come.

            “I know you’re with me, Mom,” the princess whispered. “I see much of you in my cubs.” She sat down and looked at her charges, chuckling as her daughter batted the wind with her paws. Akase sniffed the air and for a moment a familiar scent reached her. Her eyes welled with tears. “Thank you, Mom,” she said softly as she lay down on the ground, her cubs gathered in her forelegs.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Rafiki lifted his hands to the sky. “Mufasa… may your great-grandson be as good a king as you and Simba were…” A breeze swirled by him and he laughed, his eyes gleaming. “Yes, but even in my old age, I worry.”

            The animals and the pride waited patiently. Finally, Rafiki turned around and the pride turned their heads to the cave. They stood up straight, except for Akase and Dailia, who held their cubs but their heads were held high.

            At last, they emerged. A large dark brown lion with a black colored mane, piercing green eyes, and a scar above and below his left eye came out with a light orange crème lioness at his side. They stopped, sitting opposite the guardians and the lionesses. Akase looked up at her parent-in-laws, the Regents beaming at their grandchildren.

            Soon after Arif emerged, walking with the same graceful form as his parents. The pride bowed and Arif smiled with love as he beheld his mate and cubs. He padded up the promontory to Rafiki and the mandrill embraced him. Arif put a paw around his teacher’s back.

            Rising and standing beside his fellow shaman they watched as Baraka strode out of the cave, his red mane shining in the sun’s light. Heads were bowed with smiles as he passed the lionesses and the guardians. He glanced at his parents, taking note of their proud gazes. Seeing Arif and Rafiki at the near tip of the promontory Baraka stopped and embraced the mandrill then nuzzled his brother.

            The shamans turned, looking at the crowd.

            “Behold, Pridelanders, on this day you shall have a new king,” Arif said, his voice ringing loud for all the gathered to hear. “Rafiki and I present to you a lion who is a brother, a son, and whose name shall live on even when he passes to the stars.”

            Rafiki spoke next, his hands lifted to heaven again. “And may his ancestors and all kings and queens of de past bless him, guide him and protect him as he begins de next step in de Circle of Life. May his family shower him with love and support and may he rule in de ways of old leaders. Animals of de Pridelands, Prince Arif and I give you, King Baraka…”

            The two shamans separated as Baraka walked between them. Arif could tell his brother was nervous and gave him a gentle nuzzle of reassurance. The older lion smiled and stepped up to the promontory, breathing a heavy sigh. As he faced the animals below, he wasn’t sure if he should make a speech or just roar.

            “Pridelanders,” he began with a strong yet nervous voice. “Our lands have had a long, glorious, yet trying history but we have always managed to pull through. As many of you know or have been told throughout the years, the Pridelands have had many good kings, two of which are now recognized as Great Kings… my late grandfather, Simba, and his father, Mufasa, my great-grandfather. I am a proud descendant of them as is my brother, your future shaman, Prince Arif. We are of their blood and are proud to carry on the line of royalty. My dear mother, Kiara, is the daughter of the late King Simba and shares the same blood as Arif and myself. And it was not long ago that you were summoned by the winds to see the presentation of my brother and sister-in-law’s cubs that are the future of the Pridelands…” He paused. “Now you are here again for my coronation…” The animals cheered and Baraka couldn’t help but smile. “I promise to be as good a king as my grandfather. Simba was wise, intelligent and gentle. He cared about each and every one of you, so I will do the same. Not because he did it, but because it is the right thing. All kings should care about their subjects.”

            The large animals cheered and stomped their hooves while the smaller ones jumped in the air in response to the lion’s words but they quickly quieted as he continued.

            “I cannot promise that I will rule exactly the way my grandfather did but I will try to meet all of your needs.”

            Applause and more cheers rang through the assembly. Arif and Rafiki looked at each other sharing smiles and they looked at the sky, watching a large beam of sunlight shine down from the heavens, landing on Baraka, illuminating him in the glow. The animals remained silent but held their faces up to the promontory in awe, knowing the ceremony was not over.

            The redmaned lion stood high and strong on the stone and lifted his own head to the sky, watching as a wind fell on him, circling around his body. For the first time since the day began, he smiled genuinely and stretched his neck out to embrace the wind. Arif and Rafiki nodded with pride at the ancestral blessing.

            Near the cave with her mate, Kiara sniffed the air, sighing with sadness and a mixture of happiness. The air carried two familiar scents. She bowed her head but Kovu nuzzled her, purring gently. The Princess Regent just rested her head on his shoulder.

            Baraka looked up at the sky and let out a loud, powerful roar. Behind him, Arif’s roar followed, including a chorus of roars from the pride and their guests. Baraka felt the ground under his paws shake as he let out his call of acceptance to rule. In his thoughts he wondered if this is what the Eastlander king felt at his ceremony. After the roar Baraka stared at the sky, feeling the invisible presence of his ancestors. He turned to the right and left of him, his eyes giving off a pained look. He felt like crying.

            “It was my choice,” he said to himself bitterly. “No one can change it…”

            Baraka sighed again, but held his head proudly. He turned and walked down the promontory to join his pride and fellow rulers.

            Arif watched wanting to speak but Rafiki placed a hand on his shoulder. The teacher and apprentice exchanged glances, silently knowing what went through the new king’s mind.

            “He’ll be okay, Arif,” said the mandrill.

            The Prince just nodded.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

At midday, Baraka rested beside a waterhole, his mind in a daze. Before he left to walk around his lands, Kahuni had said he should visit the animal leaders. To Baraka’s relief Kovu interrupted saying that the king needed time alone to reflect on his new and heavy responsibility. The son was grateful to his father.

            After a few hours, Baraka stopped in the grass beside a waterhole, thinking. His tail tapped and his face held mixed confusion and pride. He was glad to be the new leader and continue the family legacy, but compared to past leaders he was different.

            “Dad,” he said to himself. “How did you manage to gain the animals’ trust? It must’ve so been hard with what you were trained to do.”

            “It was hard at first but the moment you and Arif were born they decided that I wasn’t so bad after all,” said a voice from behind.

            Baraka slowly turned to see Kovu at his side. He smirked. “So it helped that Arif and I were brought into the world, huh? Well, at least we have some use.”

            Kovu smiled. “Not just that, son… now your presence in the world is all the more needed. You’re king now.” He walked to the waterhole and drank, Baraka watching silently. “And your mother and I know you’ll do fine,” Kovu said, lifting his head, water dripping from his chin.

            Baraka rose, drank and then faced his father with an unsure gaze. “Yes, I know. But most kings have…” He stopped and shook his