"All right kids. Now, what have you learned about bug hunting?" Bhati the bat eared fox asked her two children.

The family was on a little outing, and of course per Jenga's insistence, they had to impart some form of lesson. After all, they were preparing their children for the day they would have to leave the den.

"Well, Daddy told us to look in logs." Mosi began.

"He also said rocks and under ground are great sources for bugs." Asha added.

"That's right. In fact, there's a log right up ahead." Bhati noted as she spied the aforementioned log in front of them.

Going over to it, Bhati used her claws to tear into the tender wood and sure enough, a large assortment of bugs lay crawling about.

"Wow! Look at them all!" Mosi exclaimed.

Bhati grinned. This may not have been the jungle oasis, but the Pride Lands still had plenty of sustenance. Mosi and Asha were about to dig in, when Bhati suddenly stopped them. "Woah hold on! Don't just go in like that, the lesson isn't over."

"But what else do we need to know Mommy?" Asha asked.

"Yeah, Daddy says growing foxes need their bugs." Mosi concurred.

"Well that is true, but your father didn't tell you the most important thing: quality." Bhati revealed.

Both twins looked to one another confusedly before turning back to their mother. "Quality?"

"Let me show you." Taking a rather long bug with a numerous legs, Bhati continued the lesson. "Now look at this bug." After saying that, Bhati bit down hard, pulling on both ends with her paws. The bug struggled and stretched until it snapped in half. Bhati chewed on it a few times before swallowing. "Now that bug was the chewy kind. You got to get in there and pull on them until they eventually snap."

"Ohhhhh." Both cubs droned, paying attention intently.

"Now observe this one," Bhati said pointing to a beetle. Bugs like this are crunchy. The pieces kind of stick in-between your teeth, but still, just as tasty." And then Bhati's eyes gleamed as she saw something crawl past. Her mouth watered as she noticed the shape and put a paw on it, halting it's movements. "And this one? Oh this baby is the prime cut of bugs. The creamy kind." To prove her point, she picked it up, popped it in her mouth, and chewed. Right away a plethora of flavor washed over her, and as she licked her tongue, indeed a substance coated it. "slimy yet satisfying."

Following after his mother's example, Mosi reached into the log and pulled out a long insect, slurping it up and swallowing it. After he was done, he let out a tiny burp. "Slimy yet satisfying." He said with a smile.

At that moment, Bhati felt a great pride swell within her upon hearing that. "You are truly my son." Bhati remarked.

"Mosi." Came a firm word from behind. Walking up to the family was the father and husband, Jengo. "What do we say?"

Mosi hung his head down and muttered a quiet, "Excuse me."

"Oh don't be so hard dear." Bhati excused. "Nothing wrong with passing a little gas." Bhati said to her son with a wink.

"Wow Mom. I never realized bugs were so different. Dad always told us bugs were simply bugs." Asha said.

Jengo was about to reply, but Bhati cut him off, "Well you and your brother are lucky to have me as a mother. Now dig in you two! And remember! Egg sacs are a great source of nutrition."

Bhati watched as her children thrust themselves into the log.

"I want the creamy kind!" Mosi said excitedly.

"Don't hog them all!" Asha argued.

"Kids be nice!" Jengo cautioned.

Bhati let out a good-natured chuckle and gave her mate a little push. "Oh come on honey let em shove. Best to get it out while they're young."

Jengo let out a sigh at his wife's words. "Bhati. I though we were taking them out for a lesson. Not make them picky eaters."

"They're not turning into picky eaters. I'm just showing them the quality and variety of their diet." Bhati countered.

"All right, but honestly I don't want them to just pick out the ones they like." Jengo said worriedly.

Bhati responded with a swift lick against her husband's face. "I love you honey but sometimes you can be such a prude."

"Prude!?" Jengo said offended. "I'm not a prude! I just want what's best for my children!"

"Our children." Bhati corrected. "I get a say too in how they grow up."

Jengo couldn't completely shake off the feeling he held. Bhati likewise understood. After all, she had come from a carefree life of no worries, while her mate had grown up the old fashioned way.

"Hey let me go!"

Both Bhati and Jengo turned and noticed Mosi with a small animal in his mouth. The animal in question was an elephant shrew, but Bhati's eyes grew wide when she noticed the shrew fully.

"Mosi! Put him out of your mouth this instant!" Bhati ordered.

Mosi obeyed, dropping the shrew who irately shook himself. "Just where do you get off snapping me up like that!? Didn't your mother teach you any manners?"

"Imani?" Came Bhati's voice.

The shrew looked up and once he noticed the fox in front of him, his face lit up. "Bhati? Bhati!" The shrew exclaimed hugging against Bhati's leg.

"Imani! It's been ages! Where have you been?" Bhati asked.

"Oh everywhere, it's so good to see you!" The little shrew proclaimed.

"Mommy? You know him?" Asha asked.

Imani's face switched to confusion. "Mommy?" Then the confusion turned to realization, especially after he drank in the cub's features. "Are these yours?"

Bhati felt her previous pride return. "Yep! Carried and birthed them!"

Imani let out a little squeal, putting his front paws to his face. "Oh my goodness they are so adorable!

"Um honey. Who is this?" Jengo asked.

Bhati had momentarily forgotten her husband's presence. "Oh right. Everyone. This is Imani. He's one of my old pals from my Hakuna Matata days."

"You mean like Uncle Timon and Uncle Pumbaa?" Asha asked,

"Does this mean we have another uncle?" Mosi asked.

"Oh you can call me Uncle Imani if you want sweetheart!"

"Just to let you know the girl is Asha, and the one who snapped you up is Mosi." Bhati pointed to each of her children.

Mosi hung his head down, "I'm sorry I snapped you, I just didn't want you to take the creamy one."

"Hakuna Matata! No worries!" Imani replied. "Oh Bhati they are so precious."

"Naturally! I mean they are my kids!" Bhato proclaimed, still showing off the pride within her.

"Let's not forget they're my children too honey." Jengo added in.

"And this handsome specimen is my dear husband Jengo." Bhati introduced lovingly.

Imani looked over Jengo before replying with a smirk. "Bhati he is quite a catch."

Bhati responded with a laugh. "Well I do have a good taste in men."

"Oh Jengo you must be quite a man. I mean taming Bhati is an accomplishment in of itself."

"What do you mean?" Asha asked.

"Well back in the jungle, your mother was the wildest of us all." Said Imani. "Nobody could reel her in."

"Hey trust me Aiesha. I'm still plenty wild. Just ask Timon and Pumbaa at our little get togethers." Bhati reassured.

Jengo cleared his voice and stepped in-between the two friends. "Hey hon, why don't I take the kids home and let you two catch up?"

"Alright hon, I'll meet up with you later." Bhati said giving her husband a lick, and he licked her right back.

"Come on kids." Jengo called to their children.

"Okay, bye Mom!" Asha said.

"Bye Uncle Imani!" Mosi called back.

The vixen and the shrew watched as the family walked off. Bhati grinned to herself as she saw her little ones keeping close to their father.

"I'm really happy for you Bhati." Imani said.

"Thanks Imani. Honestly I think I am the luckiest fox in the world." Bhati replied.

"Still, I never pictured you settling down." Imani's voice held some skepticism in it.

"Neither did I. But you know what? I wouldn't change anything for the world." Remarked Bhati.

And as she finally saw her family vanish into the distance, the pride she had felt before still hadn't left her.

"So, did you ever reclaim your title as the snail slurping champ?" Imani asked.

Indeed, snail slurping had been a sport she and the other Hakuna Matata practitioners had participated in. Bhati was no slouch herself, but Timon d her rivaled. Simba too, but being a larger animal it was natural.

"All in good time my friend. In good time." Bhati replied.

There were still other gatherings to prove herself.

A/N: This one came to me suddenly. Another tale in the life of Bhati the bat eared fox and her family. Little edit, but I changed the gender of the elephant shrew. I did this because original I thought the elephant shrew was voiced by Amy Sedaris, but it turns out she voiced the guinni fowl, while a male character voiced the elephant shrew. So I just changed their gender and name.