Everything was going great until she showed up.

Simba and Kamaria were playing around in the Oasis when they heard Pumbaa and Timon screaming. While this wasn't anything out of the ordinary, Kamaria and Simba found themselves running to them as their screams sounded concerning.

Simba, being faster than the lioness, beat her to Pumbaa and Timon. He jumped and disappeared from Kamaria's sight, hidden by tall grass. Following quickly behind, Kamaria jumped in front of Timon and Pumbaa, a snarl on her face as she watched Simba fight with another lioness.

Both seemed to have equal skills in fighting and they rolled around a bit before the lioness managed to pin Simba down.

"Nala?" Simba questioned to the lioness above him. The lioness froze from above him, looking down at Simba with curious eyes.

Nala? Simba never mentioned someone named Nala before. Kamaria knew his dad's name was Mufasa while his mother was names Sarabi, but no Nala was ever mentioned.

"Simba? Is that really you?" Nala removed herself from atop Simba, Simba instantly standing up and looking at her.

"Yea, it's me Simba!" Nala let out a disbelieving laugh as they jumped around each other with sounds of excitement.

"Nala, what are you doing here?" Simba questioned, calming down enough to ask. Kamaria found herself wanting Nala to leave.

Pumbaa and Timon approached Kamaria's side, confusion on their faces.

"Pumbaa, I don't think we're gonna get eaten." Kamaria growled at the idea. Like she would let her best friends be eaten by some washed up lioness.

"Where have you been?" Nala asked as she rubbed against Simba.

"I thought you were dead!" Kamaria walked with Timon and Pumbaa up to the pair, an annoyed expression on her face.

"You thought he was dead? I thought I was dead! I thought you were going to eat me." Pumbaa laughed awkwardly. Timon jumped down from Pumbaa's back and laughed as he stood next to Kamaria.

"What fun, I'm sorry but before we move on, how do you two know each other?" Timon stopped laughing staring at the two before him. Kamaria found herself nodding as she too, wondered the same thing.

"Timon, Pumbaa, I want you to meet my best friend, Nala." Kamaria found herself hurt at not being included and not being Simba's best friend.

"Best friends? That hurt." Timon said blankly. Kamaria could only stare as she saw how happy Simba was with this lioness. She had never seen that look on his face when she was with him.

"Nala you're gonna love it here! This place is amazing. It has everything you could ever want!" Simba said as he climbed up a rock.

"Simba, we need to leave." Nala said seriously, "Scar had taken over with the hyenas. You have to take your place, as king."

"King? Simba?" Timon asked.

"We kneel before you as your loyal servants." Pumbaa joked, both him and Timon kneeling to Simba. Kamaria could only look at Simba in disbelief. He didn't tell her he was a prince all this time? She understood he kept things secret but this? She would have thought he would have told her.

Judging by Simba's worried eyes on her, she could tell Simba was waiting for her reaction.

"You're wrong." Simba said back, determined to never leave this paradise. Never to leave Kamaria.

"Lady you got your lions crossed." Timon said to Nala. Pumbaa praised Timon for his joke as he laughed.

"Seeing you again, you don't know what this means to everyone. To me. You have to come home." Kamaria felt her heart stop as she realized that Nala had feelings for Simba. Not that Kamaria cared, of course, but she didn't want to lose Simba.

"This is my home." Simba said, walking back down to Nala. Kamaria felt her chest swell with pride, Simba liked being here, with her. He wouldn't leave with this female.

"Please stay, this place is incredible." Simba pleaded with the lioness.

He wouldn't leave with the female, he'd just ask her to stay.

"I can't." Nala said back. Kamaria was seething in rage. She didn't even know who she was made at. Simba, Nala or herself, all she knew was that she was livid.

"Come on, at least let me show you around! I know all the best spots!" Simba said, running away with Nala following.

Kamaria stayed back, watching as Timon and Pumbaa followed the pair.

He knows all the best spots? Kamaria was the one to show them to him! He didn't even mention her to Nala and them rubbing up against each other? What was that about? Simba never did that with her.

Kamaria left the clearing, instead she ran to one of their usual spots. It was the flat rock the group often looked up to the stars at. She couldn't see the stars right now, but it was close to night, the sky changing color from blue to pinks and purples.

Kamaria waited for the stars to come out as she silently sat there, wondering when things changed. Simba was her friend and she loved him for being there for her all these years.

He made her smile, laugh, learn about her true self. He stuck with her when she got scared and never left her side when they got into disagreements. It made her heart flutter just thinking about Simba and all their memories together.

Yet, it hurt her heart to think about how he reacted to seeing Nala again. How he never seemed that excited to see Kamaria, how he would probably leave with Nala to go home. To see his mother and pride again. He would leave her.

That's what made her heart hurt the most.

"Oh Simba. What have you done to me?" Kamaria whispered into the air, her face tilted to the stars above.

"Nothing? I don't think anyways." Simba sounded from behind her. Kamaria felt her head whip around to see Simba approaching her, a smile on his face.

"What are you doing up here? You didn't invite me." Kamaria turned away, head down as she thought he had already left.

"I thought you left." Simba sent her a confused look.

"Left? Left where?"

"To go back home Simba." Kamaria said sternly, looking to the lion next to her. He seemed shocked at her outburst.

"No, why would I go home. I have everything here."

"Expect your pride, your mother, and Nala. You heard what she said. You need to take your rightful place as king." Simba looked down in shame.

"Was it wrong of me to hope you didn't hear that?" Kamaria scoffed as she shook her head.

"I understand you kept things from me, truly I do, but it still hurt to find out from someone I didn't even know existed. Not to mention, she's your best friend? You never said anything about her!" Simba stood up as he paced on the rock, Kamaria glaring at the lion.

"I know, but I thought I would never see her again! And I really thought I would never have to be king! I didn't want to think on the past, on what could have been. I want to focus on what is." Kamaria could agree with that. She encouraged Simba to think that way, in fact. While she was upset he lied, she could see where he was coming from.

But, she also heard how Nala begged Simba to come home and save them from a tyrant.

"Are you going home?" Simba shook his head no, still pacing in front of the lioness.

"I think you should." Simba paused, head snapping to look at Kamaria.

"Why? I already told Nala no, she left." Kamaria felt a weight ease from her chest knowing Nala had left. Yet, that weight came back twice as fast knowing Simba didn't go with her.

"Simba, you know I would give anything to find my home. To know I had a place with others like me. This is your chance to go back, to be what you were always destined to be. To save your pride lands." Simba shook his head no, it never would be the same, not without his father.

"Simba, I know it won't be as you left it, I know your father weighs heavy on you. But think about what your father would want you to do. You think you're alone, but I know Mufasa lives in you. I can see him in you. Don't let that regret control you. Please don't regret not going to save your home." Simba found her words to be true. Rafiki had already visited him, told him about Mufasa living in him and how he needed to go home.

Simba didn't leave though, not when he knew Kamaria was here. But now? She was telling him to leave and be who he should have always been.

"You're—You're telling me to go?" Simba said, a frown on his face.

"Yes, Simba. Go, be king. Live a life of happiness with your pride. With your mother. With Nala."

"But Nala and I—"

"I saw the way you looked at her. Go, before it's too late." Simba felt his ears flatten at Kamaria's dismissal. Sending one last look to Kamaria, the lioness who made life bearable and showed him that life could be better, he left.

Kamaria heard him leave, slowly at first before breaking out into a run towards his homeland. Towards where he belonged.

Tears raced down her cheeks, her head tilted up to the stars as her heart hurt so painful she thought she might die. She felt stupid for taking so long to realize until just now how she felt about Simba.

But, as all living things know, if you love something, you have to let it go.

And Kamaria has never been more sure of anything than her love for Simba.