Once Upon a Timon - ENGLISH

Chapter 7: Things that never change

They started the next day late. More than normal in them.

Despite taking such a long nap, Timon still felt as tired as he was the night before. His muscles were stiff, his mouth was dry, and his eyes were watery with irritation.

Both friends spent the first hours of their day taking a bath in the hot springs they already knew, and looking for insects in secret corners not yet discovered by the colony. They walked the old paths they used to walk when one of the lion cubs they had adopted strayed away, and they dozed a little under the shade of the trees where they used to rest.

All day there was no more talk about Tesma, Tay, or any of the other meerkats. So Pumbaa couldn't help him, and Timon couldn't quite relax.

And the night came without either of them knowing exactly why they were going to a party they didn't want to attend. The only thing that cheered them up a bit was imagining how much food there would surely be.

They arrived late, more for pleasure than a real mishap, just when the atmosphere was at its climax... although it was not much. The land around the lake was full of meerkats. They had large piles of insects scattered every few meters, and hundreds of little fireflies flew around to light up the place. The sky was clear, and the stars and crescent moon seemed part of the decoration.

As soon as they poked their heads out of the wild vegetation, a wave of joyous cries greeted them. Timon still found it surprising that the cheers went to him.

Both friends spent much of the night talking with the colony, answering questions related to the philosophy of Hakuna Matata, narrating anecdotes, and telling how they found that jungle and how they helped Simba. Timon did not remember half of the meerkats he talked to, and Pumbaa barely remembered half of what he talked to the meerkats.

At some point in the night, Timon went away from the rest in search of something to eat. Anyone who had seen him at that moment, away from the eyes of the curious, would have doubted that this same meerkat with a nervous expression and a distracted look was the same one who spoke so animatedly and with an air of grandeur next to the enormous warthog.

Timon walked over to the nearest pile of insects, the volume of which had shrunk considerably since he last noticed it, and hid behind it. He quickly surveyed the area. So far, he had been lucky. He was worried that he would find some part of his past wandering around. But all night he hadn't run into Tesma, or Basu, or Tay and his group of friends (if they were still friends), and he saw no sign of any of them.

He sighed in relief.

Then he allowed himself to fix his attention on the handful of insects stirring in front of him. They were placed on an elongated lemon-green leaf that, in turn, rested on a piece of trunk cut horizontally. He had no idea how they had been able to cut it down, but it he did not cared too much to know.

He picked up the first beetle that passed him, a long, almond-shaped one, bright green in color. He swallowed it in one bite and, as he chewed, a voice broke his calm.

"Wow, it seems that the rumors are true after all."

Timon was so surprised that he almost choked on the insect. Turning around, he discovered a full-grown meerkat, close to his own age, with a slim body, a face devoid of emotion, and arms folded across his chest. Timon did not know who it was until he recognized the disheveled golden hair and that blue-eyed look.

He noisily swallowed what was in his mouth.

"Basu?" he gasped.

"Did you forget me so soon? I wouldn't be surprised," he smiled kindly, but the smile did not reach his eyes.