Chapter 3

I do not own Lion King or any of its characters.

The only characters I do own are as follows:

Kali : Fierce

Usafi: Purity

Maji: Water

Nurisha: Shine Light Upon

Hafsa: Sound Judgment

Ufisa: Mischief

The following characters belong to my friend Nala-Nay who gave me permission to use him:

Hiassen

Cire

Escape!

Seeing as they had a short time before the silly duo would arrive the cubs tried to huddle. Though not right away, since all the girls kept whining and complaining to the boys as they attempted.

Either it was Uhuru's spot was too windy or Hafsa didn't want to be near Babu and so on.

Yet somehow they managed and once they did Maji shared his what he called awesome plan with them. Having heard it the cubs looked at him like he was Timon himself and started laughing.

"Oh come on Maj. That plan won't work. It's too simple." She said shaking her head but getting her hair tuft in her eyes making her grumble with annoyance and move her paw to smooth it back.

Boga had to agree the plan was a little too simple to be able to work. " I think we should have Kopa think up a plan. That way we can try and eat them." She said bouncing at the the thought and rubbing her growling stomach.

"Yeah! I wanna eat!" Babu voiced in agreement with his sister.

Nurisha looked at them with a raised eyebrow. "Didn't you two eat a whole zebra earlier with your ma?"

Boga smirked licking her chops. "We sure did but we're hungry again. Plus with Kopa we always get something. Like that time a few months ago when we caught twenty mice. Genius."

Maji snorted."yeah cause his plans always work so well. Don't you guys remember those mice also made us have to run from Auntie Ufisa." He said in a sarcastic tone to which Nurisha glared at him whose eyes widened with a shudder at the memory of her aunt's hungry face. Shaking off her memory she looked to Maji with a pleading face.

"Maji don't start. You promised no arguing." Nuri reminded him with eyes on the verge of tears. She really hates fights Maji thought.

"Yeah come on Cous. Let me make the plan." Kopa said with a grin as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"No way Kopa. You almost got us tickled earlier cause of your plan to try to once again stand up to my Dad."

All the other cubs looked at the golden prince surprised while he just rolled his eyes."I had it handled."

"That was a plan?" Kimba asked with his shock. But then thinking about he started giggling at the memory of Kopa and King Kali.

"Of course it was." Maji said."He always tries to prove he won't run from my dad no matter what and that he cannot be forced to do something. So he decided to be like a buffalo and stay put."

Hafsa chuckled."Oh Maji don't be a grumpy rhino. That's a lame excuse."

Maji looked at his sister with a dirty look."Come on sis, you know I'm right."

Hafsa waved her paw in a motion like she was blowing away his words almost as if Pumbaa had farted. "Nope. I know for a fact Kopa wouldn't try something like that."

Kopa smirked. Thanks for the save Hafsa he thought as he fixed his mane again."So anyway the plan is..."

"HEY CUBS!" Hearing the voice the cubs all groaned. They slowly turned their heads and grumbled as they saw Timon riding on Pumbaa towards them. Once Pumbaa skidded to a stop, kicking up dust as he did so, Maji made his move.

Timon amongst the dust began coughing."Pumbaa work on your stopping more for next time." He said patting the warthogs head.

"Sorry." Pumbaa replied letting Timon down.

"It's ok buddy. It's just that everytime you stop when we watch them, you make so much dust we lose track of them again".

Timon looked around and was surprised seeing that the cubs silhouettes could be easily seen through the dust. They were holding a paw to their mouths obviously coughing but they were still there. It was then Timon began counting and he noticed something odd." Hey where's?"

Maji jumped out of the dust and made a loud 'rar' noise in Timons face."Gotcha now I will eat you and the pig!" But to Maji's dismay, Timon was still there and was in fact chuckling with amusement."Why aren't you running?" Maji snapped with annoyance.

"Because kid you didn't scare us. Seriously we faced your parents and they're adults. We can handle you squirts."

"See we told you it wouldn't work Maji." Said Uhuru in a matter of fact tone as the dust began clearing. Her golden eyes shining through the dust like shooting star in a hopeless night.

"That wouldn't even scare a mouse. Even my Dad said so." Said Kopa as he walked out shaking some of the dust clinging to him.

Maji rolled his eyes remembering Uncle Simba's story of his time in the gorge practicing his roar and failing to scare a lizard. "Shut up Kopa." He grumbled.

"Oh everyone fear Prince Maji. The squeaking future King." Babu teased which caused everyone else to start laughing much to Maji's chagrin.

"I do not squeak!" Maji growled. ..

The laughing and Maji's anger was soon forgotten as Timon broke in."Seriously cubs you were so desperate to get rid of us that you resorted to this?"

Cire snorted "Its not like we want need cub 're twice the sizes of these little heirs anyway."

Pumbaa walked up to Maji."Two things. First Maji, I'm Mister Pig got it?" He was close enough that he noticed Maji gulp and shake his head in understanding."Good." He turned back to the other cubs."The other is that you cubs are still too young to be going off alone. You could get hurt."

The cubs all rolled their eyes. They had heard this same statement from this duo many times just trying to leave Pride Rock. What type of protection could prey animals really serve anyway? They thought to themselves.

Kopa however grinned at them."Well of course we know better Timon. You taught us so."

All the other cubs looked at Kopa like maybe he had breathed in too much dust while Timon puffed his chest with pride. "Well naturally I am a good teacher."

Maji caught on quick to Kopa's words and noticed the wicked grin on his face. He smirked as well and eyed Timon. Sucker!

Kopa walked ahead of the others."Surely you would agree that you taught us well enough that you can trust us to be alone? Eh Timon the Great?" He said winking at the meerkat.

It was then the other cubs finally got the gist of what Kopa was trying to do. They all started giggling as Timon's chest puffed up so much he almost looked like he would float off into the sky.

"You know Prince, you got a.." Unfortunately for Kopa, Timon also caught on poked Kopa in the chest."Hey. Nice try kiddo. But you can't sweet talk me that easily." All at once the smirks everyone wore vanished.

Kopa kicked up dust as he stomped his paw."Darn it."

Timon laughed." Was that why you and Maji looked like you were arguing? You two were wanting to try to use a plan to get rid of us. You can't. Cause I'm too smart for you." As he said that, Timon's nose somehow seemed to grow in size with cockiness.

Cire sighed."Yeah. These two idiots couldn't help but argue over something so stupid." She rolled her eyes when the Princes glared at her. She started kicking up dust with her hind legs hoping to vanish into the dust that matched her coat almost to a tee.

"Well that won't work. Cause me and Timon don't argue and thus can think better as a team." Pumbaa said.

"Right buddy. You'll never get us if you continue to argue amongst yourselves."

Hafsa groaned at the thought of spending her first day away from home with these two when she came up with something from what Timon said."Then, since you two always agree on something you two could answer a question my sister has."

Nuri looked at her sister. Did she smooth her tuft out today? She wondered looking her over."I do?"

"Yeah weren't you gonna ask which type of bugs is the best to eat?" She said with a wink.

Nuri's eyes widened at first with disgust when she realized her sisters words and chuckled."Yeah. Could you guys tell me with type?"

Timon and Pumbaa looked at each other with grins at the question which Timon began answering."Well you see Princess.."

Pumbaa answered as well."the best type of grubs to eat are..."

"Crunchy." Timon exclaimed.

"Slimy" Pumbaa declared.

The two friends gasped as they turned back to the other.

"Now Pumbaa we discussed this, crunchy ones are better cause there is more to eat." Timon said putting his hands on his hips.

"But they're so hard to eat and rough going down. Slimy ones like worms go down easy and you can just slurp em."

"Crunchy!"

"Slimy!"

"CRUNCHY!"

"SLIMY!"

As the two argued, they failed to notice the cubs had begun running and laughing at the two idiots. Once they were far enough, they began laughing harder.

"Nice one sis! That was classic." Maji said between laughs to hide his own embarassment that his sisters one upped him in strategy.

"Yeah even I didn't think of that and I'm as smart as my mom." Kopa admitted between breaths for air.

"Well obviously it was genius." She looked at the other lioness cubs who got the signal and they all said in unison."Cause girls rule!"

The boys rolled their eyes at the statement when they noticed Nuri desperately licking herself. Maji walked up to her."What's wrong sis?"

"Ohhhh that stupid pig. Covered me in dust. My pretty white pelt is filthy." She said between frustrated licks as she managed to get little by little of the dust off.

Maji eyes behind her and smirked. "Then take a swim." He said shoving her down the hill shrieking as she landed in the water below.

All the cubs ran down laughing. Even Hafsa had to admit Nuri had asked for it complaining about being dirty with Maji. Her fur was the easiest one of all the cubs that got dirty and it didn't help at times that her brother liked to wrestle. She really did take after Grandma Sarabi in more than just looks. When it came to staying clean, the two were exactly alike according to Uncle Simba. Heck she had even asked her how to stay clean when no adults were close by.

Nuri resurfaced gasping for breath glaring as she got out of the water at her brother."I am going to tell Daddy! You're going to be in sooo much trouble and.."

"What you said you wanted clean fur so he washed you!" Kopa said howling with laughter.

Nuri huffed as she shook herself dry and was pleased that the dust was at least cleaned off. Once she finished she gasped as she looked around. "Hey guys, I think we're in the Outlands."

Everyone stopped laughing and looked at their surroundings, the barren termite infested wasteland with awe."Cool." Kopa said.

"Let's go explore it!" Maji said excitedly.

Forgetting their parents warnings from their younger days they abandoned reason for adventure and ran in. Fortunately someone was watching.

One of the figures took to the sky and flapped his wings frantically."I must find King Simba." Zazu squawked as he rushed for him.

The other figure scampered across the plains looking for a lion to warn when she caught a scent on the wind. "What luck! Right in my favorite lizard hunting grounds!"

Meanwhile, the cubs looked around their new lands until Maji bumped into something and stumbled back.

"Whoa!" Said Kimba as Maji crashed into him during his stumble."Maji you klutz. Get off me you're too heavy."

"Sorry I hit something." Dusting himself Maji saw that what was actually a who as he saw a young tan lioness cub with crimson eyes standing there looking at them. "Who are you?" He asked curiously.

"I'm Kiara." She answered backing away with a growl. " And these are my lands." She said glaring at the cubs.

Maji chuckled with Kopa. "Your lands? You are far too cute and delicate to live in a dump like this." Maji pointed out running his paw through his "mane".

Kiara's eyes softened for a moment looking at him before she shook it off and glared again with more intensity. "These are still my lands. My Daddy told me so!" She snarled padding up and getting in Kopa's face thinking he had said it.

Kopa gulped as his startled aqua eyes met her identically shaped ones and tried to protest. "Hey Hey! He's the one who said it not me." Kopa said looking at said black Prince with pleading eyes saying Help me out here, cous.

Maji just kept smirking. "No No Kopa. I may have dug the hole but you fell in." He said with a laugh closing his eyes at the thought of Kopa trapped in a hole. But when he opened his eyes he was greeted by the cub they had just met glaring sweetly into his green orbs. How the blazes can a glare be sweet he wondered. Mustering up some courage he gazed at the lioness cub. "Yes?"

Batting her eyelashes yet still maintaining her glare Kiara got more in his face. "How bout you get out of my lands now and I'll save you from my Daddy's wrath?"

Maji raised and eyebrow and looking at the shaking heads of his friends he looked back at her. "And if we don't want to?" He backed up and then smirked as his sisters came to his side with their claws extended.

She narrowed her eyes more but grinned wickedly. "That wouldn't be wise, little lion."

"Little? You take a look in the waterhole lately or got an old kill in your eyes? I'm taller and bigger than you." Maji defended himself with a cocky expression that his sisters wanted to wipe clear off his face.

"And slower." She said with a chuckled which made the other cubs giggle at her joke.

"Take that back!" He roared tackling her into the dirt and began wrestling her. The boy cubs around them began cheering with a chant. "MAJI MAJI MAJI MAJI!" At the same time, the girl cubs cheered with almost singing voices. "GET HIM KIARA!"

Yet unawares to the cubs, their noises and fun did not go unnoticed for within the shadows of one of the Termite mounds a sinister grin was made. "Finally, a chance." The wicked voice said.

I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. Been busy with work and school as well as being patient and kind with my equally busy beta reader. Enjoy and review

This is an outtake I created to express my opinion of a certain similarity between Simba and Kiara in Simba's Pride:

Simba stood in the center of the costume room for Simba's Pride wondering what was going on. He had been told they needed him to do a second role in his movie. Looking around he wondered. "I wonder if they got any L'Oreal."

Before he could look around the door opened and many authors of different shapes and sizes entered. "Hey Sante, what's going on?"

Asante, the writer merely made a picture frame around SImba and asked. "Simba, do you think you could give me a smile like Nala gives you?"

Simba raised his eyebrow confused. "Why is he asking me that Tron?"

Tron shrugged. "Just do it so we can get this over with.."

Simba sighed and with a little effort he made a pretty good impression of his mate's smile. "How's this?" He said through clenched teeth.

Asante gave a look of approval and turned to the other helpers. "He'll do. Let's start with that mane of his."

Simba's eyes went wide. "My mane! What's wrong with it? Is it not snuggly enough? I just need some L'Oreal." Simba panicked as he looked around frantically for the precious furcare product.

"No no no. Simba it's not that. The problem is we have to get rid of it." Asante said indifferently.

"WHAT?! But…"

"Sorry Simba. But the budget for Simba's Pride was cut so we can get semi-decent lighting and thus we couldn't afford the adult lioness to play your daughter. So we need you to do both yourself and your daughter."

"THE HELL I DO! I'm a guy you asshat! What are you trying to pull?!"

"Now come on Sim. In the old days, males played all roles, even the female one's" Tron pointed out getting his electric razor ready.

"Plus we need to get you on a diet so you look more feminine." Asante said looking over the to do list only to be interrupted by a growl from a vicious looking Lion King.

"I'll start right now with some exercise! It's called Hunt Asante and Tron!" He roared running at them.

The two authors ran screaming just as Simba pounced at them.