A Ghost Of A Memory

Hunger, thirst, and curiosity were the main driving forces that pushed the rogue lioness into the jungles. She had quickly found herself fascinated with the trees and lush vegetation, it was beautiful and she could see why any lion would live here in the shade rather than on the hot plains. She stuck out like a sore thumb however with her dune coat, and tan underbelly, only the darker parts of her blending in with the shadows provided by the foliage. She made sure to skirt anywhere that held the fresh scents of lions but couldn't help herself when she got close to a place she would later learn was called the oasis.

She rooted out the smell of a warthog and snorted at the pungent smell but her stomach growled insistently at her. She sighed before slinking low and moving towards where she thought the source might be, she was afraid to hunt on these lands but she was much hungrier than she would have liked and food seemed to be no problem here. Her tail barely poked up above the foliage like a coal color bug of some sort. Her paws made more noise than she was used to on the foreign sticks but the moss muffled it again when she made it to a long stretch.

The smell was getting stronger and she smirked her ears flicking back against her skull, she would have this pig in no time. A log lay ahead of her and she couldn't see over it from her crouch but she could hear something moving around and so excited and hungry she threw caution to the wind. Her slow slink turned into a sped up walk and finally into a run before she jumped over the log her claws out and her teeth bared. However what she barreled into was not a warthog and she quickly sheathed her claws and covered her teeth before plowing into the golden pelt of a male lion. This would likely not end well and she did her best to roll away and onto her paws after they hit the ground with a thoroughly embarrassed look on her face.

"I'm sorry, I thought....I should have watched where I was going" she blurted sheepishly.

While the company of a certain warthog and meerkat was normally welcome, as the days passed, Simba found it increasingly impossible to ignore his sense of loneliness. The days were endlessly sunny and pleasant in their jungle home, and though the local pride was aware of the lion's presence, they seemed to tolerate him. Simba stayed away from the Lowlanders, and they left him alone, an unspoken pact formed years ago when the golden cub first appeared in the jungle. His contact with the outside world had been nearly non-existent, but today would be different. Timon and Pumbaa had gone off to hunt for grubs, but Simba had declined their offer to join, instead lazing around the oasis, lost to his own sad thoughts. Wistful daydreams of his carefree youth swirled through his mind; of the cubs he had known, of his home.

The golden brown lion hadn't heard Imani approaching, too distracted by memories of his past to hear her stalking. In the blink of an eye, his solitude was suddenly interrupted by a tan lioness flying headlong into the male, and Simba went sprawling, in spite of his size. He was clearly astonished, but not in an angry, offended sort of way. It had been ages since he had seen another of his species, and the sudden, unexpected appearance of another leonine form brought a wide smile to Simba's face. But his expression instantly fell the moment he spotted the scar the lioness had on her face, and he couldn't help the feeling that he had met her before, somewhere. It would be impossible though, wouldn't it? She wasn't a Lowlander, he could tell by her unfamiliar scent, and yet he was certain they had met before.

The past was so distant now, and Simba had been trying to escape the life he left behind for years. He wasn't about to suggest any familiarity between the two. Instead, a good-natured chuckle parted his maw as he gathered himself, brushing off some dirt from his tumble. "No harm done. If you're looking for a warthog, you're wasting your time. Sorry. He's not here, and I'd have to insist you leave him alone, if he were." Obviously the lioness had been hunting for something other than a full grown lion, and Simba guessed it was none other than his friend Pumbaa. The smell of his friend was hard to miss near their stomping grounds. It was indeed unusual for a lion to befriend something that would easily constitute a meal, but Simba felt he owed his life to his corpulant friend, and would protect him and Timon, if a hunter ever came around. "You're not from around here, are you?" He glanced over the lioness, unable to contain his curiosity.

The male seemed surprised but not angry and she cleared her throat, her tail sweeping the ground in an embarrassed fashion. Of all the days she could have chosen to run into somebody it had to be the day that she was doing something she shouldn't have. He simply chuckled at her though and she raised her head with a half smile at him, perhaps he really wasn't mad, that would be a nice change of pace from the males she was used to meeting. Most would have throw a fit over such an atrocity, especially a rogue, though she wasn't sure if that was what he was.

She cocked her head to the side curiously when he defended the warthog from her, that must mean that they were friends in some way. How curious. She gave him a more scrutinizing look, her blue eyes studying his golden pelt and rich red mane, he reminded her of someone strongly. Mufasa. She felt her heart squeeze, she hadn't been very old when he was king but she remembered him, he had been a kind King and the loss of both him and the Prince had been devastating. This lion resembling him so was odd and stirred memories in her of playing with a cub long ago, but there was no way it could be him, Simba was dead after all. Not that any of them had seen his body like they had Mufasa's.

His question brought her out of her thoughts and she roused herself with a quick shake of her head. "Oh, um, no. Actually I am but a rogue. I was passing through, hunting, when I ran into you. You'll have to forgive my stalking of your friend, I had no idea" she apologized and smiled a bit bigger, her ears flattening out to the side like a sheepish cub. She had done that a lot in her childhood and it was a habit she still retained, "What about yourself, have I come upon a Lowlander King?" she asked curiously and raised a brow, her ears perking back up as she stood taller. She didn't want to appear weak in front of a king after all, it would make her look like easy prey to any lion, not that this one seemed the least bit mean.

In fact he seemed rather...sweet.

Soft brown eyes widened when Imani ventured to guess that Simba was the king of the jungle, and a little laugh escaped as he shook his head. A few stray strands of his auburn mane falling before his eyes, which he quickly brushed aside with a paw. "Oh no, no, I'm definitely not the king! I'm just a rogue too, but the jungle pride has been gracious and they let me to stay, as long as I keep my distance from them." Unable to miss the way the lioness straightened her posture, he realized how difficult it must be for a female vagabond to survive, in this day and age. As a lion, he had more liberty, and was relatively unafraid when he did leave the jungle to hunt on the savanna. The lioness did seem rather thin, but otherwise healthy, with an unusual but lovely coat pattern. Her muzzle was dark, and she vaguely reminded Simba of one of the Lowlanders named Duara, but she avoided the golden brown lion, despite being near the same age.

Unwilling to let the lioness think he was a threat in any way, Simba sat down, and his tail curled around his legs. As his mane had grown in, he could still remember the shock, the feeling of hurt it caused, for it was the same exact hue as his father's had been. It was yet another painful reminder of the charmed life he once led. He had stared into his reflection at the oasis, and regret the fact that he looked so much like Mufasa, but otherwise was nothing like the great lion. Simba wasn't brave, nor was he wise, and he certainly wasn't responsible.

He hadn't realized how much he missed conversing with one of his own until then, and he couldn't wipe the silly grin off of his face. The former prince felt an inexplicable draw to the lioness, as if she was someone he had once known, still not realizing that indeed, they two had met before. The pair had played together briefly as cubs in the Pridelands, though Simba had been a bit older than Imani. Her name had long since been forgotten, but he couldn't help the quizzical look as he gazed at her. Maybe he had seen her, long ago, out in the savanna? "I'm Simba, by the way! I can't remember the last time I met someone new, you'll have to forgive me if I'm staring," he commented with a light chuckle, not guessing that his deep, dark secret was now out in the open. The Pridelanders had never seen the mangled corpse of the fallen prince because there wasn't one to present, and he had somehow, against all odds, managed to survive after all.

Imani was relieved when he said he wasn't the King of this region but also a bit disappointed, it would have been nice to see there was a nice King out there again. His words were heartening though, if a male rogue was allowed to stay so close to the jungle pride then there was little reason for her to worry. Unless of course their King was so confident in himself that he didn't mind a younger rogue being around, it was hard to grasp and she let it slip to the back of her mind for now. She would worry about that if she ever ran across that pride.

The male sat down and when she was sure that his posture wasn't hostile she herself sat, one of her hind legs easing out to skew lazily beneath her. She had an odd habit but it showed she was comfortable with him, she was after all optimistic and this lion seemed harmless enough. The goofy smile on his face made her smile back, it was infectious how happy he was and she wondered why he was that way in the first place. "Well I'm glad they've let you stay in such a beautiful place, they must have a very kind King indeed" she said with a soft laugh of her own in reply to his earlier statement.

It had been a while since she'd talked to a full grown lion that wasn't Mahir, not that Mahir was a very talkative lion in the first place. His final words however made her eyes widened to the size of plates and she opened her maw in surprise, "S-Simba..." she said softly and she nearly rose to her feet but surprise kept her rooted to the spot. "Now you'll have to forgive my stare, my name is Imani, and its not every day that you see a ghost..." she said softly. Perhaps he would remember her, or perhaps not, they had not spent a lot of time together once he'd been linked to his betrothed Nala. Her mother had given up on him and found more use for her female cubs instead by training them to be deadly huntresses.

"I used to live in the Pridelands as s cub..." she added and shook her head in disbelief, "You're supposed to be dead..."

Simba was pleased to see that Imani trusted him enough to stop and sit to chat a while, secretly elated to have someone else besides his foster parents around for once. "To be honest, I don't know who the king is nowadays. There have been a few since I first showed up here. Whoever it is, I haven't been run out of the territory yet, so I guess he can't be too horrible!" He was so far removed from the Lowlanders that he didn't even know the king and his sons had all been killed, and the only one left was a lone princess who had claimed the throne for herself and her lioness companion.

Giving his name had seemed innocent enough, but Imani's expression immediately changed, and Simba wondered what on earth had come over her. She stuttered his name back, and then... Simba's mouth fell open as the recognition was confirmed. Of course. Her brown muzzle. As her name ruminated within his brain, a memory came flooding back to Simba, from an incident that had happened many years ago when both were still very young. Imani's mother had brought the little female cub, barely old enough to walk at the time, to meet the prince, and he had commented that her dark muzzle looked funny. Sarabi had instantly reprimanded him for making such a rude comment about another lion, and he could still recall how guilty he had felt, for he hadn't meant to be rude at all. He had only meant that he had never seen such a thing before, not that it was bad, and his mother punished him that night by making him eat after every other pride member had had their fill of the day's kill.

Immediately, a confusing rush of emotions flooded into the lost heir of the Pridelands. He couldn't believe that after so many years, someone from his past had finally discovered him. She thought she was looking at a ghost, and he wondered briefly what Scar had said after the accident in the stampede, but he didn't dare to ask. A wave of dread then hit Simba like a tidal wave. What if she knew what had happened, how he had lead his father to his demise beneath the hooves of the wildebeests? Then, of all things, he felt a sense of guilt for remembering her now, and the comments he had made a lifetime ago about her unique appearance. "Imani. I... I can't believe it," he said after a long moment of lingering silence, looking as if he had just seen a phantom, as well. "I didn't know-- I mean, I do, I just..." His words tapered off into stunned silence, unsure of how to continue. She had left the Pridelands as well, it seemed, but why? Had Scar chased her away?

To any passing animal she was sure they would have looked funny, two lions sitting and gaping at each other with their mouths wide open. Simba stuttered out her name and she saw the recognition when his eyes went to her muzzle again, yes she remember that, he had thought her muzzled had looked funny when she was but a newborn. Not that she had minded, she was less petty than most and he had looked so sorry after he had said it, she twitched her nose for a moment before settling her expression into one of mere stunned disbelief.

"It has been a long time, if I am unbelievable to you, then you can only imagine what I feel. Scar told us all that you had died, trampled along with Mufasa in an accidental stampede" she said shaking her head once again. Her posture had straightened into a regular sitting position again and her posture was once more straight. She stood unable to keep her curiosity at bay and circled him once looking him over before stopping in front of him again, "I just can't believe that you're...here..." she poked him with a paw in the chest lightly "alive and clearly well" she said.

She sat quickly again, "What have you been doing all these years?" she asked quietly. She wasn't sure what she felt now, Simba was alive, which mean he should be King not that monster Uncle of his. But he had to have a reason for not going back, there was always a reason, but what could make him stay away when things were so terrible back home. Terrible enough that people were dying all the time, and terrible enough that he could let his own mother believe him to be dead. She left all those questions unasked and just stared over at him with her dark blue eyes curiously, it was still hard to believe that he was alive, and that he looked so much like his father.

The lion had braced himself for the onslaught of questions: Where had he been all these years? Why didn't he bother to return? And worst of all: What are you going to do about it now that someone knows the truth? Thankfully, Imani still seemed too surprised to makes all of the inquiries that Simba was frankly not ready to discuss, instead mentioning his uncle and the stampede that he himself had caused, somehow. He couldn't bear to learn how his family had fared, once their beloved king was lost forever because of his foolish son. The pain was physical, it was so intense to remember, that Simba had to duck his head to suck in a deep breath of air, to keep from reacting visibly.

It still felt as if it had happened only yesterday. In his dreams, he still heard the echoes of the hooves in the gorge, his father calling his name, screaming... He couldn't think of this now. No, he shook his head, brushing the terrible memories aside. Instead, when he looked back up at Imani again, he was grinning once again. It was forced now, and he gave a brief laugh in an attempt to still seem as light-hearted as he had only minutes before. She prodded him gently with a paw, as if to make sure that he wasn't some illusion after all. When she asked what he had been up to, he forced another chuckle, shrugging as if the years had been so dull, they were not really worth mentioning.

"Oh, you know, just getting by. I've been living here with my friends. The warthog you were hunting for? He helped raise me." He hoped that this random piece of interesting information would distract Imani from asking anything else that he wasn't prepared to deal with. "What about you?" Simba was hesitant to ask, fearful to hear that the worst had happened back home, though he couldn't begin to imagine just how awful the circumstances were in the Pridelands. He gritted his teeth, as if he was awaiting a scratch to the face instead of a simply reply.

He still seemed light hearted enough but there was something behind his eyes she couldn't quite but her finger on. She sat again watching him curiously, he chuckled and shrugged at her as though he had never been gone and nothing had happened to him. She wasn't sure how someone like him could have a dull life if he was on the run but there was nothing that said he hadn't left of his own volition, he didn't seem eager to know much about home after all.

She looked surprised when he said that the warthog that she had been hunting had helped raised him. "Well I'm glad I didn't find him then...imagine that, a lion raised by a warthog" she snorted and shook her head with a smile, "You're full of surprises my friend" she added. When he asked his own question she looked somber for a moment before shrugging nonchalantly as well, "I became a rogue, my mother was always a little overbearing and when Scar became King she gave me this" she said and reached up to put a paw to her scar over her eye. "I had just about enough of her behavior so I left, some of my siblings didn't make it so I ended up on my own being raised by a Cheetah" she told her own story and smiled.

Leaving had been terrible but she didn't regret it she was happy and had been since she'd found Machafu all those years back to take care of her. "I don't regret the decision, it was probably the best one I made, and I couldn't be happier. It's not easy being a rogue, it gets lonely, but the freedom is worth it. Seeing this reinforces that" she said and looked around at the trees and plant life around her. This area was beautiful and had she stayed in the Pridelands she'd be a prisoner like the rest of that pride, forced to do their King's bidding and never leave.

"You're lucky to live here there is so much beauty" she added with a soft smile and swept a hand along the ground, making a flower sway softly at her feet.

The lion watched with a serious expression when Imani revealed how she had received her scar. It was hard to believe that any lion could hurt a young cub, especially a mother, who was supposed to love and cherish her young. This thought brought an immediate, sharp pain to Simba's chest. His poor mother... Sarabi had been left with nothing when her mate and son were suddenly taken from her, and he opened his mouth as if to speak, to ask about her, but quickly changed his mind. What good would it do to know all the painful details of what had happened in his absence? Hakuna Matata... Right?

He gave an appreciative chuckle at the notion of a cheetah raising a cub. "Well, I'm happy to see you made it, too." It was far less outrageous than a warthog and meerkat doing the job, since either would have been fed as a meal to little lions. When the lioness complimented her surroundings, Simba nodded quickly, grateful for Imani's comment about the jungle, for it meant he was off the hook for now. "It is great, isn't it? You haven't even seen the best parts yet!" He announced eagerly, his smile now a little more sincere than it had been moments before. "If you've got nothing better to do, I could show you around. There are waterfalls, and mountains you would never see unless you knew how to find them."

It wasn't often that Simba had the opportunity to show someone around, and the idea seemed to have perked him up a bit after his brief lapse into depression. "I haven't seen the Lowlanders in ages, you don't have to worry about that," he added reassuringly, knowing that for a rogue, entering pride territories often meant being swiftly chased out. Without even waiting for a response, the restless young lion was on his feet again, ready to lead the way. He couldn't remember the last time he had a random adventure, and the prospect was pretty exciting for Simba.

She couldn't help but smile at the male lion when he got excited over showing her his home and she laughed. She almost brought up the threat of the Lowlanders but when he assured her that he hadn't seem them in ages she really had no reason to refuse and moved to stand by his flank. "Well then I guess I have no worries, I'd love to see it all, I haven't been somewhere this beautiful in a long time. And the company isn't too bad either" she said playfully with another soft laugh.

It was so hard to believe that he was their lost prince, he was so full of life and so vivacious. If she had entertained the notion of finding the Prince she would have thought he would be a dejected and jaded thing but here he was excited over the prospect of showing around a not so complete stranger. She found it amusing and slightly endearing that he could keep himself so upbeat, never did she think that it was perhaps the fact that he was ignorant of what was going on in the Pridelands.

He hadn't asked and she wasn't about to ruin this occasion by bringing it up, serious talks could be saved for later. For now she simply followed along behind him feeling like a giddy cub again, she herself hadn't had the pleasure of going on an adventure like this in some time. Sure she played with the cubs of Mahir but she rarely led them far from their home since they were so young.

The lion could only laugh when Imani commented about her company, unaccustomed to flattery -- unless Timon was complimenting a particularly obnoxious belch, or something equally appalling. The bachelor life was seldom pretty. Simba could scarcely recall the last time he had had a conversation that didn't center around grubs, napping, and gas. "The scenery will probably be better than the conversation here, but I'll show you the finest the jungle has to offer."

Simba was pleased to have different company for once, and was certainly not going to complain that said company came in the form of a pretty young lioness! There was a hop to his gait that suggested he was as happy as could be. But beneath the smiling exterior, beneath the brief moment of shock and joy at seeing a familiar face, the lion was still wounded by his past. The decisions he had made since he had his father there to guide him had all been irresponsible, and selfish, and he could only ignore it for so long.

But ignoring the pain was something he had been taught by Timon and Pumbaa in the jungle, and he grinned as he lead the way through the gigantic trees. He breathed in the familiar scent of the area and exhaled with a heavy sigh. "Just over this way," he said aloud as he turned sharply around a grove of palms. It was the very sight his new friends had taken the cub, the day he had been brought to the jungle: a stunning vista of tall cascades, and river snaking through the floor of the jungle. There were an impossible number of shades of green present, and the lion smiled broadly as he stepped aside for Imani to see the wondrous scene. "What do you think? This is my favorite place around. I could just look at it forever. The jungle is so big, I don't think the Lowlanders ever even come this far!"

She snorted at his own jab at himself but said nothing in return, only her muzzle showed she didn't quite believe him. Any conversation was good in her opinion, she rarely had many people to talk to since she often roamed far and wide rather than staying in one place all the time. Even rogues tended to settle down in the Stronghold but there were so few that it didn't quite feel like a pride as it did just a few lions stopping in to enjoy the company of another living thing for a night or two.

She smiled as she trailed behind him noticing the skip in his gait, she shook her head, his cublike attitude at the moment was nothing short of adorable. While they walked she made sure to pay attention but her eyes couldn't help but move around the scenery around them, so many colors surrounded her, some the plants themselves while others were the birds that flitted above them. They were so beautiful she had no want to eat them despite her gnawing hunger from earlier, in fact she didn't really even feel hungry anymore now that she was on this exciting 'adventure'.

She heard him call out and finally lowered her eyes from the canopy to be greeted with an even more breathtaking sight. Her mouth dropped open as she looked out at it and moved forward slowly to get a better look when he moved aside for her, there was more lush jungle in front of them with meandering rivers and long beautiful cascades that formed waterfalls, the like of which she had never seen before. "It's....well it's very beautiful, the Lowlanders and truly missing out. Simba...thank you for showing me this, I do believe it will find its place in my dreams frequently" she said softly, her breath still not having returned.

She shook her head, "I can see why you can't stop staring at it" she added and looked over at him with a soft smile. A sudden idea struck her and she grinned bouncing slightly, "Do you think we could get closer to the waterfall?" she asked quickly, excitement thick in her tone and she quickly fell into sheepish silence and dropped her head. As giddy as a cub.

Enthusiasm was infectious, and Simba was pleased to see the impression his adopted home had on Imani. He turned to watch the pleased look cross her muzzle as she took in the sight for the first time, relishing her expression. He could still remember the first time he had ever laid eyes on the waterfalls himself; even in those dark times, the serenity of his new home had always been a source of comfort. That, and ignoring the past, naturally. "Oh yeah, it's not far at all! There's a trail down there that's easy to follow, where we've walked down to it countless times over the years. The water there is the best," he offered, head bobbing to prove he meant what he said.

He led the way once again, down a path worn down beneath the paws and hooves of Simba and his companions over the years. If the Lowlanders knew about this place, they made themselves scarce. Simba didn't know much about the jungle pride, only that they had been involved in numerous battles throughout the years he had spent there. In recent months, things seem to have calmed down for them, but he remained distant. They had no use for him, and he had no plans to join them. There were occasions where he missed being around his own kind, but he had learned to live without. It didn't seem so lonely until he remembered how much he missed having someone else to talk to, on a subject other than food and where to nap for the afternoon.

The lion had not guessed the rogue was nearly famished, and Simba was not ready to tell the lioness what his diet had mostly consisted over during his time spent in the jungle. It seemed more of the herd animals were turning up in the Lowlands, a direct result of the drought that consumed the Pridelands. After so many years spent eating grubs, Simba was thrilled to test his own hunting abilities on the random zebra or antelope that sometimes passed by the oasis now. He wasn't very good and had not yet succeeded yet, a huntress would laugh at the sight of the lion awkwardly throwing himself at his prey, but it was better than no practice in the field at all. He briefly wondered if the pair would be lucky that day and come across a herd. Certainly, his luck would improve with a lioness at his side.

After walking along in silence for a few minutes, Simba looked back to be certain Imani was still following. "So you've been living without a pride for a while now? Where exactly is 'home'?" He was aware that many rogues preferred the neutral areas in the open savanna, where they had at least some freedom to walk and hunt without being chased away. But even that place had its dangers. Simba had been shielded from all of that during his growing years, tucked away in the secluded jungle.

When Simba didn't call her on her odd behavior and only seemed just as happy to show her she smiled at him brightly. She padded behind him with a hop in her gait now as well, and she looked over his shoulder curiously at what was ahead of them before finally working up he nerve to move up to his side so they were shoulder to shoulder. He was taller of course but she didn't mind and she smiled gently tossing a look over at him, he was...handsome. It had been quite a while since she'd been around a male that she had actually thought that about and she let her eyes drop to the ground for a moment, she had hated her mother forcing her to play with him back then but now she regretted the fact that she hadn't had more time with him.

She felt silly for thinking such a thing and shook her head slightly, pull it together girl! Her hunger had been mostly forgotten in light of all the excitement but no doubt if they ran across something edible it would be quickly remembered. For now she was content to walk along with him in the silence that had fallen, it wasn't uncomfortable but it was full of weight. Each had their own thoughts they were lost to it seemed and only when the silence broke did she actually look up and blink the glaze from her blue eyes. "Oh, well yes it has been a long time, I left home more than two years ago" she confirmed with a strained smile before looking back ahead of them.

When asked about where home was she had to think about it but shrugged her shoulder, "For a rogue, wherever we lay our head is home is it not?" she smiled mischievously but decided to give him a more definite answer. "Though I suppose if I had to say where I spend most of my time it would be the Stronghold in the Savannah, a few others stay there as well, it makes things a little less lonely" she admitted with a soft laugh and ducked her head for a moment. "Is it safe to say you mostly stay here?" she asked curiously, she wasn't sure she was ready to admit she wanted to see more of him but she could feign innocent curiosity.

As Imani quickened her pace to match Simba's, the lion suppressed a grin. It was a strange thing, finding someone he once knew so far from the home they had once inhabited. Both had their reasons for being elsewhere at present, but much to Simba's relief, Imani still didn't ask the questions he wasn't prepared to answer: How had he gotten to the jungle, and why was he still there? The lioness had been on her own for two years, and so she wouldn't know just how bad it had gotten, but the former prince of the Pridelands was still not asking any questions himself. Part of him was dying to know, but knowing would mean he was responsible. That would not jive with his adopted 'Hakuna Matata' lifestyle.

"Yes, this is home now," he stated, though the words brought an unexpected pain to his chest. It was the same stabbing ache that afflicted the lion whenever he paused to remember his old life, his mother, his former friends, the loss of his father too soon. He hadn't anticipated it would be so difficult to keep up happy appearances once in the pressence of another lion, but Imani was a reminder of all the things he tried so hard to avoid. His features were momentarily shadowed by his gloomy internal dialogue, but once again, he quickly forced a smile as the two walked side by side. "Couldn't leave my warthog and meerkat friends to their own devices. Not with vicious rogues like you hunting for them," he said with a teasing chuckle. "Is the savanna safe for rogues? I mean, you don't have to deal with any crazy rogue lions, do you?"

Suddenly, the golden brown lion stopped dead in his tracks, rosy nostrils flaring as he caught an unusual scent on the breeze. The smell reminded him of the Pridelands, of fresh kills presented to the royal family by the hunting party: it was undoubtedly gazelle. Well, Simba wasn't much of a hunter, since no one had ever taught him how to do it, but a gazelle was something worth investing. Up until recently, large prey had been scarce there, anyway. "Hey, are you hungry? Do you smell that?" There would be time enough for waterfalls, but a good meal -- something other than grubs, now that was pure luck.

Contrary to what he might think she was well aware of what things were like back in the Pridelands. She found herself keeping an eye on them and skulking the borders more often than she would have liked, mostly because of her family she had left behind. Maybe she didn't know intimate details but she could see that the lands were dying and that the pride was downtrodden, that was all she really needed to know. She smiled coyly and tried to feign innocence by batting her lashes at him, "Vicious? Me? Never!" she said with a laugh and pranced slightly ahead of him.

She snorted softly and looked back at him seriously, "I wish I could say no but...sometimes rogues are rogues for a reason but I can usually keep my tail out of trouble" she said with a grimace and flicked said tail with a slight chuckle. Some rogues were out on the Savannah because of their volatile and nasty dispositions, she'd been able to avoid them for the most part because she was smart, and she valued her ability to judge character with a look. She turned her head to stare ahead again when she paused to sniff the air with him, it was all heavy smells to her but she could detect a familiar one on the undercurrent.

Simba smelled it as well and she grinned, "Let's hunt" she said softly and crouched low to the ground. Her muscles rippled under her sleek pelt as she slinked through the undergrowth and she glanced back to see that Simba was following her, he knew the terrain better than her after all.

No, Imani was hardly vicious. Not towards the auburn maned lion, anyway. On the contrary, when Simba could ignore the gnawing guilt, he found the lioness to have a soothing affect on him. He had been so restless as of late, and felt worlds better in the presence of another of his species. His eyes narrowed slightly when Imani mentioned having to watch out for male rogues, feeling upset at the thought of the pretty lioness running away, terrorized by one of his own gender... Simba was obviously not that type of lion. He had barely given any thought at all towards procreation or any of the other things that adult lions were supposed to care about. "As long as you can handle yourself out there."

It was clear the lioness could also smell whatever was lurking nearby, and Simba grinned when she was ready to hunt, trying to hide his own excitement. Taking his cues from the lioness, Simba's head lowered, and he did his best to imitate the way she crouched low as she moved through the trees, towards the appealing scent of a respectable meal. He tried to recall how the lionesses hunted back home, the way a few would go one direction, while the others veered the other, and somehow, they would surprise their prey nearly every time. His mother had been an especially skilled huntress, he knew for a fact, but it just wasn't a lion's place to hunt.

So one could hardly blame Simba for being a little clumsy as he was slinking along behind Imani. He was impressed by the way she carried herself; hunting obviously came natural to the female rogue, and her muscles were strong and capable, in spite of her lifestyle outside of the safety and comfort of a pride. The pair stalked through an area thick with brush, and Simba knew there was a clearing just ahead beside a stream. If there was one place a gazelle (or a herd of them, for all he knew!) would likely be, it was only a short distance away, and he cleared his throat to get Imani's attention. Voice low, he stepped closer to whisper in her ear, "It's going to be just ahead. So uh.. What's the plan?" He grinned sheepishly, still not willing to admit that his hunting experience was minimal at best. Beyond the brush was a lone gazelle, who most likely had gotten lost from the rest of its herd, sucking up the cool liquid from the river. "There's water on the other side. Maybe it we surprise it, it won't know which way to turn...?" He offered hopefully, the grin not hidden from his muzzle.

She only paused when she heard Simba clear his throat behind her, and looked over her shoulder, her entire body as still as stone besides that curve of her neck to fix her blue eyes on him. His grin was sheepish and she wondered what made him so, perhaps he wasn't used to hunting with a partner, no matter. She smiled encouragingly and glanced towards the lone gazelle which seemed unknowing of their position among the foliage. A rare treat as usually something could have alerted it by now, it seemed the jungle was far easier to hunt in than the plains she came from.

She contemplated their options, they could both circle to different sides of it and scare it but it could bolt into the trees if they let it. No she had a much better idea than that and smirk to herself, this could be done if the gazelle cooperated and she was quick enough. "You're right, I think startling it will be our best bet. Circle around behind it as close as you can in the trees, ambush it towards me, I'll be in the trees ahead of it behind that log, when it gets ready to jump I'll jump and get its throat. That is if its even needed, you might be able to catch it unawares from behind" she said softly and nodded for him to go along unless he had questions.

When it was all said and done she started her way towards the log she had mentioned so that she'd be straight ahead of it when it bolted. She only hoped that it didn't see her too quickly or their plan would be ruined unless they could chase it down. She settled herself behind the log and peered between a small crack so she could keep the animal in her sites and shifted her shoulders so that she was ready to pounce whenever he was ready to attack. She couldn't do much to signal him so she only hoped he would be confident that she was lined up.

As Imani looked back over her shoulder, Simba couldn't help the smile that crossed his features. His friend - and certainly, she could be considered a friend now - had the most stunning blue eyes that reminded him of the cool water of the oasis; his saving grace after being rescued by Timon and Pumbaa. He had never seen eyes like hers before, and wondered how he had not taken notice as a cub, so many years ago. The lioness was ready to hunt, and so was Simba, who felt rather like a cub at play for the first time in a long time. He merely nodded in response. After a few seconds had lapsed, Simba trusted that Imani was in the right place for their plan to work, and he disappeared behind the jungle trees.

Fallen leaves and growing moss on the earthen floor softened every footfall, and the gazelle still seemed unaware of the pair's presence nearby. Perhaps it assumed itself to be safe, away from the hunters of the savannah. Every step was carefully taken, but the closer the lion got, the less patience he had for sneaking around in the trees. Then, a single ear on the gazelle's head flicked in Simba's direction. Instantly, he assumed he had made a mistake, and without a second thought, he leapt for the gazelle from the tree line. The attack was awkward, clumsy, but the auburn maned brute was determined not to fail in front of the lioness. The gazelle hastily turned to run away from the lion, but in its confusion, the creature hesitated a second too long, and Simba enjoyed the feeling of flesh ripping beneath his claws as he tore into its side.

The lone animal cried out in anguish, knowing that its life would soon be exhausted, but not without a fight. Simba couldn't recall the last time he had taken down something so large, and the thrill of the hunt seemed to cloud his judgement. Before he could step away, the gazelle offered one last resistance with a kick to his attacker's head. Had it not been for his thick mane, the lion would certainly have been killed instantly from the blow, but instead he was just knocked back. The gazelle was badly injured though, and would not make it far before Imani could finish it off. Simba sat down in a daze, still seeing stars from the impact, but he knew he had done enough and that his friend would handle the kill now. After a few seconds to regain his senses, he could only smile proudly, in spite of the kick to the head, and the smell of bloodwas enticing. "Ladies first," he called out with a chuckle as he looked to see if their meal was indeed taken care of. "I'm okay. Really. Have your fill, it's probably been a while since your last good meal," he offered as he lifted a paw to his head to make sure he wasn't bleeding. "Then again, grubs aren't exactly filling unless you eat for hours." Sharing the secret to his diet had not been in Simba's plan, but in his dazed state, the comment slipped out.

She heard and saw Simba burst from his hiding place when the animal's ear twitched in his direction, it was a hasty decision but sometimes that made the difference between getting a meal and going hungry. The confusion that overtook the gazelle made her think that the male didn't hunt these parts too often and she growled getting herself ready to throw herself over the log at it's body. The sound of anguish only made her more eager and she sharp scent of blood made her sure that he had gotten a shot in.

She had just peered over when he received his kick to the head and she panicked but anger flashed through her and she leaped for the animal and took it down without a second thought. If it had indeed really hurt him then it deserved its fate and to not leave this clearing, she was relieved however to hear his voice and her teeth released the animals throat after it ceased to move. She hurried around the kill despite his urging her to eat, he still seemed dazed, he even mentioned eating grubs. It explained the animals comfort in this area in the least and his smaller size than his father, but he seemed to have been nourished just fine. It was better than starving.

She moved to the male and lifted her muzzle to gently nudge against his cheek, "My stomach can wait, are you hurt Simba?" she asked in concern. Her blue eyes peered at his own and her ears slicked back against her head as she looked him over, he didn't seem to be bleeding but he didn't seem to be completely aware either. A kick like that would have killed her, she could only guess that he either had a very thick skull or a very thick mane, either way he was the luckiest lion she knew at the moment.

Thankfully for the former prince, he possessed both a thick skull (both literally and figuratively speaking) and a mane that had grown in as fine as his father's, even if Simba would never match Mufasa's massive size. He remained where he sat, allowing Imani to worry and fuss over him for a few seconds with a hidden grin. "I'm fine, I promise," he said gently, though the feeling of Imani's muzzle against his face brought about another strange sensation akin to dizziness, but in a good way that Simba could not describe. After a moment, he shook his head to clear his senses further. "I messed that one up, but we made a good team, anyway."

His mouth was salivating at the sight of the gazelle carcass, still so fresh, and it was all he could do to hold back. Simba was determined to be a gentleman and allow Imani to eat first. She had, after all, made the kill, and she had come a long distance to dine with her rediscovered friend. So the golden brown lion only padded over to the carcass, brown eyes wide with anticipation. "I can't even remember the last time... But go ahead." He sat back on his haunches to wait until his instincts could no longer hold him back. In the Pridelands, his family had always been the first to feast, being the rulers of the land. But out here, Simba was a nobody. He and the female rogue were no different. Where Simba had failed during the hunt, Imani had picked up the slack.

Watching the lioness quietly, Simba wondered if he could ever convince her to stay in the jungle... But then, he knew his non-leonine companions would never accept another full grown carnivore amongst their gang, especially one that had already been tracking their scent. Could he ever find the nerve to leave the oasis he had called home for so long? Simba had his doubts. Besides, he was comfortable where he was now, why would he ever want to leave? Imani was the first lioness he had encountered in years though, and try as he might to avoid it, he felt drawn to he. His amber eyes scarcely left the lioness until he realized he might be staring, and he looked down in embarrassment. "I was never taught to hunt, you'll have to excuse my lack of skills there."

When he assured her that he was all right once again she let herself relax and sat on her haunches with a smile before letting out a laugh, "You did just fine, we get to eat and that's all that matters" she said encouragingly before standing and moving towards the carcass. She felt bad to make him wait any longer to get his fill and she dipped her head to take the first bite, it was delicious, better than anything she could have hoped to find out on the plains near the Pridelands where she spent a lot of her time.

When she lifted her muzzle she nudged it towards him, "Eat" she said softly before taking a few more strips of meat for herself. Her tail swayed behind her and she looked up curiously when he spoke up again, he himself looked rather sheepish and she raised a brow at him before sitting down with an incredulous look on her face. He had never been taught to hunt but was on his own as a rogue, it was a curious thing, but he did say he ate grubs. Perhaps that was why. She couldn't remember the males learning too much about hunting, especially Princes, back in the Pridelands but one tended to learn when on their own.

She gave him a soft smile anyways, "It's not too hard to learn, I could teach you...that is of course if you don't mind me coming around" she said and felt herself become slightly sheepish. She couldn't deny that he was a very nice looking male but they were friends, that was all they were meant to be wasn't it? Not that Nala was exactly still his mandatory betrothed but she felt odd thinking about such things and so she shook those thoughts from her and just waited on his answer instead.

His lifestyle was not an easy one to explain, and Simba was in no mood to try. When the gesture came, he happily feasted beside Imani. The meat reminded him of his childhood, but it was a joyful memory instead of a painful one. He had forgotten how much he missed actual, real meat. It was in his nature to crave it, after all. He was a lion, and that was just what a lion did. So many years had passed without any leonine influence, but it was not something that could be forgotten. It was a part of being a lion. Manners were not necessary in the jungle, but again, Simba tried his best not to make a fool of himself and ate as much as he could, as slowly as he could.

When Imani spoke again, suggesting she could teach him a thing or two about hunting, the male's eyes lit up. "That would be great!" he responded instantly, before catching himself and reining in his own enthusiasm at the thought of a repeat visit. "That is, I don't mind at all, if you want to come back. But then, I'm not in charge around here. I haven't seen the king of the Lowlands in ages," he explained, failing to realize the old king had been dead for some time. "But as long as you watch out for them, and you know, be careful." An unintentional, shy half smile appeared as Simba spoke, and his bright eyes shifted from their meal to his paws to Imani, then right back down again.

The lion did not think of his former home now, or the circumstances that had brought him to live in the tropical paradise, far removed from pride life. He thought instead of what brought Imani this far. How strange it seemed that the first leonine presence he encountered would be one who remembered him, and vice versa. Was it fate? Simba was not certain, but sitting triumphantly with the lioness and the kill they had taken down together, he felt strangely happy. Of course, he did his best to hide his excitement at the prospect of seeing Imani again, but it was written all over his golden brown features. "Maybe I'll introduce you to my friends... If you promise not to eat them, that is." He licked blood from his paws as casually as possible.

She hadn't expected the male to look so enthused and she widened her eyes before laughing softly, when he managed to calm himself he went on in a slightly more reserved tone. He was too open to hide things, his eyes, tone and features conveyed more than what he was saying and she felt herself quirking her head to the side staring at him. If she didn't know better she'd think...well no he couldn't like her, perhaps it was just her imagination and wishful thinking that made her read into social awkwardness of a young male.

She smirked when he mentioned the Lowlands King and Pride, "I've been a rogue for a very long time Simba, I survive by being invisible to other prides" she assured him with confidence. She'd done her share of sneaking and moving about other prides territories unnoticed and this was no different, not to mention the ample amount of cover that was provided to slink through. She noticed the smile on his maw and his eyes darting to her and away to other points of interest and it confused her on some level but on another her own instincts were thinking along the same lines. She wanted to see him again.

She chuckled at his statement and nodded her head, "I promise I won't eat them, I'll even eat before I come so I'm not tempted. Any friend of yours won't be my food" she crossed her heart childishly and gave him a stiff nod. She wouldn't eat his friends, she had more control than that, she just hoped his friends wouldn't be frightened by her enough that they wouldn't want her to come back. She'd finally found someone from the pride she could actually be around, it felt...right, like she was home in a way even though she was nowhere near them. She stood checking the sky quickly and frowned, "I should go, it's getting late and I need to make it back to...the Stronghold, to watch over a pair of cubs for a friend. I'll see you tomorrow?" she questioned.

She knew she should wait longer but she was too eager and by his tone and reactions she doubted he'd complain. She just hoped his friends could get used to her for her sake more than anything.