about them was a vertical scar on the left one.

“Scar!” cried the hornbill on Mufasa’s shoulder. “How nice of you to join us!”

Scar ignored this, as he slowly made his way to the empty space next to Mufasa, and sat down. All eyes were on him, most were staring in annoyance. Only one pair looked different. Zira’s gaze was happy, which looked eerie on her pointed face. Scar glanced at her and smiled. Then he looked in my direction. Nobody said a word.

 He stared at me with neither curiosity or fear. There was a hunger in his eyes, and it sent shivers down my spine. Something about him unsettled me.

He must have noticed, because he smiled chillingly, then looked to Mufasa, who was the most annoyed of the entire circle. Scar did not even incline his head to the king.

            “Who is this stranger? What is his purpose here?” he asked icily.

            Mufasa, still glaring, said, “Ayden here, is going to join our pride. He is to be treated as any other member here, and is not to be harmed in any way.”

            He turned his head to the rest of the pride, glancing back at Scar for a moment, and said, “Is that understood?”

            The pride roared in unison. Mufasa then dismissed them to continue with their activities. They all stood up and began to go down off of Pride Rock.

            Scar slunk over to Zira, who nuzzled him. They then turned and set off together, both of them glancing back at me before disappearing out of sight.

            When I looked back, only six remained: Mufasa, the hornbill on his shoulder, Sarabi, Simba, Nala, and the lioness who asked me my name.

            Mufasa sighed and addressed me. “You’ll have to forgive Zira and Scar. They are not the kindest of our pride, but they do make their contributions.”

             “Scar is certainly…different.” I finished with a shiver. His glare at me still stuck out in my memory.

rself. “Hello Ayden, we haven’t been properly introduced yet. I am Sarafina, Sarabi’s best friend. This is Nala.” She indicated the tan, blue-eyed cub. “She is my daughter.”

            “And this is Simba,” Sarabi interjected, gesturing to the golden cub with the tuft on his head. “Mine and Mufasa’s son, and the future king.”

            Simba grinned at the last part. Nala looked at him smugly, and they both laughed.

            The hornbill spoke up, and I was surprised to hear a British accent. “My name is Zazu. I am the king’s majordomo.”

            I smiled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all. I am glad that I have been accepted into your pride.”

            They all smiled back. As they did, I thought of my family. Through all the tragedy, I still had found a way to make good out of it. I found me a safe place to live, where I would feel happy, despite my losses. And as I looked at each of their smiling faces, one word flashed in my mind. A word that I knew I would only associate with this place for the rest of my life.

Home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 4 – Strange Rituals of Human Customs

 

 

Several days passed, and life began to settle down. I still felt the immense grief for my tragedy, but it was not as prominent as before. My family was gone, and there was nothing I could do about it. I had already paid my respects to them the day after the pride’s meeting. I had been shown the Royal Graveyard behind Pride Rock. I found three stones and placed them side by side in the graveyard. I used a small, jagged rock carve their names in the rock. I had shed so many tears already, yet I still had more for this moment. The important thing was that I was alive, and hadsp;        “And this is Simba,” Sarabi interjected, gesturing to the golden cub with the tuft on his head. “Mine and Mufasa’s son, and the future king.”

            Simba grinned at the last part. Nala looked at him smugly, and they both laughed.

            The hornbill spoke up, and I was surprised to hear a British accent. “My name is Zazu. I am the king’s majordomo.”

            I smiled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all. I am glad that I have been accepted into your pride.”

            They all smiled back. As they did, I thought of my family. Through all the tragedy, I still had found a way to make good out of it. I found me a safe place to live, where I would feel happy, despite my losses. And as I looked at each of their smiling faces, one word flashed in my mind. A word that I knew I would only associate with this place for the rest of my life.

Home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 4 – Strange Rituals of Human Customs

 

 

found a place to live that I felt comfortable at. These lions were kind, cared for one another, and looked out for each other. They showed the same feelings and actions to me.

As the days passed, I was slowly accepted into the pride more and more. Every now and then, one or more lionesses would come to me and introduce themselves. We would talk for a while getting to know each other, and for the most part I liked them all. They were very receptive of me once they got to know me. By the third day, only two had not approached me; Scar and Zira.

I began to follow the lionesses into their daily hunts. Since there were so many of them, they always broke off into three groups. Every time they left to hunt, the groups would alternate different lionesses, by order of Mufasa. This was to ensure that no groups would form and get too competitive with each other over who hunted better. Mufasa had instilled many rules that seemed harsh, but were there to keep peace through the Pride Lands. From the look of things in the kingdom, his rules worked perfectly.

When the groups brought back their kills, they all set them in front of Mufasa in the round cave. I remembered from my school days that the king of the pride always ate before the rest did. The first time I saw them set the kills in front of him, Mufasa’s next action shocked me. He stepped back and allowed the rest of the pride to eat their fill before himself. I walked forward, unsure if I should or shouldn’t get some food for myself. Mufasa saw this, and told several lionesses to move aside so I could get through. I inclined my head to him in thanks, and then moved to the place that had been cleared for me.

I looked down to see what was to eat. All three kills were antelope. I’d never eaten antelope before, but I remembered the phrase my mom always told me when I refused to eat my food.

You’ll never know until you try it.

I smiled at her memory, then pulled out my knife I had retrieved from my backpack. I sliced away a slab the size of a steak and stepped back. Mufasa was watching the feast, so I quickly grabbed my backpack, and hurried out of the cave.

I walked down to a small clearing I had seen earlier that day, and set the slab of meat on a rock that looked sanitary. Then I gathered some sticks and rocks, and set up a makeshift cooking pit. I’m glad I packed some matches and lighters, I thought to myself as I pulled a small book of matches from my pack. I lit the small pile of wood, and then let the fire build.

Suddenly, a voice spoke from behind me.

“Ayden, why aren’t you eating with us?”

I jumped, and turned to see that Mufasa had followed me from the cave. I felt my heart beating a mile a minute. I had not expected to be followed.

He looked confused. “You have taken such a small portion and simply laid it aside. Are you not hungry? And why have you started a fire?”

After my heart slowed down, I told him about human’s inability to eat raw meat without getting sick. I also explained that what looked like a small portion to him, would actually fill me up quite nicely.

He watched me as I set up a three stones in a triangle around the small fire. Then I placed the steak on a flat rock and set the rock on the three stones, over the fire. He was surprised when I flipped it over moments later, to reveal it had turned a mouthwatering brown.

Mufasa understood the need for this unusual ritual. He smiled at me, and said, “You know, you are completely welcome to eat in the cave with us. We are part of the same pride, and everybody has the same rights here.”

e pride more and more. Every now and then, one or more lionesses would come to me and introduce themselves. We would talk for a while getting to

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