When Kimba Meets Simba
An Alternate Adventure
By AshWolf Forever
“Any story worth telling is worth telling twice.”
~ Rafiki, The Lion King 1 ½
Chapter 1: Chance Meeting in the Wasteland
“The jungle‟s gotta be around here somewhere,” said the white lion
cub as he slowly trudged along the desert landscape. From his neck hung a
drawstring pouch containing the only connection he had left to his mother
Eliza and his human friend Joey: a small pocket bible. It had belonged to his
friend, who had read it to him for as long as he could remember. It held all
kinds of stories about humans that the Creator aided. His mother had told
him the Creator would help him, too. Well, NOW would be a good time.
Kimba sighed as a fierce wind ripped around him. It tugged and
pulled him forward, then suddenly died away. When he looked up, he saw a
mass of black shapes moving in the distance. They seemed to all be huddled
around something. Kimba titled his head to the side.
“What‟s that?” He ran over to the black mass and found it formed of
half a dozen vultures. They were pecking and nipping at something that
smelled like him and his mother. A slight fury took hold and he lunged at the
birds with a growl. They scattered and flew away. When they were gone, he
turned to see what they had been pestering. On the dry, cracked earth was
another lion cub. Its golden-brown pelt was ragged and the pads of its paws
were as raw as his. Kimba looked down sadly on the other lion. Why are you
out here?
“Better pace yourself, buddy, or you‟ll be joinin‟ ‟im soon.”
The white cub spun around to find one lone vulture sitting on the
branch of a dead tree above him. Unsure what to make of this, Kimba
crouched defensively and growled softly. “My name is Kimba, I‟m trying to
find my way home, and you can‟t stop me.”
“I won‟t have to kid; this heat and the desert will do that. I‟m just the
clean up crew.”
Kimba glared at the bird before turning his attention back the other
cub. He carefully poked him with his paw, trying to wake him. The only
answer was the soft rise and fall of the golden cub‟s rib cage.
“You best leave ‟im, and let ‟im go in his sleep. Less painful that way,
you know.”
“I didn‟t see you giving him that sort of peace,” replied Kimba,
moving around to the other side of the cub and nudging him with his head.
“Why don‟t you buzz off, you old grump.”
The vulture seethed with rage. “Oh, yeah, I‟ll show you grumpy!” He
took to the air and began dive-bombing the lion cub.
Kimba ducked and dodged, hampered only just by the bible‟s weight.
Feeling it against him, the prince forced himself to calm down. “I don‟t want
to fight you, mister!” he said. “Let‟s be friends!”
“Here we got no use for friends,” said the vulture snidely. “That‟s the
Law of the Jungle!”
The first thing Simba was aware of was that his body hurt. It felt like
something had been poking at him, but that could have just been the memory
of the thorns. The next thing he noticed was the voices. He had been alone
for a while now, with no one around to speak. So who was talking?
“That‟s the Law of the Jungle!” shouted one voice, grating on his ears.
“Not my jungle,” replied the other voice.
Something about the second voice soothed the pain inside him. For
some reason, though it was clearly a young voice, it reminded Simba of his
father. He opened his eyes. About a foot or so away a white lion cub was
battling a large bird.
“Your jungle?” asked the bird, his whole voice an insult.
“Hey!” cried Simba in the loudest voice he could muster. “I don‟t
know who you are, but your voice is getting on my nerves. Buzz off!”
The vulture made a cry between disbelief and anger. His momentary
pause allowed the white cub to land a solid swipe on his wing. Furious at
being cheated out of his dinner, the bird soared to the skies and began to
circle the cubs.
Panting, the other cub smiled at Simba. “Well, at least we don‟t have
to worry about him for a while. My name is Kimba. What‟s yours?”
“Simba,” replied the Pride Rock Prince.
The white cub, Kimba, looked him worriedly. “No,” he said slowly,
“my name‟s Kim-ba.”
Understanding the confusion, the gold cub sat down and sighed. “I
know. My name is Simba, son of… of… Dad!”
Kimba saw the other cub, Simba‟s, face fall as his voice broke on the
last word. There was pain in his eyes, and Kimba first thought was how to
help. He sat down as well and titled his head.
“Something‟s bothering you,” he said. “Anything I can do?”
“Not unless you can change the past.”
They were quiet for a moment, and then Kimba broke the silence.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“I… I did something terrible. But I don‟t wanna talk about it.”
The white lion got up and walked over to the golden one. He put a
paw on the other cub‟s shoulder comfortingly.
“Whatever it is, it can‟t be that bad.”
Can’t be that bad… Can’t be that bad… The words echoed in Simba‟s
mind. Along with the memories of his father falling, his Uncle Scar‟s words,
the stampede, until they swirled and spun like a sandstorm.
“YOU’RE WRONG!” shouted Simba. “My father‟s dead, and it‟s all
my fault! My… fault.”
Sobbing, the Pride Rock Prince found the story spilling from his
mouth. He told the stranger everything: from how his uncle told him to stay
on the rock, to when Nuka appeared and their roaring contest, all the way to
the end where the hyenas chased him into the desert.
Kimba listened quietly while Simba told him his story. When the
other cub had finished the Jungle Prince spoke, “It‟s not your fault.”
Simba looked at his in disbelief. “Yes, it is. If I‟d –”
“Simba, if is the biggest two letter word in the English language; it has
so many possibilities, but none of them change anything. I was born on a
ship, in the middle of an ocean. My father was killed before I born. He died
trying to save my mother, as yours saved you. For however a short time it
was, you knew your father. I never will.”
The golden cub looked at him strangely. “Where‟s your mom? I
mean, what‟s a ship?”
This, of course, led to a discussion about things that float, and
humans, which Simba said he had never seen before. When Kimba got to the
part where his mother made him leave the ship, his voice cracked.
“Hey, you okay?” the golden cub asked.
Kimba just nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. “That was the
last time I saw her, Simba. There was a storm, and the ship sank. When it
was over, I found this –” he tugged on the pouch around his neck “– on a
crate floating in the water. It was my friend Joey‟s. They both must have
drowned. I promised my mom I‟d find my father Panja‟s Jungle. So, you,
see, at least you have a mom to go home to.”
Panja? Panja… why is that name familiar? Simba stared at Kimba,
who looked every bit as lost as he felt. Try as he might he couldn‟t place the
name. He had heard it before, but where? Suddenly he wanted to help the
white lion cub. There had to be something he could do.
“Did your mom tell you about your pride?” he asked. “I mean, do you
have any aunts or uncles? All lions live in prides, so your mom and dad
couldn‟t have been the only ones.”
“Mom said Father‟s sister lived in a village, and hers lived in the
jungle. She told me I had an uncle, too; that he was a King while my father
was an Emperor. But I can‟t remember where. Father had another brother as
well, but I was supposed to find this King Mufasa first.”
Simba froze. “Mufasa? You‟re uncle‟s name is Mufasa?” he asked.
Kimba looked at him strangely. “Yeah, why?”
But the wheels in Simba‟s head were turning. The memory of another
white lion flashed in his mind. It was an old memory, but his father had told
him that was his uncle… the day before he died!
“His name was Panja, my son. He came a great distance just to see
you. His mate, Eliza, has a child by now, too. I wish you could have known
him. I have heard that he told Eliza to name his son Kimba. I wish with all
my heart for the two of you to meet, though it will most likely never occur.
But should you ever see the son of Panja, know this: You can trust him. He
will never steer you wrong. The white lions are the wisest of all.”
The memory faded and Simba stared at the white cub. Could this
really be his cousin? He took a deep breath and asked another question.
“Your dad‟s other two siblings, were their names Scar and Leona?”
“How did you know that?” The words flew out of Kimba‟s mouth
before he could stop them. He stared at Simba in surprise. This cub was a
stranger. How could he know?
“Because, my father was King Mufasa,” replied the golden cub.
“Your mom‟s name is Eliza, right?”
Kimba nodded, and then froze. “Wait a minute! You mean…” he
began.
“I think so,” said Simba.
“We‟re cousins!” they said in unison. The two cubs jumped around
each other a moment and smiled.
“Look, Simba,” said Kimba, “I know you don‟t feel you have any
right to go home, but won‟t your mother miss you?”
“When Uncle Scar tells her what happened, she‟ll hate me.”
No mother would ever hate her child, thought Kimba. Aloud he said,
“Well, unless you got somewhere else in mind, why don‟t you come with me
to Panja‟s Jungle? I could use some company.”
The golden cub‟s eyes lit up for the first time since Kimba had seen
him. He nodded. “Yeah,” he replied, stretching. “I think I‟d like that.”
So they set off together, the Lion King and the Jungle Emperor, across the
desert that did not seem so deserted anymore. Neither cub noticed the
vulture was watching them warily from the skies.
Chapter 2: The Lioness Cub
The dry dusty wasteland gave way at last to a lush savannah. Grateful
to be out of the blazing sun, the two lion princes rolled into the lush grass
and savored the shade of a nearby tree. Before long they were both sound
asleep in the swaying grass.
The sun had nearly set when Kimba awoke. His ears twitched and
then he sat up. He could hear someone crying not far off. Simba stirred when
he sensed Kimba was up. When he saw how tense the other cub was, he
crouched low to the ground.
“What is it?” asked the Pride Rock Prince.
But Kimba just signaled for him to be quiet. The white cub got up and
crept toward the sound, his elder cousin right on his heels. A little ways
away they came upon a hunter‟s trap. Inside was a tawny lioness cub,
sobbing into her fur. She had red, fluffy fur on her cheeks and a red tuft of
fur atop her head. Otherwise she was a soft golden brown. And she was
clearly alone and scared. The two princes came closer to investigate.
“Hi,” said Kimba softly. “What‟s your name?”
The female cub jumped up and backed against the cage bars. “Whwho are you?” she asked shakily.
“I‟m Kimba and this is Simba,” replied the Jungle Prince. “We‟ll get
you out of here.”
“How?” asked Simba, gnawing on the bars. “This stuff is harder than
rocks. What is this thing, anyway?”
“A cage,” replied Kimba. “I was born in one of these.”
“Born in one?” repeated the she-cub. “How did you escape?”
Kimba smiled kindly. “Let‟s talk about that when we get you out of
here. Do you have a name?”
“Rya,” said the lioness cub. “My name is Rya.”
Kimba and Simba circled the cage, trying to find a way to open it.
Then Kimba climbed on top of it and tugged at the rope. The door
opened a tiny bit. He let go and the door fell shut. He grinned. “Simba, get
up here and help me pull. Rya, as soon as you can get out of there. Ready?
One, two, three!”
Together, the princes pulled on the rope and the door slid open. Rya
bolted out and just made it before the boys lost their grip. Kimba and Simba
leapt off the trap and landed beside Rya.
“Come on, let‟s get out of here,” said Kimba, and they all took off
running.
As Simba watched the lioness run alongside Kimba, all he could think
of was his best friend, Nala. He wondered what she was doing now.
Chapter 3: Simba’s Army
*Author’s Note*
Spoiler Warning: This chapter refers to events in “The Lion King and the Jungle
Emperor”, as this story skips a few chapters and changes a few situations. Also,
FYI: Tojo is from a comic titled The Orphan Birds, in which Simba becomes the
“mother” of a handful of baby birds. He later drafts Tojo as the “father”. Tama is
also a comic character; hers is Trouble in Paradise, and she shown to be a friend of
Nala, but finds Simba rather annoying. Mheetu was originally scripted as Nala’s
brother, but was cut before the final film. Kula and Chumvi book characters from
the series Six New Adventures.
Nala growled under her breath as she passed the hyenas. How could
her father – even if he wasn‟t recognized as such – let these creatures live
among them? They had killed her brother, and she would never forgive them
for it. And now she had lost Simba, too. She thought back to the last time
she had spoken to him. The evening they had returned from the Elephant
Graveyard. She had attacked him, blaming him for Mheetu‟s death. Now
she‟d give anything to take those harsh words back.
“Nala, you okay?”
The pale lioness cub looked up to see Tojo standing there with his
birdie children – his and Simba‟s. Nala shook her head. “I just miss Simba
so much. Did you talk to the others?”
Tojo nodded. “They‟ll all be there, Nala. It‟s time for action.”
A golden cub looked left and right before she jumped down into a
small circle of boulders. The other four cubs all looked at her hopefully.
“All clear,” said Tama, shaking her bangs out of her eyes. She sighed
and went to sit by Tojo. “No sign of my brother Prince Brat. Okay, Nala.
Tell us why we‟re here.”
The pale cub stood and took a deep breath. “We all know what Scar
said when my brother died. And then, after Simba and Mufasa‟s death, he
invites Mheetu‟s murders into our home. Our mothers are forced to hunt for
them and we can no longer play without wondering if we will become a
snack. And now Scar has said that we can only practice hunting, not selfdefense. You know why: he‟s afraid that one day we will be strong enough
to overthrow him.”
“Can you get to point?” asked Kula. “We‟re going to miss dinner.”
“I get where she‟s going with this,” said Tojo‟s brother, Chumvi. “We
have to learn how to fight, whether the new King likes it or not. And when
we‟re strong enough, we can take Scar down and throw these slobbering,
mangy, stupid poachers out of our Pride Lands.”
Nala nodded.
“So, like a secret defense club?” asked Tama. “Do we get a secret
name and paw-shake, too?”
The pale cub chose to ignore her friend‟s sarcasm. “A name would be
good,” she said. “Something we can abbreviate so no one, Nuka most of all,
knows what we‟re talking about.”
“How about the Survival Association?” suggested Chumvi. “That‟s
what it‟s all about, right? We could call it S.A. for short.”
Tojo crowded his birds to his side, and then looked up with fire in his
blue eyes. He growled softly. “Yeah, S.A. is good – but let it stand for
Simba‟s Army. That‟s who we should be fighting for. I was out at the gorge
myself the next morning, you know. There was hyena stench everywhere at
the top. I bet they spooked the wildebeests and started the stampede, which
means they killed Simba and Mufasa, even if it was indirectly.”
Nala started to growl. She knew that even if Tojo wasn‟t recognized
as Simba‟s brother or Mufasa‟s son, he had been close to both. And the idea
that the hyenas might have been responsible for her best friend‟s death as
well as her brother‟s made her claws dig into the earth. Oh, if only I were full
grown… “Yeah, Simba‟s Army. I like the sound of that.” Nala held out her
paw and looked the other four cubs in the eye. “Who‟s with me?”
First Tojo, then Chumvi, then Kula and Tama placed their paws one
by one on hers.
“Simba‟s Army,” they whispered together, not knowing Simba was
alive and well not a few miles away.
Chapter 4: The Abandoned Shrine
“Kimba, listen,” said Simba, “It‟s just how the Circle of Life works –
eat or be eaten.”
“Maybe for you,” replied the white cub, “but I‟d rather live and let
live. Humans manage to live in peace, and so can we.”
“No offensive, but humans hunt for food, too, you know,” countered
the golden cub.
Rya sighed as the three cubs walked along. Yet another hunt had been
botched, leading to this circular conversion. Kimba was against killing in
general. Simba believed that it was the way things were meant to be. While
they respected each other‟s opinion, neither prince ever stopped trying to
convince the other to see things their way. And in all honesty, it was getting
on Rya‟s nerves. She stopped for a drink, leaving them to it.
Abruptly the quiet of the jungle was shattered by a loud squawking
voice calling her name. Rya‟s head shot up and her eyes darted around
trying to find the voice‟s owner. Her companions likewise looked around
and into view flew a green parrot that hovered above them.
“Rya! There you are! I‟ve been searching everywhere for you. Leona
has been frantic with worry.”
Both Kimba and Simba looked at each other. Could it be?
Rya began to prance, grinning broadly. “Oh, Coco,” she replied. “I
thought I‟d never see you again. Can you lead us to the shrine?”
“Us?” repeated the parrot, noticing the princes for the first time. The
bird did a double take. “It can‟t be!”
Simba crouched and growled. “What can‟t be?” he demanded.
Kimba rolled his eyes. “Simba, chill. I think Mom told me about this
bird. He knew my father.”
“Really? So he‟s like Zazu?”
“Not exactly…”
Coco did a somersault in the air before he replied. “Is it really Prince
Simba? But I was told you died in the stampede!”
The Pride Rock Prince looked suddenly wary. “By who? What else
did they tell you?”
The parrot was no longer looking at him though. He was staring at the
white cub. “And you, you said you thought I knew your father. Can it really
be Prince Kimba? You were said to have drowned!”
The Jungle Prince‟s eyes tightened, but he smiled and nodded.
“Pleased to meet you, Coco,” he said conversationally before turning to
Simba. “It seems the rumors of our death are widely exaggerated.”
Rya stopped her prancing and looked sternly at the bird. “Take us to
the Priestess,” she ordered. “She will wish to see her nephews, and they
should meet her. They‟ll need all the help they can get.”
After her capture, the women of the shrine had attempted to make the
white lioness into a tourist attraction. But as the allure of her presence wore
off, so did the visitors. The money dried up, and the villagers moved on,
leaving Leona behind. Wary after the fall of her eldest brothers, she had
chosen to remain at the shrine rather than return to the jungle. She had found
Rya, lost and alone, and had taken her in.
All this was explained by Coco as they traveled through the plains and
the brief scattering of trees. The moon was high when they finally arrived.
The shrine and the scattered village surrounding it had not been empty long
enough for the buildings to have crumbled, but it was eerie regardless.
The princes looked at each other, gulped, then followed the lioness
cub into the heart of the silent village. Shadows danced around them as the
clouds above drifted past the watching moon, making Simba uneasy,
This place is worse than the Elephant Graveyard, he thought to
himself, half-expecting to see the hyenas slip out from behind one of the
buildings. The unnatural quiet of the place made him look over his shoulder
frequently. He saw that Kimba, however, never did.
They came at last to a walled-in courtyard; a stone altar sat in the
center on a high dais. The stairs to reach it were at least three feet high.
And it was from the top of this platform that a white shape leaped,
landing agilely before them. Her eyes glowing in the darkness, her coat
bleached out by the moonlight, the Priestess Leona was an imposing figure.
“Who dares enter my domain?” she asked in an icy voice. “State your
business or leave now!”
“It‟s only us, Priestess,” replied Rya, striding forward. “While I could
not gather the information you sent me for, I found something better.”
Leona‟s expression softened. She smiled. “Ah, so you are safe, my
Rya. I feared the hunters had captured you.”
“They did, or at least, one of their traps did,” Rya told her. She turned
and indicated the cubs behind her. “These two rescued me.”
“And who, pray tell, are they?”
“Kimba and Simba,” replied Rya and Coco, to Leona‟s astonishment.
After everything had been explained, and the cubs had eaten – fish
caught by Leona earlier in the day – the white lioness told her nephews that
she had sent Rya to gather news of the Pride Lands. Sadly, the trap has kept
her from reaching them, and they had no idea how things were faring. But
there were rumors that Scar had allowed the hyenas into the kingdom.
“He‟d never!” protested Simba. “If you‟d heard how he talked after
they killed Mheetu, you‟d know he‟d never give those mangy creatures
anything. He hates them.”
“I can only tell you what I have heard, nephew. I know you feel
responsible for Mufasa‟s death, but what you‟ve told me sounds very
suspicious. I cannot fathom why my brother would plan a surprise in the
gorge, or why Nuka would suddenly appear. Something is very wrong with
this picture.” Leona began to pace, her brow furrowed in concentration. “It
reminds me of how the humans found Eliza. I have no idea how they could
have cornered her so easily if they had not known where to look, and yet,
clearly no one could have told them.”
“Well, duh,” replied Simba. “We can‟t talk to humans.”
“Uh, Simba?” said Kimba. “Yes, we can. The Creator gave Mtume‟s
descendants the gift to speak to any human that respects them.”
Leona smiled. “I see Eliza wasted no time teaching you all she could,”
she said. “Yes, that is the case. But these humans do not see us as equals.
They would not have been able to understand.”
“So, what are we going to do now, Leona?” asked Rya. “These two
are the rightful heirs, not Jamar and Scar. Shouldn‟t we confront them?”
Leona looked thoughtful. “Perhaps,” she admitted. “Or perhaps not.
We should wait until know for sure just what is going on here. It is possible
that my brother has succumbed to the hate he has carried these long years.”
“Hate?” repeated the Princes. “What are you talking about?”
“I mean,” Simba added, his face as dubious as his cousin‟s. “Dad and
Uncle Scar got along just fine. Why would they hate each other?”
“It was Mufasa who gave Taka his scar. It was a misunderstanding, an
accident, but one Zira has never forgiven. Then the hunters killed our mother
Uru after Taka warned Mufasa of their presence. He has blamed Mufasa
ever since.”
Simba thought suddenly of Nala, and how she had lashed out at him,
blaming him for Mheetu‟s death. Had his uncle once done the same? Did
that explain the “like father, like son” comment Zira made? He shook his
head in an effort to clear the thoughts.
Leona‟s eyes turned kind again. “It is late,” she said. “You should all
get some sleep. Come, I‟ll show you a safe place for you to spend the night.”
Chapter 5: Like Father Like Son
“That‟s it, Tama!” called Nala from her perch, watching the other
cubs tumble. “Use your hind legs!”
The practices had been going rather well, as far as the pale cub was
concerned. Kula and Tama had mastered her trick-flip, and they were all
significantly faster, maybe even a little stronger. And best of all, no one else
knew about their daily practice. The others thought they were playing. Nuka
was too busy bossing everyone around – “a right little prince”, as Zira
repulsively put it – to take much notice of his peers‟ activities. It was a
freeing thing, this silent rebellion, and the cubs gloried in it.
“You think we‟ll be ready soon?” asked Chumvi. “Dang it, Blue-eyes,
get off me! You weigh as much as Kula.”
Tojo smirked and let him up. The golden cub‟s clumsiness had faded
away, revealing a strong male that would one day grow as large as Mufasa.
He winked at Nala.
She smiled. “We‟re still too small,” she replied. “But that doesn‟t
mean we can give up. Practice makes perfect.”
Kula shoved Tama off her and pounced on the dark male, pinning him
with ease. He let out a grunt when she looked down at him. “Are you sure
Tojo‟s as heavy as me?” she asked with a grin.
“No,” groaned Chumvi, “you‟re heavier! Get off! I can‟t breathe!”
The other cubs laughed as she stood and allowed him to get to his
feet.
The dark brown cub couldn‟t resist teasing him. “How are you going
to beat Scar if you still get pinned by a girl?” she asked. “You are such as
big baby.”
“I am not!” growled Chumvi. “You take that back!”
“No. Never.”
Chumvi pounced on his sister, and soon they were rolling in the dirt.
He tugged on her ear and she kicked at his stomach.
“I am not a baby!” he said through his teeth.
“Are, too!”
“Am not!
“Are, too!”
Tojo and Tama rolled their eyes as Nala rushed over to break up their
scuffle. She smacked both cubs over the head with her paw. “In-fighting will
get us nowhere,” she snapped. “Stop it!”
“Looks to me that such internal strife is exactly what you‟re striving
for, sister.”
The five cubs looked up to see Nuka sitting on a rock above them, two
hyenas on either side of him.
Nala growled. “I am not your sister,” she snapped. “My only brother
is dead.”
“Now, what makes you say that?” said Nuka, his eyes touching on
Tama, Chumvi and Kula. “We all know who our father is.”
“It takes more than siring a cub to make a lion a father,” said Chumvi,
crouching low. His tail swished and he let a growl pass through his teeth.
The Prince laughed, and the hyenas joined him.
“What do you want, Nuka?” demanded Nala. She moved so she was
standing beside Chumvi. One by one the other cubs joined her. “Quit toying
with us and just spit it out already!”
“Oh, but dear Nala,” said the dark brown cub, leaping down of the
rock and striding over to her. He put his face inches from hers. “We all
know how good you are at cat and mouse games.”
“What. Do. You. Want,” repeated the pale cub, spitting each word
through her teeth.
Nuka gave her a Cheshire cat grin. “I just wonder what you‟d be
willing to do for me,” he said snidely, “if I agree not to tell the King of your
little rebellion.”
“What rebellion?” Tama asked innocently. She blew her bangs out of
her eyes. “We‟re just playing,” she added, her tone sarcastic, “brother dear.”
“No,” said the dark cub. “You were play-fighting. I have witnesses –”
Here he looked back at the hyenas. “– that will be happy to tell the King
what they saw. Unless you do exactly as I say.”
The golden female snarled. “You… you little…”
“You know,” said Nala, putting herself between the littermates before
a full-blown fight broke out. “For someone who just claimed kinship with
me, you‟re awfully unconcerned about siding with Mheetu‟s killers.”
The hyenas burst out laughing.
“Oh, so you‟re that tasty cub‟s sister?” the thinner one said, trying
stop himself. “Remember, Tab? The spunky one?”
“He had quite a flavor, now that you mention it, Tom,” said the
stockier of the two. “I wonder if this one is as good.”
“You wouldn‟t dare,” snapped Tojo. “You‟re not allowed to hunt us,
and you know it.”
“Just like you aren‟t allowed to practice defense,” said Nuka
smoothly. “And besides, accidents can happen.”
The word reverberated in Nala‟s ears. Something clicked into place
and she saw red. “An accident, like the stampede?” she asked, a snarl
building in her chest. “Is that what you mean?”
Nuka blinked, and then gave her an innocent smile. “Why, whatever
are you implying?” he asked. “Surely not what I think you are. You would
accuse our allies of murder? For shame!”
“I do not accuse them of anything,” snapped Nala. “They killed my
brother! I wonder, just what started the stampede?”
“Oh, Nala,” replied Nuka, patting her head as you would as naughty
child. “Does it really bother you so much, losing your chance to be Queen?
I‟m sure if I spoke with Father, he‟d agree for you to be my bride.”
Nala made a face in disgust. “Never,” she snapped. “If I ever even
dreamed of that, it would be a nightmare. Didn‟t you just call me „sister‟?
You‟re sick.”
“Well, I can see that we just don‟t see eye-to-eye,” Nuka replied,
sauntering over to the hyenas. He let out a theatrical sigh. “I guess I have no
choice but to do the right thing.”
“That‟d be a first,” muttered Kula, glaring at him.
“I am so sorry for this,” said Nuka with a grin. “But I have to turn you
in. We‟ll take you to the King, and see what he has to say about your little
club.”
“Get ready,” Nala whispered to the others. “On my signal, run away
as fast as you can.” Then she said loudly: “He‟ll never believe them. I
remember what he said when Mheetu died. He hates them.”
“Maybe,” the Prince agreed. “However, he will believe me.” He
looked over at the hyenas. “Take them,” he ordered. “No – OW!”
At that moment Nala struck, smacking him across the face. The other
cubs bolted, but the hyenas just froze, unable to process what had happened.
Blood welled in the paths of Nala‟s claws, leaving a slight gash across the
Prince‟s left eye.
She smirked as she took off. “Like Father,” she shouted, “like son.”
“Don‟t just stand there, you idiots!” snapped Nuka. “Get THEM!”
“Uh, Boss,” said Tom. “I only see the one cub.”
Nuka shook the blood out of his eye to see Nala running away. He
growled. They were right: the others had escaped.
“Then get HER! In pieces if you have to, but GET HER!”
Tojo led the charge as the cubs raced through the grass. Nala
scrambled to catch up, but the two hyenas were right on her tail. Still, he,
Tama, Kula, and Chumvi made it to the border. He was just about to jump
down the hill when he heard a scream. He spun around and saw the hyenas
grab Nala. Anger filled him and he started forward at full speed, the birds
taking to the air as he ran.
Nala screamed in pain as Tom‟s teeth closed on her leg. Tab pinned
her down seconds later. She squirmed as she tried to break their hold. Her
eyes moved to the hill at the edge of the Pride Lands. The others were
already over it. Except –
“Tojo!” she yelled. “NO! Run!” She couldn‟t stand the sight as the
blue-eyed cub charged down the hill, looking far too much like Simba for
comfort. She couldn‟t lose him, too. She wouldn‟t. “Stop, Tojo! Go back!”
“Not without you!” he yelled across the distance, never slowing for a
second. The birds hovered over him, struggling to keep up.
“You have to – OW!” she said, crying out when one of the hyenas
grabbed her by her scruff. “They‟ll just get you, too. Go! The others need
you. Find Leona; she‟ll help you. Please, Tojo! I can‟t lose anyone else.”
It was the heartbreak in her voice that decided him. Hating himself for
listening to her, Tojo nodded and spun around. He knew who Leona was,
and he had no doubt she would help them if they could get to her fast
enough. Holding on to that thought, the golden cub leapt over the hill and
slid down to where the other cubs were waiting.
“Where‟s Nala?” asked Chumvi. The dark cub was shaking just a bit.
“They caught her,” replied Tojo. “She told me we should get Leona.
Come on, if we can get help fast enough, Scar won‟t have time to harm her.”
The others looked apprehensive, but they nodded.
I promise, Simba, though Tojo, glancing up briefly at the stars that
were just beginning to show in the sky. I will not let her down.
Chapter 6: Revelations
Tojo and the cubs glanced left and right as they walked cautiously
through the Jungle that had once belonged to Panja. He had sent two of the
birds ahead, telling them to ask for the location of the Priestess. As if his
thoughts had summoned them, the pair appeared in the branches ahead.
“We found her!” cried Rin. “The shrine‟s been abandoned, but she‟s
still there. Come on!”
Relief filled Tojo, and he led the cubs after the birds. It was still a
slow process as the savannah-born lions were not used to the closely grown
foliage. But at least there was hope. The golden cub clung to that thought as
they scrambled through trees and branches.
The Princes woke up rested for the first time is a long while. Both
yawned and stretched, then started down the stairs to speak with the others.
Leona was already awake, as was Rya. They exchanged greetings before
settling down to breakfast. Once that had been completed, Simba spoke up.
“Aunt Leona?” he asked. “Was – was there any news about Nala?”
The white lioness shook her head. “I‟ve heard nothing about the
cubs,” she told him, “only the state of affairs.”
The golden cub‟s face fell.
Kimba placed a paw upon his shoulder. “I‟m sure she‟s okay,” he
began, but he never got to finish. At that moment, Coco burst into view.
“Other cubs!” he shouted. “There are four other cubs headed this way!
Were you boys expecting friends?”
Both princes shook their heads.
Leona stood and quickly took charge of the situation. “Describe the
cubs, Coco,” she ordered. “They may be Pridelanders.”
“Two are as gold as the Lion King here,” he replied. “One has the
beginning of a mane, and the other‟s blue-eyed. That one has few birds
about her. The others are dark brown; one‟s kind of chubby.”
Simba‟s eyes widened and he laughed. “You‟ve got the genders
wrong,” he said through the laughter. “The blue-eyed cub‟s Tojo – we raised
those birds together. The other gold cub is Nuka‟s sister Tama. And the dark
cubs must be Chumvi and Kula.” Then his mirth died away. “But… there‟s
only four?” he asked. “Where‟s Nala, then?”
Leona turned to look at him. “We will find out as soon as they arrive.
Coco, go and escort our new guests. We will see what news they have of the
Pride Lands.”
Tojo rolled his eyes as Kula complained about the meals she‟d missed
once again.
His birds chuckled as they led the way. “We could probably find you
some nice grubs, Miss,” said Rin kindly.
Kula made a face. “Eww, gross!”
“Well, you said you were starving,” commented Chumvi.
His sister swatted him. Tojo just had enough hope to chuckle. Then a
squawking bird came hurtling into view.
“Welcome, guests! The priestess Leona sends me to escort you. Please
follow me. Right this way!”
Relief flooded Tojo‟s body as he led the cubs after the parrot. Soon
enough they‟d have help, and Nala would be safe. They cleared the distance
in record time, only to skid to a stop as soon as they saw the white lioness
and her companions. The birds tumbled backwards in midair as the blueeyed cub slowly walked forward, shock written all over his face.
“Simba?” he asked.
After a well-deserved lunch, everything was explained on both sides.
Simba‟s resolve had hardened far more than Kimba had thought him capable
of. The news his friend was in danger, as well as the possibility the hyenas
had started the stampede, was reason enough to light a fire in his heart.
Kimba sat beside their aunt and watched the Pride Rock Prince pace as he
repeated all they had learned, and all he had told them.
“There‟s got to be something we can do,” he said once he‟d finished.
“We can‟t just let Nala get hurt, or those fiends destroy the Pride Lands.”
“We need a plan of action,” said Leona. “I believe our best bet is to
sneak back in and contact Sarabi. She can rally the lionesses. Scar must be
stopped. Sad as it may be, my brother has gone too far.”
The Pridelanders, as well as Kimba and Rya, all nodded. Softly they
began to thrash out strategy. They only had so much time.
Chapter 7: Confessions
It was dark by the time the lions arrived at the edge of the Pride
Lands. Simba looked up at the watching stars, trembling as his father‟s
words came back to him. What he wouldn‟t give for guidance right now.
Slowly they crept through the tall grass, Rin and the other birds keeping a
lookout above them. In the distance, they could hear the hyenas laughing.
They crossed around the back of Pride Rock, and soon crouched low taking
in the scene before them. The pride was gathered roughly in front of the
cave; his mother and the six lionesses Simba remembered as the members of
her hunting party looked livid, Sarafina most of all. But where was…
“NALA!” shouted his uncle, his face turned toward the cave.
It was only then that Simba noticed Zira and her party of five, and
Nuka standing behind the dark lion. The golden cub felt his eyes widen as he
became aware of the fact his cousin‟s left eye was swollen shut, an angry red
gash marring it. Just what had happened? Then, her head held high, his best
friend strolled out of the cave to stand before the King. Simba felt his heart
ache as he saw Nala show no fear.
Her body still stinging from the wounds the hyenas had given her,
Nala looked up at dark lion with contempt. “Yes, Scar?” she said, the words
painted with scorn.
The King began to pace in front of her. “You stand accused of
disobeying Royal Decree Number Three,” said the dark lion. “How do you
plead?”
Nala refused to blink. So he was going to be formal, eh? Two could
play that game. “I can say without shame that I did disregard your „decree‟
that we cubs no longer be permitted to learn how to defend ourselves.” Nala
then glared at the lion that sired her; proud that her voice never shook once
despite the knowledge there was no escape for her. Scar simply continued
with his feigned trial.
“You also stand accused of attacking the Crown Prince,” said the
King, glancing over at Nuka. “Do you deny it?”
“No.”
“Then you‟re guilty.” The dark lion‟s face became sad. “But there is
still a chance for you to redeem yourself. If you will promise never to do
anything like this again, and lead us to your accomplices, all will be
forgiven. You could even become the future queen again.”
Nala drew herself up to her full height and narrowed her eyes.
“Never!” she shouted. “Dead or not I stand for the rightful king! Simba‟s
Army!”
“Then I sentence you to death,” replied the dark lion.
The pride gasped, all but Zira and Nuka.
“You can‟t do that!” shouted her mother.
“I am the King!” Scar roared back. “I can do whatever I want.”
Those words, so similar to her lost friend, made Nala see red.
“If you were half the King Simba would‟ve been –” she began, but her
protest was cut short, because Scar spun around and backslapped her across
the ground. The pale cub heard the hyenas start to close in. Simba, Mheetu!
I’m coming!
“NO!”
Kimba watched, stunned as the Pride Rock Prince rushed out of their
hiding place to stand in front of the pale female cub. He had never dreamed
Simba would be capable of such a reaction. He felt a great deal of pride as
his cousin moved into a crouch.
“Don’t you touch her!” shouted Simba.
There were audible gasps at the sight of the gold cub. The Jungle
Prince saw the female cub open her eyes and look up. She seemed confused.
“Tojo?” she asked.
His heart lurched in his chest as Simba looked down at his best friend.
Slowly he shook his head, his eyes very sad. “No,” he replied. “It‟s me.”
“Simba?” she said, and the smile she gave him was brighter than the
stars. “You‟re alive? But, how –”
“It doesn‟t matter, Nala,” he said, nuzzling her face. “I‟m home.”
“Simba?” a lioness asked. The golden cub looked up into her eyes.
From his expression, Kimba knew who this must be. “No, you‟re dead.”
“No, Mom,” he whispered. “Not really.”
Scar stood stunned at the sight of Mufasa‟s son. How could this be?
Didn‟t the hyenas tell him they had killed the brat? Fury washed over him,
but he forced himself to remain calm. He knew the cub‟s weakness. He
could still salvage the situation.
“Ah, Simba,” he said, striding forward. “I had hoped it would not
come to this. Why, dear nephew, didn‟t you take me advice?”
The cub gulped, but answered him. “Because… because there are
some things you can‟t run away from.”
The dark lion forced himself not to growl. The brat was still his
father‟s clone. He had thought, once, that had he raised the cub he might
have changed that. But clearly, Mufasa‟s hold had survived even death.
“Yes,” drawled the King. “All of us have crimes that weigh upon our
conscience. The pressure of lying for you like that – oh! It has been such a
strain. But surely nothing in comparison to what you have endured.” He saw
with delight the gold cub‟s face fall.
“Lying for him?” repeated Sarabi. “Simba, what is he talking about?”
“Yes, Simba,” Scar said. “Now is your chance to confess. Tell her…
who is responsible for Mufasa’s death.”
Kimba watched as almost the entire pride – save an angular lioness
and the brown cub beside her – gasped. Simba‟s face changed; it looked just
the same as it had the day they had met. The white cub felt his body start to
shake. He longed to run out and stop this, but he didn‟t know how.
“Why don‟t you tell them, Scar?”
The Jungle Prince whipped his head around as Leona leaped out from
their hiding place and strode toward her brother.
The other cubs followed, moving to stand behind Simba.
The dark lion‟s face turned to surprise before he answered. “Whatever
do you mean, sister?” he asked. “Why would I deny our nephew this chance
to clear his conscience?”
The pale cub – Nala – stood up and looked at the gathered lions.
“Would someone please tell us what‟s going on?”
“Allow me,” said Leona. “You have been lied to.”
Kimba barely listened as his aunt recounted the story of the gorge and
Mufasa‟s death. His attention was on his cousin. Silently, he moved to stand
beside Simba. Nala did the same, taking the left.
“You okay?” they asked in unison.
The gold cub looked from one to the other and nodded.
Rya came up beside him. She nudged the white cub, nodding at the
Priestess. Leona had begun to pace back and forth in front of the “King” as
she spoke; her eyes taking in the two clearly separate groups of lionesses and
the hyenas. Kimba followed her gaze and realized if it came to fighting, they
would be out-numbered. He nodded to show he understood.
“You see?” asked Leona as she finished her tale. “Something is
horribly wrong with this situation – it makes almost no sense.”
Scar felt the fury take a hold of him. It wouldn‟t take long before
Sarabi and the others put two and two together. They wouldn‟t recognize
that he done what he‟d done to save the Pride Lands.
At that moment Shenzi came up alongside him. “What you want us to
do, Boss?”
“If you had done your job then we wouldn‟t be in this situation!” he
yelled without thinking. “I should have taken care of the brat myself just as
like his father!” The dark lion understood his mistake as soon as he saw his
sister‟s eyes go cold.
Leona growled, as did Sarabi and her hunting party. “What exactly do
you mean by that, Scar?” demanded the white lioness as she crouched to
spring.
Defiant to the end, the dark lion raised his head. “That, to save us all, I
killed Mufasa!”
Chapter 8: Consequences
Simba froze as his uncle‟s words clicked in his head. It wasn‟t his
fault. It had never been his fault. But before he could fully process it all hell
broke loose. His mother and Zira‟s hunting parties crashed together like
giant waves. He looked up as the ninety-strong hyena pack closed in around
them. Beside him, Kimba and Nala crouched low, preparing for the battle.
He and the other cubs hurried to do the same. But it proved unnecessary.
Just as the hyenas were about to close in, a sharp wind blew and the
forms of two adult lions took shape between the cubs and their attackers.
The pack gasped, as did the cubs: before them stood Mufasa and Panja. The
former King and Emperor were semi-transparent, but the fury on their faces
was obvious. Together they roared and the pack scattered. The battle
between the lions completely froze at the sight of the ghosts. Zira and her
lionesses slowly backed up behind Scar, who stared open-mouthed at his
brothers. “Mufasa?” said the dark lion. “No! You‟re dead!”
Leona slowly smiled. “Thank you,” she whispered.
The wind picked up and the ghosts vanished.
Sarabi stepped forward and glared at Scar as Leona and Sarafina
moved to flank her. “I hear-by exile Scar and anyone who follows him.”
Scar, though visibly shaken, spoke up. “You can‟t do that! Only the
King can make those kinds of decisions.”
Sarabi actually smirked. She turned to her son. “You‟re right. What do
you think, your majesty?”
Simba raised himself to his full height and narrowed his eyes. “Run,”
he said to his uncle. “Run away, Scar. And never return.”
Out-numbered, though only just, Scar, Zira, Nuka and their supporters
slunk away. The pride then looked at Kimba and Simba. Sarabi smiled. “The
rightful rulers have returned.”
And here ends this story of Kimba and Simba. By the end of the week,
Jamar and his mate had joined Scar and Zira‟s pride. The kingdoms thrived
as the Princes took their rightful places, with Leona and Sarabi around for
guidance. But in the Outlands, the dark lions and their pride began to plot
the fall of the Lion King and the Jungle Emperor.
Copyright Statement
Text and Images Copyright © 2010-2012 by Ashleigh D. J. Cutler
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this
publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored
in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.
Rainbow Wolf Productions
Rainbow Wolf Productions.com ~ AshWolf-Forever on deviantArt
First Electronic Edition: December 2012
First Posted Online: 2009-2010
This is a work of fan fiction. The characters and events portrayed in this story are fictitious. Any
similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Cutler, Ashleigh, 1985 –
When Kimba Meets Simba: An Alternate Adventure – 1st Edition.
Summary: A crossover of The Lion King and Jungle Emperor Leo/Kimba the White Lion,
explores what might have been had Kimba and Simba met.
The illustrations were created with GIMP, a Cannon Pixma MP120 Scanner, Medium Art Paper,
and Mechanical Pencils.
When Kimba Meets Simba is a work of fan fiction. However, I do own some of the characters you
saw in this story. Please refer to the information below. Thank you.
Panja, Leona, Eliza, Rya, Kimba, Tom, Tab and Coco, Kimba the White Lion, and all locals,
characters, etc. © Tezuka Productions
Mufasa, Taka/Scar, Zira, Sarabi, Sarafina, Shenzi, Banzi, Ed, Nuka, Nala, Mheetu, Simba, Tojo,
Tama, Chumvi and Kula, The Lion King, and all locals, characters, etc. © Disney
The Creator, The Destroyer, Father John, Joey, and some story elements © AshWolf Forever
The title was set in Copperplate Gothic Bold.
The body text was set in Times New Roman.
Printed in the USA.
PDF created with Microsoft Word 2010.
Author’s Note
In my fanverse, male lions mate with more than one lioness, but only the cubs
born to their official mates [wives, i.e. Sarabi to Mufasa, Zira to Scar] are “claimed” as
theirs. The rest belong only to their mothers. Tojo and Simba are Mufasa‟s offspring;
Nala, Mheetu, Kula, and Chumvi are Scar‟s, yet none of them has a claim to the throne.
I am not completely pleased with these last three chapters; they feel off and
rushed. However as this is still the same universe as TLKTJE, and there are a couple
things I have yet to decide, this was the most I could do for now.
Some things I am considering: In the non-US comics and other semi-canon
sources, there are 20 unnamed cubs in Simba‟s generation, some slightly younger than he
is. Two of these are his cousins, presumably the heirs of a neighboring pride. There is
also Malka, a male cub from another neighboring pride. In the 1966/1993 Kimba series,
Kitty/Rya has an uncle who is a King. The 1989 Kimba series has two male cubs that I
know of, Amji and Keruru, who live with their grandfather. The question is if the Princes
could have gone to any of these for help in dethroning Scar.
I have already decided that Malka is the son of Eliza‟s (Kimba‟s mother) sister.
His father is unknown in the comic, but I considered Claw/Jamar, as Eliza in my story is
the true heir of the Jungle Pride, and without Kimba the throne would go to her sister and
whomever she took as a Consort.
The other option is a lion in Six New Adventures that appears old enough, but is…
confusing to use. In my story, Eliza is the daughter of Jungle Emperor Imara – son of
Jungle Emperor Leo II, aka “Twoey” from JetLag Productions‟ 1994 Leo the Lion: King
of the Jungle – and this lion, alternately called Leo or Mega, is almost the same color as
Twoey. He could be either Imara‟s brother or nephew, most likely, which begs the
question of why he didn‟t challenge Claw/Jamar or at least back up Kimba. Or he is just a
lion related to Twoey‟s sire, as Twoey was adopted into the royal line.
Any suggestions will be appreciated… but I will only use what feels right.
In closing, thank you all for taking the time to read this little story.
Acknowledgements
This story would not have been possible without the following people, who I
count as friends, and websites.
Rinjapine: a great author and artist who not only listened to my oddball theories,
but also led me to this site, which has been great for names.
HectorNY: an open-minded Kimba fan who is a saint for putting up with my
questions.
The Lion King WWW Archive: Scripts from all three films.
The Lion King Wikia: Info on just about everything.
Kimba‟s Corner: My go-to for Kimba info.
I also want to thank Sweetflame on Fanfiction.net for making me think of
Dumbledore‟s Army.