Simba, Nala, Mufasa, Sarabi, Zazu, Rafiki, Timon, Pumbaa, Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, Sarafina, and Scar are all owned by Disney. The rest: by me. I might not use all of them, so I just typed them all here so that I don't have to do this every chapter. The idea of the Siku Choka by the way, is mine. If you want to use it in one of your stories, please let me know first. Enjoy! Machungwa63

"Wake up Nala," Simba whispered.

"Hmm?" said Nala, lifting her head.

"Come on." He gestured his head towards the exit of the cave. "Time to get up. Let's go."

Nala yawned and then hurried to her feet as she realized that Simba was already halfway towards the cave exit.

"It can't be almost dawn?" she asked observing her own tiredness, the blackness outside and the conked-out lionesses scattered around the cave.

"It's not."

"Then why are we up . . ." she yawned ". . . so . . . early?"

Simba stopped and turned towards her as the couple exited the cave. Even in the dark, Nala could tell he was smiling. "Because . . ." began Simba ". . . we're going to see Bwana Zungumza."

Nala's eyes grew wide. "Bwana Zungumza? Th-the real Bwana Zungumza?"

"Mm-hmm," replied Simba, nodding.

"Oh goodness," replied Nala, looking down at the ground.

"What?" asked Simba, chuckling.

"I – I've never met a Bwana before."

"You're forgetting something," replied Simba, as coolly as ever.

"That theoretically, I'm ranked higher than him?" she asked, looking back up at her mate.

"That's right. Nice choice of words, by the way."

Nala looked at him, seriously: "I'm gonna bow."

"Oh yeah – I am too. If not out of respect, gratefulness."

Nala kept on nodding in agreement through Simba's piece up until he said 'gratefulness.'

Nala looked at him completely bewildered. "Grate-ful-ness?"

Simba held his smile. "Where do you think it's gonna be held?"

Nala's lower jaw dropped. "You're kidding?" she asked in barely a whisper.

Simba shook his head 'no,' still smiling.

"Simba . . ." began Nala as she stuttered, ". . . I . . . I can't do this!"

"Why not? I thought you loved the Siku Choka?"

"I adore the Siku Choka, Simba. Mom's taken me to watch it every, singleyear that I can remember." She then sighed. "I just . . ." she shrugged ". . . don't think I'm up to it." She looked at Simba and then went on: "I'm gonna have to do all those speeches in front of all those lions, it's gonna require a ton of organization, time, the hunting party needs me . . ."

"Nala . . . Nala . . ." said Simba reassuringly, placing his paw on her shoulder and looking her in the eye, ". . . breathe."

Nala did so. "I'm sorry Simba. You know I'm not normally like this."

"I know," replied Simba calmly. "You only get to live once, Nala. Would you feel happy dying knowing you hadn't done this?"

Nala shook her head 'no.'

"Then it's settled," said Simba. He licked her on the cheek and Nala delivered a weak smile. "Come on," he said, turning back in the direction of the savannah, "let's not keep Bwana Zungumza wai . . . argh!"

"No – N – N – No – Nala!" Simba shouted while laughing, and trying to stop his mate from washing his face all over, even from his pinned down position. Nala stopped, beaming down at him.

"Simba . . . thank you."

"Hmm . . ." said Simba, thinking, ". . . I think I preferred the first way you told me."

"The licking? Ha!" she said, throwing her head back. "That wasn't a thank you . . . I just felt like doing that."

"Why the sudden change of mind?"

"Because Simba, I know you're right."

"Bwana Zungumza," addressed the male cheetah, walking into the cave, "we have sixteen competitors, correct?"

"Correct," replied the tawny, old lion, checking the tally he'd made on the rock wall.

"How many herds are we going to have to rally into the Pridelands?"

"I'm hoping none, but that is on the top of the list of things I want to find out today. When should their king and queen be here?"

"Soon. They left before dawn."

Zungumza sighed. "Alright, wanna kill time?"

The cheetah sat. "Okay. What are your plans?"

"Let's go through the names of the sixteen competitors once again. We'll need to have them memorized by Siku Choka."

"Six days."

"I know, I know. Well there's Uku."

"I still can't believe that. She's sixteen! She hasn't been in anything like this for years!"

"She was great back in the day. I'm willing to bet that she's still got it in her."

"I dunno Bwana; it will be interesting seeing her up against Guvu. He's won the last two in a row."

"Hey, providing it's not Wamariri . . . well . . ."

The cheetah rolled his eyes while letting out a sigh. "Nobody likes Wamariri."

"And why should they? She's been in the Siku Choka for the last four years and five lionesses and one lion have already died because of her antics out there," explained Zungumza, anger picking up in his voice as he went along.

"I know Bwana. And there's nothing we can do about it?"

The lion looked down at the floor. "I'm afraid not."

"Hmm," replied the cheetah, disappointed. He made eye contact with Zungumza again. "Do we have a nyimbas?"

Zungumza lifted his head back up and nodded.

"Who?"

Zungumza patted hard on the floor with his foot as he tried to remember it. "Come on . . . I should know this."

Meanwhile, however, the cheetah had turned his head back towards the exit of the cave. He thought he could hear a couple of creatures approaching.

"Give me a minute Bwana," he said, "this might be them," and with that he walked out.

Bwana Zungumza stopped thinking and instead decided to get to his feet; ready in expectation for the king and queen of the Pridelands to walk in. He looked up the rocky pathway which rolled upwards up until the point it became a dirt path outside his cave, and then there was the backdrop of the blue sky behind it. A male and a female lion's face though soon began to obstruct that view.

Bwana Zungumza began to position himself so that it would make it easy for him to bow once the couple had approached him . . . but the king and queen had already thought ahead. One pace before the recommended pacing distance for bowing of four paces was reached, they both stooped to the ground, which resulted in Bwana Zungumza letting out a fairly amused smile.

"Thank you," he said as the king and queen picked themselves back up, "that's not the first time I've had a couple do that for me."

"Bwana Zungumza," began Nala, in a voice that was a lot quicker and shakier than what was normal for her, "you do not know how much this means this to me. I have been to every, single Siku Choka for as long as I can remember and it is an utter privilege for us to be able to do this. Thank you."

Bwana Zungumza smiled and then shifted his focus back in Simba's direction.

"Try and top that," he said challengingly, which made Simba grin as he watched his mate look down nervously at the ground.

Simba stuck his paw out. "How about this: I'm Simba, king of the Pridelands." Bwana Zungumza shook his paw.

"And I'm Nala, queen of the Pridelands," she said, holding out her paw. Bwana Zungumza picked her paw up at kissed it gently with his lips, which sent a shudder running down Nala's spine. She retrieved her paw once he'd let go, still looking on in disbelief at the events that were occurring.

The cheetah made his way back inside from the cave exit that was behind Simba and Nala.

"Ah," began Bwana Zungumza, signaling behind the king and queen who both turned around, "this is Kanafa; he's second in command to me. Great help, great help."

"Thank you Bwana," said the cheetah, as he made his way around Nala to sit down next to Zungumza. Nala watched him as he walked on by her, and Simba could tell that this was making her more disconnected than he had ever seen her before.

Kanafa took his spot, and then Bwana Zungumza decided to get down to business.

"Okay, first things first," he began, "Simba, do you know approximately how many herds there are within your lands?"

"Eh . . . let's see . . ." said Simba as he went into a bunch of mathematical mumbles that only he and Nala could hear.

While he was calculating, Nala turned back towards the two organizers. "How many competitors are there this year?"

"Sixteen," replied Kanafa.

Nala gasped. "Did Uku decide to return?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes," replied Kanafa again.

"Oh my goodness," began Nala, "it's all shaping up this year, isn't it? Bwana, this is your tenth year as an organizer, this is the twenty-fifth running, Guvu is trying to be the first to go for three in a row, and now Uku is coming back . . . and it's all going to be taking place in the Pridelands!"

"Nala," addressed Simba calmly.

"Oh . . ." said Nala, turning and blushing, ". . . sorry Simba."

Simba smiled and then turned his attention back towards the two organizers. "At any given time, I believe we have thirty proper-sized herds," he answered.

"Sounds good," replied Bwana Zungumza. "Anyway, so the Siku Choka should be beginning in six days. Before then we're going to need to spread the word, rally the herds, and prepare a track. You're going to have to give some members of your pride roles, 'cos you better bet we're gonna need them and eh . . . we should be good from there. Are you both fine with this?"

"Yes," Simba replied, "now rallying the herds, that's one of the last things we do, correct?"

"Yes," replied Bwana Zungumza, "however, you're going to need to think of how you're going to do it. Also, be sure that your pride doesn't go on a hunting frenzy before the Siku Choka, just to be safe."

"Sounds good," said Simba, wrapping up the conversation. "Ready Nala?" he asked.

Nala gave a quick nod; deciding that this time it was better to keep her mouth closed.

"Alright," said Bwana Zungumza, "guess we'll see each other again in six days. Keep sending me messages from that little bird of yours, I'll just want to be sure that things are still flowing smoothly."

Simba nodded. "Will do." He turned to his mate. "Come on Nala, let's go."

Scrabbling at the dirt, the gopher was soon able to claw through the final few crumbs to where he was in the position of being able to see the dimly lit red and purple sky in the background behind the hornbill of which had called for him.

"Zazu sire," he addressed, saluting.

Zazu returned the salute. "Good evening gopher. Just checking in to ensure that Winda had got the word."

"Yes indeed sire, she has."

"Excellent."

"What would you like me to do now, sire?"

"Go rest. I do not have any more information on what we should do at this point and time, but I have no idea how hectic it could get tomorrow."

"Yes sir, thank you," said the gopher, before popping one final, unreturned salute before ducking back into his hole and scurrying off.

Zazu stood, thinking to himself on what to do next with his wings crossed. He looked down at the floor below him. Something wasn't right. The stones were moving up and down and making clattery noises. He could hear a low rumble now, approaching him from behind. He turned around and his eyes grew wide as he watched a herd of zebra galloping, now within a few feet of him. Zazu ducked and covered his head with his wings, and soon he was engulfed in dust as the thunderous sound of hooves tromped around him.

The sounds and the rumbling soon began to die, and Zazu was finally able to peek one of his eyes above his wing, as he watched the herd run off into the distance. They had gone.

"Hmph," said Zazu, crossing his wings back over, "nobody should be hunting this late, especially this close to the Siku Choka. Now I wonder if I should inform Simba. Well, I'm going to see Bwana Zungumza anyways," he finished off, stretching his wings out, "maybe I could ask him," he said as he flew off.

Nala stood on the ledge of Pride Rock, surveying the lands. She was looking for any signs of a silhouette's movement. But when dealing with Rafiki, one could never be sure when, how, and where he would approach from. For that one reason, she'd been sure to take a step back from the very ledge as she tried to soak in all that had taken place within the time between when she woke up and now. She had already pinched herself several times this day to ensure that she wasn't dreaming. She couldn't believe it! Never, in her wildest dreams, could have she ever imagined being that close to Bwana Zungumza and Kanafa the cheetah. They were legends. But what's more, she was soon bound to be introduced to Guvu and even Uku. She had only ever met the two-time champion Juni in the past, and that was when she was with her mother and she was just a cub. Needless to say, Nala had a hard time remembering it.

Nala rattled her brains trying to remember if Juni still raced, but she didn't think that she did. Still, Uku was coming back; there was no reason Juni couldn't too.

"Nala," called Rafiki from behind her. Nala jumped a slight bit, and then turned around already knowing it was Rafiki behind her, while she congratulated herself on taking a step back from the precipice.

"Hi Rafiki," she called, as she walked up to him. "Well, what's the news?"

"Should be wet in five days, sunny for de Siku Choka."

Nala sighed out of relief. "Perfect," and then she went back into her fantastical planning trance: "Okay, so here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna try and keep that tiny waterhole next to the eastern border as clean as possible. When the rains come, we're going to send Timon and Pumbaa down to the jungle towards the south of us, and they'll collect as much rainberries as possible. We can even send a couple more down with them. We'll place the rainberries in the eastern waterhole and they should all soften up in the water, and then we'll be able to serve them to the spectators during the event. We'll have a couple of creatures take turns in fetching the rainberries from the waterhole, to the track, during the event and then they should stay fresh throughout. Sound good?"

"Nala, I'm sure you know soft rain . . ."

"Yes, they do make you drunk, but the Siku Choka only comes once a year. I'm sure that the spectators will be reasonable; I've seen soft rainberries at this event before."

"Just checking."

"Alright well, thank you Rafiki. I guess I'll let you get on now."

"Okay, been a pleasure Nala," said Rafiki, beginning to walk away with his stick, "see you tomorrow."

"See you," replied Nala, still smiling as she watched him walk off.

"So Shairi and Winda have been informed?" Kanafa asked Zazu as they sat outside Bwana Zungumza's cave.

"Correct."

"Okay, so that makes eleven of the sixteen who should now know all of the details. Um . . . I think you might want to inform Juni, she lives in the first pride down from yours if you fly southeast and um . . . Rakusa is the King of that pride, so you'll need to inform him too."

Zazu saluted and said: "Will do, sire," but as he turned around and opened his wings to fly off, he remembered something. "Oh . . ." he said, turning back to face Kanafa, ". . . one slight problem. Someone must have charged a herd of zebra earlier in our lands, is that allowed?"

"It wasn't the hunting party?" asked Kanafa, wearing a frown.

"No sire."

Kanafa then raised his eyebrows as he worked it out. "Oh . . . oh . . . no, it's okay Zazu. Don't worry about it."

Now it was Zazu's turn to feel confused. "Why not?"

"It was just the nyimbas."

(A/N): Well, hope you enjoyed that intro. Just in case you wanted to keep a list, here is a list of the competitors so far:

Uku (f.), Guvu (m.), Wamariri (f.), the nyimbas (?.), Winda (f.), Juni (f.), Shairi (f.), and Rakusa (m.)

(f.) = female

(m.) = male

(?.) = temporarily unknown

Please review!