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“Oh look! That one looks like a zebra!”

“Zebra? Looks like a gazelle to me.”

“What!? No way! That’s totally a zebra! See those stripes? Gazelle don’t have those.”

“But they do have horns. And that thing has horns, see? No zebra I know of has horns.”

“Huh. Good point. Maybe it’s some weird hybrid between the two? Like, it has a zebra mom and a gazelle dad or something. What would you call such a thing? A gazebra?”

Nuka let out a soft sigh as his cloud-gazing companion, Prince Naba of the Pride Lands, giggled at his own joke. He glanced over to Naba, who was looking back up at the sky with a soft smile on his face.

How did I end up friends with this buffoon? Nuka wondered for the millionth time since he met the prince after hauling his golden butt out of crocodile infested waters a few months back.

He had been wandering the riverbank on the Outlander’s side looking for anything that might have crossed over (hopefully something to eat) when he’d heard a splash, followed by a loud cry for help. Turning back around, he saw Naba (though he didn’t know who it was at the time) struggling in the water trying to keep his head up. Nuka wasn’t sure why he jumped in to save the golden lion that day. For all intensive purposes, he should have just left the lion to die, either by drowning or by the crocodiles (especially after he found out exactly who he is), but for whatever reason Nuka acted on instinct and saved the drowning lion. Nuka instantly regretted it when the lion profusely thanked him, then introduced himself as Prince Naba, son of King Simba and Nuka’s pride’s mortal enemy (if his mother ever found out, he’d never hear the end of it).

That should have have been the end of it. He should have sent the young Prince on his way and never seen him again. But Naba insisted that they meet up in the Back Lands so he could properly repay Nuka for saving his life. Even Nuka pointing out that they were supposed to be enemies didn’t deter him. So, against his better judgment, Nuka agreed.

Six months and countless visits later in the Back Lands, they were still meeting up to see each other. Nuka kept telling himself it was because he had nothing better to do and that Naba wasn’t a threat, what with him being constantly ill all the time. But it was becoming clearer to him that he was just making up excuses. As much as he hated to admit it, he was starting to actually like Naba’s presence. The only reason he could think of for this was because Naba actually seemed to like and appreciate him, unlike his family and pridemates.

“Hey, Nuka! Hello? You still here?” Naba asked teasingly, his voice breaking through Nuka’s thoughts.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah, sorry.” Nuka said, looking at Naba again.

“What’re you thinking about?” the golden lion asked.

“Eh, not much. Just wondering why I even bothered to save your royal butt all those months ago, is all.”

“Hey!” Naba cried out in mock offense, lightly jabbing Nuka’s nose with a paw. “Don’t be rude!”

“I’m being serious, you dolt.” Nuka replied with a chuckle. “I mean, we’re still technically enemies. As soon as I found out who you were, I should have thrown you back into the river for the crocs.”

“Well, I’m certainly glad you didn’t! Death by crocodile is definitely not how I envision dying. I’d like to grow old and die peacefully in my sleep, thank you very much.”

“Don’t we all?”

Silence descended between them for a bit after that, with Nuka contemplating what Naba said and Naba just lying on his back with his eyes closed, soaking up the sun and coughing softly occasionally.

“I’m glad, too.” Nuka suddenly blurted out after a long while.

Naba’s eyes opened as he craned his head up to look at Nuka with confusion.

“Huh? Glad about what?”

“I’m glad I didn’t throw you back into the river that day.” Nuka said, realizing what he was saying was true as he said it. “I had seriously considered it. I mean, if Mother found out I had saved a Pridelander, let alone a son of Simba’s, she’d probably throw me into the river. But...I’m glad I didn’t, even if I still don’t know why I didn’t.”

“Well, I can answer that last part for you.” Naba said.

“Oh can you?” Nuka snorted.

“Yeah! That’s easy.” Naba beamed. “You didn’t kill me because that’s not who you are. You’re not a murderer; you care about others, even if you don’t like to admit it.” At this Naba bopped Nuka on the nose again in a teasing manner. “That’s why you didn’t throw me in the river that day.”

Nuka frowned slightly.

“Are you sure about that? I mean, I still want your dad dead.”

“But if you had the chance, would you actually kill him?”

“Well, uh...” Nuka paused. Would he actually do it if he had the chance? If Simba we’re here, right now, in front of him begging for mercy, could he actually strike the killing blow? Now that he thought about it, he wasn’t actually sure he could. Sure, he had dreams and fantasies of killing the King in all sorts of ways, but to actually do it? That was something else entirely, and he wasn’t sure if he actually had it in him to do it. Perhaps his mother was right in saying he was too soft for the job, as much as he hated to admit it. “I don’t know.” he finally settled on.

“Well, I don’t think you would.” Naba said in a sure voice. “Like I said, it’s not the kind of lion you are to do something like that, even if you hate my dad’s guts.”

“Yeah...Maybe you’re right...” Nuka murmured softly, looking back up at the sky. “Maybe...”

~*~*~*~*~*~

EDIT: I finally added in the story.

NOTES: I had a dream the other day where for some reason I was my version of Naba, and I got into trouble close to the boarder between the Pride Lands and the Out Lands, and for some reason Nuka was the one to save me (I don't even remember what the trouble was specifically (drowning, I think?), just that for some reason I needed help). In the end Nuka and I (as Naba) became friends (reluctantly on Nuka's part) and decided to meet up somewhere safe on a regular occurance to talk about our lives and stuff. And then the dream ended there. I liked the dream so much I decided to make this into an actual thing, so now Naba and Nuka are friends!

Now, Naba is an older teen, turning into a young adult here, while Nuka is a young adult like we see in the movie, hence why Nuka's mane is longer than Naba's. This probably starts out a season or so before the second half of the movie starts, thus they end up having plenty of time to meet up and get to know each other before Zira launches her plot against Simba and his pride. This obviously causes some conflictions in Nuka, since Naba is one of the only (if not the only) lion's who actually treat him nicely. But at the same time, Naba's father, Simba, killed (well, helped kill anyways) his father, Scar, and sent him and his mother and pride into exile. So there's that as well.

Also, I head-canon that the Back Lands (where Nuka and Naba end up meeting on a regular basis) are a small, neutral territory that shares boarders with the Out Lands, the Pride Lands, the Wild Lands, and the Grass Lands. It acts as sort of a neutral zone for the surrounding kingdoms to meet and discuss politics if they aren't comfortable meeting in each other's kingdoms for whatever reason (it's also the place where Mufasa met the three other lions in Simba Wants To Play, specifically in the Mihiri Forest, since they seemed to be in a forest-like area). It's too small for a lion pride to claim, but rogues have been known to stop by on occation to hunt and rest up until they eventually move on. Primarily, however, the Back Lands' main predators are leopards and cheetahs. The Mihiri Forest, in particular, has always belonged to a leopard of some sort, and currently belongs to Badili the leopard. All lions from any kingdom are allowed here at any time as long as they remain civil with other lions from other kingdoms who happen to also be visiting, and usually this is where the lionesses go to find a rogue male to sire their cubs.

I really need to draw a map of all the lion kingdoms and stuff some day.

Base:
Background:
Base (c) and
Background (c) and
TLK and TLG (c)

Description
“Oh look! That one looks like a zebra!”

“Zebra? Looks like a gazelle to me.”

“What!? No way! That’s totally a zebra! See those stripes? Gazelle don’t have those.”

“But they do have horns. And that thing has horns, see? No zebra I know of has horns.”

“Huh. Good point. Maybe it’s some weird hybrid between the two? Like, it has a zebra mom and a gazelle dad or something. What would you call such a thing? A gazebra?”

Nuka let out a soft sigh as his cloud-gazing companion, Prince Naba of the Pride Lands, giggled at his own joke. He glanced over to Naba, who was looking back up at the sky with a soft smile on his face.

How did I end up friends with this buffoon? Nuka wondered for the millionth time since he met the prince after hauling his golden butt out of crocodile infested waters a few months back.

He had been wandering the riverbank on the Outlander’s side looking for anything that might have crossed over (hopefully something to eat) when he’d heard a splash, followed by a loud cry for help. Turning back around, he saw Naba (though he didn’t know who it was at the time) struggling in the water trying to keep his head up. Nuka wasn’t sure why he jumped in to save the golden lion that day. For all intensive purposes, he should have just left the lion to die, either by drowning or by the crocodiles (especially after he found out exactly who he is), but for whatever reason Nuka acted on instinct and saved the drowning lion. Nuka instantly regretted it when the lion profusely thanked him, then introduced himself as Prince Naba, son of King Simba and Nuka’s pride’s mortal enemy (if his mother ever found out, he’d never hear the end of it).

That should have have been the end of it. He should have sent the young Prince on his way and never seen him again. But Naba insisted that they meet up in the Back Lands so he could properly repay Nuka for saving his life. Even Nuka pointing out that they were supposed to be enemies didn’t deter him. So, against his better judgment, Nuka agreed.

Six months and countless visits later in the Back Lands, they were still meeting up to see each other. Nuka kept telling himself it was because he had nothing better to do and that Naba wasn’t a threat, what with him being constantly ill all the time. But it was becoming clearer to him that he was just making up excuses. As much as he hated to admit it, he was starting to actually like Naba’s presence. The only reason he could think of for this was because Naba actually seemed to like and appreciate him, unlike his family and pridemates.

“Hey, Nuka! Hello? You still here?” Naba asked teasingly, his voice breaking through Nuka’s thoughts.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah, sorry.” Nuka said, looking at Naba again.

“What’re you thinking about?” the golden lion asked.

“Eh, not much. Just wondering why I even bothered to save your royal butt all those months ago, is all.”

“Hey!” Naba cried out in mock offense, lightly jabbing Nuka’s nose with a paw. “Don’t be rude!”

“I’m being serious, you dolt.” Nuka replied with a chuckle. “I mean, we’re still technically enemies. As soon as I found out who you were, I should have thrown you back into the river for the crocs.”

“Well, I’m certainly glad you didn’t! Death by crocodile is definitely not how I envision dying. I’d like to grow old and die peacefully in my sleep, thank you very much.”

“Don’t we all?”

Silence descended between them for a bit after that, with Nuka contemplating what Naba said and Naba just lying on his back with his eyes closed, soaking up the sun and coughing softly occasionally.

“I’m glad, too.” Nuka suddenly blurted out after a long while.

Naba’s eyes opened as he craned his head up to look at Nuka with confusion.

“Huh? Glad about what?”

“I’m glad I didn’t throw you back into the river that day.” Nuka said, realizing what he was saying was true as he said it. “I had seriously considered it. I mean, if Mother found out I had saved a Pridelander, let alone a son of Simba’s, she’d probably throw me into the river. But...I’m glad I didn’t, even if I still don’t know why I didn’t.”

“Well, I can answer that last part for you.” Naba said.

“Oh can you?” Nuka snorted.

“Yeah! That’s easy.” Naba beamed. “You didn’t kill me because that’s not who you are. You’re not a murderer; you care about others, even if you don’t like to admit it.” At this Naba bopped Nuka on the nose again in a teasing manner. “That’s why you didn’t throw me in the river that day.”

Nuka frowned slightly.

“Are you sure about that? I mean, I still want your dad dead.”

“But if you had the chance, would you actually kill him?”

“Well, uh...” Nuka paused. Would he actually do it if he had the chance? If Simba we’re here, right now, in front of him begging for mercy, could he actually strike the killing blow? Now that he thought about it, he wasn’t actually sure he could. Sure, he had dreams and fantasies of killing the King in all sorts of ways, but to actually do it? That was something else entirely, and he wasn’t sure if he actually had it in him to do it. Perhaps his mother was right in saying he was too soft for the job, as much as he hated to admit it. “I don’t know.” he finally settled on.

“Well, I don’t think you would.” Naba said in a sure voice. “Like I said, it’s not the kind of lion you are to do something like that, even if you hate my dad’s guts.”

“Yeah...Maybe you’re right...” Nuka murmured softly, looking back up at the sky. “Maybe...”

~*~*~*~*~*~

EDIT: I finally added in the story.

NOTES: I had a dream the other day where for some reason I was my version of Naba, and I got into trouble close to the boarder between the Pride Lands and the Out Lands, and for some reason Nuka was the one to save me (I don't even remember what the trouble was specifically (drowning, I think?), just that for some reason I needed help). In the end Nuka and I (as Naba) became friends (reluctantly on Nuka's part) and decided to meet up somewhere safe on a regular occurance to talk about our lives and stuff. And then the dream ended there. I liked the dream so much I decided to make this into an actual thing, so now Naba and Nuka are friends!

Now, Naba is an older teen, turning into a young adult here, while Nuka is a young adult like we see in the movie, hence why Nuka's mane is longer than Naba's. This probably starts out a season or so before the second half of the movie starts, thus they end up having plenty of time to meet up and get to know each other before Zira launches her plot against Simba and his pride. This obviously causes some conflictions in Nuka, since Naba is one of the only (if not the only) lion's who actually treat him nicely. But at the same time, Naba's father, Simba, killed (well, helped kill anyways) his father, Scar, and sent him and his mother and pride into exile. So there's that as well.

Also, I head-canon that the Back Lands (where Nuka and Naba end up meeting on a regular basis) are a small, neutral territory that shares boarders with the Out Lands, the Pride Lands, the Wild Lands, and the Grass Lands. It acts as sort of a neutral zone for the surrounding kingdoms to meet and discuss politics if they aren't comfortable meeting in each other's kingdoms for whatever reason (it's also the place where Mufasa met the three other lions in Simba Wants To Play, specifically in the Mihiri Forest, since they seemed to be in a forest-like area). It's too small for a lion pride to claim, but rogues have been known to stop by on occation to hunt and rest up until they eventually move on. Primarily, however, the Back Lands' main predators are leopards and cheetahs. The Mihiri Forest, in particular, has always belonged to a leopard of some sort, and currently belongs to Badili the leopard. All lions from any kingdom are allowed here at any time as long as they remain civil with other lions from other kingdoms who happen to also be visiting, and usually this is where the lionesses go to find a rogue male to sire their cubs.

I really need to draw a map of all the lion kingdoms and stuff some day.

Base:
Background:
Base (c) and
Background (c) and
TLK and TLG (c)