Both lions loudly talked to one another, back to the conversation of Mufasa somehow always attracting crocodiles. As both lions talked, the wind shifts, a scent similar to Malika's hitting Mufasa's nose.

Mufasa quickly got low to the ground, stalking into the tall grass and Taka followed. A worried look overcame Mufasa as he thought of the young lioness, alone, in the jungle. He needed to keep whoever's attention on him and away from Malika.

"Mufasa," Taka said loudly. Mufasa shushed him while creeping through the tall grass, "is it them? Is it the outsiders?" Taka whispered.

"No." Mufasa replied, creeping forward. "She's right there."

Mufasa followed the scent, it slowly getting further away. His walk quickly turned into a trot as he continued following the scent.

"There's no where to run. We have your scent." Mufasa declared into the air.

"My scent? I've been stalking you two all night." A feminine voice replied. Mufasa felt his body relax somewhat, the female didn't know about Malika.

"That isn't possible." Mufasa scoffed, walking forward.

"Then why is it I've circled you three times in the wood while you two were chasing each other's tails?" Mufasa heard the sound of someone running, the tall grass and reeds echoing as they get tramped on.

Focusing, Mufasa sensed the presence in front of him. He slowly shifted his weight to his back legs, waiting for the perfect moment.

As the wind shifts, Mufasa ran and jumped towards the presence in front of him, only to see his brother, Taka, trying not to laugh.

"Well, that's embarrassing."

"Yes, well, I uh, meant to do that." Mufasa shot back, his eyes scanning the grass around him, looking for the voice.

"Still think I'm afraid?" The grass next to Taka shook as a lioness pounced for the prince.

Mufasa was ready to jump in front of Taka to take the blow but Malika managed to save them both.

She leapt from the tall grass in front of the brothers, her front paws making contact with the side of the new lioness. "Sarabi! You're alive!"

"Malika? I thought I lost you!" The lioness, now known as Sarabi, nuzzled her head into Malika's shoulder.

"No! I've been looking for you since the outsiders stopped chasing me! Instead, I managed to pick up these two baboons." Malika nodded her head towards the two brothers.

"I'm starting to think her calling me a monkey is her term of endearment for me." Taka whispered to Mufasa.

Mufasa sent Taka a dumbfounded look before shaking his head in disbelief. "Sure Taka. If that's what you want to believe."

"Princess Malika! I have been looking for you!" A hornbill soared down from the sky to the dry ground. The bird had white feathers covering his chest with blue wings and a bright orange beak. His name is Zazu, he is captain of the guard and Sarabi's and Malika's loyal lookout.

"Zazu! I've missed you! Do not eat him Taka." Malika quickly scolded the pale lion as he licked his lips in hunger.

"I wasn't going too!" Taka defensively argued.

"Sure." Malika responded, her look unbelieving. An uncomfortable silence falls over the group as Malika and the brothers realize what finding Sarabi would mean for their little trio.

Malika said they could stay with her until she found her sister, which she did. This meant the end of their travel together. While they didn't travel together much, Malika found herself enjoying the conversations she had with them. She found herself missing her conversations with Mufasa already.

"Well, thank you both for the company. I wish you luck on your journey to Milele." Malika said, dipping her head in farewell before turning to leave with Zazu and Sarabi.

"We are all going to Milele, you could stay with us, you know. You and your sister and.... Bird friend." Mufasa said hurriedly, not wanting Malika to leave his side just yet. Malika felt the need to defend Zazu, as he had grown close to her back in the pride.

"Zazu is captain of the guard, he looks out for Sarabi and I." Zazu proudly puffed up his chest feathers and struts in front of the lions.

Taka scoffed in disbelief. "You have a bird as your captain of the guard?"

"Can you fly and see miles ahead?" Taka instantly shut up as Sarabi snarled at him. "Besides, he was the last pick."

"Technically second to last! Started my job three weeks ago and might I say, I do a wonderful job! It was between me and an iguana and their father chose wings over the scales." Malika smiled in amusement as she nodded her head in agreement.

"Zazu has been doing a wonderful job so far. He may not be a lion, but sometimes another animal friend isn't the worst idea. I find that being prideful and a lion isn't the best way to make friends." Sarabi rolled her eyes at her sister's equality ideals. Sarabi didn't disagree with them, she just found her sister to have an unreal idea of the circle of life. Prey and predator did not get along.

"Whenever we went hunting, she always thanked the dead animal—that we were about to eat—for its sacrifice. She's really big into the whole circle of life." Sarabi teased, a smirk on her face.

"That's very admirable of you, Malika." Mufasa said, his eyes softly looking towards Malika. She bowed her head in thanks before turning away, her face feeling a little warm. Sarabi was not blind to miss this interaction between the two.

"Anyways, back on track. Milele doesn't exist, you are going on a pointless journey." Sarabi said, looking at the brothers. Malika shot her sister a look, she also intended to go to Milele with Sarabi and Zazu, even if Sarabi insisted of its nonexistent. She had no right to say anything to the males when they were going to the same place.

"Not true! We just need to keep walking towards the sun, Milele is real, I see it in my dreams. I know it is." Mufasa said, determined to find Milele. Malika found herself looking to Mufasa, admiration on her face.

"Maybe we should go with them Sarabi, we have no other place to go anyways." Malika whispered to her sister. Sarabi sent a look towards her sister only to see her pleading face. Somehow her sister formed an attachment to these two idiots and didn't want to leave them.

"We need food." Sarabi stated, not agreeing nor disagreeing with the idea of going to Milele with them. She would be going with her sister either way, solely to provide comfort when they never find it, but she still planned to go.

"So we will find food. Malika shared her meal with my brother and I. The least we could do is go find one for us now." Sarabi felt her face lift in suspicion as she looked to her sister.

"Did she now?" Once again, Malika felt her face heat as she looked towards the ground.

"Their ribs poked out from under their fur and they looked starved. I would not have been able to eat the meal myself and it would have been wasteful." Malika tried to explain her actions.

"I'm sure." Sarabi uttered back, a humorous look in her eyes. As Sarabi is about to ask where Mufasa is going to find food, the trees above them began to shake.

"What is that?" Sarabi questioned, looking towards the darkened trees.

"Sounds like food!" Mufasa declared before running towards the noise. Taka swiftly follows while the sisters debate. Malika would only go if her sister did.

"It may not be a bad idea, your highness, to join them. You may even make a friend or two." Zazu joked as Malika sent a look of gratitude to the hornbill. Sarabi looked to the bird before turning towards her sister.

"You trust them to get us to Milele?" Malika nodded without hesitation.

"Mufasa is smart, he will lead us to Milele safely." Sarabi waited a moment longer before nodding in agreement. Both sisters ran to catch up to the males. While Sarabi thought of food, Malika thought of the adventures she soon would have with Mufasa.

Neither thought of Malika never mentioning Taka getting them to Milele safely.