Chapter 5: The past and the present

"Where we are?" Maya asked in amazement, "What place on the Pride lands is this?"

"I have no idea," replied Simba, who along with his sister and cousins almost always went exploring everywhere, "I have never seen this place."

"We are not in the Pride Lands," Ono explained, taking a quick but thorough look around, "Since I was young, I have explored them several times, but I have never seen this place."

"But we came through the Nadembo Caverns," Amira suggested, "Is this place underground?"

"No, it is the surface," answered the egret, "And the sunlight confirms it. Well, I'd better tell the king about your find. For now, let's go back. When the kings or the lion guard explore it, we can explore it better…"

Ono led them into the cave again, assuming that if they passed through that arch again, they would return to their kingdom. However, Simba, Amira, Maya, Sam and Bambi were too amazed to move, even a little. Once he managed to get Hanna, Salma, Dalia, Milo and Haki back, he called the attention of the others to hurry up.

However, he had barely told them when a sudden tremor shook the ground beneath their paws, causing them to stagger and lose their balance.

"A tremor! Watch out!" Sam shouted as he tried to stay upright. The ground continued to shake, and then it happened: a deafening crash echoed through the air as huge rocks and debris dislodged.

"Move!" Haki exclaimed, pushing Salma and Dalia aside.

Everyone managed to avoid the collapse, narrowly escaping. However, rocks had fallen at the tunnel entrance, completely burying it. When the dust cleared, Simba, Amira, Maya, Nabil, Bambi and Sam watched in horror as the access that had brought them to this magical place was blocked by the collapse.

"Hanna, are you okay?" Bambi asked, trying to talk through the rocks.

"I'm fine, Bambi!" his sister exclaimed from the other side.

"Kids!" Ono's voice exclaimed, "How are you? Are you alright?"

"We all are fine, there are no injuries," Amira told him.

"Haki?" Simba asked, "Can we move these rocks?"

"I'm trying," he responded, making a sound of effort, "¡Ugh! We can't, they're very heavy. "We would need uncle Mako for this, or my dad with the roar"

"Oh, wow… Er… can you guys go back through the tunnel?"

"Yes, the collapse did not reach the tunnel," Ono responded.

"Can you come back and get us help to move these rocks away?" Sam asked.

"Okay, you wait for us on the other side, we will return to the Pride rock to bring help" Haki responded.

Inside, Haki, Salma, Dalia, and Ono turned around to return. However, Hanna did not want to return without her brother; When they finally managed to take her back, Ono comforted her:

"Calm down, Hanna: We'll be back quickly. I promise"

"Thank you, Mr. Ono," Hanna replied, "We don't usually separate like this and I don't want us to get in trouble for this."

"Don't worry, if he's with the others, he'll be fine," Dalia commented.

"Besides, if you have to worry about anyone, it should be Simba," Salma said.

"Why'?" asked the fawn.

"Because his Majesty warned him not to get into trouble," Ono finished, "And I think this situation will be a problem."

(Meanwhile ...)

The group that had stayed outside the cave, in that strange world, paid attention until the voices of their friends on the other side disappeared. Then Sam asked:

"So, what can we do now?"

"I propose that we go find a nearby place to seek shelter until we receive help," Amira said.

"I guess we can follow Amira's idea," said Nabil, "Let's look for maybe... a cave?"

"Let's explore a little while we're at it," said Simba, "It's not every day we're in a place like this, right?"

"I remind you, dear brother, that, thanks to you, we are staying in this place" his sister said, "So, let's try to stay together, okay ?"

"Okay…" Simba replied reluctantly.

The group advanced through that region completely different from anything they had known in their own lands. The ground beneath his paws was barren and rocky, with a steep and broken appearance. Large rock formations rose across the landscape, some of them eroded by the passage of time, giving them a rough and worn appearance.

The rolling hills before them presented a mix of earthy tones, from deep browns to lighter, gray hues. The terrain was rugged, with stones and rocks scattered everywhere, forcing them to be careful as they moved forward.

"Wow, for a hidden place, there aren't many plants," Bambi mentioned.

The absence of vegetation was notable in that rocky area. There were no trees, bushes or grass that could soften the harshness of the landscape. Instead, stones and rocks seemed to be the only inhabitants of this rugged terrain.

"Hey look," Maya pointed out, "Volcanoes."

Despite the harsh surroundings, the beauty of nature was evident in every rock formation and in the stunning view of distant volcanoes belching smoke into the sky.

"Woah, in the Pride lands there was only one volcano, and it was in the Outlands" Amira commented.

"Do you think there are animals here?" Nabil asked.

"I don't know..."

"Hey, what is that?" Maya asked.

Everyone looked up: a winged figure caught their attention. At first, they thought it was some kind of giant bird, but as it got closer, they became aware that they were seeing something beyond their imagination.

"It looks like a bird," Simba said curiously, carefully observing the creature that was approaching, "Could it be Ono?"

"No, he should be back at Pride rock right now," Amira said, "Plus it looks bigger than any bird in the Pride Lands."

"And also in the forest," commented Bambi.

"It's not a bird…" Sam replied, closing his eyes for a moment and using his sense of smell, "It's something bigger and… scaly?"

"Let's crouch down, in case it's not friendly," Nabil suggested.

They did so, hiding from some nearby rocks, large enough to also cover Bambi. Then, as that winged creature passed overhead, they could visualize it better: It had an impressive wingspan, with wings that seemed to extend far beyond what any bird could. Its body was large and thin, with a long neck and a head that resembled that of a reptile, with a kind of sharp beak. Its skin was covered in dark-colored scales, with some lighter spots on its chest and wings. As it flew, its legs dangled downwards and seemed to have sharp claws on its limbs.

The creature headed towards a column of nearby mountains, and disappeared behind them. When the area was clear again, the group was able to come out of hiding.

"What kind of creature was that?" Maya asked, a little scared.

"One thing is certain: it was not a bird," declared Simba, "No bird we met looked like that."

"Hey guys, look at this," Bambi, who had approached a stone slope, told them while pointing ahead.

Before them stretched an amazing and mysterious landscape. A field of geysers rose before them, creating a vision of steam and bubbling water that seemed to come from another world. Jets of cold water emerged from the ground and fell like brief rain on the ground again.

"Let's take a closer look," Simba suggested.

"Well, I'm a little thirsty, so I think we can get closer," Amira told him, "Sam, can you keep an eye out for any other flying creatures like the one before?"

"I can try it," he replied, "I don't recognize many of the aromas, it's all very different."

"I'll help you," Nabil supported him, "You start your nose and I'll take care of seeing anything strange. We can also take turns drinking a little."

Everyone agreed, they followed Bambi down the slippery stone slope. The geysers were scattered, some shooting water to astonishing heights, while others remained calm, ready for their next act. Since they didn't know when this would be, they waited in the nearest one. When the water emerged, they were greeted by drops as pure and fresh as rain.

"This is incredible!" Maya exclaimed, as she extended her paw to feel the cold water falling to the ground. For his part, Nabil cautiously observed the spectacle, noticing the bubbles that emerged before a geyser came into action.

"I've never seen anything like it," he murmured.

For his part, Sam was intrigued by the bubbling water and approached to drink from one of the fountains, next to Bambi, who was already drinking from another nearby fountain. The cold water seemed to revitalize them. When everyone was finally rehydrated, they set out on the next part of their journey: seeking shelter. However, they had not moved a single leg when a movement made them alert.

"Please tell me it's more water coming out of the holes," Amira pleaded.

"No, it's different…" Simba perceived, "Another tremor?"

"It doesn't seem like it," Sam said, trying to focus on the smell, making a face of repulsion at what he perceived, "But what is that smell?"

But Bambi, who had also perceived (since it would basically be the second best smeller), recognized that aroma: his father had taught him that it was the unpleasant smell, that of an approaching predator. When he was about to tell his friends, the few nearby trees began to move and the sounds of falling could be heard.

"What...?" Maya began to ask, but her answer was immediate.

From among the trees, destroying and devastating everything, a gigantic and terrifying beast appeared: it moved on two legs and its skin had a light brown tone, as if it had been painted by nature itself. However, what stood out the most was a red scar that ran down from his left eye to his small left claw. None of the pups had seen anything like it before. To them, this colossus was simply a 'predator with large sharp teeth', which was appropriate since its jaws, armed with razor-sharp teeth, moved with a powerful roar, and its fierce gaze revealed intense determination.

The group was stunned because, even having met other predators in the past, these were nothing compared to the one in front of them. Everyone began to back away slowly, but that small movement was interpreted as an escape attempt by the carnivore and its response was a roar. Knowing that stealth was useless, the group began to run.

Before the cubs and fawn could escape the geyser field, the predator overtook them and blocked their path, displaying its formidable jaws. Fortunately for our protagonists, at that precise moment, a geyser erupted with such force that it threw water into the predator's eyes, nose, and mouth. As would happen to anyone, being suddenly surprised with water like that was extremely annoying and made it difficult for the predator to breathe and see. He stepped back, affected by annoyance.

"Now, run!" Simba shouted, pointing to some mountains ahead.

None of them hesitated to follow the order, as they understood that they had to get away from there and stay together before the predator fully recovered. The group then raced across rocky, arid terrain, with very little vegetation to offer any form of concealment. The cubs', dog's and fawn's paws slapped against the hard surfaces as they did their best to put distance between themselves and the predator that would pursue them as soon as it had recovered. Soon, they found themselves climbing a somewhat steep path.

Finally, they reached a large, imposing stone wall, which seemed to be the end of their escape. While they were debating where they should go around it (left or right), the sound of a loud roar alerted them that the predator had finally recovered and was looking for its potential prey.

"There, quickly!" Maya shouted, pointing to a dark entrance between the rocks.

The cubs, dog and fawn rushed inside, desperate to escape their relentless pursuer. The sound of the predator became louder, and soon its heavy footsteps and frustration-filled roar could be heard.

"Don't move or make noise!" Simba whispered, as they all huddled together in the darkness of the cave.

The predator passed by, sniffing the area, but seemed to lose track momentarily. The group held their breath and waited in silence, feeling their hearts pounding. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the predator walked away, roaring in frustration at not having caught them. Feeling confident that the danger had passed, the cubs and Bambi let out sighs of relief and timidly peeked their heads out of the cave. They had escaped the predator, at least for the moment.

"Its smell is getting weaker, I think the area is safe," Sam commented after a brief moment.

"It may still be close," Maya told them, "We should stay a few more minutes. Besides, we were looking for a place to take refuge"

"Yes, but... I don't know if we can go back the way we came..." commented Amira, "And if that... predator is still around, we will have a difficult time."

"And with all the running…" said Nabil panting, "I'm exhausted… I would like some water again."

"Simba, where are you going?" Bambi asked, alerting the rest: Simba was looking into the cave.

The lion cub seemed once again motivated by a strange energy in his chest, as if something in his heart was calling him to adventure, precisely towards the interior of that cave, what was it that he had felt? Why did he want me to take him there?

"Hey, shouldn't caves be darker?" Sam asked, noticing where Simba was looking.

It was true, for a reason the caves were the refuge of bats, moles or anteaters in their world (not to mention that Simba's pack slept in the Pride rock cave). But, for some strange reason, there was air flowing through that cave, and it was not coming from the entrance through which they had entered, but rather it was coming from the bottom of the cave, as if there was another exit there.

"I don't know why, but these mysterious caves catch my attention," Simba told them, "How about we explore a little?"

"I remind you that we came to this land through a tunnel that we discovered," Amira reminded him, "I don't know if it's a good idea to go through other mysterious caves."

"I agree," said Nabil, "We don't know what we can find there."

"I do want to go see," said Sam, "I sense something good at the end of the tunnel, and it has nothing to do with the smell."

"It's true, it's better to continue than stay here," Maya included.

"Well…" Bambi included, "We can stay close to the hole where that predator is probably lurking or move forward to see if we can find another way out."

"Well, int that way, I have nothing to say," Amira said.

"Me neither, I just hope it's really safe," Badil supported.

The young explorers cautiously advanced through the mysterious cave, surprised by the light that illuminated the interior of the rocks... it was almost as if the sun found a way to filter through the walls. Furthermore, fresh air was flowing through the cave, which could suggest that it could be connected to multiple exits.

As they continued their exploration, they came to an area where several holes opened in the walls of the cave. The sounds emitted by these holes created a mysterious echo that filled the place with a haunting whisper.

"Look at these holes, they seem to communicate with each other," Simba commented as he leaned towards one of the holes, "Like in the Nadembo Caverns."

"Yes, it's like they form an underground labyrinth," Amira added, "Although they are much smaller."

The cubs began experimenting with the holes, making noises and listening to the echoes.

"Echo!" shouted Nabil, enjoying the effect of his voice echoing through the cave in several: "Echo, echo, echo!"

"Hello?" Bambi asked, and the cave echoed with several: "Hello, hello, hello?"

But then, while they were playing with the echoes, they began to hear voices coming from the other side of a cave entrance, almost completely covered with stones. There was only a small space that someone could stick their head through, and that was where the voices were coming from.

"Did you hear that?" Maya asked, frowning, "They are not our echoes"

"Let's be silent, to listen to what they say," Amira suggested.

The group stayed silent, trying to listen carefully. The voices spoke in the same language as the cubs and Bambi, but they did not understand what they were saying. They sounded excited and energetic.

"Can you understand what they are saying?" Simba asked Sam, tilting his head curiously.

The dog moved even closer to the hole and listened carefully.

"He told you that I have hated voices in the Secret Caverns," said a male voice.

"Voices?" asked a second, somewhat frightened and small voice, "In the Secret Caverns?"

"Yes, of course, it wouldn't be the first time you've imagined things," said a third voice, apparently female, "Do you remember when you dreamed about that 'terrifying Longneck'?"

"Cera, it's not good for you to bother Chomper with that: no, no, no" said a fourth voice, a little smaller and higher pitched. Followed by an incomprehensible sound, like a gesture from a fifth individual.

"Thanks, Ducky," said the first voice again (apparently from Chomper), "You believe me too, right Ruby?"

"Well, Chomper... I believe you, but we better make sure," said a sixth voice (as they said, Ruby's).

The cubs and the fawn listened to those words, wondering if they were friends or enemies. Simba, curious to know what type of creature they were (because he had only seen the predator and it was not friendly at all), approached that semi-blocked entrance, crouching under the opening, ready to surprise whoever approached.

"Come on Littlefoot, take a look and let us know if it's safe," Cera's voice urged.

"Okay, here we go…" said one last voice.

It was too incredible to see Simba's surprised face when he crossed the face of another dinosaur, with a big nose and brown eyes, exclaiming with the same surprise that the lion cub showed.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!" they shouted in unison.