Sunrise at Pride Rock (Open)

[simba]

The awful sounds of Nala's tortured screams had Simba's paws drumming frantically against the dry dead ground beneath him. A pained roar echoed around the oddly emptied land as Nala's pale form was seen in the distance, dark shadows flickering dangerously around her. Simba's amber eyes widened and he let out a loud NO! as his claws unsheathed and he reached out for one of the accursed hyena. Suddenly the scene disappeared, being replaced by the site of his father clinging desperately to the rock base below him, Simba's own claws dug into his fathers equally large paws. Mufasa let out a pained roar as Simba retracted his paws out of shock. The great King of the past fell as the disbelief and accusations flooded Mufasa's eyes. Simba let out another pained groan as he watched in shock his father falling to his death because of him. His breath quickened and his heart beat wildly in his chest suddenly brought the vision to an end and the King started awake in the low cool cave.

Simba's breath was coming out in short puffs and he glanced down at his mate settled next to him. His heart was settling down and his eyes closed as he slowly began to wake from the nightmare. Nala and Mufasa's distant screams still echoed in his ears and Simba's eyes snapped open to peer at the cave's enterance that filtered pale light into the sleeping place. He lifted himself to his feet and carefully made his way around the sleeping lioness' and occasional male. He glanced over at sleeping Kiara and a smile graced his face. She was as beautiful as her mother and as he watched her slow breathing Koda caught his gaze. Pride swelled in his chest as he watched the young male sleep and he sighed while continueing his walk outside. Once the light filtered down to his frame Simba let out a sigh of relief, the dank cave seemed to hold him captive to the horrid nightmare. He walked towards the peak of Priderock and as soon as his paws were at the tip Simba sat.

He watched the sun rise over the horizon while remembering when he and his father had gazed over all those long years ago. "Sometimes I don't know what to do without you" He whispered as the sun slowly brightened the world around him. "I miss you" His head hung as he closed his eyes in rememberance of the great King that was Mufasa. Simba didn't know how he had survived without the guidance of his father. But yet he did and as he sneaked a peek behind him towards the cave he knew that Nala had been his hope and savior from himself. Nala had been everyone's hope. Nala had brought back the King.

[kaneko]

Nala stood in the shade beneath Pride Rock, a delicate smile on her face as she watched her cubs play. Kiara and Koda, both cubs again, wrestled in the dust under the watchful gaze of their mother, both calling playful insults to each other. Everything was peaceful, everything was just right. Mom! a voice called and the cream colored lioness turn to greet the lion that had called to her. "Kopa!" she called back warmly.

The queen's eyes fluttered open before she could see her eldest son's face and she was momentarily surprised to find herself in the dark cave where the Pridelanders slept. It didn't take her too long to catch up and realize she had been dreaming and that Kopa wasn't going to be there when she looked around at the masses of sleeping bodies. With a melancholy sigh, she brushed the lignering wisps of the dream away. It was then that she realized that the spot on the rock beside her was growing cold. Simba was up already?

With a yawn, the lithe lioness pushed herself to her paws and stretched before jumping lightly down from the elevated rock and picking her way carefully around the sleeping lions and lionesses. The bright sun rising outside of the cave momentarily blinded Nala and she narrowed her eyes against the sudden brightness for a moment before her eyes finally adjusted. A smile lit her features as she spotted Simba out on the peak of Pride Rock and she slowly made her way towards her mate.

"You're up early," she commented as she took a seat beside him and looked out over the savannah. She paused for a moment before glancing sideways at him and tilting her head a bit. "Is everything okay?" she asked. The queen suspected that he sometimes suffered from nightmares, but she had never confirmed it. He would never talk to her, or anyone, about them if they existed, but it was one of the only reasons she could find for him to be up with the sunrise.

[simba]

Simba smiled softly as he watched Nala approach him. A sense of peace floated over his mind, giving him relief from the nightmare before. Despite sleeping next to his mate seeing her awake and smiling at him was the best remedy for his post nightmare fright. She commented on his waking early and he let out a soft chuckle. "I could say the same to you" He looked at Nala with warmed eyes, his face relaxed in a soft smile. His gaze followed hers out toward the glowing savanna and he couldn't help but feel proud of all he had accomplished with his mate by his side. Signs of Scar's reign were slowly disappearing. New life was being born, new grass grew where old had fallen and the terror of Scar was slowly being forgotten. By all it seemed, but Simba and his close family. He turned to look at her letting his smile widen a bit. "Nothing is wrong, I just woke up and thought I'd come see the sunrise" He reached over to nuzzle her cheek, letting his russet mane fall between the two, enclosing them it seemed in thier own little world.

He watched Nala and felt the same feeling of butterflies in his stomach that he always felt when around her. "I am glad that you joined me" He whispered to her softly, nosing her again gently before turning back to the savanna, enjoying how the light reflected off of Nala's fur. "I actually thought about visiting the gorge" He told her softly. Simba did not go to Outland territory often. One because he had no interest in the others and two because it brought back horrid memories. But the nightmare today urged him to go and find peace. He wanted nothing more than to live nightmare free and to have his family beside him. He was silent for a few more moments, contemplating silent problems and the problems needing to be addressed that day. "Are you alright?" He asked suddenly, looking over at her curiously. While Simba had nightmares constantly he knew that Nala was not exempt from her own. She had her own terrors residing in her mind and Simba was torn with blaming himself for what happened to Kopa and blaming the other lioness' in the pride. But he had never uttured that thought aloud, if anything he let them believe that he blamed himself entirely.

Simba's duty to his pride took him away from Nala and his children, times like these were relished. Simba was content to sit beside Nala and watch the savanna's. Or watch his mate. His eyes slid over to her, studying the way her eyes became thoughtful and every move she made when she expressed herself. Simba regarded himself very lucky to have been friends with her since cubhood. Simba had also been very lucky to have her find him when she did.

[kaneko]

Nala chuckled when Simba pointed out that she was up early, but she didn't bother trying to excuse herself. She looked a bit wary when he said that he'd simply come to see the sunrise, but any doubt evaporated as soon as the king leaned closer and nuzzled her cheek. When he pulled back to sit straight, Nala scooted closer to him so their sides were touching. Every day it warmed her heart to see how the Pridelands had recovered. The land was flourishing under Simba's rule where it had died under Scar's. Her gaze darkened slightly as she remember what it had been like to grow up under the cruel lion, believing her best friend to be dead and watching her homeland slowly wither around her. By the time she had been old enough to know how to hunt for herself, there had barely been anything left to hunt. If Scar hadn't made them hunt for those damned hyenas, the pride and prey may have stood a chance. Unable to see her pride starving around her, she remembered the day she had left to find food and help. She never forgot how lucky she had been to find Simba that day. It's what had saved the Pridelands. Nothing could have survived if Scar had held his place of power.

She was drawn from the dark thoughts of her past when Simba expressed how happy he was that she had joined her. Her smile returned. "Well of course I joined you," she answered gently. "Sitting out here with you always beats laying in there by myself." Her head tilted slightly towards the mouth of the cave for emphasis before she turned her eyes back to her mate.

"I actually thought about visiting the gorge."

Nala perked up a bit at that statement. Her mind drifted back to the last time she'd ventured there. She'd run into a young lion that left her filled with curiosity. While still an Outlander, he hadn't seemed aggressive towards her at all and he had known she was a Pridelander. She wanted to know more about that lion and perhaps if they went to the gorge again, they would run into him again. "I want to go with you," she stated, leaving no room in her tone for argument. Even if he tried sneaking away, the light furred lioness would find a way to follow him. She watched him for a moment longer before looking back out over the pridelands. In the brief silence that settled between them, her thoughts drifted back to her dream and frustration welled in her chest that she hadn't been able to see Kopa's face before she'd woken up.

Are you alright?

"Yes," she responded, though her voice was soft and distant as she tried once again to forget her dream. "I'm fine," she said, her voice sounding stronger this time. She dreamed about Kopa often, always as a strong, healthy lion like his father so she was used to the feeling of hollow disappointment when she woke up and realized that he was still dead. Her tail patted once against the rock. "Well when are we leaving for the gorge?" she asked. She smiled as she watched him, something that looked like a challenge lighting her blue eyes.

[simba]

When Nala's soft fur met his shoulder he smiled to himself. He enjoyed being next to his mate and the alone times with her were more than he could ask for. He watched her as she spoke of laying by herself and his own eyes followed her gaze to the cave's opening. True, sleeping with no one by your side was lonely and not something Simba wanted to experiance again. Even sleeping next to Timon and Pumbaa in the jungle was lonely and he had always felt something missing. Thinking of the two brought a silly smile to his face. The meerkat and warthog had been welcomed to the pridelands eagerly and it had been nice to have a few outside friends who saw him differently than the King he was suppose to be. The King he was yet he was more than that and he appreciated that Timon and Pumbaa had not changed thier personality towards him. It was a relief sometimes when you are stuck in such responsibility that you cannot remember who you are.

But of course that is who he is. He is the King of the Pridelands. Destined to become one of the Great Kings or atleast he hoped. Nala's reply to his statement made him look down in surprise. He blinked a few times before nodding his head. "Of course, I wouldn't want anything more than you to come with me" Simba spoke every word with truth and he turned his head once more to see the savanna the spread out before him. Her affirmative reply to his question brought a soft smile to his face and he pushed his nose to her cheek playfully. "Good, I'd hate to have to knock some happy back into you" He lifted a golden paw to push gently against her shoulder before getting up. He stretched, his claws digging into the rock below and his jaws parting to reveal his long sharp canines. After stretching he shook himself and looked at Nala. He saw that familiar look in her eye, the one that provided ample challenge to get him in a playful mood. "Well, I suppose we can go now" He took a few steps away from Nala and gave her a grin that was full of mischief. "Then again if your in a hurry" He winked at her before spinning on his hindlegs, pushing himself down the slowly descending path that lead to the ground below.

Simba looked over his shoulder at Nala, laughing while watching his mate. It was amazing how happy they could be despite how much they had gone through. When Kopa had been decided dead Simba and Nala were crushed. Not even the death of his father could have prepared Simba for the shock and despair that accompanied the news. Simba had flashed from angry to absolutely heartbroken. It was hard to get over Kopa and truthfully Simba had never gotten over him. Simba's large paws pounded against the ground and he looked back over his shoulder to see Nala behind him. His ringing laugh echoed around him and he momentarily forgot where and what he was going back to.

[kaneko]

Nala raised an eyebrow at Simba when he playfully threatened to knock the happy back into her. With a teasing smirk, she tilted her head. "Oh? I think we both know who would win that little fight," she commented innocently. As cubs, whenever they had fought, more often than not it had been Nala that had come out at the victor. Even when they had met in the jungle as adults and they fought over Pumbaa, Nala had been the first to pin the golden male down. Her smile grew at the playful push from his paw and rose to her paws as her mate stretched.

Her tail waved slowly back and forth as she waited until he finished stretching and announced that they could leave. "Good, let's go!" she answered, but he was already on his way down the rock stair case. Bounding delicately down behind him, the pale lioness laughed in anticipation of their adventure. It would almost be like they were cubs again, "sneaking" out of the Pridelands to explore the unexplored. Granted, as the king and queen of the pride, they didn't really have to sneak and the gorge was hardly unexplored territory, but it still struck a nostalgic chord in the lioness's mind.

Once her paws hit the dirt, she barely broke stride as she ran after Simba. He had a head start so he was already ahead of her, but somehow she doubted he would let it stay that way unless he was feeling particularly competitive this morning. Her paws pattered against the ground, but the sound of her footsteps nowhere near as heavy as the lion's in front of her. "Got plans at the gorge or are we just out for a visit?" she called.

[simba]

Simba's deep laugh echoed around the pair. Nala of course was right about winning whatever mock fight they had ever had, even the one real fight they had. He couldn't help but smile at the memories of being pinned by the little Nala cub when they were small. After a few more yards of running full out Simba slowed his frantically pounding paws to fall back beside Nala. He grinned over at her, leaping lightly over a small bush while heading towards the deep gorge. "I intended to visit the past" He breathed out, glancing over at his mate. Despite the fact the past was hurtful it was good to remember the good and the bad. To never forget where you come from or how you got there. "I've run from it for so long and I need to face the truth" He murmured more to himself than anything but he was sure Nala could hear him.

By now the pride was awakening and he was sure that Kiara and Koda were awake. They were probably searching for them but Simba was positive that Zazu had seen the two leave, he would tell them that Simba and Nala were perfectly fine. Simba was in his prime but the warmth of the day was starting to get through his thick mane and shiny golden fur. Simba slowed, knowing Nala would also until he was trotting lightly towards the gorge that wasn't too far away now. "Do you have something planned?" He asked Nala gently, knowing the pain that the gorge brought her also. It seemed that the gorge was nothing but trouble and Simba was glad he had allowed the Outlanders to take it. It was dead anyways and there was no use for it. It contained no water and a lot of bad memories. Simba knew that the day would either bring much pain or relief. He just didn't know which.

[kaneko]

Just as she predicted, Simba eventually slowed to match her pace and for a while, the two simply loped side by side. She nearly tripped over her own paws when she was told that he intended to visit his past in the gorge. Granted, that was something she'd taken to doing herself recently, but she hadn't expected it from him. Like he had said, he was usually one to run from his past rather than confront it. The Pridelands were almost lost for good at one time because of that when he had initially refused to leave his forest paradise. However, the sandy colored female managed to keep her composure, responding with only a nod of understanding.

When he slowed their pace again, she followed along without really realizing it so she stayed beside Simba. When he asked if she had had anything planned for their trip, she almost felt guilty. True, most of her reason was just to spend time alone with Simba. As the rulers of their pride, they got very little time to themselves and even less time with each other, so moments like these were welcomed by the queen. But the other thing that drove her to go was the desire to learn more about the young male she'd run into on her last visit to the gorge.

But despite all of her motivation to go, she was still apprehensive. The gorge had been where she'd lost her first son and it was that memory that often kept her away and that same memory was part of her reason for coming. "No real plans," she answered after her short pause. "Just following you." She turned her delicate head towards him and smiled as a way to show that she was going to support him as he revisited his troubled past.

[simba]

Simba nodded his head at her words and the King was once again grateful to the Queen. She seemed to be the only person capable of understanding what he needed, understood the pressure of living up to his fathers rule. The immense love that Simba felt for Nala was overwhelming, the only thing that had gotten him through the loss of his son and the hard years of rebuilding the Pridelands. Simba was not about to let it fall just because the outlanders seemed to be getting more and more bolder about coming to the pridelands. They approached the gorge and Simba slowed his own pace as the inevitable coming of the past and future. Perhaps Simba was taking this much to symbolically but he couldn't help but feel this trip held something of importance.

Simba slowed to a stop, looking over at Nala with a grim smile before heading down a narrow path that led to the bottom of the gorge. "Alright, let's go" He said softly to his mate. The day was cool, clouds lingered here and there and Simba was sure there would be rainfall in the coming days. His large paws created brief dents in the dirt as he made his way down the cave. Occasionally his claws popped out to grasp the earth as he moved down a steeper path. But he made it down with his mate by his side and once at the bottom he gave a sigh. His heart was hammering despite the ease of coming down the gorge, his breath was catching in his throat as he visited the place that has haunted his dreams and reality for so long.

[kaneko]

Despite the fact that the queen's pale fur didn't hold as much heat as Simba's probably did, Nala was still thankful for the cover of clouds that kept the air cool. She remembered the last time she'd visited here, when she'd met the strange lion, and how hot it had been. Then it had been enough to drive the lioness to seek shade, but the weather wouldn't send them running for cover this time.

Alright, let's go.

Nala smiled and nodded. "Right behind you," she announced before carefully picking her way down into the gorge. She started sliding only a couple times, but she managed to stop herself by using her claws to regain traction. Once close to the ground, the lithe lioness jumped down the rest of the way, landing with a soft thud beside Simba on the sandy floor. Her blue eyes remained glued to her mate as she watched for his reaction to being in the gorge. With a playful smile, she headbutted his shoulder. "Right behind you," she repeated, softer this time. "Lead the way."