I watched as the two of them left, and then I stood up. I sighed, almost happily. The grief I felt was still there, but somehow, I felt better than I had felt in the last few weeks. All the questions in my head had subdued. Nothing really mattered. These lions could talk, and that was all there was to it. What was more, these lions were friendly and had sympathy for me. They cared.

 I thought of asking if I could stay for a little while, just until my wounds healed. Then I would leave and continue west. I didn’t want to be a burden to them.

            By now, my eyes had adjusted to the darkness of the cave, and I could see the entire place clearly. It was a round cave with an opening on the opposite side of where I stood. The path rounded a corner, and out of sight. The faint light of the sun shone from around that corner. In the center of the cave was a flat rock, slightly raised up. I could only assume, whatever this room was for, that Mufasa and Sarabi belonged there, on that raised area. It was almost like a throne.

To my far left, leaning against the wall, was my backpack. I walked over to it to see if it was still in tact. Everything was accounted for. My sleeping bag was scuffed up from being dragged in the dirt, but it was still usable. My small knife was there, as well as the unopened mini-tent. The lantern was fully functional, and the bug spray still had the cap on it. The seal was unbroken. In the bottom, I found a value pack of batteries I bought for the lantern. All my clothes I packed were perfectly in tact.

I zipped up my backpack, and sat next to it, waiting for Mufasa and Sarabi to return. One thing still remained on my mind…why did they have my parent’s eyes? Mufasa had those of my father; kind, fun, but stern if he needed to be. Sarabi had my mother’s; sympathetic, loving, and happy. Why would I see them in these two? I’ve known them for five minutes, and already I felt a strong bond between us.

            Just then, they both reentered. I stood up, ready for whatever they were going to tell me. They stopped about a yard in front of me.

            Mufasa smiled at me, and asked, “Ayden, were you planning on staying with us?”

he 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.

            I watched as the two of them left, and then I stood up. I sighed, almost happily. The grief I felt was still there, but somehow, I felt better than I had felt in the last few weeks. All the questions in my head had subdued. Nothing really mattered. These lions could talk, and that was all there was to it. What was more, these lions were friendly and had sympathy for me. They cared.

 I thought of asking if I could stay for a little while, just until my wounds healed. Then I would leave and continue west. I didn’t want to be a burden to them.

            By now, my eyes had adjusted to the darkness of the cave, and I could see the entire place clearly. It was a round cave with an opening on the opposite side of where I stood. The path rounded a corner, and out of sight. The faint light of the sun shone from around that corner. In the center of the cave was a flat rock, slightly raised up. I could only assume, whatever this room was for, that Mufasa and Sarabi belonged there, on that raised area. It was almost like a throne.

To my far left, leaning against the wall, was my backpack. I walked over to it to see if it was still in tact. Everything was accounted for. My sleeping bag was scuffed up from being dragged in the dirt, but it was still usable. My small knife was there, as well as the unopened mini-tent. The lantern was fully functional, and the bug spray still had the cap on it. The seal was unbroken. In the bottom, I found a value pack of batteries I bought for the lantern. All my clothes I packed were perfectly in tact.

I zipped up my backpack, and sat next to it, waiting for Mufasa and Sarabi to return. One thing still remained on my mind…why did they have my parent’s eyes? Mufasa had those of my father; kind, fun, but stern if he needed to be. Sarabi had my mother’s; sympathetic, loving, and happy. Why would I see them in these two? I’ve known them for five minutes, and already I felt a strong bond between us.

            “Yes,” I said sheepishly. I knew it sounded rude to voice my thoughts that I would just stay without permission so I added, “I wanted to stay with you and your pride, if his majesty permits it, just until I have nourished myself back to health. Then I’ll be on my way.”

            Sarabi smiled and chuckled a little bit. “Actually,” she began, “we were going to ask you if you wanted to stay with us…unless you have somewhere to go.”

            I thought for a moment before I delivered my answer. Did I really have a place to go? Where COULD I go? I had no methods of getting home, no place to stay when I got there, nobody to stay with.

“No,” I sighed, “there is nothing for me there. All my family is dead. And I don’t have any friends who would wonder where I was.”

            “So you will stay?” Mufasa asked. Was that a hint of hope in his voice?

            I hesitated for a moment. Then, I smiled and said “Yes. I’ll stay.”

            “Wonderful!” Sarabi said happily. “Follow us. We need to introduce you to the rest of the pride. We don’t want them making the mistake of hunting you by accident.”

           

 

 

 

 

Chapter 3 – Mufasa’s Pride

 

 

They turned around, and walked out of the cave together, and I followed. I turned the corner, and reached the mouth of the cave. It was a shorter path than I expected. The mouth of the cave was within feet of the corner. When I got outside, I realized where exactly I was.

I was standing on the “L” shaped rock, right at the place between the vertical and horizontal rocks. The upper rock extended high into the sky. To my right, there was a pathway that I could see led up to the top. The lower rock extended at a slight angle towards the eastern Pride Lands. It seemed like a place to present something to the subjects of the king.

The sun was setting behind Pride Rock now. It cast a long shadow over the lands.

Mufasa cleared his throat, and I snapped back to reality. He was standing to my left, about ten feet away. He smirked at me, eyebrows cocked, and I caught up with him and Sarabi, who I stood next to.

Mufasa then took a deep breath, and let out an incredible roar. I covered my ears at the sudden burst of sound. It lasted for only a few seconds, but it echoed across the lands for some time.

Before I could ask why he did it, my question was answered. The pride of lions that lived here was walking up to where we stood. Lioness after lioness meanderI wanted to stay with you and your pride, if his majesty permits it, just until I have nourished myself back to health. Then I’ll be on my way.”

            Sarabi smiled and chuckled a little bit. “Actually,” she began, “we were going to ask you if you wanted to stay with us…unless you have somewhere to go.”

            I thought for a moment before I delivered my answer. Did I really have a place to go? Where COULD I go? I had no methods of getting home, no place to stay when I got there, nobody to stay with.

“No,” I sighed, “there is nothing for me there. All my family is dead. And I don’t have any friends who would wonder where I was.”

            “So you will stay?” Mufasa asked. Was that a hint of hope in his voice?

            I hesitated for a moment. Then, I smiled and said “Yes. I’ll stay.”

            “Wonderful!” Sarabi said happily. “Follow us. We need to introduce you to the rest of the pride. We don’t want them making the mistake of hunting you by accident.”

           

 

 

 

 

Chapter 3 – Mufasa’s Pride

 

 

They turned around, and walked out of the cave together, and I followed. I turned the corner, and reached the mouth of the cave.

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