[Request] Hakuna Matata

[FlipMode]

The throbbing in his head had stopped now. But he was still hot and tired plus it had been a while now since he had anything to eat or drink.
"No I-" Simba stopped himself from telling them where he had come from, what he had done. He wasn't really in the mood to talk to anybody about that just yet, let alone to strangers.
He let out a sigh and started again "No I don't." He said.

Realising that this was a peculiar place to be meeting a meerkat and warthog he decided to talk to them a little more. If there was a chance they were going the same way as him then the journey would maybe be a bit less harsh.
One thing was for sure, he was not going to go back.

"So what are you guys doing out here?" He asked them.

[Panda-chan]

Meanwhile in the Pridelands savannah, a young lioness stood panting, a freshly killed hare clamped tightly in her jaws. It wasn't her biggest solo kill but certainly the most challenging, and Nuru was immensely proud of herself. The elusive hare had leapt vigorously from side to side in order to throw off its attacker but with her nimble footing the agile lioness had had no trouble keeping up. Although she was still an adolescent, Nuru was quite a capable hunter and enjoyed catching smaller prey for herself when she had the time.

The sun was setting by the time Nuru had finished her meal and made her way to Pride Rock. Just as she was about to head inside, she spotted a small figure lying in a dirt mound near the entrance. It was a young cub absentmindedly digging patterns in the dirt with an unsheathed claw.

"Hey Nala, what are you up to? Where's Simba?" Nuru asked in a friendly manner. It seemed odd to her that the young prince had gone off on an adventure without inviting his best friend Nala.

[SwagaliciousXXX]

Pumbaa sombrely replied, “Uhhh...I don’t know how to say this, kid. You almost died. If it wasn’t for us, you’d have died to those vultures.”

[FlipMode]

Simba looked up into the sky and noticed the vultures had moved on already. They wouldn't have to go far to find their next meal in these lands.
Although Simba still carried the weight of recent events with him, he appreciated the help. He didn't want to die, he just wanted to be away from the Pridelands.

"Thanks for the help." He said to them. Although he meant it, the memories that still buzzed away inside his head made his tone come across dismissive.

They weren't far from the jungles where he would certainly be able to find water and more importantly, there was no chance he would ever meet anyone from home in there.

"I should get going. I'm trying to get over there." He said motioning his head toward the jungle.
"Where are you guys going?"

[SwagaliciousXXX]

“Over there?” Pumbaa looked quizzically, “that’s me and Timon’s home!” The gears started to turn in Pumbaa’s head until he realised why he felt so sorry for the young cub. “Oh, you’re one of us. You don’t have a home of your own. I know! Why don’t you come stay with us? Uncle Timon and Pumbaa will take care of you!”

[Gemini]

Late at night, late at night - long after even the queen's bereaved sobs had ceased to pierce the quiescent savannah - the dark heir to Pride Rock's vacant throne, still somehow awake, stared outwards from the depths of his spacious cavern, pondering, wondering what the future would hold, wondering if fate would finally favor him for once. The sky was silent, stars dimly lit against the faded indigo background left by a late summer sun. He couldn't help the small wry smile that twitched past his lips for a moment, smug and delicious; it lingered for a sweet moment before it melted again into a stony facade. The stars withheld their approval. The earth turned, and with it, the end of era passed over the horizon. His was coming, and with it, change.

The deed was done. The seeds were sown. This land was his, now, and...

There was no longer anybody who could stop him.

He paused. He felt the puff of wind that broke the silence, ruffling his jet locks of mane. A stray hitch of breath from one of the lionesses huddled on the other side of the domicile. He shifted, unsettled. He was alone amongst his kind, truly. And after this, too... what would happen if they knew? If his secret came to light? What he was willing to - what he did do?

His breath returned to him. ... No. No, no. It was too late to turn back, too late to falter. It was time to enter a glorious new beginning. Anything else would be a pittance in the wake of his years of suffering and solitude.

The world returned to its silence, and with it his mind - never turbulent, never wavering in its path, its course, its thoughts... resumed its nighttime silence as he fell into a dreamless stupor.

Mufasa was dead, and in the ashes of his rule, Scar would arise as the best king to ever rule from the Pridelands' shining promontory. That much was certain, and anybody who remained to deny him would fall at his very hands.

Just like the last king did.

[Azdgari]

[quote="SwagaliciousXXX"]“Over there?” Pumbaa looked quizzically, “that’s me and Timon’s home!” The gears started to turn in Pumbaa’s head until he realised why he felt so sorry for the young cub. “Oh, you’re one of us. You don’t have a home of your own. I know! Why don’t you come stay with us? Uncle Timon and Pumbaa will take care of you!”[/quote]
Timon slapped his forehead. "Uh, uncle Pumbaa, can I speak with you in private?" He grabbed a hold of Pumbaa's fleshy ear and dragged the boar a few meters away from the bewildered cub, leaving a sizable trail in the sand.

Timon opened and closed his fists, breathing out an exasperated sigh. He stole a glance at the cub. "I mean, really Pumbaa, buddy, what's the grand plan? Do I need to get out a food chart diagram for you? How does this thing pan out for us?"

[SwagaliciousXXX]

Pumbaa puffed out his chest with great pride. “Well you see, Timon! He’s only a little lion. It’ll be easy. We help him now and in the future...uhhhhh...he’ll help us in return. You know, having a lion around will be very helpful, you just wait and see!” With a big goofy grin, he beamed at Timon, not entirely sure if he convinced his friend or not.

[Azdgari]

"Help us in return, eehh?" Timon's eyes lit up and he scratched his chin. "A lion around... helpful, ya' say..." He gave his friend a furtive nod and spun to face the cub, opening his arms. "Well, ya' hit the lottery kid--you are one of us, after all." He sauntered over and threw an arm around the cub. "Just, ah, keep those things to yourself," he gestured vaguely at Simba's mouth, full of teeth, "and we'll show you the ropes. Say, you got a name?"

[FlipMode]

Simba smiled. The meerkats playful and hyper nature reminded him of how him and Nala would always play together.

Simba though for a moment, he didn't really know these two but he was certain they also didn't know him. Running away from home, this could be a chance to have friends that wouldn't judge him for his past.
A clean slate. New environment. New friends.

"I'm Simba." He said.
He decided not to tell them about his royal background, he wanted to forget it and with any luck it wouldn't come up in conversation.

"And you two are?..."