master.

            An hour later, after meditating, the lion bade his teacher goodbye and jumped out of the tree in the same format that the cheetah had and ran through the grasses, heading for home. When he arrived, seated with his family, Baraka gave the blessing over the kills of the evening and they ate while Rafiki’s words to help Arif over his worry for Baraka, and his non connection with the spirits continued to twirl in his head.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

When night fell, the sky was covered in stars, but they seemed brighter than usual. All the animals of the lands were asleep; the lion pride all near, huddled together inside the den. In a large spot slept Arif, Akase, and their three cubs. It was pure silence and comforting darkness in the den.

            Arif always found comfort when near his family. Suddenly, the prince was woken by a soothing sound.

            Arif… awaken…

            The lion’s ears perked up and fighting to go back to sleep was not so easy. He did as the sound, or voice, commanded and woke, his eyes opening slowly. His vision was blurry but what he saw made his reddish eyes snap completely open. He shook his head in shock and surprise, telling himself that what he was seeing was not real. But… it had to be… hadn’t it?

            Before him was a golden colored figure with a bright aura shining around its body. Arif looked up into the figure’s face and his mouth fell open. It was face he’d seen every day of his cubhood, the face he knew neither he nor Baraka would ever forget for as long as they lived. Not even when the face of the figure’s spirit had left to join the stars in the sky. The golden body, and the crimson red mane – which his brother inherited – and the gentle hazel eyes which he inherited… But it was impossible. This figure, this lion, was dead… but the aura… Unless…

            The lion smiled gently. “Arif,” he said kindly, and then he looked on the lioness and the three cubs. His smile grew. “You have done well. My father said that Akase would make a good partner for you and so she has. Her mother would be, is, proud, so very proud. And your children… they’re beautiful.” The lion looked down and nuzzled the cubs, blowing gently on their bodies. The cubs didn’t stir, nor did Akase.

            Arif was so enamored by this that he didn’t even turn his head to the sleeping forms of his wife and children. He found the strength to nod but he was still dumbstruck. “G-Granddad?” he said, stuttering.

            “Yes, Arif, it’s me and no, you’re not dead. This is real. I am real.” He waited for a response but the prince could only nod. “God has answered your prayer.”

            “What prayer?”

            Simba smiled warmly. “That you wished to communicate with the spirits. This is it.”

            Arif didn’t speak for a while. Then, “So… you’re here to, what?” he asked cautiously so as not to bring any offense. He wondered why that out of all the spirits, why would Simba, the great King Simba, his own grandfather, come and see him?

            “Rise and follow me. We have much to talk about,” said Simba, and he turned.

            Arif watched him. The dead lion’s paws touched the stone floor of the cave, just as they did when he was alive. Arif shook his head. This had to be a dream but the words of the dead king told him to rise. He did but slowly so as not to disturb his family. Before he followed, he looked back at them, wondering what Simba wanted. His head snapped up to the den’s entrance as Simba spoke.

            “Do not worry about your family. Everyone, even your brother, is in a deep sleep. They will never know of this and you will return at the proper time. Now, come. Time is short.” He proceeded out of the den with a confused grandson following.

            They stepped out into the dark covered night, and Simba walked to the edge of the promontory. For a moment, he just stared as if reminiscing all the times he’d had on that majestic stone. Where he was presented, where he and his father had shared many sunrises, where he announced his kingship, where his son and later, daughter were also presented, where his grandchildren were presented. So many memories…

            Arif stood behind him and saw the king shake his head. What was he doing? Suddenly, before his eyes, there appeared a large opening, just out of nowhere. Arif was amazed and shocked.

            Simba turned to him. “Come, now, Arif. We need to jump through.”

            Arif examined the portal at the edge of the promontory. As far as he was concerned it was too far. He was about to speak but Simba regarded him with a gentle expression. “Don’t be afraid. Just jump. I’ve seen you do it. You’re good at it. Now, let’s go.”

            The prince gulped. Simba turned back and readied himself. He took a few steps back then ran, and as his paws touched the very edge of the promontory, he sailed through and disappeared through the portal.

            The whole scene confused him but before he knew what was happening, Arif found himself walking to the edge of the stone. He stepped back, just as Simba had and ran, his paws touching the stone tip and he sailed through the air, going inside the portal. He landed on the other side with grace and he turned, only to see the dark land and the large majestic stone gone. He looked at his surroundings, only to find himself in a white colored room. He was still amazed.

            He saw Simba talking with a creature that he was unable to make a good description of. Whatever it was, it nodded and with an outstretched arm, pointed to another portal, which opened, and Simba walked toward it. He turned again to Arif and jerked his head in the open portal’s direction and Arif, on great impulse or instinct, as if something was guiding him, began to follow. He didn’t look at the creature but the creature nodded to him just the same.

            The two lions stepped through and Arif saw that wherever he was now was completely different. It was a large savannah, almost like the Pridelands, or even the Eastlands. Simba stopped and allowed Arif to take in the scenery. He smiled. He remembered coming here for the first time when he and Nala joined the ranks of the dead. It was so surprising, amazing and scary.

            “Follow, Arif,” said the dead king and Arif, without question, followed.

            “Why am I here, Grandpa,” the young shaman asked.

            “You will see,” Simba replied. He offered nothing else.

            Arif looked around. The savannah was so much like his home. He wondered what he would do the next morning. Would he remember any of this? He hoped he would. What would he tell Rafiki, or did Rafiki even know of this? Surely the spirits would tell him something, right? They traveled for about five minutes until Simba stopped, holding out a forearm in front of his grandson, telling him to stop.

            Simba walked ahead and Arif saw a large waterhole, so large that not even the Pridelands had these size drinking areas. In front of him on the other side of the waterhole stood some large rock stone ledges almost as big as the stone platforms of Pride Rock and there were three other rock ledges in front of the bigger ones. What he saw on top of the ledges took his breath away. They were lions and lionesses. He recognized two. Simba and Nala… He felt tears come to his eyes as he beheld the living forms of his grandparents, their bodies shining like the morning sun due to their auras.

            “Welcome, Prince Arif,” said a voice.

            Arif turned his head to the left to see a large dark brown colored lion with an even darker shade of brown for his mane but his eyes were deep red. The lion stood on the first rock stone.

            “We have waited a long time to meet