it was merely a metaphor to express the power and majesty of the lion.

“Where am I? How did I get here?” I asked, gaining some confidence. The kindness in those shining orbs made it difficult for me to fear him. It was a look I had only seen from one person…my father.

“You are in Pride Rock, the home of the king and his pride.” He said “My mate, Sarabi, found you out in the grasslands while she was hunting. When you collapsed, she brought you back here.”

Out of the semidarkness, padded in a lioness, the very same one I had seen before I was knocked out. She was a dark tan color, and very powerfully built, like her mate. Clearly, she was a lioness who did a lot of hunting. The one thing I oNormal"> 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 2 – The Pain of Familiarity

 

 

My eyes grew wide, and I jumped up and backed away as far as I could. It wasn’t far to the wall though. The lion was still in range to attack me.

The lion stared at me, and he smiled and chuckled. If possible, my eyes grew even wider and my jaw fell. He smiled like a human! What was going on?

Then, to my complete astonishment and fear, the lion opened his mouth.

“Calm down young one. You have sustained some injuries. It would be best not to move around the way you are now. You could damage yourself again.”

Nothing could have prepared me for this. If at all possible, my jaw fell even more. A talking lion? Was I going insane?

As these thoughts bounced back and forth through my head, I realized that what the lion had spoken of, as creepy as it was to see and hear him speak, was true. My right arm that was burned, which was scabbed and blistered, had broken open and began to seep blood. I closed my eyes and slid down the wall to sit on the floor.

I heard the padding of footsteps come closer to me, and my eyes snapped open. The lion was standing feet away from my face. Fear flooded my mind, and I shut my eyes again, waiting for him to chomp at my face.

Instead, I heard him lean forward. Then I felt a large tongue lick at my arm. I opened my eyes, and saw him cleaning the wound. Then he backed away, but only a few feet. I looked into his eyes to see if I could see his intentions. There was comfort and kindness in them. And, as I had with the lioness I saw earlier, I saw some familiarity in his eyes.

He looked at me and smiled.

“W-who are you?” I asked, shakily.

“I am King Mufasa, the ruler of these Pride Lands.” he replied.

It took me a moment to make the connection. Then I remembered what I’d learned in elementary school all those years ago;

The lion is the king of the jungle.

I had never thought to take such a statement so literally. I always believed that it was merely a metaphor to express the power and majesty of the lion.

“Where am I? How did I get here?” I asked, gaining some confidence. The kindness in those shining orbs made it difficult for me to fear him. It was a look I had only seen from one person…my father.

“You are in Pride Rock, the home of the king and his pride.” He said “My mate, Sarabi, found you out in the grasslands while she was hunting. When you collapsed, she brought you back here.”

instantly recognized the most was in her face. That piercing stare of hers held such a familiarity in my eyes. It was the gaze my mother had. The same look that she would penetrate me with every time I looked at her.

Sarabi walked up to King Mufasa and sat next to him, her gaze never leaving me.

Mufasa continued, “Our shaman, Rafiki, came and healed your wounds. Although he said your arm would take some time to fully heal.”

I stared at them, the shock of the situation ebbing away. I turned to Mufasa’s mate.

“Thank you for helping me.” I said to her.

She nodded and smiled. “You are welcome, strange one.”

A burning question was poised at the tip of my tongue, and it slipped out before I could stop myself.

“It’s not that I’m not grateful, but why did you help me? Why didn’t you…” I hesitated before the next part, “you know, eat me?”

Both Mufasa and Sarabi laughed. Then Sarabi spoke.

“To be honest, you intrigued me. I saw you sitting on the log, and I approached to see what you were. I’d never seen anything like you before! I’ve heard stories of humans, mostly from Mufasa, but until now, I’d never seen one. I had no intention of eating you. Or to scare you for that matter, but apparently I failed at that.” She added.

“Well,” I replied, still gazing at her intently, “we humans usually hear of lions attacking and killing other humans. I thought you were getting ready to pounce on me.”

I could not stop looking into her eyes! I saw my mother in those glittering red-orange orbs! Why it was there, I have no idea, but there she was, staring at me through the eyes of this lioness!

            Mufasa spoke, which brought me back to reality.

            “What is your name? And what is your purpose for being in my kingdom?”

            He spoke kindly, but with the tone of a king; the tone of one who expected to be answered.

            I sighed, and said, “Ayden. My name is Ayden.”

            Mufasa smiled, and then repeated “And your purpose for being here, Ayden?”

            I looked away from the both of them. “I’m just passing through. I am completely alone. Only two weeks ago, I lost my family in a tragic accident. So now I’m stranded here, with no friends, no family, and I have run out of food and water.” I felt my eyes water as I spoke of my family. I held back my tears, for I did not want to cry in front of the king.

            I looked back at the two lions. There was sadness in their eyes. Sarabi walked forward to me, and nuzzled me.

            “Ayden, I am so sorry for your loss. I know lked up to King Mufasa and sat next to him, her gaze never leaving me.

Mufasa continued, “Our shaman, Rafiki, came and healed your wounds. Although he said your arm would take some time to fully heal.”

I stared at them, the shock of the situation ebbing away. I turned to Mufasa’s mate.

“Thank you for helping me.” I said to her.

She nodded and smiled. “You are welcome, strange one.”

A burning question was poised at the tip of my tongue, and it slipped out before I could stop myself.

“It’s not that I’m not grateful, but why did you help me? Why didn’t you…” I hesitated before the next part, “you know, eat me?”

Both Mufasa and Sarabi laughed. Then Sarabi spoke.

“To be honest, you intrigued me. I saw you sitting on the log, and I approached to see what you were. I’d never seen anything like you before! I’ve heard stories of humans, mostly from Mufasa, but until now, I’d never seen one. I had no intention of eating you. Or to scare you for that matter, but apparently I failed at that.” She added.

“Well,” I replied, still gazing at her intently, “we humans usually hear of lions attacking and killing other humans. I thought you were getting ready to pounce on me.”

I could not stop looking into her eyes! I saw my mother in those glittering red-orange orbs! Why it was there, I have no idea, but there she was, staring at me through the eyes of this lioness!

            Mufasa spoke, which brought me back to reality.

            “What is your name? And what is your purpose for being in my kingdom?”

            He spoke kindly, but with the tone of a king; the tone of one who expected to be answered.

            I sighed, and said, “Ayden. My name is Ayden.”

            Mufasa smiled, and then repeated “And your purpose for being here, Ayden?”

            I looked away from the both of them. “I’m just passing through. I am completely alone. Only two weeks ago, I lost my family in a tragic accident. So now I’m stranded here, with no friends, no family, and I have run out of food and water.” I felt my eyes water as I spoke of my family. I held back my tears, for I did not want to cry in front of the king.

how you feel. I lost my parents recently too.” Then she looked at me again with those eyes, and it was too much for me.

            The tears rolled down my cheeks again, and I flung myself at her, wrapping my arms around her neck. Silently, I wept, and she made no movement to get me off. She merely put her paw over my shoulder and held onto me. I deeply appreciated her gesture of sympathy. The pain I felt inside was slowly ebbing away. Having somebody to cry onto, to hold onto, was a great comfort that I had been secretly wanting since the accident.

            When I finally broke the embrace, I looked at her again and smiled. She returned it, and then said, “Ayden, I need to speak to Mufasa for a moment. Will you wait here until I return? I won’t be long.”

I had a lump in my throat that stopped the words from passing my lips, so I just nodded. She returned to the Mufasa, who smiled at me sympathetically. They then left the cave together.

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