The mandrill approached Pride Rock shortly after Mohatu's sparring lesson had ended, and Mohatu watched him, eyes brimming with curiosity and wonder. The lion cub who would be king was bridging the gap between childhood and adolescence, and his lessons on ruling a kingdom were now coming every day. Between hunting in the morning with the pride, and sparring in the evening with his father, Mohatu's days were long and tireless. However this was the time that Mohatu loved most. It was nighttime, and after the sun had set Sudi would teach Mohatu of the stories of the past kings.
Sudi loved these stories, and could not help but embellish them a bit. Everytime they were told, some small facts here and there were changed. Each one of them, though, had a moral from the great kings of the past. While Mohatu's earlier lessons were to make him physically strong enough to be king, the purpose of these stories were to give him the wisdom to rule. It was a tradition as old as time. As the sun dipped below the horizon and the great kings began to shine down on them, Sudi began to chant an evening prayer. Mohatu didn't understand the prayer, so he ignored it, focusing instead on grooming over his paw.
"So, young prince. Tonight I have a story of bravery."
Mohatu looked up hopefully, "And death?"
Sudi chuckled, as the sky turned to darkness and the stars that had become burning lanterns in the void. "Maybe, Prince Mohatu. Maybe indeed."
"Cool!" was the only answer from Mohatu. He liked stories that involved fights, and chivalry, and death, and honor, and glory. He hoped his kingship would be filled with such stories of him coming out on the side of right each time. "Who's it about?"
The mandrill gazed into the sky, and pointed up to the star just cresting over the top of Pride Rock. "That one, Mohatu. That one right there. That is Abasi's star. Long ago, before your father was born, before I was born, before Pride Rock was home to you, Abasi lived. He lived, and he died, and now he looks down on us."
"He was a great king, Sudi?"
"Yes, my prince. He was a great king. But I'm not going to tell you about when he was king. I'm going to tell you about when he was a cub. A time before he became a great king." Sudi looked straight at Mohatu, eyes peering deep. "Because that is when Abasi almost lost his chance to become a great king."
Sudi sat down, and looked back to the star, mumbling another silent prayer. He looked over to Mohatu, who had now settled down and was following him with rapt attention. "And so begins, Mohatu, the story of Abasi and the Hunt."