A/N: Well, this certainly took a while. I had writer's block for three weeks on this chapter, I became very busy, did an awful lot of re-writes. But, finally, here it is!

"So kid, ya gotta name?"

That was what the meerkat asked, between the bites of his grub. It was a simple question, that had a simple answer. His name was Simba, nothing more, nothing less. Not the prince, not the future king. Just Simba. That's who he was. Now and forever

"My name's Simba," he replied, after swallowing a green grub. The meerkat thought for a moment.

"Simba," He said, liking the sound of it, "quaint yet simple.

"I like it!" warthog added, wagging his tail. Simba smiled softly.

"Thanks," Simba replied, almost timidly, "What are your names?"

"Well kid, I'm Timon," The meerkat told Simba. Timon then gestured his front paw to the warthog, "My flatulent friend here's called Pumbaa."

"Please to make your acquaintance!" Pumbaa replied. Simba smiled at that.

"Timon and Pumbaa, I like it," After Simba's comment, the three continued to munch of grubs.

The meerkat. Timon.

The warthog. Pumbaa.

Timon and Pumbaa. Apart, it sounded a little strange, but together, the two names fit perfectly together. As if the Great King's had planned for the two to meet one day. Not that he would ever know. Even if he did became a King somehow, somewhere, Simba wouldn't be up there with the Great Kings. Simba wasn't great. But father was. He was probably up there with them now. All because of Simba.

"Hey kid, Simba, you alright?"

"Huh?" Simba muttered, snapping back into reality. Had Timon been talking to him the entire time?

"You've been looking at your grub for a while," Timon pointed out as his concerned look turned into a light smirk, "Not having second thoughts are you?"

Simba shook his head slowly, swallowing the small grub before saying,

"No, it's not that I'm just… I'm just tired. That's all. I've had a long couple of days."

Luckily, Timon and Pumbaa respected what the ex-prince had said earlier, and didn't ask any further questions. They would probably hate him if they found out what he did. Timon and Pumbaa might make him leave, and Simba couldn't bear the idea of losing his new friends. It was that very moment Simba decided he would never tell his friends about who he was, no matter what.

Simba noticed that Timon was looking toward the direction of the sun, seeing that it was beginning to set. That made Simba wonder, how long have they been eating? It was high noon when Timon and Pumbaa woke him… Simba looked back at his companions, and noticed them getting up. He got up from his seated position as well.

"Where are we going?" Asked the cub, following his friends as they walked toward a dirt path, the cub following behind.

"Bed. What, do lions not sleep or something?" Timon questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"No… Just didn't know…" Simba mumbled awkwardly, continuing to follow his friends quietly.

Simba couldn't believe it. This couldn't be happening.

"You two want me to cross that thing?"

Simba prayed to the past kings that Timon and Pumbaa just had an odd sense of humor.

But Timon was already half way across the bridge-like log, so he probably wasn't kidding. And Pumbaa was on the other side.

"Come on, kid, it's a short cut to our nest!" The meerkat yelled, his front paws cupping his muzzle.

"Are you sure it's safe, Timon?" Simba asked, nervous of crossing the log. It didn't look very safe from Simba's perspective.

"Look kid," Timon explained, "If it can carry Pumbaa, it can carry anyone!"

"Exactly!" Pumbaa added, then giving a sudden look of realization, "Wait a minute… Timon are you implying that you think I'm fat."

Timon rolled his eyes, not turning to look at his friend, "Well, think, probably not. But let's face it, Pumbaa, you aren't exactly Joe Skinny."

"I am at an average warthog weight. And who is this Joe Skinny?"

"Joe Skinny isn't anyone, Pumbaa! It was just an expression!" As Timon said that, he began to cross the other half of the moss log, toward Pumbaa.

"Then why would you say it? What kind of name is Joe anyway?"

"It-It's a meerkat name!"

As the two outcast continued their nonsensical bickering, Simba looked down at the log. It didn't look very hollowed out, so it could probably hold him. Simba was also a lion, and a brave one, for that matter.

So he screwed his eyes shut and took a step on the log.

And he didn't fall.

Simba opened his eyes, double-checking that he wasn't dead. No, his friends were still arguing about something called a "Joe." Odd. With that, Simba took another step on the another, and another and soon enough, he crossed that mossy log with ease. Ha! So now Simba was brave and agile!

Simba was now with his friends again, who were still arguing.

"And, you're far too slow to be part cheetah. You also-"

"Uh, Timon? Pumbaa?"

The meerkat and warthog stopped there bickering abruptly, giving confused looks to their friend.

"Uh…" said Pumbaa, "How long have we been here?"

"Not very long," Simba replied, "Why do you ask?"

The duo glanced at each other, then, with a shake of his head, Timon replied, "Forget it. You crossed the log, that's all that matters."

"So," Simba said, "Bed?"

Timon and Pumbaa simply nodded, replying with,

"Yes."

A/N: One of my few TLK headcanons is that meerkats have more average English (Well, non-Swahili word) names. (Iron) Joe and Max are pretty average names. They're probably going to be more Shakspeare characters name, like Timon's name (though it's pronounced differently) is. The next chapter will (hopefully) be up sooner.

Reviews are very much appreciated, as well as constructive criticism. They help motivate me to write. And, if you have any story ideas for future chapters, I would love to here them.