Chapter 3: The king and the prince

Dusk was giving way to night and the group of animals had returned to Pride Rock. While Simba, Nala, Kovu and Kiara, along with Vitani's guard had gone inside the cave to tell the rest of the pack about the new arrivals, the younger ones were beginning to get to know each other better. While Geno was resting and recovering from the injuries to his paws; Gurri, who was the craziest of the fawns, was running around the rock, along with Shany and Akira.

"Yuuuuuuu!" cried the fawn, "It's like the forest meadow!"

That comment while she was having fun caught Dan's attention.

"Is there a meadow in your forest?" he asked.

"Yes, at the edge of the forest. It's a place where we can run free... but, humans always come and hunt us for no reason... that's how our grandmother died, according to what our father told us."

"Oh, I'm sorry..."

"Thank you, but don't apologize, not even if you were one of them…"

That put a lump in Dan's throat. Fortunately for him, Jabari changed the question:

"You said your father was the great prince of the forest?" he asked, "Is it like being the ruler of the forest?"

"Well... dad was teaching me and yes, it's like being the protector of the forest" Geno replied, "he also said that I would be the next prince of the forest, but... I don't know if I'm capable of doing it"

"Yes, I know how you must feel…" Dan muttered.

"What?"

"It's because Dan is also a prince," Jabari told him, surprising the fawn.

"Jabari!" Dan exclaimed, as he still found it very uncomfortable to have someone remind him that he would be the Lion King in the future. But apparently, his new friend understood him.

"So, you're a prince too?" Geno asked, "Woah! I guess that makes us equal. Well, if you don't... eat meat."

"To tell the truth, I rarely like meat, and I find some fruits more delicious," Dan told him, "While, well… others like…"

Before he finished the sentence, those two arrived: Timon and Pumbaa arrived at the place with several worms in their mouths.

"We hit the fat one!" exclaimed Timon, still speaking with his mouth full.

"Didn't it hurt, Uncle Pumba?" Dan joked.

"What?" Pumba asked, "Oh, I get it... No, it's just that we found a worm nest under a rock in the swamp... let's feast on worms!"

"Do you want some, nephew?" Timon offered the cub, whereupon he and Jabari shook their heads.

"Hey Timon, maybe these new friends can join us," said Pumba.

"Pumba that idea is not... Hey! I have a great idea!" Then, he pointed to Geno, "These new friends can join us."

"What?"

"Well friend, do you want to join us for our feast?" Timon asked Geno.

Geno laughed.

"My name is Geno and I'm actually an herbivore," he replied.

"Oh, come on! Why don't any of today's children want to be our insectivorous companion?" asked the meerkat.

"You will always have the Hakuna Matata, Uncle Timon," Dan reminded him, "It is your best companion."

"Well…it's not exactly our partner, but our way of…"

"Hey Simba!" Pumba shouted, and everyone turned to see the lion emerge from Pride Rock, "Do you want to try an order of freshly caught worms?"

"Thank you guys, but I can't today," Simba apologized. Then he turned to the cubs and fawns.

"Geno, Gurri, the pride has decided: Nala and I will return you home," he said to the fawn, "You can sleep tonight in the lion guard's lair, behind the Rock. Vitani also agrees and says that they could keep an eye on you…"

"We can accompany them, Grandpa Simba," Dan offered.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, of course," Shany supported, "It will be like our own night meeting."

"Well…" Simba debated and noted that they had become very good friends, "No problem with me, but you have to tell your parents."

"Okay," the other cubs responded in unison.

"Dan...!" called Kiara, who came out of the cave for her son, "Time to sleep!"

"Mom…" Dan said, approaching her, "Can I… please, I want to stay with my friends in the lion guard's lair, can I?"

"Sleeping over with your friends? Hmm... Okay, but call me or Kovu if you need us. Oh, and also make sure Shany and Akira tell Tiffu and Zuri."

"Thanks Mom"

(Later, in the lion guard's cave...)

It was like going camping with friends, only instead of a tent they were in a large cave behind Pride Rock. The walls were somewhat covered with some dust and vines, but in the center, where a rock stood over a large pool in the center, as if it were a small version of the Pride Rock.

Geno and Gurri, who were not used to sleeping in a cave, but rather in a burrow, found that place beautiful and quite spacious. Furthermore, several fresh leaves that they had never eaten before grew on the floor of the cave.

"Umm," Gurri said, as she had a few in her mouth, "These leaves are delicious."

But after she and her brother were fed, she said to her new friends:

"I wish we could stay with you a little longer, but…"

"Me too, Gurri," her brother told him, also somewhat sorry for having made friends and having to separate so soon, "But we must find mom and dad when we return home. "Sorry friends, but we must say goodbye tonight."

"Yes, we feel it too," Shany commented.

"At least we can spend the night here, Geno," Akira told him, "It's the best place to sleep in the Pride Lands."

"Yes, thank you for that," said Geno, then he turned to Dan, "So Dan... I guess we'll meet again when we're adults."

"Uh… I guess…" Dan hesitated.

"It's funny," Jabari mentioned, laughing, "Geno, the future prince of the forest; and Dan, the future king of the Pride Lands, "I think we are among royalty tonight."

This made Dan quite embarrassed, as he always felt that way when people mentioned his future to him. But it wasn't the only thing: Geno seemed a bit the same. However, since it was night and everyone was already tired from the emotions of the day and fell asleep: some among the rocks or among the leaves.