Chapter 3- Hekima's Vision

As Ahadi spoke to Mufasa, Taka and Zira were on their way to see Rafiki. They were completely bored, especially since their guardians, Sarabi and Sarafina, were talking the entire time.

"I hate being a girl," Zira grumbled. "They are so annoying!"

"Hey, at least you're a cool girl." Taka told her. "Remember when I caught that baby antelope, and you thought it was awesome?"

"It was awesome!" the female cub replied. "How many cubs are able to catch something?"

As she and Sarabi talked, Sarafina looked back at Zira and rolled her eyes.

"Your sister is such a tomboy, Sarabi!" she told her friend.

"That's rather mean, don't you think?" Sarabi commented. "Besides, she's my adopted sister, Sara. She isn't exactly related to me."

"Why did your mom want to adopt her?" Sarafina asked. "She is an Outsider, after all."

"She felt sorry for her, I guess." Her friend replied. "My mother was a friend of Nara, Zira's mother, and found it her right to take care of her when Nara left the Pride Lands."

"Hmm, explains why Taka is so fond of her." The other lioness noted. "He's kind of like an Outsider too, I guess."

At that moment, they had arrived at a giant tree, where Rafiki lived with his grandfather. The two cubs climbed up the tree at once, while the two lionesses decided to lay in the tree's shade.


In the tree, Hekima was giving Rafiki an important lesson… on painting the royal family.

"You see, all of our kings are painted with bright colors to symbolize their power over others." Hekima explained. "You could say that they are the 'lights of the kingdom'."

"But what about Taka?" Rafiki asked. "He's a dark-furred cub, so…"

"Just use a lighter shade of brown." The older baboon instructed. "The light given off by his father and brother should show his importance."

Rafiki looked through his gourds, and found one similar to Taka's fur. He opened it, and took out some of its sticky contents. He began to smear the substance on the tree's walls, but was soon attacked by Taka.

"Hey Rafiki!" the cub greeted the young baboon.

"Hello, Taka," Rafiki groaned. He looked back at his painting, which was smeared all over the wall.

"My masterpiece!" he cried. "Look what you've done, you little-AAH!"

Zira had just tackled Rafiki. The cub was now jumping up and down in delight. "Nice pounce, huh Taka?"

"I believe the score is now…" Taka stuck his paw in the gourd. "Lion Cubs-Two…" He slashed the wall twice. "And the monkey… Nada!" He put a big, fat O on the wall.

"Grandpa? A little help… please?" Rafiki pleaded.

"No can do, Rafiki!" Hekima answered between chuckles. "It's just another part of the Circle of Life. The lions befriend the baboons… they give birth to cubs… and the cubs practice pouncing on the baboon."

Taka and Zira were in fits of laughter now. "That is not part of the Circle of Life!" Rafiki protested. "You just made it up!"

The two cubs rolled their eyes and attacked Rafiki once again. Hekima sighed and lounged between two tree branches. He then looked at his grandson's ruined painting. Surprisingly enough, the paint had already formed a lion cub, even though Rafiki had barely put any work in it. It would have almost been perfect if the gourd's flesh hadn't been a black color (I must find more fresh fruit, Hekima thought to himself), and if there hadn't been an ugly slash across the painting. He continued to observe it, but soon passed out.


Hekima awoke and saw nothing but darkness. He could only hear voices, and flashes of light…

"I'm afraid it will never heal."

"Why does he get to be king?"

"I was first in line… until the little 'hairball' was born"

"What are we supposed to do? Kill Mufasa?"

"Long live the king!"

"I was ten times the king Mufasa was!"

"I killed Mufasa!"

"Kovu was hand-chosen by Scar to take his place as king."

"You killed your own brother!"


"Grandpa!"

Hekima woke up in an instant. He looked up and saw Rafiki, Taka, and Zira all staring at him.

"Are you okay?" Taka asked.

Hekima just stared at the cub. Some of those voices… sounded like Taka! He might have been a little older, but still. Not to mention, who the heck were Kovu and Scar?

"Uh… yeah. I'm fine. Old age, keep dozing off time to time…" Hekima asked.

"You two should head home… Grandpa needs his rest." Rafiki told the cubs, still giving Hekima a worried expression.

The two cubs looked at each other, shrugged, and left the tree. When they were gone, Rafiki sat down beside his grandfather.

"Did you have a nightmare?" he inquired.

"Not just a nightmare, Rafiki…" Hekima whispered. "A vision, possibly. An omen."