fall!" as she landed on top of Dash. Nala sent both she and Dinky falling, and Kitty quickly slipped off next.

"I guess you and I are both winners, Simba," Kimba commented.

"Maybe…" Simba smirked, and started pounding the branch with his hind paws. Startled, Kimba slipped off, and landed on the top of the pile below.

"I won!" Simba crowed.

"You're good for your first time!" Dot remarked, as the cubs got off each other. Dash was stuck in a hole. Kimba pulled him out.

"Thanks, Kimba," the cheetah muttered. "Brings me back to those ants!"

"Well, there aren't any ants," Kimba replied, smiling.

"One time, this massive colony of ants attacked the jungle, and Kimba had to save Dash," Dot explained, seeing the confused looks on Simba and Nala's faces.

"What do you guys want to do next?" Kitty asked.

Simba climbed down from the tree. "I don't know," he replied. "What about you?"

"How 'bout I show you where I live?" Kimba suggested.

"Sure!" Nala replied, and she, Simba, Dot, Dash, Dinky, and Kitty followed the white lion to what looked like a huge pile of thorny sticks.

"Is that your home?" Simba asked.

Kimba nodded. "Come on in," he invited them.

Kimba's lair looked extremely cozy, and the air inside was extremely pleasant, as if all the hospitality in the world has condensed into this one den. It was also quite roomy inside, and seven cubs easily fit in with plenty of space to move around. And there, in the corner…

"Is that your father's hide?" Simba gasped.

Kimba nodded. "Indeed. My friends had taken it from the nearby village. At first I though they were playing some sort of trick on me, but they helped me big time with this. My friends are very brave. I'm sure my father was proud of them, too, back when he was alive."

"Are we brave?" Simba asked.

"Everyone's brave in some way," Kimba replied. "And at times, it doesn't show right away. But it's definitely there, and it will make itself known when the time comes."

This slightly reassured Simba. At least someone thought he was brave.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Meanwhile, the cubs back at Pride Rock had awoken much before the adults.

"Rise and shiiiinnneeee!" Chumvi sang, pouncing on Malka. The latter let out a sharp squeal, and then glared at his darker-colored friend.

"Honestly, Chumvi?" Malka groaned. "You couldn't have been less annoying?"

"All in good fun," Chumvi replied, smiling.

"What's going on?" Tojo asked, padding to the conversing cubs. Three blue birds trailed behind the ochre-colored cub.

Malka yawned. "This beetle-brain, lemme tell you that."

The remaining two lionesses of Simba's gang had awoken later than Chumvi, Malka, and Tojo.

"Where's Simba?" Kula immediately asked. "Normally, he's the first one up."

"And then he wakes us up," Tama added.

"You know, I've been wondering about that," Malka replied. "Where is Simba?"

"I don't see Nala, either," Tojo chimed in, looking around Pride Rock.

"Something is definitely up," Chumvi guessed.

"Should we tell Sarabi and Sarafina?" Kula asked, worried.

Chumvi shook his head. "Nah, Zazu will tell them soon enough."

As if on cue, the blue hornbill came flying in frantically, squawking, "Sire! Sire! I can't find Simba or Nala anywhere!"

"Find them!" Mufasa roared, waking up instantly. Sarabi had a worried look on her face.

"Oh, no, what if the hyenas took my son?"

"To tell you the truth, I don't think those mangy poachers would be able to penetrate the walls of Pride Rock without us knowing," Zira chimed in, sounding bored.

"Then what happened to them?" Sarabi demanded. "We're talking about my son!"

"And my daughter," Sarafina added.

"Don't worry, we'll find them," Mufasa tried to reassure the lionesses, resting his tail on Sarabi's shoulders.

"We'll help!" Chumvi declared.

"These are our friends we're talking about here!" Kula added.

"Yeah!" Tojo said. "No mangy mutt can kidnap our friends!" The bluebirds behind him twittered in agreement.

"Or else they have to go through us!" Malka added.

"Right!" Tama agreed. "All in favor of helping the lionesses find Simba and Nala, say 'I!'"

"I!" chorused Malka, Kula, Tojo, and Chumvi.

"Thanks, you five," Sarabi murmured. "Oh, I just hope they're okay."

Author's Note: I told you Simba's friends would have their chance to shine. But no, Mheetu is not going to appear in this. And Kitty arrives! I'm a full Kimba/Kitty supporter, as well as Simba/Nala.

Kimba Episodes Referenced:

The Return of Fancy Prancy

Great Caesar's Ghost

Reviews are appreciated!