Punda

Punda is a male zebra. He is the son of Milia.
As a colt, Punda became good friends with Simba and Nala. One day, when his herd had to leave on a migration to greener fields in the south, Punda bid his friends a sad farewell. Though he promised to meet them the following day, he did not show up, which worried Simba and Nala. Scar took advantage of the situation to trick the cubs into thinking that Punda was being attacked by hyenas on the edge of the Pride Lands. Simba and Nala charged off to save their friend, only for Scar to send a pair of hyenas after them. Just in time, Mufasa showed up and chased off the hyenas, after which he showed the cubs how Punda and his herd were simply on a migration.
==Biography==
===Early life===
Punda was born to Milia. He lived in the Pride Lands with his herd as well as an old family friend named Nyumbu.
At some point in his life, he befriended two lion cubs named Simba and Nala, with whom he would play different kinds of games. While Punda typically lost hide-and-seek due to his distinctive black and white coat, he excelled at races due to his strong and muscular legs.
===Migration to the south===
One day, Punda, Simba, and Nala stopped to drink from a water hole. While they were drinking, Simba asked Punda if they would be friends forever, and the young zebra proclaimed that they would. Just then, Milia appeared on a nearby ridge alongside Nyumbu. Upon seeing them, Punda told his friends that he had to leave, but Simba begged him to ask his mother for more playtime. Punda explained that he knew it was time to leave whenever Nyumbu was with his mother, and Nala noted an unusual sadness in the young zebra's voice. Despite Punda's rejection, Simba told him to meet them by the big baobab tree the following day.
After Punda left, Nala commented that Nyumbu was creepy. Simba replied that all wildebeests were like that because, according to Mufasa, they did too much thinking to talk. He then remarked that Milia did not like them much, likely because they would one day grow up to hunt zebras. Nala proclaimed that she did not want to grow up, but Simba assured her that lions eating zebras was part of the Circle of Life. Even so, he asserted that he, Nala, and Punda would always be friends.
The next day, Simba and Nala waited for Punda at the big baobab tree, but the zebra never showed up. The friends surmised why he might be gone, suggesting such reasons as Milia forbidding him from seeing them, Punda forgetting their date, or someone kidnapping Punda.
Just then, Simba's uncle Scar walked by, and Simba greeted him joyously. Though Scar loathed Simba, he feigned politeness and asked his nephew why he was outside on such a hot day. The cubs explained that they were waiting for their friend, Punda, who was late, and Scar mused aloud about something terrible that might have befallen the young zebra. With some prompting from Simba, Scar disclosed that hyenas had been spotted in the Pride Lands in an area on the edge of the kingdom. He then swore Simba to secrecy and forbid the cub from going after the hyenas. However, Simba insisted that he must rescue his friend, so he and Nala charged off in the direction that Scar had indicated. As they raced off, Scar laughed to himself and plotted to send hyenas to intercept them.
Simba and Nala arrived in a deep gully, and Nala expressed her disapproval of the area. Both cubs wondered why their friend would come to such a place, as there was no grass to eat, but they persisted in searching for him anyway. Suddenly, the two were set upon by a pair of hyenas, one of whom managed to grab Simba by the tail. From his prone position, Simba ordered Nala to run, and she fled while the two hyenas surrounded Simba. Once she was away from the danger, Nala informed Zazu of the situation, and the hornbill flew off to warn Mufasa.
Just in time, Mufasa arrived at the gully and saved Simba's life. After the rescue, Mufasa questioned the cubs on why they had been so far from home, and Simba explained that they had been searching for their friend, Punda. Mufasa informed the cubs that he could show them where their friend was.
With Mufasa in the lead, the group traveled to a valley, where they beheld a large mass of wildebeests and zebras heading south. Simba questioned what was going on, and Mufasa explained that it was the annual migration of the herds, who were seeking greener fields elsewhere. Simba wondered if he would ever see Punda again, and Mufasa assured him that the zebra would return someday. He then told Simba that Punda would be his friend no matter how far away they were from one another.
As the group returned home, Mufasa expressed pride in his son for having been so brave. Simba replied that he had simply been looking out for Punda because that was what friends did. Mufasa agreed with the sentiment.
==Physical appearance==
Punda is a moderately sized zebra colt. He has strong and muscular legs as well as a distinctive black and white coat.
==Personality and traits==
Punda is fun-loving and playful, and enjoys spending time with Simba and Nala. Despite the difference in their species, Punda takes no issue with the lion cubs and considers them to be his best friends.
==Appearances==
* Short Stories
** Zebra Crossing
==Trivia==
* When combined, Punda and Milia's names ("punda milia") mean "zebra" in Swahili.
==References==
Category:Characters
Category:Males
Category:Pride Landers
Category:Zebras