*Chapter 17: Can You Feel the Love Tonight?*
Timon and Pumbaa watched the two humans and two lions' lovely exchange. Nia stood by them with a content smile. Funny that they are reunited and now the four started to fall in love. Simba and Nala are obvious, but Ajani with his childhood friend? That's something. Ajani has found love. Nia hears the meerkat sigh heavily.
"I tell you, Pumbaa. This stinks." He says.
"Oh. Sorry." Pumbaa replied, thinking Timon is referring to him. Nia chuckled a bit.
"Not you! Them!" Timon corrected him. Both lions and the humans walk in different directions. "The men. The ladies. Alone."
"So?" Nia asked with a shrug. "They haven't seen each other in a long time."
"What's wrong with that?" Pumbaa asked. Timon began to sing.
"I can see what's happening."
"What?" Pumbaa asked.
"And they don't have a clue."
"Who?" Pumbaa asked, turning to his meerkat friend.
"They'll fall in love, and here's the bottom line,
Our quartet's down to two."
"Oh." Pumbaa spoke. Timon proceeded to sing sarcastically while climbing onto Pumbaa. Nia watched and listened to him.
"Ze sweet caress of twilight,
There's magic everywhere.
And with all this romantic atmosphere,
Disaster's in the air."
As the sun was halfway through setting in the jungle, Simba was guiding Nala towards a big waterfall, walking alongside it on top of the rocks. The two lions stopped by the resting pond to have a drink of water.
Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings.
The world for once in perfect harmony,
With all its living things.
Simba sings in his inner thoughts as Nala is taking a drink of water. Simba was having doubts of telling her of what happened after his father died. He and Ajani ran away as Scar told them to. What would Nala think?
'So many things to tell her,
But how to make her see.
The truth about my past, impossible.
She'd turn away from me.'
While the lioness continued drinking from the pond, Nala's inner thoughts sang as she soon stopped and gazed up at Simba, who had a mischievous smile on his face.
'He's holding back, he's hiding.
But what, I can't decide.
Why won't he be the king I know he is?
The king I see inside?'
The lioness watched as Simba ran a distance, and soon ran back towards Nala with a vine in his mouth and goes splashing into the middle of the pond. Looking out over the still water, Nala is suddenly pulled into the water by Simba. The lioness immediately came out of the water all dripping and miffed at the same time, with Simba coming out with a big, goofy smile on his face. Nala formed a smirk and playfully pushed Simba back into the water before running away.
Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings.
The world for once in perfect harmony,
With all its living things.
XX
Ajani and Zuri were in the jungle, hand in hand. They see some of the birds flying above them. A few monkeys swinging on the vines and shared one and use their tails to make a shape of a heart. Zuri giggled at the sight of them. Ajani took a white flower from the ground and hand it over to Zuri. The teen blushed and took the flower and took a whiff. Ajani watched her place the flower in her hair, then he lifted Zuri by the waist and spin her around. Zuri chuckled as she held onto his shoulders. As they spin around, they could hear Simba and Nala on the other side, and they were tumbling down another steep hill. Ajani and Zuri both laughed after the lions are below them. Nala gave Simba a lick on the cheek, surprising him. Zuri made a smirk and pulled Ajani forward and they both rolled down the steep hill.
"Whoa! Whoa!" Ajani cried out. They land on the soft grass as Zuri is on top of Ajani, giggling at him. Ajani looked up at her and chuckled. After their laughs subsided, they look into each other's eyes. Ajani placed his hand on the side of Zuri's face.
Can you feel the love tonight?
You needn't look too far.
Stealing through the night's uncertainties,
Love is where we are.
Simba and Nala lovingly nuzzled each other before they leave to let their human friends have their moment. Zuri got off of Ajani and helped him up. Ajani strokes the girl's face. Zuri smiled up at him as her inner thoughts sing.
'And if he feels the love tonight,
In the way I do.'
Ajani's inner thoughts sang as he and Zuri brought their bodies close. Ajani had never felt like this before. He doesn't want to lose this feeling.
'It's enough for this restless wanderer.'
They slowly brought their faces close as they both softly sing to each other.
"Just to be with you."
Ajani and Zuri shared their first kiss as they held each other in a loving embrace. Butterflies are around them, making their moment romantic. Ajani and Zuri pulled away and press their foreheads together.
Meanwhile, Timon and Pumbaa watched the four lovers' exchange as the meerkat sang with tears in his eyes. Nia rolled her eyes at their dramatic state.
"And if they fall in love tonight,
It can be assumed."
Timon hugged Pumbaa who sniffed and sang.
"Their carefree days with us our history."
Timon and Pumbaa finally sang sorrowfully yet dramatically.
"In short, our pals are doomed..."
Briefly looking to each other, the two immediately burst into loud tears, crying into the night as the two lions and humans had finally fallen in love. Pumbaa snorted a bit as Timon sobbed. Nia shook her head at them before leaving.
"I'm outta here." She spoke. "I'll be looking for something to eat if you don't mind."