Nala

It's been a month now since I've left the Pride Lands to search for my lost brother Mheetu. I have no idea if he's truly dead or not. What happen to him is an unsolved mystery. Lions back home probably think I've gone nuts, including my own mother.

I just can't let something I love go pass me again like Simba. Simba for sure I know is dead. It's been YEARS since that gorge incident. But Mheetu I know there's still hope. It's been four months now since his weird disappearance. My mother has already left it in the past. If I was her I would look all over the Savannah if I had to until my son is discovered. Dead or alive.

You don't give up on family...

My stomach growls for what seems like the tenth time. I stop walking and stand underneath a shady tree blocking myself from the hot boiling sun. I scan my eyes around. No sign of prey any where.

I sniff the air to try to catch any close by scents. Below on the ground I see hooves. Bingo! I gave it a sniff.

Warthog...

Male...

Here seven minutes ago...

I start following the warthog's tracks leaving the cool shady tree. If I'm lucky, this will keep me full for the rest of the  day until morning.

Then I stop again. I hear rustling in the tall grass and squat low on my belly. Ahead I see a red male warthog trying get a Beatle. It is the same exact warthog who hooves print I found. The scent match perfectly.

I lick my lips. "You will be mine!"

I crawl slowly not to make a sound. Once I got close enough, I release a roar and sprint off.

The warthog yell and ran away fast as any prey would try to do. He tried to fool me too by zig zagging a lot in bunch of circles. Humph, smart! I caught up though by getting close and more closer. Just as I was about to pounce, I met with another lion.

A male...

He roar and tackle me down. Next thing you know, we began to fight. I wasn't going to let him take my only dinner for the evening. Who knows when my next meal will be. I need this! I claw at his face showing my very sharp fangs. He clawed back with a snarl.

A little meerkat cheers him on. I ignore him then gasp as I got pinned. I wasn't going to let it slide, so I rolled us over strongly a few times and win with the male lion underneath me.

His face instantly went from fear to surprise.

"Nala, Is it really you?"

Nala? How does this stranger know my name??

"Who are you?" I ask.

"It's me, Simba." He replies smiling.

"Simba?" I Pause for realization. "Whoah!"

Simba and I run together and greet each other. The greetings are enthused and run over each other.

"Well how did you.. where did you come from... it's great to see you!" I say smiling wide.

"Aaah! How did you... who... wow... this is cool... it's great to see you..." He said excitedly.

"Hey, what's goin' on here?" Said the little meerkat walking to us.

"What are you doing here?" Simba asks.

"What do you mean, "What am I doing here?" What are you doing here?" I ask back.

"HEY! WHAT'S GOIN' ON HERE!?!?!" The meerkat shout standing between us.

"Timon, this is Nala. She's my best friend!" Says Simba, introducing me.

"Friend?!?"

"Yeah. Hey, Pumba, come over here."

The red warthog gets  himself unstuck from a large tree root.

"Nala, this is Pumba. Pumba, Nala."

The warthog smiles. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

I return the smile kindly. "The pleasure's all mine."

"How do you do.. Whoa! Whoa. Time out.. Lemme get this straight." Says the meerkat Timon confused. "You know her. She knows you. But she wants to eat him. And everybody's... okay with this? DID I MISS SOMETHING?!?"

"Relax, Timon." Simba chuckles.

"Wait till everybody finds out you've been here all this time! And your mother... what will she think?" I say.

"She doesn't have to know. Nobody has to know."

"Well, of course they do. Everyone thinks you're dead."

"They do?"

"Yeah. Scar told us about the stampede..."

"He did? Well...what else did he tell you?" He questions curiously.

"What else matters? You're alive. and that means... you're the king." I smile.

"King? Lady, have you got your lions crossed." Timon chuckles.

"King? Your Majesty! I gravel at your feet." Pumba said, then noisily kisses Simba's paw.

"Stop it." Simba demands.

"It's not gravel, it's grovel." Timon corrects. "And don't he's not the king." Timon looks at Simba, "Are ya?"

"No." Simba quickly answers.

"Simba?" I say confused again.

"No, I'm not the king. Maybe I was gonna be, but... that was a long time ago."

"Let me get this straight. You're the king? And you never told us?" Said Timon surprised.

"Look, I'm still the same guy."

"But with power!"

"Could you guys... excuse us for a few minutes?" I say apologetic to Timon and Pumba.

"Hey, whatever she has to say, she can say in front of us. Right, Simba?"

Simba thinks. "Hmm. Maybe you'd better go."

Timon rolls his eyes. "It starts. You think you know a guy..."

Pumba and Timon pad off. Pumba sighs.

"Timon and Pumbaa. You learn to love 'em." Simba jokes.

I bow my head  down sadly.

"What? ...What is it?"

"It's like you're back from the dead." I say quietly. "You don't know how much this will mean to everyone." I make a pained expression. "What it means to me."

"Hey, it's okay." He calmed.

I rub under Simba's chin, purring. "I've really missed you."

Simba startled by my boldness for an instant, then smiled. "I've missed you too."

We both purr rubbing under one another.

This is something more than an friendship...

Love...