"Am I the only one who feels drier than the sun today?" Haiba asked, feeling like he was melting out in the sweltering heat. Normally it was hot in the Pride Lands – and that was just about tolerable – but this was just ridiculous. He didn't think it had ever been hotter since he'd started living there.

Simba nodded in agreement, rubbing his neck with a paw. "Me, too," he said, frowning at how hot it was. "And do you know what makes it even worse?"

"No. What?" Haiba asked.

"We're under a tree."

Simba, Nala and Haiba were stood under a particularly large tree, standing in the shade of its enormous shadow. The three cubs were staring out at a long, wide stretch of land, which seemed to go on for ever.

This was the flatlands, and it was the number one place in the world to go if you wished to starve to death. It wasn't uncommon for grown lions to collapse out in the hot sun and get themselves picked clean by buzzards. It was like some kind of dead zone – but if you wanted to get to the jungle, then you had to go through the flatlands first. Simba, Nala and Haiba had done this many times before, but because of the intense heat, it worried them about getting across safely.

Nala looked up at the tree, a worried expression on her face. "We are?" she said, surprised. "Oh, man… It's the hottest day of the year. Do you think it's so hot that the water in the water hole all just dried up?"

"It wouldn't surprise me," Haiba replied, sighing. His whole body felt like it was on fire. He wondered that if he stepped out onto the flatlands, then would he instantly ignite, burning to death in just a matter of seconds. It didn't sound impossible… "But I suppose we might as well look at Simba's idea."

"I didn't know he even had an idea," said Nala, turning to Simba. "Come on, Simba. Spit it out."

"Spit what out?" Simba said, confused. "Oh, you mean my idea. Uh, well, I think that someone's taken the water."

"Water's everywhere," Nala said. "Well… sort of, but you get what I mean. You don't exactly need to steal it."

"Unless you don't have water," Simba said, not really getting what Nala meant. "I mean, think about it. If you didn't have water, then you'd be desperate for it, wouldn't you? It's something you need. Everyone needs it."

"Or you die a slow and painful death," Haiba added. "The same thing that'll happen to us if we try to get across the flatlands."

"It's not too bad," Simba said. "Uh… watch."

Cautiously, Simba stepped out from the shade of the tree, exposing himself to the searing heat, and placed his paws on the ground of the flatlands. "See? Nothing to worry abou—"

Simba let out a loud scream of pain!

Nala and Haiba gasped. "Simba!" Nala cried. "What's—"

Then Simba started laughing. "Just kidding," he told the two. "It's fine. Really. Nothing to be scared of. It just feels a little… hot, that's all. It's not like it's gonna make you melt or anything."

"Okay." Haiba joined Simba by his side. "Then we'd better get walking. Too long and we'll end up buzzard food. I'd rather not experience the most embarrassing death you can possibly have, if it's all the same with you."

"It'll be fine."

"Water!" Haiba cried, crawling across the dusty ground, which seemed to never end. "Need… water! Can't… go… on!"

"Uh, Haiba," said Nala.

Haiba looked behind, to see Nala standing underneath the tree. "You've only been crawling for ten seconds," she pointed out. "I haven't even started walking yet."

"Oh." Haiba got to his paws, chuckling. "Oops."

"What's wrong with you today?" Simba asked. "A little bit of sun and all of a sudden you're acting like it's the worst thing in the world. You should be happy – we could be stuck in the den all day, feeling so bored that the only thing we can do is eat each other."

Nala and Haiba stared at Simba with wide eyes. "Pretty freaky imagination you've got there, huh, Simba?" said Haiba, scratching his head.

"A pretty exaggerating imagination, if you ask me," Nala remarked.

"You coming or not?" Simba asked, looking impatient. He was just itching to rush into his next adventure. There had to be something – or someone – behind this mysterious water shortage, and he planned to find out what.

"Yeah, we're coming," Haiba muttered, as he and Nala followed Simba across the flatlands. "I still think that we'll probably be puddles of goo by the time we get there, though!"

"Now who's exaggerating?" Simba retorted with a smile. "Come on. We'll find that dirty, good-for-nothing meanie who took all the water."

"And what happens when we do find him?" Nala asked. "We didn't exactly plan this out – much like everything else we've ever done in our lives."

"I'll know what to do when we get there," Simba assured her. "Now, what was it that Zazu said?"

"In the middle, to the left," Haiba said. "That doesn't make any sense, though. If something's in the middle, then it's in the middle. It can't be to the left or right of the middle. It's giving me a headache – as if this sun wasn't giving me enough of one already."

"It's kind of weird…" Nala looked deep in thought. "Ever since the water disappeared, it seems to be getting warmer. Have you noticed that?"

"Yeah," Simba agreed. "I've noticed. It just keeps getting hotter and hotter. Great, so now we've gotta fight 'Hot Guy' or something. I thought Shocker was enough of a problem to deal with."

"So who do you think has the power to make things hotter?" Haiba wondered. "And why would they want to drain the water hole? It's really confusing, and it just… it just doesn't add up."

"I know," Simba said. "Which means we've gotta find the person behind this before it gets too hot. Otherwise we'll end up —"

Thwack!

And before Simba even knew it, he was unconscious.