Disclaimer: Characters and Events from The Lion King are owned solely through Disney, and I have no affiliation with The Lion King or the company. The characters who I have created are of my representations, and I ask that they remain under my name.

Author's Note: I wrote this as a precursor to my lion, Kiburi's story. Had a friend who was curious to see where in the heck he came from. I felt like this would answer a few questions, while also prompting a few viewers to wonder how he will later become influenced through the other characters of The Lion King.

Again, Kiburi is my character, so please do not use him for personal means of entitlement. I'm not certain if I should continue writing about him, but if I get enough reviews prompting me to do so, then heck. That would be cool.

Enjoy!

MISSING LINK

"Where exactly are we going again?"

"Questions, Questions. Enough with the questions young lion! The answer already lies in front of you if you would only open your eyes and see."

"Hmph." I glanced at the monkey jumping from tree to tree in front of me. "They're open and...Yep. Nothing."

"My boy, save your breath! You give Simba a run for his money, Hehe. . Hahaha!"

My muscles tensed as I continued to follow him and that raging laughter. Hearing that name made my mind pause, made the heart inside of me skip a beat. But it wasn't like Rafiki was going to spill anything.

"Hey monkey! Tell me about Simba already, huh? Why do you talk about him so much? How do you know him?"

"If I told you about him, there wouldn't be a reason for us to travel no? Keep on your feet and walk with me young lion!" he bellowed out into the sky, acting out for no one but the stars. I sighed and looked down. "Figured that much..."

The wind raised up slightly, catching a group of leaves as they came tumbling through the air, past the trees and straight into my face. Grumbling, I clawed at them, only to meet the monkey's eyes as he pushed his head into mine. Panicking, I fell back with a gasp. "H-Hngh! Gah crazy monkey! Stop that."

"Asante sana!, Squash Banana!,We we nugu!,Mi mi apana! We we nugu!,Mi mi apana!" Rafiki snickered and danced around me with that walking stick of his. I wanted to grab it from underneath him, but there was no way. "At least tell me what that meant.."

"It means lions should not act like baboons with questions. Are you a baboon?" he asked courteously, causing me to look to the side with cheeks burning. "Uh. . "

"Of course not! My boy, my boy. Plenty to learn you must. Thankfully you have such a big head! Hehaha! Come. We are close." The monkey beckoned and raised his staff towards the tall grass. I traveled quickly as Rafiki picked up the pace. Eventually he became invisible. I only caught the sound of his voice, his constant chatter and laughter. I followed that as the broken branches smashed through my paws while I ran.

"Close! Close! Come Kiburi. Your answers are in front of you!"

"Kiburi?" I mumbled, thinking to myself before coming into a head-on collision with a giant branch, causing me to tumble over with a small cry. "Ow! M-Man...Not cool."

"Close enough." Rafiki smiled, jumping down in front of me before he parted the grass. Inside was a small pool of water, colored bright by the stars that dodged the clouds up high. I looked at the monkey as if there was something he could see and I couldn't, and yet, he only smiled. "Take a good look, Hm?" He pointed down at the water below us.

Carefully I traveled over to the edge of the pond and peered down below; my complexion. I saw myself. My mane had already nearly grown out, jet black. My eyes were blue, and they looked sad. Heck, I was sad. I expected more. After all this walking with some stranger who made me believe that he knew who I was or where I came from. Nothing.

"Do you see?" he muttered. I could feel his small hands fastened over my shoulder while I shook my head quickly. "I don't see anything."

"Kiburi. Say it with me. 'Kiburi'."

There it was again. I huffed and stared at him. Was it monkey talk or something? I glared at Rafiki and repeated him slowly. "Ki. . .buri?"

"Yes!" He grinned and pointed back down at the water. "Look down my dear lion. You will see the reflection of not one lion, but several this time."

I was hesitant, but eventually did what he asked. I stared down at the water and my eyes widened. This time, it wasn't water. It was land. Mountains and cliffs. Where was this? Who was that?

"What would your mother think?"

"What am I gonna do?"

"Run away Simba. . ." the tall, dark lion bellowed out slowly. The small lion cub stepped back in fear. "Run..Run away and never return."

"Keep looking." Rafiki's voice melted into my ears. I was clueless. Never seen these lions in my life. Reluctant, I pulled back, but the next voice that pushed into my head weren't normal. They were cries.

"How can Mufasa and Simba be dead?"

"Not true!"

"Ahh, but it is. Quite the truth, I saw it with my own eyes." He lowered his gaze and stared at the lioness in front of the group. "If there's any way I can relieve your pain. Please, let me be of assistance Sarabi."

Sarabi?

She stared at him, bewildered and un-phased for minutes before he turned his back on her. I felt her breathing for some reason. It became deep and rough. I could see her move before she actually stepped forward.

"Stay with me tonight, Scar. . .I can't. Please don't let me be alone."

That's when I saw him. His smile. His grin.

"You will never be alone my dear."

My eyes opened for a moment, I couldn't help but blink. The pool of water came back and I growled. "No! It wasn't finished!" I stared at Rafiki who was sitting next to me, his eyes closed. "I want to see it again! Please."

"Not even the world can stop you, my boy. Seek the truth for you may no longer have the same chance tomorrow."

Gritting my teeth, I looked back down and gasped. My heart started to race, paws clenched into the soil. I felt this pain inside of me. Unbearable pain. I had to get rid of it, even at the cost of being dry. I launched myself head first into the pond waiting to gasp for air as I fell down below. This pond seemed deeper than what I assumed, and ever stranger, I didn't have to breathe. It was like time stopped. I could still see.

"She's very sick, Sarabi. Perhaps we should. . ."

"No! Absolutely not Sarafina...I will not lose her." Sarabi groaned, trying to raise herself off the cave floor until one of the lioness prevented her from doing so. They shook their head at her, but she was insistent. Her eyes were pinned on this Sarafina who carried something small in her paws.

"She looks like him." She whispered, lowering her head to lick at the cub who was gasping for breath. Struggling to live. The same amount of pain it showed was displayed in Sarabi's eyes. It was obvious that she was devastated, but she still seemed very strong.

"You think so?" Sarabi whispered, smiling softly. "I'm glad. Simba would've loved to have a little sister."

"Mufasa as well." Sarafina added in. "He would've treated her like his own, unlike. . " Her gaze traced over to the large, sleeping lion in the corner. His hulking size and heavy snoring caused almost every lioness in the cave to stare at him in disgust.

"Please don't tell him." Sarabi mumbled. "I'm afraid of what he may do."

"Do not be afraid of Scar." one of the older lionesses preached. "He may be bigger than us, but as a group we will not let him cause harm to the child."

"Even so." Sarabi whispered. "I can't continue to live with the thought of her dying."

"Then let me tend to her." A voice murmured from the crowd. I could see Sarabi also glance at the lioness. She mouthed something, but I could hear it in my head. "Kiburi? You would do that?""

"Mufasa saved my boy from drowning last Summer. It is the least I can do."

"You will not be able to explain her birth though with your mate's passing...I couldn't let you risk yourself to him."

"Sarabi, please don't flatter me. I won't let that buffoon of a lion so much as glance at me in a bad way."

I couldn't see anything at this point. It was dark, but they kept talking.

"In fact. I have a brother who lives further south in the pride lands. I will take her to them until she grows older. If that is alright with you?"

"You would do that?" Sarabi gasped in bewilderment. "I would never be able to replay you.."

"Let this cub take my name. She already has a story behind her, and it would make me proud to be a part of it. For Simba...and Mufasa."

"Here she is, Sarabi. Her breathing calmed down, but be careful."

"Yes, thank you, Sarafina...Kiburi. That is your name. Do you like it?"

Silence.

M-My lungs! I inhaled quickly but only took in water. Struggling as my eyes focused in on darkness. I swam towards that darkness.

Only then...

"S-Scar!" The lioness mumbled, carrying the lion cub carefully from the nape of it's neck. She looked behind her, and there stood the dark lion, gleaming at her.

"What is this?" he muttered. "A delivery? From whom? Your mate is dead if I do recall."

Kiburi dropped the cub gently with her paw over to protect it. "She is my brothers. I have come to return her to her father." Her claws sank into the ground as Scar chuckled and trudged forward. Closer, his tail flickered wildly. "You cannot fool me, woman. A sleeping lion must always keep one eye open." He widened his right eye and laughed.

"For instance...This one!"

Pain. I felt pain. Screams, I could hear nothing but screams as the vision went black again. I heard the lioness plead for this Scar to stop, but you could only hear him grunt and growl wickedly. "You were in on Sarabi's plan to abandon my heir! For that, you shall receive death."

The screaming finally stopped.

"What will i do with you?"

"H-Help me.." I struggled for air still, urging the dark lion to save me from my own stupidity. From falling into a pond that I felt would help me realize who I was. That alone sounded foolish. Why would he save a lion like that?

"I would rather leave you here. Your mother abandoned you, so I feel it only appropriate to see if you can survive on your own. Only then will I have raised a heir to my throne strong enough to overtake Pride Rock one day."

"Help. . .Please!"

"Remember this. Your mother abandoned you to the dangers outside of Pride Rock. Will you forgive her? Can you possibly forgive her, knowing that she's already mothered a son of her own?"

"I can't...I can't breathe."

"Hm...A boy. Interesting. My very own Simba...Make me proud, cub."

"A one-and a two! Three! Four! Come on, my boy!"

My eyes lifted up immediately, gasping for air as the water exploded from my lungs. I saw Rafiki and instantly felt the pain of his stick meeting with my back. "S-Stop..Stop! Stop you crazy monkey!"

Rafiki gleamed and stroked his chin. "When I said for you to look into the waters, I did not imagine you would also go for a swim." The monkey laughed and ruffled my mane. "So? What have you learned?"

I scanned the ground, thankful that I wasn't in the pond anymore, but something bothered me now. I felt all of those memories inside of me now. I could remember them instantly. But why me? The cub was a female lion. . . Unless.

"Rafiki." I spoke gently, hoping he would listen.
"Is Kiburi...My name?"

"Ahh, so the reflection did you well." He smiled and nodded. "It is indeed your name. A name for a lioness, but that is only because you were very small. Hard to recognize physically. An assumption. Understand?"

I blushed and peered down at myself.

Then I heard her name in my mind again.

"Sarabi" I mouthed. "Did my mother really abandon m-R-Rafiki?" I stared around, looking everywhere for that dang monkey, but it was like he disappeared. I couldn't smell him, I couldn't even hear him, and I was beginning to think that was impossible.

"C-Come on! I still have questions!"

But nothing.

I later decided to sleep around the pond that night, reliving those memories that I found in the water. I remembered Simba and Mufasa having died, but it wasn't true. Simba was the talk of the pride lands, and he already had a daughter on the way from the sound of it. But how was he connected to Sarabi? Was Sarabi really my mother? Too many questions. Too much for one night. I later gave in to sleep, hoping to learn more tomorrow.