The Interceptor stood at the top of the gorge. He held the pink plant in one of his paws—although it was long since dead now that Shocker had extracted the liquid from its innards. Its leaves were drooping, and the pink colour looked rather dull now. If anything, it looks tougher dead rather than alive, he thought.

He glanced down at the rocky bottom of the gorge, several feet below. "This'll do," the Interceptor decided, before tossing the recently deceased plant over the edge. He watched as it impacted with the ground, creating a faint rustling sound that no one would ever hear.

The Interceptor smiled. "There we go," he said, before turning away from the gorge. "No one will think to look in a dusty old place like this."

"It's amazing what you can find in a dusty old place like this," Pori said with amazement, as she stared at the pink plant on the ground. "I don't think I've seen a plant like this in years and years and years! Isn't that right, Zygote?"

"I would not know, Pori," Zazu replied, folding his wings and not even bothering to correct her on his actual name. She just didn't seem to take it in anymore. He'd met animals who were bad with names before—but this was just ridiculous!

"I'm not an expert on common fauna of the Pride Lands."

The two hornbills were stuck in the dead-looking gorge in the Pride Lands. Pori had insisted due to her curious nature.

Truth be told, staying in the kingdom made Zazu feel rather sick—after all, he did lose his job.

"Oh, this plant isn't from the Pride Lands, silly," she told him, staring at its dead remains with an excited look in his eyes.

"This is very rare. Very, very, very, very rare!"

"Pori, I hardly think that you're suitable to comment on the rarity of such—" Zazu began, but was interrupted by the hyperactive hornbill.

"The Mapenzi plant is only known to exist in twelve separate kingdoms," Pori explained fluently, causing Zazu's eyes to almost pop out with shock. "Its growth is very slow—one plant can take up to five hundred years to fully form. Those who drink the liquid inside feel incredible affection for the first animal they see."

You could have knocked Zazu over with a feather. He'd never seen Pori speak so intelligently before. "But—but—but—" he sputtered, unable to comprehend it. It was just… just impossible! She didn't speak like that! Not even! It wasn't right! It wasn't natural! He had to be dreaming! He had to be! "How… how do you know all of that?"

"It's very simple, Zazu," Pori replied, stepping over to his side, whispering to him. "I did my homework."

Zazu frowned. "I didn't think you took any form of education, Pori," he said, still feeling rather dizzy and confused from this sudden burst of intelligence she had displayed.

"Well… I learnt all about plants a while back," she told him. "I used to teach other animals about them too, once." She glanced at the remains of the plant. "This particular Mapenzi plant has been dead for at least twelve hours, though. Someone must have drained all of its liquid out."

I don't b elieve it! Zazu thought. "And there's me thinking that you weren't worth anything at all. I apologise for thinking so little of you, Pori."

"Aw, don't worry about it, Zanax," Pori replied, patting my lightly on the back. "It's not your fault that you don't recognise my potential. By the way—two plus two is six, right?"

She still needs a little b it of work, Zazu thought.

Haiba emerged from the pit the next morning feeling achy and bruised all over. He made a mental note never to trick

Simba into an awkward situation ever again. The guy had quite a temper when you got him fired up…

"Excuse me, Haiba." He grunted with pain as Simba stepped on his back to pass over him. "I need to get back to Pride Rock. Nala's probably wondering where I am."

"Say 'good morning' for me," Haiba mumbled, before slipping away into unconsciousness.

"That'll teach him," Simba said to himself, hopeful that Haiba had learnt his lesson after tricking him into getting stuck in pit. It didn't even make any sense. Maybe he just wanted some more attention after the death of his cousin a while ago.

Either that or he was just insane. Maybe even both.

"Simba? Just where have you been?" Nala's voice called from a few feet away.

Simba turned his head to the side, to see Nala lazily lying across a rock in the middle of a field. It looked like she'd been up all night. "I've been looking out for you all night," she told him. That explained it.

"It's a long story," Simba told her, "and entirely Haiba's fault. I'll explain later. What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Nala replied glumly. "Everything's gone completely boring."

"Any sign of my parents?" he asked with audible disinterest. To be honest, he didn't really care whether they came back or not. They'd changed in recent times, and he wanted nothing to do with them anymore.

"Nope." Nala shook her head. "No sign of them in days. My mother's gone crazy with worry."

"Hmm…" An expression of curiosity crossed Simba's face. "They're up to something. It's not like them to normally disappear."

"That's what I told her," Nala said. "What do you think they're up to?"

Simba shrugged. "I don't know. Something evil. Maybe they're gonna show up and reveal their evil plan in a few days. Who knows?"

After regaining consciousness, Haiba managed to claw his way over to the waterhole. "Okay… I'm never ever going to do anything like that ever, ever again."

Feeling both mentally and physically drained, he glanced down at the water. He noticed that it was glittery—and he could have sworn that it was looking slightly pink—but he figured that was just the sun shining down on it.

He bowed his head to take a drink—when a voice suddenly sounded from behind.

"You b eat him up?" yelled Nala.

"He was messing with me!" Simba called over his shoulder, as he ran away from Nala. "You don't understand!"

"Is there's one thing we don't do, then it's beat each other up!" Nala shouted at him, looking furious.

"That's not what you said when Scar brainwashed you the other day!" Simba retorted.

"Don't make this about me!"

Haiba was about to open his mouth to defend Simba, but then thought better of it. After all, he had beaten him up pretty good. What harm was a quick little chase around the waterhole going to do to him?

Shrugging, Haiba returned his head to the waterhole. He bent down and took a sip of the water.

He yanked back instinctively, feeling a fizzy taste on his tongue. As he swallowed the water, his insides felt all warm and gooey.

"You come b ack here!" Nala cried, watching as Simba raced off into the distance. "You can't run for ever, Simba!"

Frowning, she turned away, trudging over to the waterhole. "I don't know what's gotten into him… Hey, Haiba, how are you?"

Haiba took one look at Nala, and his heart melted. His eyes grew incredibly wide, as did his smile. In just an instant, he was completely smitten with her.

Nala stared at him confusedly, taken aback by how his eyes were boggling at her. That's... weird, she thought. "Um, Haiba... are you okay?" she asked, feeling a sudden urge to run away as fast as she could.

Haiba's smile wobbled; the mere sound of her angelic voice was enough to make his chest explode with love for her. If she was beautiful before, then now she was a goddess!

"Hey, Nala… did I ever tell you you're the most beautiful cub I've ever met?"