Chapter 9. What do you guys think of the situation Simba, Nala, Kula and Chumvi are in? Please review and I hope you enjoy.
Simba was pacing angrily inside the cave.
"How could our own parents do this to us?" he growled. "They really must have no brains if they think we did something like a murder."
"I regret going to the Jungle now." Kula said, her voice choked with tears. Chumvi came by her side and nuzzled her. She buried her face into his mane.
"That lioness, Gurile, what's going to happen to her?" Nala wondered, out loud.
"Oh, Father will give her a good home." Simba snarled, sarcastically. "After all, she's more believable to him than his own son."
Nala looked at him. She had never seen a lion so angry. She was suddenly afraid he would start roaring at the top of his lungs.
"Simba, Nala!" came Alex's voice. He appeared, along with their friends.
"What do you want Alex? Here to rub this in our faces?" Simba snarled.
Amri looked at Simba. "Do you honestly think we believe that you four would do such a thing?" he asked his voice gentle.
"We all know you aren't murderers." Tama said, and Moraan nodded in agreement.
Nala shook her head painfully. "You believe us, yet our own parents don't." she said, her voice cracked. She pressed her face against Simba's chest.
"Nala, the best your four can do now is wait. We have to find out who really murdered those lions and who Gurile really is. Then, everyone will realize that that you weren't responsible." Shinda said, pressing against Nala.
"The evidence is convincing. I don't really blame them, but it still hurts to think our own parents would do this" Chumvi said.
"Your right Chumvi" Tojo said, nodding. "We'll try to find out who that creepy lioness really is."
"You guys should leave."Simba sighed. "If the adults find out that your here, you'll get in big trouble.
Nodding they began to leave. "We'll check on you later," Shari called as she left.
With nothing more to say, Simba lay down at the edge of the cave, and Nala lay down next to him. Kula went to one end, with Chumvi beside her.
Back at Priderock, Sarafina was devasted. "Oh Runju, what happened to her?" she said softly, resting against her mates mane. Hofu was being watched by the crèche.
"I don't know, Sarafina. Something inside must have just snapped. Even if she does change her attitude, none of the pride will ever treat her same again." Runju answered.
"I know," Sarafina answered.
"Forget about Nala. We still have Hofu. He'll grow up well." Runju sighed and rested his head on top of Sarafina's. The whole Pride was being sympathic toward them. They understood what they were facing. Nala had probably ruined Hofu's reputation and he was furious with her for that, too.
Sarabi was with Ajjali in the den.
"Mom, what happened to Simba, Nala, Kula and Chumvi? How come I can't see them anymore? Why isn't Simba future king anymore?" Ajjali demanded, pulling on her mother's ear.
Sarabi sighed. "Ajjali, your brother was involved in a murder. He isn't allowed to be king anymore." Her voice was heavy with sadness."
Ajjali let the voice sink into her head. "Then does that mean, I'm future queen?" she asked quietly, her ears pinned down.
"Yes sweetheart you are" Mufasa said entering the den. He licked the top of Ajjali's head. "Everything's going to be fine. I promise."
"But Daddy, I don't want to be Queen. Simba would be a better king,"Ajjali whined.
"Ajjali, you're now heir. I promise, everything will be ok. Why don't you go out and play. I have to talk to your mother about something." Mufasa asked.
Ajjali nodded and ran outside.
One evening, a week and a half later, Ajjali saw Simba at the Waterhole. No one else was around. "Simba!" she called running over to her big brother.
"What do you want Ajjali?" Simba snarled. Ajjali looked at him surprised.
"I-" she began, but was cut off by Simba's roar.
"Life must be perfect for you, now, right? Mom must be so happy to have her one and only daughter, as the future queen! Just get out of here, and find them." He spoke like his parents were a lifelong enemy.
"Simba, that's not true."Ajjali said, tears in her amber eyes.
"Get out of here!" Simba yelled. "Leave me alone! I can't even stand to see you". Ajjali backed up in fear.
"Simba!" Nala came running toward him.
"Watch your voice, Nala" Simba snarled, his voice, dripping with sarcasm. "You're talking to the future queen."
"Simba!" Nala exclaimed. "You can't yell at her for this. She has nothing to do with this!"
She turned toward Ajjali. "Go back to Priderock Ajjali" Ajjali nodded and ran back to Priderock, after giving her brother on more scared look.
"You are just like the others Nala" Simba snarled. "Going against me."
Nala looked at him. Over the past two weeks, he had turned into a cruel, hostile lion, which seemed to avoid her. He was nothing like the lion she fell in love with him. Where was the kind, happy Simba she had always known? "Oh Simba," she wailed silently. "What happened to you? Why did you have to change so much?"
"What?" Simba demanded.
"You've changed so much." Nala said softly."That's what hurts me the most, out of all of this. Seeing you like this." Tears sprang to her eyes.
Simba's eyes softened. "I just have no way to control my anger. I end up taking my anger on others. I'm scared I might get angry then hurt you. I'm sorry if I hurt you." He stepped closer to her, and licked the top of her head.
"It's alright Simba," Nala said, her voice gentle.
"Nala, I love you more than anything. If anything happens to you, I won't survive. I'd end up killing myself, for not protecting you." Simba said, nuzzling her. "Let's go to the meadow. I owe you some time.
"You don't owe me anything." Nala said, giving him a weak smile. "But I'll come."
Simba smiled, and entwined his tail with hers and then both lions walked to the meadow.
Later that night, Nala was waiting for her father to come and take her back to Priderock. She was about to fall asleep when she heard someone clearing his throat.
"Your late," Runju growled at her.
Nala glared at him. "Well, you were the one that was supposed to bring me back and you didn't come."
"I had more important things to attend to. Like your brother." Runju replied, coldly.
"You must be so happy now, Father! This is all you've probably wanted. Mom, Hofu and you together. Not me." Nala snarled. She was furious, but tears were threatening to spill from her eyes.
"Your right, Nala." Runju said. They had reached Priderock and he walked in, leaving a heart broken Nala, outside. She stood there for a few minutes thinking about what he said, and then walked into the den. Her parents and Hofu were sleeping together. She went and lay down a distance away from them.
Ajjali lay in between her parents' fur, unable to fall asleep. She was still scared from Simba yelling at her. She looked at her big brother, sleeping a little way off from them. Her parents weren't talking to him. She wished she could talk with him. Was he mad because she was future queen? "Maybe, if I wasn't, he wouldn't be so mad at me" she thought.