and me. And it was moments like those that brought us closer together as a family.

Every evening, just before sunset, I would accompany one of the three hunting parties. Each hunt I participated in was always successful whether or not I played a hand in the kill. I paid close attention to each lioness’s hunting style, taking note of who was the best at what. Sarabi had her strength, which was helpful in taking down prey, but it also weighted her down slightly. Zira seemed to have trouble staying sneaky, but, to my surprise, her speed proved to be completely unmatched. Yetunde and Ayana were both the stealthiest of the entire pride. More than once, I witnessed them pouncing on the prey from places I had neither seen nor heard them creep to.

ded to ride on the back of one of the lionesses. Upon closer examination, I noticed my legs had started to bulk up. My speed against a lioness’s full run had yet to be tested, and I was almost positive that I would pale in comparison to it.

My eyes had also become keener, and soon I was paying attention to things I had never noticed before. When observing my surroundings, I was more mindful of which areas of grass moved more or less in the breeze, where many bugs would be buzzing about, areas that had more or less rocks or twigs to shift about while stepping silently, and other such things that, if disturbed, would surely alert the prey to my presence. With the keenness of my eyes came the improvement of my knife throwing. My targets became more and more precise, each resulting in a quicker death of the animal. Every lioness was still impressed at how great I was at hunting. Even Zira seemed, if anything, surprised, more than impressed. Her attitude towards me, however, remained unchanged, as I had expected.

Each morning, my routine continued as usual. I was always up before the rest of the pride and would walk down to my stream to bathe and wash my clothes. I noticed that even though my clothes remained clean, they began to fade and become slightly tattered, some sporting small rips and holes. I knew they would last a good couple years, maybe more, if I kept up the constant care for them, but how much longer they would last was a mystery.

I kept up my hygiene as well, remaining very self conscious of my appearance. It was more so for my own desires rather than to stay decent in around the pride, who probably would not have cared one way or another. I grew up with sixteen years of constant bathing and showering, always worried if I smelled or looked good or bad. Old habits die hard I guess, and this one I would certainly not let die without some form of effort.

Ever since the first morning he had followed me, Simba started waking up with me and accompanying me to the stream. I enjoyed having him around. Being alone started appealing less and less to me. When I was alone, I found myself thinking of the negative in my life, and the more I did that, the worse I felt. If I was with anybody, I would always have my mind wandering everywhere. Having Simba around was like having a light in my life, always stopping the darkness.

Several days after becoming royalty, I woke up and performed my routine, ready for another day of “Kingship 101”. By the time the sun was just about to rise, Simba and I had gone to the very top of Pride Rock, the daily meeting place for me, Simba, and Mufasa. We stopped there, waiting for Mufasa to arrive.

At daybreak, he came padding up to where we sat. He smiled at us, and we returned it enthusiastically.

“Boys, I have several issues to take care of today.” He told us as the rising sun shone brightly on his face. “You both have the day to yourselves. Simba, if you are to wander the Pride Lands, I want you to be accompanied by Ayden.”
            Simba had no problem with this. “Sure dad!” he exclaimed.

“Have fun, you two!” Mufasa called as he turned to descend the slope. A small twinge of sadness ran through me as he turned. I looked down as Simba rushed forward and nuzzled onto Mufasa’s leg. I walked up and hugged him briefly.

“Stay safe guys.” He whispered.

“You too, Mufasa.” I replied.

As we let go, he looked at us one last time, then rounded the corner and left. Again, a sudden feeling of uneasiness overcame me. For some reason, seeing Mufasa go seemed to be such a sad thing. I shook the feeling off.

You’ll see him later today! Maybe you’re just thinking about your parents again. I told myself.

I turned to Simba and grinned. “So what do you wanna do today?”

He thought for a second. Then he smiled, crouched low, and pounced at me. Being so small, he barely fazed me, but as soon as he landed, he turned on the spot and ran, calling back “Tag! You’re it!”

It took a second for me to register what had just happened. As understanding settled in, I took off down the slope after the cub. The chase lasted until we reached ground level. Simba started sprinting out into the grasslands, laughing. With every ounce of speed I could muster, I sprang forward, fingers outstretched, and closed my hand around a small thin something. I landed with oomph on my stomach, stirring up a substantial amount of dust around me. I looked up, a feeling of triumph rising in me. In my clamped hand, I held tightly onto Simba’s tail.

“Tag!” I cried as I released Simba, who had fallen down when I grabbed him. Shaking his head out of the dust, he looked up, grinning mischievously. Before he could gain the upper hand, I was already on my feet and running back to Pride Rock.

The game went continued for some time until we both exhausted ourselves. Laughing to ourselves, Simba and I went to the west end of Pride Rock and lay down in the warming sun. It was such a relaxing feeling to be laying there, the sun shining down on me, heating my skin. I found myself lazily closing my eyes, ready for a nice nap.

“Now don’t tell me that you are too tired for your uncle.” Came a quiet, smooth voice.

My eyes popped open, and all feeling of relaxation drained from me as I saw Scar standing in front of me and Simba, that same unsettling grin on his face.

Simba looked up and smiled at his uncle. “Hi, Uncle Scar!” he said happily. “What’cha doin’ here?”

Scar stared at Simba, not even glancing in my direction. My gaze, on the other hand, never left Scar’s face. I remembered seeing his eye, blinking through the darkness in the dream I had those few weeks ago. This did not help my perception of him.

            “Your father sent me to get you, Simba. He says he has a surprise for you at the gorge.” He said, smiling with pleasure at his nephew.

            “Does he now?” came another voice from behind Scar. Sarabi stood there, with a look of uncertainty. Standing nearby was Sarafina, the same look etched into her kind face.

            Scar turned to her, still smiling in his way. “As a matter of fact, he does. He has only just discovered something there, and wished to share it with Simba.” His smooth voice remained unwaivered, but I was uneasy Simba going off alone with Scar.

            Sarabi stared at Scar for a moment, clearly searching his face for any sign of deceit. When she could not find any, she smiled and said, “Alright, Taka. When you see Mufasa, tell him I would like to have the two of them home before sunset.”

            Scar inclined his head to her, and turned to Simba. I stared at Sarabi for a moment. Why had she called Scar “Taka”? And did she really trust him enough to let him thought for a second. Then he smiled, crouched low, and pounced at me. Being so small, he barely fazed me, but as soon as he landed, he turned on the spot and ran, calling back “Tag! You’re it!”

It took a second for me to register what had just happened. As understanding settled in, I took off down the slope after the cub. The chase lasted until we reached ground level. Simba started sprinting out into the grasslands, laughing. With every ounce of speed I could muster, I sprang forward, fingers outstretched, and closed my hand around a small thin something. I landed with oomph on my stomach, stirring up a substantial amount of dust around me. I looked up, a feeling of triumph rising in me. In my clamped hand, I held tightly onto Simba’s tail.

“Tag!” I cried as I released Simba, who had fallen down when I grabbed him. Shaking his head out of the dust, he looked up, grinning mischievously. Before he could gain the upper hand, I was already on my feet and running back to Pride Rock.

The game went continued for some time until we both exhausted ourselves. Laughing to ourselves, Simba and I went to the west end of Pride Rock and lay down in the warming sun. It was such a relaxing feeling to be laying there, the sun shining down on me, heating my skin. I found myself lazily closing my eyes, ready for a nice nap.

“Now don’t tell me that you are too tired for your uncle.” Came a quiet, smooth voice.

My eyes popped open, and all feeling of relaxation drained from me as I saw Scar standing in front of me and Simba, that same unsettling grin on his face.

Simba looked up and smiled at his uncle. “Hi, Uncle Scar!” he said happily. “What’cha doin’ here?”

Scar stared at Simba, not even glancing in my direction. My gaze, on the other hand, never left Scar’s face. I remembered seeing his eye, blinking through the darkness in the dream I had those few weeks ago. This did not help my perception of him.

            “Your father sent me to get you, Simba. He says he has a surprise for you at the gorge.”

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