Timon didn't know what he was going to do now. He just stood there, stunned and frustrated.
After a few moments he still didn't know what he was going to do, but he did know what he was not going to do. He was not going after her again, not this time. She could run off in a huff all she wanted, he was not going to handle this, at least not now.
After a while, he finally decided to continue on to the waterfall. He kept trying to clear his head, but for once he just couldn't. Maybe Pumbaa could help.
He found Pumbaa resting in the shade by the water, almost asleep. Half because he'd been waiting for Timon or Myla to come back for a while, and half because he might have eaten a little too much.
As Timon reached him he sat up and looked around, he had probably heard Timon coming.
"Timon?" Pumbaa said when he saw him, noticing that his friend looked, at the least, troubled. "What's wrong?"
"Sorry I took so long, pal." Timon began. It seemed like Timon was having to recount a lot of events to Pumbaa lately, confirming his thoughts that things really had changed. Nevertheless, he immediately launched into what had just happened with Myla.
"Why, Pumbaa? Why would she say that stuff?"
"Because that's how she feels." said Pumbaa.
"Yeah, I know. But why?
"Well, you did need to know."
"No I didn't! Especially not after coming back from one of the weirdest conversations I have ever had with my mother and uncle!"
"But Timon, she didn't know what you had just been doing."
Timon paused, "I guess that's true."
"What were you and your mom and uncle talking about?" Pumbaa asked, changing the subject for a second.
"Oh, just my Ma talking to me about feelings and saying that I was acting like Uncle Max. I swear I think everybody has just gone crazy over that stupid L-word, and just because I don't want to use it towards anybody but Ma because I know that it changes everything and I don't want things to change doesn't mean I'm acting like Max!"
"Um, I don't think its changed everything." said Pumbaa after a minute.
"Oh, come on Pumbaa!" Timon began to yell.
"No, really." Pumbaa said. "I mean, I don't know what your mom said, but what Myla was talking about were things that I think have been going on for a while, with her and you."
"What?" Timon said. "Are you saying you think I like her?" He then felt a twinge of uneasiness as he considered this.
"...Ok, maybe I do. But still, why did she then use...that other word?"
"Would you have understood her if she's said "like?""
"Well...no. She said that first."
They continued on like this, with Timon still not able to understand. They walked home to go to sleep in silence.
Timon tried again to just clear his mind, to not think about any of this, and not about what Myla was doing.
Timon couldn't sleep, he just couldn't.
He tried everything, and everywhere that he could think of. When he couldn't sleep on the stump he and Pumbaa still sometimes shared, he tried in his hammock. No luck there either. He even tried up in a tree. He thought he might as well try it, since he was getting desperate, but it was dark and he kept falling out.
The last place he tried was the rock that everyone liked to meet at. It was a very large rock, which Timon thought might be the reason they always met up there. However, he was no better off than he was at any of his other prospective sleeping spots. The rock, while large and accommodating, was very uncomfortable. Because, lets face it, its a rock. Its hard.
He sat up for what seemed like the billionth time that night, and looked out over the water, it was then he noticed a hole leading under the rock. Obviously a meerkat working off his instincts had dug it, and upon further inspection he saw it to be a good place for one last attempt at sleep. It was a little claustrophobic, and he didn't like the idea of his head being directly under a big, heavy rock, but it was dark and quiet. He felt like maybe he could finally drift off.
The new spot had obviously done the trick. When he woke up he felt cramped, but at least had gotten some sleep. He wasn't quite sure what part of the day it was, but sunlight was peeking in the small mouth of the hole partially obscured by the rock. He was getting ready to climb out when he heard voices from outside.
"Have you found him yet?" His mom's voice sounded a little worried.
"No." Pumbaa's voice answered her. He sounded slightly confused and disappointed.
"I just don't understand it, where could he be? Why isn't he anywhere?"
"I don't know. Maybe he's talking to Myla. After what happened yesterday..."
"No, no. I don't think Myla's left her tree all day." She sounded disheartened, but then switched to sounding slightly bewildered. "I can't believe Timmy did that. After all we had just talked about!" She sighed.
"Maybe it just wasn't meant to be. He still needs to talk to her, though. Myla was pretty brave to just tell him like that, its the least he can do. But we should keep looking."
Timon then heard her walk away. So they were looking for him. He decided to wait a little longer to emerge. His mother was bound to want to talk to him, and he didn't really feel like talking to anyone right now. Plus they all seemed to be on Myla's side on this for some reason. "Myla was pretty brave to tell him that"? How was that brave? Well, maybe it was, a little. She did seem to be struggling to tell him, like it was hard for her, not knowing what he'd say. Timon certainly didn't think he could just come out with it like that. If he wanted to, of course, which he didn't. A pang of guilt hit Timon as he thought this. He thought maybe he should wait a bit longer, so he could think.
He then heard footsteps again, and his Uncle Max's voice speaking to Pumbaa. "Did he show up yet?"
"No." Pumbaa said, in the same voice as he had answered Timon's mom.
"Well, I need to find him. I gotta talk to him."
"No one's seen him all day. I hope he's ok."
"He's probably fine. Look, Pumbaa. I was hoping to tell Timon this, but you could probably tell him for me, right?"
"Um, I guess." Pumbaa said.
"Ok. I've been thinking, before and after I heard about yesterday from Kavie, boy that was a long morning. Anyway, I've been thinking, and maybe I was a little wrong. About love and stuff. Maybe I was slightly jealous of Leo, because maybe I wanted a mate, someday. I guess the fact that it never happened for me and the fact that Leo found it so easy made me bitter towards to whole concept. Plus I thought he wouldn't be my friend as much anymore or something dumb like that. Even so, it shouldn't even matter what I think, he shouldn't model his outlook to match mine, or anyone's, he's got his own mind! He'd also be an idiot to mess up what's between him and Myla because he's afraid or something, and she'd be an idiot to forgive him if he doesn't figure it out soon."
"...Ok, Uncle Max." Pumbaa said awkwardly.
"Yeah. Just tell him that if ya see him." Uncle Max said. "Oh, and don't repeat any of that to Kavie. I'd never hear the end of it."
As Timon heard Uncle Max walk off, he pondered what he had said. He could possibly be over-complicating everything with his battle to make everything stay the same. Timon thought over all the things that had changed since he left his colony, everything was definitely different now than it was, and for the better. Maybe he should just make his peace with change.
Then there was the other stuff. Timon still didn't believe he learned anything from his uncle, but he might have picked up on some things, like his outlook towards love. Maybe he should accept that too.
Then his thoughts went back to Myla, and more guilt swept through him. Thinking back she did look really hurt when she ran off, and he really didn't like knowing he had hurt her. Why was that? He answered himself almost instantly.
"Because I love her." He thought. He couldn't believe he was actually thinking that, but he still knew it was true.
"Well now I have to tell her." He thought as he moved the rock a little. "I've gotta say something! ...Well, I can think of what I'm actually gonna say later. First I have to get out of this hole."
But as he was moving himself around, preparing to climb out, the earth shifted under the rock and it slid over the small hole, leaving only a crack of light.
Timon freaked out. The rock had closed over him like a tomb. He didn't have enough light and wasn't sure how long he'd have air. He started banging on the rock, and trying to pry the small space open, but it didn't work. The rock was just too big and heavy. Maybe Pumbaa hadn't left yet, Timon started to call out. But after a few minutes, he decided that everyone had left, probably to keep looking for him.
He continued to push his weight on the rock, saying, "Ok, now I hate being underground even more!"
He kept trying until the light had faded from the small crack. Night had fallen, and now he was hungry and exhausted, but most of all he was disconsolate. He couldn't believe he had spent the entire day under this rock, and now he was stuck. He couldn't give up, though. He had just figured out all the things he had been struggling with, and now he was supposed to be talking to Myla, telling her he loved her. But again, he was exhausted from trying to get out, and he did manage to movie the rock the tiniest bit. He decided to sleep some, he would keep trying in the morning.
The next day came and Timon remembered that the next day he was supposed to leave with Pumbaa for Pride Rock. This made him even more determined to move that rock. He had to get out today, tell her today, so that everything would be ok before they left.
He kept steadily pushing on the rock until finally, the hole was big enough for him to squeeze through. The light blinded him for a moment when he got out, and he needed to lay on the ground and rest for a bit. He also kicked the rock that had imprisoned him, hurting his foot and causing the hole to collapse in the process. Then he got back to the task at hand.
He ran quickly and purposefully towards Myla's tree, still trying to figure out what he was going to say, but he still couldn't think of anything. He put it off again, maybe he could think of something once he got there.
He passed his mom and Pumbaa. They saw him coming and he mother said, "Timon! We've been looking everywhere for..." As she was saying this, however, he passed by with a quick, "Hi Pumbaa hi Ma!"
Then he passed Uncle Max, who saw him and called out, "Hey! I need to talk to..."
But Timon sped by, saying quickly, "No time to talk heard what you said bye!"
He started slowing down as he got closer to the tree, since now a batch of anxiousness was sneaking up on him. Possibly because he still didn't know what he was gonna say.
Once he finally got there he was down to a brisk walk. He didn't call up to her immediately, instead he sat down on the ground near it. Partially because he was still needing some rest from being enclosed under a rock for hours and then running all the way there, but mostly he really wanted to think.
"Timon?"
The voice from behind him made him jump. He spun around and saw Myla.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, sounding a lot like she had the first time they met.
"Ah, um." was all he could get out. "Well," he thought, "No sense beating around the bush." He took a deep breath.
"Myla, I'm sorry. I don't say that too often, but of course I've been having to say it a lot lately. Because I guess I was wrong about a lot of things. All Pumbaa, my Ma, and Uncle Max have been doing is trying to help me. But, of course I never feel like I need any help. The thing is, I should have figured this thing out with you and me earlier, but maybe I was scared like you said. I've had some time recently, and I finally got it. Myla, you are loud sometimes, which I prefer because sometimes you get too quiet, too. But you really trust me. You told me stuff you never told anyone else, and I like...love that. I can't believe you'd trust me like that, and I can't believe how much I like spending time with you and thinking about you and...I know this is gonna sound stupid when I say it, I just know it. Myla, I love you."
There was a long pause, both of them taking in what he had said.
"Well, what am I supposed to say?" Myla said after that. Timon looked questioningly at her, but then she smiled.
"Because, you already know I love you."
They both laughed softly, then started to talk about what to do now.
It was early in the morning when Pumbaa and Timon were about to leave to go to Pride Rock. They were ready to go and saying goodbye to everyone they'd miss.
Timon hugged his mother, and she made Pumbaa give her a hug too.
"You boys be careful, alright?" she said.
"We will." they both said in unison.
"And Timon, I'm waiting for my "Thank you" for introducing you to Myla."
Timon laughed, but then said, "Yeah, thanks, Ma." quietly when he hugged her again.
"See ya soon." Uncle Max said to them. "And glad you wised up." he said as he patted Timon, rather hard, on the back.
"Yeah, thanks Uncle Max. See ya." Timon said, his back now hurting.
"Bye, Myla." Pumbaa said when they got to Myla, and he hugged her, too.
"Bye, Pumbaa." she said. Then Pumbaa walked back over to Uncle Max and Timon's mom for a bit.
"Did you say thanks to your mom yet?" Myla said to Timon.
"Yes." he answered in mock annoyance. Then they smiled at each other and hugged.
"Are you sure you don't wanna come with us?"
"Yes, I'm sure." said Myla. "I might go with you guys another time, but I need to stay here. I mean, do you really want to leave your mom and uncle all by themselves?"
They both shook their heads jokingly.
"Well, I guess that's it, then." Timon said. "I...uh...yeah."
"Yeah, "I uh yeah" you too." she said, still smiling. "You better get going, bye."
"Bye." he said before turning to Pumbaa. "Ok, Pumbaa, ready to go?"
"Yup, all ready."
Then Timon hopped onto Pumbaa's back and they waved Timon's mom, Uncle Max, and Myla once more before starting off towards the desert stretching between the jungle and Simba's home.
When they were out of the jungle Pumbaa said, "Boy, I can't wait to tell Simba what's been happening."
"You tell Simba? No, no. I'm gonna tell Simba." Timon said.
"Can't I tell some of it?"
"Ok, I guess. You can tell the beginning."
"The part where your mom set you up with Myla?"
"Well, you don't have to say "set up." That just sounds embarrassing."
"What can I say, then?"
"Y'know, we'll think about telling Simba about stuff later. Lets focus more on seeing that cub of his."
"yeah, I bet he looks just like Simba."
Then they continued discussing Simba and his cub until they had gotten well into the desert and the sun was sinking under the dunes, then pretty much the rest of the way there.
Final Author's Note: Well I hope everyone enjoyed the story. I really enjoyed writing it. It took me five months to do it, but I did it!
I have never obsessed over a story while writing it this much before, and its never taken me this long to write a story before, either.
Like I said, I have tried my absolute best with this story, and I think I did well. This wasn't my first fanfic ever, but it was my first Lion King one. Also my first posted on I started in July, this was the 709th Lion King fanfic up. Now there are over 770! That kind of shows me how long its been since I started, also it was summer and now its winter.
Again, thank you so much for reading this whole fanfic, if you would all leave your final big comment on ch.10 and the story as a whole, that would be really nice.
I hope everybody has a Merry Christmas, or Happy whatever you celebrate:-D
I will hopefully, because yay! I'm done!!!!
I might start a new story project later in the new year.
One last time, thanks guys!