The Lion King Chronicles: Nala's Tears {Editing}

Chapter 5

Simba and I trotted along, our laughter ringing together. "All right, it worked!" Simba exclaimed.

I threw back my head in laughter, "We lost him!"

Simba turned to face me, a smug look on his face. "I... am a genius," He proclaimed.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Hey, genius, it was my idea." He sometimes did this, taking credit for my ideas. I guess he couldn't allow himself to be outdone by a lioness.

Simba rolled his eyes and strolled away. "Yeah, but I pulled it off."

"With me!" I reminded him angrily, turning away.

Simba chuckled, his shoulders shaking. "Oh yeah? Rawr!" He pounced on me and we wrestled for dominance.

I managed to end up on top and pinned down his shoulders beneath my forepaws. "Ha! Pinned ya!" I now was the one with the smug face.

Simba pouted and pushed at me. "Hey, lemme up."

I turned away, quite pleased with myself. That'll show him! Without warning, Simba jumped at me again. We tussled, rolling down a short hill. Then I pinned him again in the same position with an arrogant grin. "Pinned ya again."

Suddenly, a geyser made a loud noise nearby, ejecting a column of steam. The sky was grey and when we peered over an elephant tusk, we took in the eerie scene before us. Skeletons piled on the ground and at the center of it all was a gigantic elephant skull which still had its tusks.

Simba whispered quietly. "This is it. We made it."

We both looked some more and were in awe. "Whoa!" We said in unison.

Chills traveled down my spine. "It's really creepy."

Simba shot me a proud look. "Yeah... Isn't it great?" He obviously relished in the forbidden element.

I slowly grinned, "We could get in big trouble."

Simba's amber eyes gleamed with mischief. "I know, huh?"

Curiosity took over and we leaped over the tusk and wandered down the slope towards the skull. "I wonder if its brains are still in there." I commented.

Simba cast me a mischievous look. "There's only one way to know. Come on. Let's go check it out." Simba walked towards the mouth of the skull.

Out of nowhere, Zazu popped up, blocking Simba's way. "Wrong! The only checking out you will do will be to check out of here!"

Simba and I both groaned. "Aw, man," Simba muttered.

Zazu looked frightened and kept glancing around as if he expected something to jump out. "We're way beyond the boundary of the Pridelands!" I stuck close to Simba, not wanting to admit that this place gave me the chills.

Simba, amused by this, shoved his face in Zazu's. "Huh. Look. Banana Beak is scared!" We both laughed at this and Zazu glared at us.

Zazu poked Simba in the nose. "That's Mr. Banana Beak to you, fuzzy! And right now we are all in very real danger."

Pushing past Zazu, Simba approached the elephant skull. "Danger? Hah! I walk on the wild side. I laugh in the face of danger!" He threw back his head in dramatic laughter.

Suddenly, from the skull, came a chorus of malicious laughter. Simba jumped and hid behind Zazu and I. We all cowered as three hyenas emerged from the skull. Why hadn't we known that there were hyenas here?!

The first hyena, obviously the leader, led the small group towards us. "Well, well, well, Banzai. What have we got here?" She curled back her lips to show sharp, pointed teeth.

The second hyena pretended to think. "Hmm. I don't know, Shenzi. Uh... what do you think, Ed?" Crazy laughter came from the third hyena. He couldn't be sane. They circle around the us and Zazu.

Banzai, seeming to understand the crazy Ed, spoke pointedly at them. "Yeah, just what I was thinking. A trio of trespassers!"

I leaned closer to Simba. "I'm scared," I admitted to him.

Simba whispered back. "I won't let them hurt you."

Zazu laughed nervously, backing away. "And quite by accident, let me assure you. A simple navigational error..."

Shenzi, the leader, brought her face closer to Zazu. I could smell her hot breath and I was shaking. "Whoa, whoa, wait wait wait... I know you! You're Mufasa's little stooge."

"I, madam," Zazu stood taller, trying to regain some sort of dignity, "Am the king's majordomo."

Banzai looked towards Simba, "And that would make you...?"

Simba, trying to be brave, stood taller and puffed out his chest. "The future king."

Shenzi growled, nearing Simba and me. "Do you know what we do to kings who step out of their kingdom?"

Rolling his eyes, Simba glared at Shenzi. "Puh, you can't do anything me."

"Uhh, technically, they can," Zazu answered nervously. "We are on their land."

Disgusted, Simba shot the three hyenas a look. "But Zazu, you told me they're nothing but slobbering mangy stupid poachers."

Laughing nervously, Zazu muttered, "Ix-nay on the oopid-stay..."

Banzai growled, "Who you callin' 'oopid-stay'?!" The hyenas circled closer.

Zazu cleared his throat nervously. "My, my, my. Look at the sun." He started to usher Simba and I away from the hyenas. "It's time to go!"

Shenzi blocked our path and my heart started racing. "What's the hurry? We'd looove you to stick around for dinner." Her eyes were crazy with hunger.

Banzai nodded eagerly. "Yeah! We could have whatever's... lion around! Get it? Lion around!" They were all laughing, momentarily distracted.

"Go," Zazu whispered. He shoved us ahead of him. Simba and I took off, side by side. My heart was racing.

From behind, I heard Shenzi make another bad joke. "Oh wait, wait, wait! I got one, I got one! Make mine a cub sandwich. Whatcha think?"

By now, we were too far away to hear their conversation. Simba led the way with me right on his heels. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears.

They must've realized that we slipped away because I heard Banzai yell: "There it goes!"

We paused to regroup. My sides were heaving for air and Simba was panting, too. "Did we lose 'em?" I asked Simba as we looked around us.

Nodding, Simba suddenly turned to me in alarm. "I think so. Where's Zazu?"