yet warningly, he said to her, “It’s gonna be dangerous…”

Nala perked up her ears and smiled. “Danger? Ha! I laugh in the face of danger!” she said, mock-laughing. Clearly, I was missing something. I made a point to ask them what was up.

From behind us came a voice I did not recognize.

“I see nothing funny about this!”

I swung around, my hand diving into my pocket for my knife. I brought it out, unswitched, and looked around for our visitor. A reddish-brown warthog and a small meerkat were standing several feet away. The meerkat had his hands on his hips, a smug look on his face.

Simba looked down at them. “Timon! Pumbaa! What are you doing here?”

I put my knife away. Apparently, these were Simba’s friends he had spoken of. They were nothing to fear.

at stared up at me with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

“Ya know, you look a lot bigger when you’re not unconscious.”

I laughed and kneeled down to his level.

“I’ll be nicer to you than most of my kind would though.” I told him. “I’m no threat to you. I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced. I’m Ayden, brother of Simba and soon-to-be second king of the Pride Lands.”

Timon’s eyes grew wide, as did Pumbaa’s, who was now staring at me.

“Another king?” Timon said incredulously. “Oy! I’ll never understand politics!”

I chuckled and stared at both of them. The warthog stared at me for a moment, and then quickly bowed to me as he had to Simba.

It felt really weird to have somebody I had only just met bow to me…In fact, it felt weird to be bowed to at all. I wanted to tell him to stop, but I figured I would have to get used to this kind of behavior. When he righted himself, the warthog spoke up. “I’m Pumbaa, and this here is Timon.”

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you both.” I said sincerely. I looked back at Simba and Nala who were both smiling.

A warm feeling overcame me, and I could not resist smiling. I was finally home with Simba, my brother, and Nala, who was like a sister. And we had two friends here with us. It was hard to remember the severity of our situation when such a happy moment was upon us.

Timon walked and stopped next to Simba, observing the devastation.

“Ugh…” he sighed, “We’re gonna fight your uncle? For this?” There was definite disapproval in his voice.

Simba sighed, “Yes Timon. This is our home.”

More to himself, Timon said, “Boy…talk about your fixer-upper.” Then he spoke up to Simba and me. “Well Simba, Ayden, if it’s important to you guys, we’re with you to the end.” He placed his hand on his stomach, outstretched the other behind him, and bowed to both of us.

Again, it felt very awkward to be bowed to, but I smiled at him in gratitude.

The five of us stood still for a moment, staring out at Pride Rock. The clouds overhead were slowly moving as a wind picked up and blew them to the northwest.

This was it. After over two years of suffering, torment, sorrow, and pain, it was coming down to this. We were where we needed to be, and our dangerous task was laid in front of us, waiting to be carried out.

Quickly and silently, we made our way to Pride Rock. Oddly enough, there were no hyenas wandering the landscape. Even as I began to wonder where they had disappeared to, the answer presented itself.

We reached a large base of rocks that were situated just to the north of Pride Rock. As we cLIGN: justify">I laughed and kneeled down to his level.

“I’ll be nicer to you than most of my kind would though.” I told him. “I’m no threat to you. I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced. I’m Ayden, brother of Simba and soon-to-be second king of the Pride Lands.”

Timon’s eyes grew wide, as did Pumbaa’s, who was now staring at me.

“Another king?” Timon said incredulously. “Oy! I’ll never understand politics!”

I chuckled and stared at both of them. The warthog stared at me for a moment, and then quickly bowed to me as he had to Simba.

It felt really weird to have somebody I had only just met bow to me…In fact, it felt weird to be bowed to at all. I wanted to tell him to stop, but I figured I would have to get used to this kind of behavior. When he righted himself, the warthog spoke up. “I’m Pumbaa, and this here is Timon.”

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you both.” I said sincerely. I looked back at Simba and Nala who were both smiling.

A warm feeling overcame me, and I could not resist smiling. I was finally home with Simba, my brother, and Nala, who was like a sister. And we had two friends here with us. It was hard to remember the severity of our situation when such a happy moment was upon us.

Timon walked and stopped next to Simba, observing the devastation.

“Ugh…” he sighed, “We’re gonna fight your uncle? For this?” There was definite disapproval in his voice.

Simba sighed, “Yes Timon. This is our home.”

More to himself, Timon said, “Boy…talk about your fixer-upper.” Then he spoke up to Simba and me. “Well Simba, Ayden, if it’s important to you guys, we’re with you to the end.” He placed his hand on his stomach, outstretched the other behind him, and bowed to both of us.

Again, it felt very awkward to be bowed to, but I smiled at him in gratitude.

The five of us stood still for a moment, staring out at Pride Rock. The clouds overhead were slowly moving as a wind picked up and blew them to the northwest.

This was it. After over two years of suffering, torment, sorrow, and pain, it was coming down to this. We were where we needed to be, and our dangerous task was laid in front of us, waiting to be carried out.

limbed them, the base around Pride Rock came into view. Every few feet, hyenas lazily lay resting. We ducked behind a broken log to avoid being seen. We all peeked over the log at the grotesque monsters.

“Hyenas…” groaned Timon, fear apparent on his face. “I hate hyenas. So what’s the plan for getting past those guys?”

Without missing a beat, Simba looked at Timon and whispered, “Live bait.”

Timon smiled. “Good idea.” Then his smile faded and he became stern as he realized what Simba was getting at. “Hey!”

Simba stared at Timon, the utmost seriousness on his face. “Come on Timon! You guys have to create a diversion!”

Timon rolled his eyes and loudly burst out, “What do you want me to do? Dress in drag and do the hula?”

I leapt forward and clasped his head in my hand to silence him. The nearby hyenas had glanced over at his outburst, and we all ducked down to avoid being seen.

“Quiet!” I hissed at him through gritted teeth. His eyes met mine, and I felt him relax in my grasp. I released his head. He caught his breath for a moment, and then stared up at me, his hands on his hips.

“Timon, you need to do whatever will get them out of our way!” I whispered urgently. “Simba told me that you’re smart! You can do this! The whole plan depends on it!”

A small smile tugged at Timon’s lips at the compliment. He sighed, “All right then. Oy…come on Pumbaa. I’ve got an idea.”

He turned around and headed back into the Pride Lands. Pumbaa, with one last glance at us, turned and followed his friend. I watched as they disappeared around the corner of a large rock.

Simba, Nala, and I watched the hyenas for a few moments. They were all lying around so lazily, making our once majestic home look atrocious. Anger boiled inside of me. I grasped the knife in my pocket, longing to kill each and every one of them. But I knew if I did, then I would end up like Sekou.

Something moved behind me, and I turned and saw a sight I would never forget. Timon had somehow fashioned a very authentic looking hula outfit, complete with grass skirt, leis, and a flower in his hair. Pumbaa was holding what appeared to be an apple in his mouth. Upon closer inspection, I saw it was actually a very round and rusty colored stone.

Simba chuckled a little bit. “I didn’t think you’d take that particular idea of yours seriously.”

Timon rolled his eyes. “Hey, the kid said to do whatever it takes. This should work. Just get ready to go for it when we do this.”

I sighed, fighting not to laugh. Together, Simba, Nala, and I moved behind the log to the end of it, ready to move when the hyenas were distracted. Timon and Pumbaa silently moved into the open. Pumbaa lay on his stomach, placed the stone in his mouth like an apple, and closed his eyes. Timon sighed, rolled his eyes, and then turned around, his back facing the hyenas.

For a moment, I thought that fear had got the better of them, for neither one moved. Then, at the sound of drums, Timon quickly spun around, yelling at the top of his lungs, “LUAU!”

Every one of the sleeping hyenas woke up, and the relaxing ones gave a start. Turning their heads in Timon and Pumbaa’s direction, they watched bewilderedly as Timon began to hula and sing a tropical tune. Slowly, the hyenas stood up and began to walk in Timon and Pumbaa’s direction, their tongues hanging out, drool dripping disgustingly from them.

Timon continued to sing, but his face became more and more fearful as the hyenas drew closer. Next to me, I noticed movement and I turned to see Simba and Nala were slowly creeping out into the open while the hyenas were distracted by Timon’s song. I moved forward and stayed next to Nala.

Staring at Timon the entire time, we kept sneaking forward. If I was not worried that the hyenas would spot us at any second, I would have paid more attention to Timon’s song. The situation would have been hilarious, if not for those bloodthirsty and vicious monsters.

Only five more steps…three more…one more…

 

We reached the safe point behind a large rock, and I signaled to Timon. He ended the song, and not a moment too soon. Both he and Pumbaa bolted out of sight before the hyenas could take one bite out of them. But like bullets, they too ran after Timon and Pumbaa, and soon

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