A Moment of Regret!
                        By Justin Cooke
                     Edited by Jason Knight
                                
Inspired by all of those great fan fictions out there. It is my hope to someday write one as great
those already existing.

Thanks to:

-Jason Knight for editing my first piece of fan fiction.
-The TLK mailing list for support, ideas, and just being there.
-Disney for creating The Lion King and keeping off my butt with their lawyers.
-My English teacher, Mrs. Mokry, this year for being the first to teach me proper grammar.
-The writers of all fan fictions I've read, too many to mention, great stories, keep up the great
work.
-Ryan McGinnis' and Brian Tiemann's web pages. Where I've found most of my reading material
and the script.
Legal-type Stuff
-All characters in this story are (c) Walt Disney Corporation.
-You are free to distribute this story, as long as it is not changed in any way and you receive
permission from the author (myself). As long as you Email me, nalaholic@geocities.com, I'll be
happy to give you permission to distribute. I just want to know where this is going.
-I hope this is it. If not, please forgive me, I'm not a legal expert.
This is my first piece of fan fiction so it's, of course, going to have errors and the like in it so
Email your comments to nalaholic@geocities.com. Constructive comments and criticism, no
HatEmail. This is going to conflict with many other works of fan fiction, but this is basically
unique so it is going to do this. The Lion King left so many pieces out to save time. This fills in
some small pieces of the puzzle and one large one. This is an alternate ending, if Nala would
have kept going after Simba just after the Can You Feel The Love Tonight scene instead of
letting him walk off. I have added some of my own personality into Simba's and years and years
of brainwashing television plots. I hope this makes for a good story. Hope you like it.
Justin Cooke


"Isn't this a great place?"
"Yes, it is beautiful. But there is one thing I don't understand.
You've been alive all this time. Why didn't you come back to Pride
Rock?"
Simba jumped up into a hammock made of vines. "I just needed to
get out on my own. Live my own life, and it's great."
"We've really need you at home."
"No one needs me."
"Yes, we do. You're the king."
"Nala, we've been through this. I'm not the king, Scar is."
"Simba, he let the hyenas take over the Pride Lands."
"What?"
"Everything's destroyed, there's no food, no water. If you don't
do something, everyone will starve."
"I can't go back."
"Why?"
"You wouldn't understand."
"What wouldn't I understand?"
"No, no, it doesn't matter. Hakuna Matata."
"What?"
"Hakuna Matata. It's something I've learned out here. Look,
sometimes bad things happen..."
"Simba!"
"...and there's nothing you can do about it. So why worry."
"Because it's your responsibility."
"Well, what about you. You left."
"I left to find help, and I found you. Don't you understand,
you're our only hope."
"Sorry."
"What's happened to you. You're not the Simba I remember."
"You're right, I'm not. Now are you satisfied?"
"No, just disappointed."
"You're starting to sound like my father."
"Good, at least one of us does."
"You think you can show up and tell me how to live my life? You
don't even know what I've been through."
"I would if you would just tell me."
"Forget it."
As Simba walked away, Nala began to follow him.
"Simba, please. We need your help desperately," Nala pleaded.
"I can't go back. Never."
"Simba, you..." Nala started.
"Damn it, what don't you understand? I can't go back! Ever!"
Simba yelled as he stopped in front of her.
"Simba, you're the king. It is your responsibility. Mufasa would
never have..."
"Stop it. Stop it. Leave me alone."
"NO! Not until you understand that you have to go back. Start
acting like the king, like Mufasa's son."
This was the breaking point for Simba. After years of pain and
suffering, mentioning his father brought back all of the memories he had
tried so hard to forget. He could see his father falling into the
stampede. His mangled body laying on the floor of the gorge. "Nooooo!"
he yelled. "Stop mentioning my father. Stop it."
"Why?" Nala inquired.
"Leave me alone!" he screamed and sent his paw flying towards
Nala. He fit her full force and knocked her to the ground. He could
see where his one extended claw had hit her. A single drop of blood
fell to the ground.
"No." He looked at his paw. He looked back at Nala. She wasn't
moving. She was still breathing but slower than usual.
"Nala? Nala?" Simba walked over to her and nudged her, much like
he did when he had first found his father. He started to cry.
She opened her eyes and looked up. "Simba..."
"I'm so sorry. What have I done. I almost... Like years ago,
with my father..."
"Simba, what has happened to you. All of this pain you have tried
to forget with this Hakuna Matata. It has tortured you. Why won't you
come back?"
"It's my fault. My father died because of me. I was in the
gorge. Scar has told me that my father had a surprise for me. Then,
when I was practicing my roar, the wildebeests started running down the
side. I ran to a tree, but after a few minutes, the tree snapped and my
father jumped in and grabbed me. He put me on a ledge, but the stampede
knocked him back down. He tried to climb up a wall, but I saw him fall
back in. After the stampede was over, I tried to wake him up but..."
Simba started crying even harder. By now, even Nala was beginning to
cry.
"But he was dead." Nala said.
"Yes. I stayed there with him until Scar came. He told me it was
my fault. He told me to run away and never return. Then the hyenas
started chasing me, but they stopped when I jumped into a patch of
thorny vines. They told me if I ever came back, they would kill me."
Nala could see this was very painful for him to tell. "But it
wasn't your fault, it was an accident. Why would Scar tell you to run
away? He knew it wasn't your fault. He told you to stay in the gorge
and wait for your father."
"But I started the stampede. It was my fault that my father had to
come and save me. He died because of me."
"But it couldn't have been your fault. How could you have scared
the herd enough to make them run into the gorge."
Nala lay down beside Simba. She purred a little to let him know
that she was there for him.
"I'm so sorry. It's just that you kept going on and..."
"It's all right Simba. I'm here now. I forgive you."
There was a long silence, but Nala knew she would have to ask him
sometime if he had made up his mind, and she figured now was as good a
time as any.
"Simba. You have to go back soon. The pride needs you," she said
"Yes, I know. I have to challenge Scar and save the pride. I
doubt he will step down, and I will have to fight him," Simba said,
sighing afterwords.
"You've made the right choice Simba. But let's go back tomorrow.
You could use the rest, and it's getting late. We'll have a long day
ahead of us."
"Yes, tomorrow." And with that, they both fell asleep, exhausted
by the day's events.
The next day, they went hunting. They found an antelope that had
strayed from its herd and ate as much as they possibly could. Nala told
Simba that she doubted they would be eating this well for a while
considering the conditions the Pride Lands were in.
Next, they found Timon and Pumbaa. Simba told them that he had to
go back to save his kingdom.
"Simba, we're with you all the way." Timon said.
Pumbaa simply nodded.
They all started off, and by the end of the day, they had reached
the border of the Pride Lands.
Simba looked around; it was terrible. He could see Pride Rock in the
distance.
"It's awful, isn't it?" Nala asked him.
"Yes. And Scar will pay for everything he has done."
They continued into the Pride Lands, dodging hyenas as they made
their way to Pride Rock. When they reached the beginning of a path up
to the back of it, they stopped. Several hyenas were blocking their
way.
"So, Simba, what's your plan for getting past those guys?" asked
Timon.
"Live bait." he answered.
"Good idea... Hey!"
"Come on Timon. You two have to create a diversion."
"What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?"
Timon and Pumbaa both went behind the hyenas and started singing.
While the hyenas chased them, Simba and Nala both went to the path.
"Nala. Please go get my mother and rally the lionesses. And,
please, tell them the story of what has happened. Scar may try to use
that against me." Simba said.
As Nala went off to gather the lionesses, Simba made his way up the
back of Pride Rock. Half way up, he could hear Scar call out his
mother's name. He continued up the path until he could both see and
hear them, despite the thunderstorm that was approaching.
"Where is your hunting party, they're not doing their job." Scar
asked.
"Scar, there is no food. The herds have moved on." Sarabi
countered.
"No, you're just not looking hard enough."
"It's over. There is only one thing left. We must leave Pride
Rock."
"No. We're not going anywhere.
"Then you have sentenced us to death."
"Then so be it."
"You can't do that."
"I am the king, I can do whatever I want."
"If you were half the king Mufasa was..." Sarabi insulted.
"I am ten times the king Mufasa was." Scar yelled as he cuffed
Sarabi. She spun around on the ground. When she stopped, Simba could
see that she was unconscious.
Simba roared as a bolt of lightning flashed. He ran up to Sarabi
and nudged her, trying to wake her up.
"No, Mufasa. You're dead." Scar said, obviously scared not
expecting this.
Sarabi opened her eyes. She looked up. "Mufasa?" she whispered.
"No, it's me. Simba" he said.
"Simba. You're alive? How can that be?" Sarabi asked.
"It doesn't matter. I'm home now." he said.
"Simba? Simba. I'm a little surprised to see you, alive." Scar
said as he growled at the hyenas.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart." Simba
growled as he advanced towards Scar.
"Simba. You have to understand. The pressures of ruling a
kingdom..."
"Are no longer yours. Step down Scar."
"Oh, yes. You see I would, but you see them." he pointed at the
hyenas. "They think I'm king."
"Well we don't." said Nala as two lionesses lifted Sarabi to her
feet. Simba could see them telling her something. Probably what Nala
had told the rest of them. "Simba is the rightful king."
"The choice is yours, Scar. Step down or fight."
"Oh, must this all end in violence. I would hate to be responsible
for the death of a family member. Wouldn't you agree, Simba?"
"That's not going to work, Scar. I've put that behind me, with a
little help."
"Well, what about your faithful subjects. Have they put it behind
them?"
"We have Scar. We know what you did. You told Simba to run away
and made him think he was responsible for his father's death." Nala
interjected.
"The hyenas. They said I should tell you that. The whole thing
was their idea." Scar lied, obviously desperate for reason why he
shouldn't be killed. As he said this, lightning struck just in front of
the promontory, igniting the dead, dry savannah grass.
Shenzi heard this. She ran up between Scar and Simba. "That ain't
true. He told us to start the stampede, he threw Mufasa off that ledge,
and he told us to kill you, twice."
Simba thought about this for a moment. What she was saying made
sense. Scar wanted to be king, be he couldn't. So he killed Mufasa,
tried to kill Simba, and then he was king.
"Murderer." Simba said as he pushed Shenzi out of the way. He
could see the hyenas leaving. Scar was defenseless. The fire raged on,
growing in size. The light made it as bright as day and the smoke and
heat made it hard to breathe.
Scar looked, saw he had no options, and attacked Simba. He tried
to go for his neck, but Simba blocked and knocked him to the ground at
the same time. Scar recovered quickly and ran up Pride Rock to the
top. He suddenly noticed this wasn't such a good idea, since he was
cornered now.
Simba jumped through the flames. Scar could see the lionesses
behind the wall of fire. "You don't deserve to live." Simba said.
"What are you going to do. You wouldn't kill your old uncle." Scar
pleaded.
"No, I'm not like you." Simba said.
"Oh, thank you. You are truly noble, I'll make it up to you, I
promise. Anything." Scar thanked him.
"Run away. Run... run away. And never return." Simba said.
"Oh, yes. Of course." Scar said, obviously surprised by his
response. He started to move his paw towards some ashes lying on the
ground.
The flames were dying down and the lionesses could now clearly see
what was happening. Nala saw his paw moving. "Simba, look out!" she
cried.
Scar threw the ashes in Simba's eyes. As Simba yelled out in pain,
Sarabi jumped and hit Scar to the ground.
"You killed my husband, the king. You tried to kill my son. For
that, you will die." Sarabi said coolly, but obviously her hatred was
building up inside of her. She would rip Scar apart until nothing was
left of him.
Scar looked into her eyes, pure burning hatred and revenge. He had
never seen her like this before. Her whole life purpose right now was
to destroy him. He was thinking of a way out of this one but there was
none.
Sarabi jumped at him as the rest of the pride watched their leader,
always calm in any situation, release her hatred from years of
suffering. She bit his neck, continued clawing him, ripping flesh from
his body as he screamed in anguish. The screaming stopped, but Sarabi
continued to attack him. Simba finally stepped in and stopped her. It
began to rain, putting the fire out.
"He's dead mother. He can't cause anymore pain and suffering."
Sarabi roared in grief and triumph at the same time. Her son was
back, she had destroyed Scar. She had a reason to live now.
The pride made their way back to the promontory. The lionesses
walked over to their place, while Simba ascended.
He didn't know what to do so he looked to the sky, hoping for his
father's gudiance. He could see the clouds clearing and the sparkling
night sky. Then he heard a voice, the voice of his father.
"Remember.."
He then understood. He roared, roared so that all would know that
the rightful king had taken his place in the Circle of Life. The
lionesses roared back and he continued to roar. Then, when it was over,
he walked back to the cave where the lionesses were beginning to gather.
He walked over to Sarabi and they rubbed heads together. Then Nala
walked over to Simba and they rubbed heads togther for a few minutes.
The pride walked into their cave. The rain was dying down, but it
was still doing its job, filling the streams and rivers and washing away
they ashes of Scar's rule. They all fell asleep almost instantly. It
had been a long day, but the time for restoration of the Pride Lands
would be longer and much harder.
The next day, the pride awoke to survey the damage. The land was
black from the fire and looked worse than it had when Scar was king.
But there was water running through the streams unlike the last few
years. It was the beginning.
"It's already looking better." Nala said to Simba as they stood at
the end of the promontory, surveying their new kingdom.
"Yes, but it looks nothing like I remember it." Simba replied. He
was remembering how it looked when he was a cub.
Nala licked him on his muzzle. "But at least everyone is safe, and
we have each other." she said.
"You don't know how much I missed you during my exile. When I
found you in the jungle, I realized what had been missing in my life.
It was you. And then that night when we..." Simba said.
"I know. I shouldn't have brought up coming back after that. I'm
sorry." Nala sighed.
"No, don't be sorry. That was what I needed to get some sense
knocked into me. I'm so sorry I hit you. I shouldn't have done that,
no matter what." Simba said as he began to cry.
"It's okay. I'm here with you, no matter what." she said as she
nuzzled him, purring a little to comfort him.
They walked back to the cave where the other lionesses were as
happier than they had been in years.
Simba walked up to his mother. "Are you all right?" he asked.
"Yes, don't worry about me. How is it?" she asked.
"A lot worse than I remember it, but better than it was last
night."
There was a lot of work to be done and each lioness had their job.
Everybody set out to start.
Months later, Simba was running around. He couldn't believe that
he was going to have a son. Zazu had set out to inform everyone of the
presentation ceremony the next day.
Simba returned to Pride Rock to see his son. He was lying between
Nala's forepaws.
Simba announced to the pride that his son would be named Tanabi and
that the presentation ceremony would be the next day.
All of the animals from Pride Lands were gathered at Pride Rock
that day, much like they had been only a few years ago.
Simba, Nala, Timon, and Pumbaa were standing at the edge of the
promontory. Zazu flew by, acknowledging that all of the animals were
there.
Rafiki began climbing Pride Rock. He walked over to the lioness
holding Tanabi. He picked him up and walked to where Simba, Nala, and
company were standing. They moved out of the way and Rafiki held the
cub high.
The animals below cheered. The clouds broke and Simba could hear
his father's voice again. "Remember..."
The animals below bowed to their future king.
The Circle of Life continued.
The End