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Story 1:
If You Will Not Fight: show
If You Will Not Fight
“If you will not fight, then you will die as well,” Zira snarled, disgusted and feeling both hurt and betrayed by her two prize children. She’d lost Nuka, and it seemed he’d been the only one who wasn’t a heartless cur. The lioness’s eyes widened as she noticed her pridesisters walking away from her, wearing faces of disgust as they all switched sides on her.
“What? Where are you going! Get back here!” she snapped. They ignored her and took up the false king’s side all the same. Were any of them naught but cowards and traitors? They were deserting her, and Scar’s memory, simply because Simba had a pretty daughter with whom Kovu had become stupidly infatuated? She hadn’t thought she’d trained pansies, but here they were, backstabbing her simply because Simba was so “perfect.”
“Let it go Zira. It’s time to put the past behind us,” Simba commanded. The nerve of him! She couldn’t believe he’d dare make such a foolish and treasonous order. She felt pure outrage at the very idea of submitting to him, especially considering his condescending attitude. She, his better, treated like an ordinary lioness! Like a rogue!
“I’ll never let it go! This is for you, Scar!”
With that, Zira lunged at Simba, fury filling her, but she didn’t make it to him. Something heavy connected with her side and sent her tumbling over the edge of the gorge. As she struggled with this form, she realized it was the pretty little princess. She snarled as they fell apart and she was forced to dig her claws into the side of the cliff. Shouts could be heard from above, cries of panic, all crying out, “Kiara, Kiara!” It sickened Zira that she heard even Kovu call out the little princess’s name but not “mother!” Vitani didn’t call out her name either, nor did any of her former pride. All anyone said was “Kiara!”
The princess managed to land on the top of the outcropping that Zira was clinging to, and she turned, reaching out a paw for the Outlander. Zira growled in disgust. Here was Simba’s daughter, trying to be all “noble” in the face of the older lioness’s end.
“Zira, give me your paw,” the orange lioness pleaded. Zira swatted at her forcefully, missing and causing herself to slide farther down the edge of the cliff. “Zira come on. I’ll help you,” the younger lioness insisted. Zira’s eyes widened as she realized why her pride had turned on her. They had needed help, and these Pridelanders were offering it. She couldn’t forget Scar, and couldn’t let Simba go unpunished for his actions, but the only one of them who was concerned about her was the princess. If she didn’t accept this help, no one would avenge Scar, and no one would avenge her. It was her only option.
Realizing that she had taken too long to come to this decision and was falling farther, she kicked her hind legs wildly trying to scramble up far enough to reach Kiara’s paw. It couldn’t end like this. With a strange burst of adrenaline, she managed to writhe up, drawing blood from her paws as she forced them to cling to the rock face. It was a relief when she could reach up and feel the princess’s paw against hers, the warm paw pads wrapping around her toes, holding tight but not using her claws at all. Gentle like a wuss.
The princess began to pull Zira upwards, and Zira continued struggling to get up. She could hear the shocked and fearful cries of the lions above, but the vengeful lioness ignored them, chiding herself for allowing her plan to go so horribly awry that she had been forced to accept help from Simba’s flesh and blood. As she made it up onto the ledge, Simba was just above them, a paw outstretched for his daughter.
Zira watched, wondering how she should climb up, as Kiara was helped to the top. The older lioness couldn’t imagine accepting help again, or being offered it for that matter. She was feeling suddenly more alone and bleak than she ever had before. She’d lost everything and had fallen to the lowest low. All of her ambitious planning and attempts at revenge had gotten her nothing other than some traitorous mercenaries whose loyalty could be bought by whomsoever had the best offer. She began to wonder why she hadn’t just let herself fall to her death.
That’s when a paw appeared in her face. Surprised, she looked up into the eyes of her sworn enemy, the king of the lands. He was mocking her, wasn’t he? He had to be, this couldn’t be genuine compassion for her, the one he’d banished; her, the one who’d tried to kill him only moments before.
“Come on, Zira. You can still come back to Pride Rock with us. Life doesn’t have to keep being a battle,” Simba said to her still astonished face. The lioness composed herself and decided to accept his help and his offer, for now. She reached up her paw and clasped it around his.
“I’ll play nice for now Simba, but I will never forget what you have done,” she said as he pulled her up.
“And you shouldn’t. Even Scar deserves to be remembered,” he replied thoughtfully, turning his back and walking away, the pride following him. Zira felt disgusted as she watched all of her pridesisters just follow after him without even asking her if she was alright. She cast her eyes down and looked into the rushing river below. She had heard it break free of the dam, but couldn’t say when exactly it had occurred, everything had happened so quickly.
“Zira? Are you alright?” a voice asked. The tired lioness looked up to see the princess. Of course.
“No,” she admitted, “I haven’t been alright in years. And now, I don’t even have my family. It’s sad isn’t it, that the only one who’s even interested in pretending to be concerned about me is the daughter of my sworn enemy, a young lioness I’ve tried to kill more than once.”
Kiara’s face contorted with sympathy and she gently placed a paw on Zira’s. The older lioness pulled it away roughly and stood up, stalking after the others back towards Pride Rock. Kiara trotted along after her.
“You don’t have to give in to the hate anymore, Zira. People are much more loyal when you are kind and gentle,” the princess offered.
“How can I be kind or gentle?” Zira snapped, “Scar is dead! He was murdered, stolen from me, cut down in his prime, and all done at the paws of Simba!”
“No, Zira. You’re wrong. Scar is dead, and he was murdered, and even though he did horrible things, he didn’t deserve that fate. But it was not my father that killed him. It was his hatred and distrust of others. He turned on his loyal subjects at the end and they killed him for turning on them. It was they hyenas who murdered him, because he was unable to treat them with kindness as equals,” Kiara explained, “Don’t follow in his pawprints, Zira. I know you are bitter and rightfully so, but you don’t deserve to be murdered either, you don’t deserve to be hated and outcast. You can have friends, you can win your family back.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“You’re not bad lions. None of you are. I can tell. You’re just hurt and bitter from the rough lives you’ve had. You trained Kovu to avenge Scar, but he came around when shown some compassion. The rest of you can too,” the princess said thoughtfully.
“Kovu is a fool, we can’t trust you lot so easily, and you are fools if you trust us. We have been enemies for a long time, that doesn’t just go away,” Zira argued.
“It doesn’t have to. Not immediately,” Kiara replied, smiling at the other lioness, “but think of this: Kovu and I will be married. He will be the ruler of this land. Just like you wanted. But instead of having a pride full of resentful subjects, they’ll be united. Simba’s heir and Scar’s heir can rule together, and lead the lands to something new, and maybe put all of this darkness behind us.”
Zira’s jaw dropped. “That is what Kovu meant, as a cub, when he had that plan to befriend you! He was cleverer than even I all along… I cannot forgive your father, or forget Scar, but there is genius in uniting the prides this way. It will prevent others from suffering as I have. Perhaps that was my son’s plans all along. Puh, what a softie,” she scoffed. Kiara smiled. Maybe this was a sign of progress.
“Look, Kovu and Vitani are waiting for you,” Kiara said as they reached the rocky slope up Pride Rock. The two ex-Outlanders stood next to one another facing their mother.
“I’m glad you came around mother,” Kovu said, “I wouldn’t want to live without you.”
“The fighting was killing us mother, it was killing you. Losing Nuka was bad enough. The princess is wiser than she seems, and can convince her father to accept us back here. You can have the land you wanted, and deserve, without any of the rest of our pride having to die,” Vitani added, “It’s exactly how you deserve to spend the rest of your life.”
“You don’t have to fight anymore, you don’t have to starve. It’s all over, mother. We can all live here, worry free,” Kovu continued.
“What… are you saying?” Zira asked, feeling surprised and touched, though she wouldn’t ever admit it.
“I’ve been having doubts ever since Nuka’s death… and what kind of victory would it be if we defeated Simba and lost you too? Or what if you lost one of us? This rock… this land… it’s not worth that. Maybe this isn’t ideal, and maybe it doesn’t avenge Scar, but it’s better for us like this, together,” Vitani explained. Zira felt a warmth in her chest. They’d done it for her.
“Why didn’t either of you come help me when we went over the cliff? Why did you only shout for the princess!” she snapped all the same.
“You threatened to kill Vitani, mom. You might have thrown us off the cliff before we could explain,” Kovu answered.
“See?” Kiara said gently, “You all belong here, with us.” The older lioness thought about it carefully.
“I’ll… try not to kill your father, princess,” Zira forced in response, “or his ridiculous warthog and meerkat friends. But no promises.” Vitani barked a laugh at her mother’s comment as the four began ascending Pride Rock together, uneasily making peace between the two prides. Who knew how long it would last, but at least they could try to make it so that Scar and Nuka had not died in vain. The old lioness could try to get along. For the next generation, and for those who had already gone.
And if she couldn’t let go of the past, well, it would be a lot easier to be rid of Simba from this much closer, especially if he didn’t even suspect a threat. Zira grinned. This was the right thing to do, no matter how it ended.
Story 2:
Forward: show
Forward!
- I found a place that was beyond my wildest dreams. But it still wasn't home. Let's go home, Ma.
- But, Timon, first you need to reach your dream home! - said Pumbaa, going up to Timon and Ma .
- It's nothing! Now I'm not afraid of anything.
- You are not afraid of hyenas?
- No! Absolutely.
- But you should be careful, Timmy. It’s important - said Ma with some anxiety in her eyes.
- Everything will be fine! I'm sure of it!
- You were sure that everything will be fine when a tunnel collapsed... - grumbled Uncle Max .
- Uncle Max , do not disturb an enthusiasm of nephew. And I hope you will help him?
- And how could it be otherwise! Without me, you will do nothing!
Said goodbye to Simba, who has now a lot of worries, (there were a lot of things to fix after the reign of Scar) Timon , Ma and Uncle Max rushed astride on Pumbaa to the colony.
- „Friends! I will change your life! You will no longer work every day; you will not need to hide from the hyenas! You will live in joy and abundance. But before that we need to overcome last obstacle. All our colony need to get to the dream home. It will not be easy, but together we can do it. In unity is our strength! Unfortunately, Pumbaa is not with us and will returns to Simba, who needs his help.”
Can not say that all taken the idea of Timon with enthusiasm : "And if not all from us will reach dream home?" - came the indignant voice.
- „If we will support each other, we can do everything. And hyenas, and the heat can not scare us. I know this road well. Believe me, after a while it will seem strange that you have lived in fear.”
Meerkats looked at Timon, Timon looked at the colony. In his eyes was a request to support it. His speech was fiery and in his voice felt confidence .
- I think we have to take a chance, - shouted one young meerkat, - I'm sure he's not cheating. I've never seen that Timon lied .
Timon smiled happily: „So good luck?”
- Good luck! - said in unison the entire colony.
It is not easy to change home and habitual mode of life . Even more frightening is something unexplored. Meerkats relied on Timon, and by the evening the whole colony stood in orderly rows and looked for the last time at they house- unusually quiet and empty. Many generations of meerkats have grown, lived and died in it. Uncle Max wiped away a tear with his hand: „Goodbye my homeland!”
- Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step!
- Ma, you also saw this strange monkey?
A long string of meerkats moved forward. Their old house disappeared over the hill. Ahead waited a new life .
It came about quite naturally, that meerkats started singing. The song was silent and sad, about the wide desert, but there was something light in it and it really helped to go towards the dream. It is true: who walks with the song, will never gets in trouble.
Soon the sun began to go down. Without rest can not go far, and with a little grumble about marching difficulties meerkats lay at the ground. Nobody is scared of it because all expected beautiful new life. They do not forgotten to place sentries. Colony decided not to put Timon on watch...
But all the same he did not sleep - sat and stared thoughtfully at the moon. He was glad that is able to help the colony. He thought that he not in vain lives on the earth. But he worried about how the colony will accept a new home.
Two guards walked slowly around the peacefully sleeping meerkats. Ma also did not sleep. She looked at Timon, because missed him during his absence. How has changed her son ...
With the first rays of the sun colony moved forward. The night passed quietly and everyone was in a good mood. All a bit forgotten that around roams hyenas .
- Timon, why did you leave colony so suddenly? - asked meerkat who always was curious.
- I thought that when I will help to colony, this will be my best answer. After that I would be not useless member of society, but ...
In the distance seemed very familiar dark silhouette - hyenas. Quickly looking around, they saw that in five meters grows high and thick grass. It saved meerkats - hyenas haven't sensed the prey. Maybe at this early hour they were still sleepy.
After spending half an hour in the shelter, the colony continued they way. But now increasingly looking around.
Ma looked at his son and saw in his eyes sadness. At first she did not dare to talk to him; only when meerkats stopped for a rest, came up, put hand on his shoulder and asked: "Are you not glad that we'll all be together again?"
- Why do you think so? I am pleased, very pleased, but whether you will like the new house?
- It's hard to get used to the new. I know that you're was happy at this new place, so I think all colony also will be.
From such a warm and familiar look of mother, Timon believed that he can bring his deed to the end. This view has always inspired and comforted him. And now he was lost in thoughts and did not hear the cry of sentry : „Hyenas!”, - and pulled himself together only when Ma grabbed his arm and dragged somewhere.
Hyenas have been here. Meerkats screamed and fled from predators. Timon suddenly saw a tall tree: „All climb on the tree!”
He did not expected that he can command, however now he felt that is able to entail meerkats. Colony quickly, as always happens in moments of danger, scrambled up the trunk and sat on the branches. Hyenas were puzzled and amazedly looked at such cohesion. But not wanted to go away.
- „When they want to drink- they will get down.” - grinned one from the pack. They were wrong - after spending an hour under the scorching midday sun, it were hyenas who first wanted to drink.
- „Oh these meerkats are so scrawny. Better to find a zebra.”
Timon was depressed - he puts the colony in great danger. Idea of migration is not pleased him now.
-„And where is Uncle Max?”
He was dissapeared. He was not at tree or beside it. Timon wanted to cry. He remembered his mother's eyes, and turning to meerkats sitting on branches, said with hope in voice: „Friends. Our travel is not easy. Uncle Max was lost. But we need not to despair. We can not go back. Only in the new home is no hyenas. And here we are easy prey. Therefore, I propose to find uncle and after it move on.”
- Oh, no! We've had enough adventures! Who is in favor to get back home where we are safe? Raise your paw!
Paw raised almost everyone. All hopes were crumbling.
But one elderly meerkat said quietly: „If Timon was able to reach dream home by himself, then we all the more so can do it. Together we are strong. Why do not you believe Timon? He also risked his life. He risks it for us, though he could live in his dream home without colony. He wants to help us, but we are afraid of difficulties. But he is not afraid.”
All put down paws - they felt ashamed of their cowardice.
Timon perked up: „Thanks! Thanks for your support! I knew that you would understand me. We need to move on! First need to find Uncle Max.”
Nobody said anything, but all got down from the tree, divided into groups and began to search- he was nowhere. Soon evening came, but today they have moved forward a bit, because of all problems, so with a heavy feeling all moved on.
People always wish that life would not be overshadowed with problems, and nothing prevented to come to dream. Unfortunately, it happens rarely. One thing is good: because of it dream becomes even more valuable.
And now Timon was full of sorrow. But he led the colony forward, did not want to give in to discouragement.
Sun was inexorably hot. Tired meerkats was tormented by thirst. They heavily ascended on a low hill, Timon raised his head and cried: “We came, - on his face beamed a smile, - that's our dream home!”
At the end of the road, which lies between two hills, stretched a broad blue lake.
“Hurraaaah!!!” - meerkats ran forward forgetting about the heat and tiredness.
“And where are you running?” - from behind the hill jumped out a pack of hyenas .
“All back!” - ordered Timon, but the path to salvation was blocked another pack. On the sides were steep walls of hills. It was a trap.
Timon felt that he could not just give up without a fight, when the dream is fast beside of him. Hyenas are not allowed to take away happiness of colony. He realized that he was capable of anything at this moment. Clenched his fists and raised his head proudly, he shouted: “Forward!”- and meerkats ran after him - they were afraid of nothing. Seeing that the entire colony of meerkats runs on them, predators stood without moving. Timon with several jumps reached one hyena and grabbed leg of enemy with his brown fingers and it's unknown what would he done next when Simba suddenly jumped from the hill: “Do you need a help?”
- It would be nice, - Timon replied calmly, releasing hyenas paw.
Hyenas few seconds stood motionless and suddenly, in an instant disappeared around the hill.
- I decided that my help will not be superfluous, and therefore I came. You helped me. You're my friend, and I'm your friend.
- Thank you, Simba. You saved our colony.
- If you come a little later, it would be necessary to save hyenas from Timon! - meerkats laughed.
- Timmy, you're a real hero. Without you we could not do anything. - Ma hugged Timon. He wearily laid his head on mother's shoulder and hugged her. But meerkats grabbed him and began to throw up in the air – “Timon! Timon!” - have shouted entire colony.
- By the way, why Uncle Max is not with you? - Simba said with a smile when the hero was put on the ground.
Timon lowered his head sadly: “Happened terrible thing...”
- I saw he was sleeping under a tree and took him with me.
Timon gasped.
- I think I dozed off a bit. - said sleepily Uncle Max, who stood behind Simba .
The entire colony burst into laughter. Uncle Max smiled shyly.
All troubles were far away - in an old meerkat's house and at the long, winding road.
- I'm sure now we will forget about all the problems! Welcome to our new home. A predator-free environment.
Story 3:
Are You Nuts: show
Are You Nuts?
Uncle max shook his head, not believing what he just heard from Ma. “Cross a desert? Are you out of your mind?”He motioned around the Pride Lands. “I know this isn't exactly prime real estate, but this is our home! And you are telling me that Timon want the entire colony to just up and leave? Do you know what's even more dangerous in the desert to meerkats than just carnivores? The sun! It focuses all its rays right into us meerkats and cooks us alive! An entire colony of well done steaks!”
Ma was used to the elder meerkat's long rants on just how vulnerable meerkats were. It could be that she didn't see as many colony members get taken up by the circle of life as he did, or maybe Timon was beginning to rub off on her, but for once she didn't see what was the big deal with relocating the colony. Timon claimed that there was a jungle paradise out there, and if they wanted to live there like he did with Simba and Pumbaa, then they have to simply cross a small desert and welcome their new home.
“Look, Uncle Max. Timon made it there alone with Pumbaa. I don't know about you, but if Timon made it there with a pig, and survived raising a lion, then something makes me think that he knows what he's talking about. It's Timon , remember? The best tunnel demolition expert in the entire colony! If he made it across, so can the colony.”
As well to make her point, she grabbed Max by the shoulders and pointed him across the Pride Lands. “Besides, look at this place! This is not simply 'sub-prime real estate', this is currently nothing more than a desert itself! The colony survived here long enough, well we can survive crossing a desert made of sand if we lived in one made of mud. Besides, Timon just crossed it right now too. He knows the way.”
Speaking of Timon, the particular meerkat approached from behind his two family members. “Hey Ma, Uncle Max. How's it hanging?”
Uncle Max turned towards his nephew, quite furious. “How's it hanging? I'll tell you how! By the strands known as your insanity! I trusted you in fighting the hyenas! Yes, your plan to use tunnels to get them worked brilliantly, but this? This is an outrage! Do you seriously propose that the colony abandon our home, cross a dangerous desert, and make our home in some fantastical jungle hoo-ha where it just happens to be a severe lack of predators? Get real Timon! Our best chances are where we always survived, right here!”
Instead of Timon, a new voice replied. “Actually, they are not.”
Uncle Max turned around, nearly jumping out of his skin when he looked up at a very large lion. The only thing that prevented him from diving in the nearest hole was that A) There was no hole, and B) The lion was Simba. Still, this second fact was not the most comforting of facts. A lion is still a lion.
“H-hi Si-Simba...” Max stammered, “We were just discussing where the colony should live now that Scar is gone.”
Simba winced at the mention of his uncle. He had only very recently allowed himself to admit who he really was, and while he was glad that he was able to defeat his uncle and reclaim the Pride Lands, Scar was still family. Plus, Simba was still getting reunited with his cub-hood home, a task that very painfully brought back many memories, especially those of his late father.
But for right now, there are more pressing concerns than his memories. “Yes, I heard. And I'm afraid to tell you that you can't live here. It's not that I am banishing the colony...” He chuckled. “What kind of a thing would that be, repaying the family of my savior and adopted father,” he grinned at Timon, who smiled warmly back. At the same time, the meerkat received an approving smile from Ma. “You guys will be the last ones to be banished. No, the reason is that there is just not enough water. We need to give the lands a time to rest and recover.” He sighed. “So we are all moving out. Your colony... and my pride as well. So I figured, why not have all of us travel to the jungle together? We can help you guys move.”
Uncle Max scratched his head, thinking. “So you are saying that we have to leave, and we don't have a say in that...” The lion king nodded. “But our colony can be helped across a huge desert by a pack of lions. Let me think about that.” He glared at Simba. “Are you NUTS? Of course not! We meerkats run away from you lions, not rub shoulders!”
Ma was not amused. “Max! How dare you! Simba is offering to help us!” She places a hand over Uncle Max's mouth to keep him quite. “We'd be delighted to travel with your pride! Like one big family!” She wagged a finger at Uncle Max to show that his behavior was not approved of. “And lions live in prides, not packs!”
Timon cleared his voice, not wanting to be the only guy no saying anything. “Uncle Max, I know Simba. Heck, I brought him up! If you think that this is some kind of trick by him to get an easy meerkat snack, then you're wrong. My kid here would never do such a thing, so when he is offering you help, I'd say you better take it! After all, when was the last time you heard of a lion pride helping a meerkat colony?”
Uncle Max didn't say anything.
Timon smiled triumphantly. “I thought so. Now come on! We're going to move soon, and you won't believe how great it is out there! No more digging tunnels, all the grub you can want... It's paradise, Uncle Max! Mark my word!”
Max glared at Timon. “Oh, I am marking your words, all right. And I'm going to tell you that the last thing you will hear in this life is reality knocking on your front door! You mark my words!”
–-
To be truthful, even Simba found the move easier than he expected. Both the pride and the colony got along rather well, even if it did take a few stern words towards hungry lionesses about not eating the family members of his adopted father. But the trek across the desert was much shorter than he remembered it.
Not that he was in the most exploitative of moods the two times he crossed before. The first he was just a cub who was just exiled for the supposed murder of his father. If anything, he shuddered at the fact that he remembered welcoming the idea of death as he allowed himself to succumb to the heat after what felt like an endless crawl though the sand.
The second time he was too busy thinking about Scar and facing his past to really notice where he was going. One moment he had just left the oasis, the next he was staring in horror at the ruins of his cub-hood home. He didn't exactly pay attention to the passage of time.
But now he was in front of both a pride of lions, and a colony of meerkats, and staring at a wall of thick green leaves. He knew that past these leaves was one of the best viewing spots of the entire area. “Come out here Timon, you know how to do it best.” He watched as the meerkat left the front of the colony and made his way to the very front of the entire group.
Timon grinned smugly as he “rolled up his sleeves” in preparation of the big reveal. “I did this with Pumbaa when we found little Simba out in the middle of the desert, and now it is time to do it again.” He cleared his throat and pulled back the leaves, revealing the majestic sight before all of them.
“Welcome to our humble abode.”
From his perch atop a small rock, even Uncle Max was impressed. “That's uh... water. And leaves!” Something flew past his nose. “-And grub!” He jumped forwards and rushed towards his nephew. “Timon, you're a genius!”
Behind them, the meerkats all cheered for Timon, the clumsy meerkat, destined for ruin, who challenged his roll of the cosmic dice and conquered his humble upbringing to lead them on a quest to find this corner of paradise.
From the cheering crowd, Ma's voice was louder from them all. “Well done Timon, my boy!”
The lions however were not so cheerful. One of the lionesses pointed out something they were all wondering. “So Simba, since we can't eat these guys,” she got booed by the meerkats, and even Simba gave her a glare, but she ignored it, “what do we get to eat?”
Simba chuckled nervously. “Well, I never hunted myself, so I don't know about finding other animals to hunt.”
“What did you eat?”
“Well, that's the point. Timon?”
The meerkat grinned. “Your royal lions, how about trying out the local delicacy? A never ending, all-you-can-eat grub buffet!”
“Simba!”
Voting will end on Monday, April 21st. One vote per voter this time around, as we have only five stories and not six. I know it's only one story less, and is still a good number for the contest, but I always set the line at six stories, and that's where I will leave it.
Voting rules are the usual: Don't vote for yourself, and don't vote for a story that you simply know was written by a friend. Don't ask others to vote for your story either. Read each one carefully and give all the stories the same consideration before you make your decision.
Good luck, read carefully, and may the best story win!
