Chapter 11

What is an ocean...1/3


"Why ?" Asked Simba and Nala in unison.

"Because if I go with you two then they will respect you because I'm there. But if I'm not there than you will earn their respect naturally." Reasoned Kuhisha.

"What if they want to beat us up?" Asked Simba, still sceptical.

"They won't" Assured Kuhisha. "Almost all of them gotta lot of bark but no bite. The ones that do have a bite are always gonna warn you before they do anything."

"I take your word for it" Said Simba.

"Trust me , they might be rude, but not violent" Said Kuhisha.

"Let's go." Kuhisha motioned to a cave where he knew his clique would be.

"If things turn out bad, I'll be there in a second , but until then you two will manage."

Simba and Nala nodded and made their way towards the cave.

.

The cub to first notice the duo was named Daraja. He was a bit younger than Simba and Nala.

He had an almost red coat of fur and a dirt brown tuft of hair on his head, which despite the age difference was still bigger than Simbas.

.

"The prince of the Pridelands and his ...I wanna say friend who is a girl but not girlfriend.

You're lucky Kuhisha isn't here or you would have been already mercilessly mocked by now.

I don't have too much against you. The others ...well it depends." He said.

"But you bullied me too. Why did you do that if you didn't have anything against me?" Asked Simba.

"I just like hanging around with most of the gang" He explained. "They are pretty cool"

.

Nala and Simba exchanged quick glances of doubt.

"They didn't seem all that cool when they were bullying Simba and my little brother." Said Nala

"Well that's..." Daraja said trying to remember a word. "...pee pressure " He finished.

"Excuse me, what ? " Said Nala bemused.

Simba giggled. "So you guys need to pee all the time " He laughed.

"What , no. Hold on I gotta think... my mom told me about this thing. It somewhat sounded like pee pressure tho." Said Daraja.

.

"Peer pressure." Came a voice from inside the den.

Simba and Nala raised their heads in surprise and got in to a more aggressive stance, ready to defend themselves.

"Who are you talking to, Daraja." Said a cub with a light brown coat and a straw blond tuft of mane on the top of his head.

"The prince and the girl he's friends with are here." Daraja explained.

"Well that's a surprise. Any reason you came here? If you're looking for Kuhisha , he isn't here right now." Said the cub in a relaxed tone of voice.

"And who are you?" Asked Simba.

"My name is Shwari." Said the cub with a friendly smile.

"Why are you in Kuhishas gang?" Asked Simba.

"Cause most of my friends are in the gang." Shwari replied.

"You bullied me tho." Said Simba.

"I have to admit that was mostly because I went with the flow and you're so easy to wind up." Answered Shwari.

Simba growled but remembered quickly enough to bury his claws into the dirt underneath him.

.

"I always hang out with Simba. Why was I never bullied ?" Nala asked, curiously.

"Well you don't bully a bully. They already know all the tricks." Reasoned Shwari and Daraja nodded in agreement.

"What?! That's ridiculous. I'm not a bully." Barked Nala.

"Is that right ? Simba do you agree with her ?" Asked Shwari with his calm smile.

"What ? Of course , she 's my friend. She doesn't bully anyone" Responded Simba

"I guess she travels along the thin mirrors edge of teasing and bullying." Said Shwari.

"I'm not bullying Simba, if that's what you're trying to say. It's all in good fun." Nala hissed.

"Alright, I take your word for it. If you want to meet the others and ask them about why they are in the gang, go ahead.

However beware of Kuchekesha." Warned Shwari.

"Why?" Asked Simba and Nala in unison.

"You'll see." Said Shwari with a smile.

"Alright ?" Said Simba , as he and Nala entered the den.

.

Once their eyes had adjusted to the darkness they spotted three cubs playing with one another.

"Hi" Said Simba cautiously.

The cubs went quiet and turned towards Simba and Nala.

"The princess of the prideland's, what a surprise" Said a cub with orange coat and yellow tuft of mane on the top of his head.

"And you are ?" Asked Nala.

"My name is Kuchekesha. What do you girls want?" He asked with a sly grin.

"Only Nala is a girl, I'm obviously not." Responded Simba while bearing his teeth.

"Simba, calm down" Whispered Nala to Simba.

"Are you sure of that, princess? You don't have any mane to speak of. You look more like a girl to me." Kuchekesha chuckled.

"You take that back, right now or you will get it!" Growled Simba.

He covered his head with his right front paw, without even noticing it.

Kuchekesha observed Simba with bemusement.

"That's sooo scary. I almost wet myself. Be carefull not to get dirt in your mane, or daddy might be disappointed." Kuchekesha teased.

"Shut the evolving f*** up" Said Simba as his claws extended into the dirt.

"Simba! Don't! " Nala said looking straight into his eyes.

"Yeah , Simba . Listen to Nala she knows how to behave like a real lady." Kuchekesha went on.

"Could you just knock it off already." Said Nala as she moved towards Kuchekesha.

"You scared that your bestie might get hurt?" Kuchekesha teased further.

.

Simba dug his claws deeprer into the dirt and closed his eyes.

In his mind a hot read feeling of anger pulsated like the feet of a thousand elephants.

He was close to just jump Kuchekesha but then he remembered something.

Why was he so mad at being called a girl?

Nala was a girl and she was totally cool. That was excactly what Kuhisha had tried to prepare him for.

Kuhishas words rung in his ears. The difference between respect and fear, Kuhisha had told him.

The difference beetween fear and respect lays in the way you treat people.

He took a deep breath, opened his eyes and looked straight at Kuchekesha.

.

"You know what? You're right. " Simba said with a self assured smile.

He was about to swallow all of his pride so he could wash down that massive humble pie he'd have to eat by what he was about to do.

"Me and Nala are besties." The sugery inflection with which he delivered that line almost made him gag.

"So what of it? I like her a lot." Simba put his right arm around Nalas shoulder, who didn't quite know what to make of this.

"Maybe I am actually a bit girly at times. But why should that bother me when I can be rough and tough other times?" Simba declared.

"So if you call me a lady, then I guess I might be. I do have some grace."Said Simba as he let go of Nalas shoulder and twirled.

Kuchekesha became uncomfortable. This wasn't supposed to happen. Simba was supposed to feel embarrassed and get riled up.

.

"Whatever" Said Kuchekesha , now seemingly having lost any interest in Simba.

"Ok" Said Simba as he breathed a sigh of releave. He could finally stop with that act.

Sure, he had just made a complete idiot of himself, but he had done so with confidence and that must've counted for something.

.

"Don't mind Kuchekesha he can be odd sometimes." Said another cub who looked similar to Kuchekesha but with a darker tuft of hair.

"Who are you then?" Asked Simba.

"The name's Hila and the quiet one in the back end is Fikiria but I wouldn't bother with him, he only talks to people when he has to." Explained the cub.

"I gotta say tho, I'm impressed by what you've just done. I would have died of embarrassment in your place. My respect, prince Simba." Said Hila with a friendly smile.

Nala was still looking at Simba with a dumbfounded look.

"Wow. I never thought I kind of wished I had a sister before." She said with a mix of cheekyness and honesty.

"You do realise I was just acting, right?" Asked Simba.

"Yeah, but you were just so ...fluffy. I like that. Don't get me wrong I like you a lot when you are more typically you. You know, adventurass ,fierce and wild. That's why you're my boyfriend. But I could do with some girly Simba from time to time." Said Nala with a grin.

"Wait? You two are together. Like together together ?" Asked Hila in surprise, getting the rest of the gangs attention as well.

"Nala, why did you have to blurt that out? Now we 'll have to hear..."

.

But before Simba could finish that sentence, Kuhisha burst into the den.

"Everyone, I need you to follow me ! " He said frantically and somewhat panicked.

"What's the matter Kuhisha?" Asked Hila.

"I heard a voice screaming for help. I followed it and it turned out to be Mhetoo.

He is in live threatening danger but I can't help him on my own." Kuhisha explained rapidly.

"Mheeto?!" Nala yelled out in panic.

"Where?" Asked Simba with determination in his voice.

"Follow me!" Said Kuhisha and ran out of the den, the rest of the gang as well as Simba and Nala close behind him.


End of Chapter 11

Next Chapter Chapter 12 : ...but...2/3