Where I Belong

Just as young Simba reached the top of the cliff, he heard screaming. He looked, and his eyes filled with extreme terror. It was his father, falling, falling, to the pit below. He must have fallen off. The cub could only stare helplessly, and scream at the top of his lungs.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Simba awoke with a start, breathing deeply. It was a nightmare. But as he looked around at his new surroundings, he frowned again. He remembered. He was taken in by Timon and Pumbaa after running away from the Pride Lands. It was his fault.

Uncle Scar had told him to practice his roar. But he guessed he roared too loudly. If he hadn't done that, he wouldn't have lured the stampede. He wouldn't have been in danger, his father didn't need to save him, and he wouldn't have fallen to his death.

He felt foolish now for trying to wake him, and calling for help. He should've known that nobody, not even his father, the king and strongest lion he knew, could survive that stampede of so many wildebeests.

He also shouldn't have burst into song about how he couldn't wait to be king with Nala to get rid of Zazu. If he'd only known his father was soon going to die, he would've never have done it.

He only knew one thing now. He could never go back now. He was next in line to be king, but right now, he can't imagine it. He could never be king like his father prepared him to be. He can never face his mother and the other Pridelanders, never play with Nala again, never harass Zazu again, and never fully enjoy his life ever again knowing he had done the unspeakable. Kids are supposed to be all innocent. But he knew he wasn't innocent. Not anymore. He felt like his life as a child was done for even though he still was one.

"Simba?" A voice asked him. He looked, and saw that it's was Pumbaa. The warthog gave him a worried look. "You okay? You were screaming."

"I'm fine." Simba lied. Pumbaa was uncertain about this.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it was a bad dream. Sorry I woke you."

"Do you want to talk about it."

"No!" Simba realized he had said that louder then he expected, and lowered his voice. "No." He was upset, but he shouldn't take it out on Pumbaa. The warthog did nothing. He and Timon were so nice to take him in, and saved his life, even though he now had nothing to live for. He could never tell them of what he'd done. They might kick him out. Where would he go then?

"Well, do you want to sleep with us?" Pumbaa asked. "You can if you want to. I know Timon won't like it, but I'm sure he'll understand. He heard you screaming too. That's why he sent me to check up on you."

"No, I'm fine. Just go back to bed." Pumbaa looked like he was about to protest again, but gave in. "Okay. Goodnight again. See you in the morning!" With that, the pig-like animal strolled away.

Simba sighed as he laid back down on his paws. He felt guilty for not telling them. They were nice animals. But once he'd told them, they might not be so nice. He wouldn't blame them. It's best if they don't know, and never found out. He never knew that a little cub like himself could ever have this guilt, and he knew it would never go away. This is his new reality.

The next morning, Simba awoke. He walked with Timon and Pumbaa to eat their morning grub. Simba never thought in all of his life that he, a growing lion cub would come to like bugs. But he never thought that he'd live here, but here he was. He had to make the best of it.

He saw a beetle, and chased after it. Pumbaa noticed this as the cub was trying to pounce on it as it flew off. The concerned warthog sighed, and looked at his meerkat partner.

"Timon?" He asked him. "Should we help out the kid? He seems to be struggling." Timon looked at the still pouncing cub.

"No." He answered his warthog pal. "Let him figure it out on his own. He needs to if he's going to be a great hunter for us. If we get him a bug every time, he'll never learn."

"Yeah, but he just began living with us yesterday. Don't you think it's kind of early? Can't we help him out, and as time goes on, then let him go at it by himself?"

"No. The earlier he gets this down, the better. Trust me on this, Pumbaa. He's got this." Pumbaa was still uncertain of this, but chose to let it go.

"Okay, if you say so."

Then, the cub pinned the beetle's wing with his paw. The cub was happy to himself. His first time hunting a bug was a success!

"Timon!" He announced. "Pumbaa! I did it! I caught my first bug!"

"Good job, kid." Timon congratulated him. "You're a natural born hunter." Simba smiled to himself. "Now eat it before it flies away."

"Oh, right." The little lion looked at his prey again, and began eating it. Once again, he was surprised that the bug was to his liking.

Once he was done, the three went to the watering hole for a drink.

"There he is!" A female voice spoke. Simba perked up his ears, and gasped. It was the hyenas, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed! What were they were doing here? How did they find him? He thought they were done chasing him. One of them threatened to kill him if he came back, yet here they all were. He jumped behind Pumbaa like a scared little kid, because he was a scared little kid. This confused the meerkat.

"You know these hyenas, Simba?" He asked.

"Oh, you bet he does." Banzai stated. "He gave us trouble at the elephant graveyard, along with his girlfriend and a bird. He owes us big time!" Ed agreed with a nod, and a frightening laugh, licking his jowls.

"Please, Timon!" Pumbaa begged him. "Please, don't let them get him. He's only a kid, a sweet and innocent kid."

"Oh, he's not as sweet and innocent as you think." Banzai told them.

"Once you both learn the truth,..." Shenzi continued. "...you'll see him in a whole new light, and you may not like it. You may even kick him out."

"We'll never kick him out." Timon told her. "Wait, what did he do?" He looked at Simba. So did Pumbaa. "Kid? These hyenas claimed you did something. What was it?" Simba didn't dare admit to his crime.

"Since he's not telling you, I'll tell you. He murdered his own father." Simba was shocked. How did she possibly know this? Both Timon and Pumbaa looked at the cub in shock.

"Is what she's saying true, Simba?" Timon asked him. "Is that the reason why you're now an outsider? Please tell us that this horrible thing isn't true?" Simba didn't know what to say. Fortunately, the warthog came to his rescue.

"I don't believe what you're saying is true." He said to the three hyenas. Timon was puzzled.

"You don't?" He wanted to know.

"Yeah, I don't. How can a little lion cub kill his dad, who is probably a whole lot bigger and heavier then him?" Timon realized his companion had a point. He looked at the hyenas, his hands folded across his chest, looking cross.

"Yeah!" The meerkat agreed. "Now that I think of it, it is suspicious. How could he? Huh? Explain it!" Simba was proud that Timon and Pumbaa were on his side. Now maybe these hyenas will go away, and not bother them ever again. The sooner, the better!

"Oh, he has his ways." Shenzi stated.

"Yeah!" Banzai added. "Don't underestimate him based on his size." Once again, Ed agreed with a nod.

"Well, we still don't believe you guys." Timon spoke. "Now, GET OUT OF OUR JUNGLE!"

"Don't make me force you out." Pumbaa threatened, ready to charge.

"And he will!" Timon warned. "I better get out of here right now if I were you."

"Fine, we'll leave." Shenzi declared. "But listen here, cub!" She got in Simba's face. "The truth will come out eventually. It always does."

"Yeah!" Banzai added. "So be on your toes." Ed laughed as they all walked away.

Once they were gone, Simba breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at his two saviors.

"Thanks, guys." He thanked them. "I don't think I could've handled that alone."

"No problem, kid." Timon said back. "Us little guys have to stick together. Remember, Hakuna Matata!"

"Right, thank goodness for Hakuna Matata."

"You said it!" Pumbaa agreed. "We always have your back, kid. No matter what." Simba was so happy to hear that.

Suddenly, Ed tackled Timon to the ground. Simba and Pumbaa were both horrified of this.

"Timon!" Simba shouted. Banzai tackled Pumbaa, "Pumbaa!"

"Help us, kid!" Timon yelled. "We know you're a cub, but you're still a lion. Attack them; do some damage! Please, I don't want to die."

"Me neither!" Pumbaa cried out as well. "We don't deserve it! We want to see you grow up to be the best lion you can be! It might of been just yesterday, but I already think you as my son."

"Me too!" They both were now crying. Simba looked at Shenzi.

"Please!" He begged. "Tell them to get off! They did nothing wrong. I beg you; they're my friends." Shenzai looked at the pleading cub.

"I may order them to stop," Shenzi began. "...if you tell them you murdered your dad."

"I'll never do that!"

"Then it looks like they die. Sorry, it's the circle of life." Simba looked at his crying friends. He sighed to himself, the pressure being too much.

"I did it." Both Timon and Pumbaa looked at him in shock. Ed and Banzai got off them. Timon and Pumbaa stood up.

"What do you mean you did it, kid?" The meerkat wanted to know. "How?" Simba sighed. He really didn't want to tell him, but found himself telling him anyway.

"Wow, I..I don't know what to say." Pumbaa said after Simba was done explaining himself.

"Well, I do!" An angry Timon said. He pointed at Simba. "You, Simba, do not belong with us out here. Go away! Pumbaa and I never want to see you again." Both cub and warthog were shocked.

"But where will I go?" Simba asked.

"I don't know. Not here. Far away from here as possible." Simba was ashamed. He understood why Timon was crossed at him. He would banish himself if he could.

"Timon." Pumbaa said to his partner. "Don't you think you're being too harsh on him? He's just a kid. He didn't mean to roar loudly in that gorge, causing that stampede." Simba felt hopeful. Pumbaa had a point. This wasn't entirely his fault.

"That may be," Timon said to the warthog. "But if he was careful, none of that would've happened, therefore it's his fault. He killed his father, and he should be held accountable, kid or not. And I don't want anything to do with a murderer, do you?"

"But Timon..." Pumbaa realized something, and looked at the child. He was mad now too.

"Somehow he's right, kid. You aren't one of us. You were careless. You are a murderer. How could you do that to your own father? Didn't you love him?"

"Yeah." Simba replied. "He was the whole world to me."

"And to think I was going to name you Fred! Get out of here!" Simba was ashamed again. He shouldn't have told them.

"Should we kill him?" Banzai asked his female leader. "He doesn't deserve to be on this earth now, anyways."

"Sure." Shenzi said. She looked at Ed. "Ed, you go first." Ed laughed crazily, and lunged at him.

Simba awoke with a start again. He looked at his surroundings. He sighed as he realized it was a bad dream again. He saw that Pumbaa was there again.

"I really think you should sleep with us tonight." He observed. Simba figured he was probably right.

"Okay." He said. "You're right. I think that's best."

"I think it's for the best too. Come on then." And with that, Simba followed the warthog.

As they were walking on the log bridge, Simba saw a lone star in the night sky. He remembered his dad telling him that all of the great kings were stars watching over him. His dad was the greatest king he has ever known, so he figured it must be him. He stopped.

"I'll catch up with you in a sec!" Simba called to Pumbaa. The warthog looked at the lion cub.

"I'll just be on the other side of the log." He said to him, and then went across. Simba looked at the star.

"Dad," He began. He tried not to cry, but tears fell anyways. He also was choking up. "I'm sorry. You don't deserve a son like me. I will never be king like you, and I will never go back. I can never face Mom, Nala, Zazu, or the other animals of our kingdom. They won't want me as king anyways, and I don't blame them. Uncle Scar said if it weren't for me, you would still be alive. I should have listened to you. I didn't mean it. You must believe me, you must."

"Simba?" He heard Pumbaa. "You coming or what?" Simba sniffed. He didn't want him to know that he was crying.

"Coming!" He answered. He looked at the star one last time. "I love you, Dad. I aways will, even though you might not ever forgive me." And with that, the little lion cub resumed on crossing the log.

"Goodnight, Simba." Pumbaa said to the cub as he snuggled up to the warthog and meerkat that night.

"Goodnight, Pumbaa." Simba echoed.

"And Simba," Timon said to him. "Try not to have any more bad dreams. We need sleep too you know.

"Okay, Timon. I'll try." And with that, both warthog and meerkat went to sleep.

Simba sighed to himself heavenly. Now this, living here in the jungle living the Hakuna Matata lifestyle with Timon and Pumbaa. He thought to himself. This is where I belong.