The Lion King

Kiara & Kovu's Circle of Life

Chapter 4: Are We One?

The sun began to end it's journey across the sapphire sky as the dawn turned into dusk. The day animals like the giraffes and monkeys began to turn in for the night while the night animals like the bats and snakes came out to begin they're hunts. But one group of animals took they're journey back home whilst carrying they're youngsters in they're mouths.

The lions made they're way back to Pride Rock with Kopa and Vitani at the head of the pride while Zazu flew over head. Trailing behind the group were Kovu and Kiara as they carried their cubs in their mouths. Ahead of them walked Simba and Nala.

As they walked down a hill, Simba suddenly noticed that Kiara and Kovu weren't following. Looking back he saw them both standing at the top of the hill. "Kiara?" he questioned. "Kovu?"

The young lioness and lion said nothing, they only looked down at the cubs that they held in they're mouths.

Simba smiled wearily and nodded his grayish mane in understanding. He turned to the rest of the pride who were waiting for their king and queen. "Come." he ordered. "We must leave them for now."

The lioness' and lions nodded approvingly. As they followed the elderly lion king, Ushaki, Viva and Tii looked back at their friends. They knew that Kiara and Kovu were going to have a serious talk with Malka and Serafina. Looking up at they're own parents, they knew that they were in for they're own night of lecturing.

Tii groaned as he flew after his father, "I never should have listened to those cats!"

"Told you this was a bad idea." Viva whispered to Ushaki.

Ushaki just growled, "Oh, shut up!"

Kiara and Kovu looked at each other then went they're separate ways. Kiara went to the camel thorn tree while Kovu headed out towards the hills of the grasslands. Both Malka and Serafina knew that they were in big trouble now.

Soon under the fire of the setting sun, Kovu stopped at the top of a large hill. The great lion gently placed the young cub down in the soft grass.

Malka looked up at his father and gave him a nervous smile. Kovu just stared down at his son sternly. Malka sighed and flattened his ears in guilt knowing that his father wasn't at all happy with him.

Kovu closed his eyes and sighed then looked down at his son. "Malka, I'm very disappointed in you." he said in a firm tone. "You're mother and I told you not to go near the Wastelands, but you deliberately disobeyed us! And we warned you that humans are dangerous, but you were willing to become friends with one!"

"I know...but I..." Malka defaulted. Sighing, he stared down at the ground feeling ashamed and small.

Staring down at his son, Kovu's eyes softened, "Malka, you need to understand that you're mother and I only want what's best for you and you're sister. We don't want to lose either of you."

"I know, dad." Malka said, looking up into his father's emerald depths.

Kovu nuzzled his son while gently placing a paw around his shoulders, "You need to be more careful. I won't always be there to protect you. There will be a time when you will have to learn to stand on you're own four feet."

"But I can look after myself." Malka protested. He stood up on his hind legs and began to kick, punch and slash as he had done earlier. "See?"

Kovu couldn't help, but chuckle at his son's enthusiasm. He shook his mighty mane and sighed. One thing was clear. If Malka was going to be the next ruler he wasn't going to be any ordinary king. He was already braver and bolder than most of the grown lions. But Kovu knew that it took more than just bravery to rule a kingdom.

"Son, ruling a kingdom may sound easy, but it's not." Kovu explained, as Malka got back down on all fours. "It takes a lot more than just strength or courage to rule a kingdom. A king must be wise as well as brave."

Malka understood. He nodded sheepishly, feeling very small. Malka looked up at his father in admiration. His dark mane blew in the evening breeze and looking deeply into his eyes Malka could see a great sense of respect, justice, kindness and love. His father was so brave, strong, wise and kind. Everything that Malka wanted to be. But if his father was so wise why couldn't he see that the humans weren't dangerous? Why couldn't he and Shamwari be friends?

Kovu had told his son the story of how Simba and Zira's two prides had become one many times. They had learned to see through the past and let go of what had been. So why couldn't they do the same with the humans?

"Dad," the cub asked slowly. "You've told me that grandpa Simba and grandma Zira's two prides became one...can't we do the same with the humans? I mean...are we one?"

Within a split second Kovu's gentle expression changed to a look of pure hate. Fur bristling with fury, claws extended out of his paws as his pupils turned into slits and a deep, harsh growl rumbled in his throat. Never in his life had he ever heard such a ridiculous suggestion! It was no thanks to those murdering two-leggers that Kovu had lost his father. As long as he lived to hunt and run, he would never forgive those creatures for their crime.

Looking down at his sandy colored son, Kovu saw the surprised and rather frightened look on his young face. Kovu knew that getting angry with his son for asking an innocent question would serve no purpose. Letting out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, Kovu began to calm down. "No, son." he said gently. "That wouldn't work out. We're two entirely different species. We could never be one."

"But can't we..." Malka began.

Kovu chuckled and shook his head, "Oh Malka, must you know everything?"

Malka sighed, slumping his shoulders in defeat. It seemed like his father would never accept the humans. He looked up at the great lion. His father was such a powerful king. He was greatly loved by those who respected him and despised by those who feared him. In every way, Malka hoped that he would be a great king just like his father.

"Dad," Malka asked, placing a small paw upon his father's much larger one. "If you and mom ever choose me to rule the Pridelands...do you think I'll be a good king..."

Looking into the cub's eyes, Kovu noticed the unsure look in his son's gaze. He smiled reassuringly, placing a paw around the cub's small shoulders, "I think you'll make a fine king. You are my son and are apart of the Great Circle of Life. As am I."

The great lion looked out over the grasslands as the dying light of the sun spread its golden glory across every plant and animal. "Everything the light touches is apart of the Great Circle." Kovu explained. "Every living creature has a place and a purpose. From the smallest ant to the largest elephant. We are one."

Kovu looked down at the confused cub, "We are brothers to all creatures. In the Great Circle we remain truly, brothers all the same."

Malka looked up at the great lion, puzzled. He wasn't sure what his father's wise words meant. "I don't understand."

The lion king just smiled. Malka didn't understand now, but someday he would come to realize what Kovu meant. He nuzzled the cub with his nose, "You will son. You will."

Father and son sat there, watching the sun go down. As they sat, Malka wondered about what his father had said. If they were brothers to all creatures didn't that include the humans? Despite how different they were, they too were a part of the Circle of Life. But his father had said that the humans and lions weren't one. Malka's heart sank, he felt so confused.

Looking at the sun, he thought of Shamwari. He had been kind and gentle. Not at all like the way his mother and father had described. In his heart, Malka hoped that he would see the boy again.

Soon under the fire of the setting sun, Kiara stopped next to the camel thorn tree. The young queen still remembered the time that her father had brought her here as a cub after she had wandered into the Outlands. The golden lioness gently placed the brown cub down upon a boulder.

Looking up at her mother with nervous eyes, Serafina flattened her ears in guilt. Kiara stared down at her daughter sternly. Serafina sighed and looked away. From the look in her mother's ruby red eyes, Serafina knew that she wasn't happy.

Closing her eyes, Kiara sighed then looked at her daughter. "Serafina, what do you think you were doing?" she asked in a firm tone. "You and you're brother acted foolishly today! You could've been killed!"

"But, mom...we...I never meant to disobey..." Serafina began. Struggling to tell her mother that she was sorry.

Seeing that her daughter was struggling to apologize, Kiara's gaze softened. "Serafina, you're father and I tell you and you're brother these things because we love you. We don't want to lose either of you."

"I know." Serafina said, looking up at her mother.

Kiara nuzzled her daughter gently, "If something happened to either of you I don't know what you're father and I would do. I won't always be there to guide you. One day you will have to learn to think for yourself."

"But I can think for myself." Serafina protested. She sat straight and tall, and held her head high. "You've taught me everything I know. I could take care of myself. And if I'm queen then everyone will respect me."

Kiara giggled and shook her head with a sigh. Yes, it was true. As young as she was, Serafina was very wise beyond her age. If she became the next ruler she wouldn't be any ordinary queen. She was already wiser and smarter than most of the grown lioness'. But as wise as she was, Serafina was very headstrong. Kiara knew that there was more to ruling a kingdom that getting you're own way all the time.

"Serafina, there's more to ruling a kingdom than getting you're own way all the time." Kiara explained, as Serafina jumped down beside her. "You must respect the ways of others and learn from those ways. As wise as a queen may be there are still many things she needs to learn."

Serafina understood and nodded sheepishly, feeling very small. She stared at her mother with great respect. Her golden coat shone in the sun's rays and looking deeply into her eyes Serafina could see a great sense of respect, justice, kindness and love. Her mother was so brave, strong, wise and kind. Everything that Serafina hoped to become. But although her mother was very wise why couldn't he see that the humans weren't dangerous? Why couldn't she and Rajah be friends?

Many times Serafina had heard the story of how Simba and Zira's two prides had become one. They had learned let go of what had been. So couldn't they do the same with the humans?

"Mom," the cub asked slowly. "You've said that grandpa Simba and grandma Zira's two prides became one...can't we do the same with the humans? I mean...are we one?"

Kiara stared down at her daughter, wandering how to answer her. At her young age, Serafina couldn't possibly understand that a friendship with the humans would never work. Although both pride and clan took what nature had to offer and respected the laws of the wild, they could never unite as one. They were two different species. Besides that, Kiara knew that Kovu would never let that happen. He would sooner die than come at peace with the humans.

Slowly letting out a breath, Kiara answered gently, "No, honey. That wouldn't work out. We could never be one with something outside our own species."

Serafina began. "But can't we..."

"Oh Serafina, why are you so full of curiosity?" Kiara giggled, shaking her head.

Serafina slumped her shoulders, knowing that it was pointless to argue. She looked up at the beautiful lioness. Her mother was such a powerful queen. Those who respected her loved her very much and those who despised her feared her greatly. Serafina hoped that some day she would become a great queen like her mother.

"Mom," Serafina asked, placing a small paw upon her mother's large leg. "If you and papa choose me to be the next ruler..do you think I'll be a good queen..."

Gazing down into her daughter's eyes, Kiara could see the unsure look in the cub's gaze. Smiling reassuringly, she placed a paw around the cub's much smaller shoulders, "I believe you'll make a fine queen one day. You are apart of me and apart of the Great Circle of Life. As I am too."

The golden lioness looked out over the grasslands as the sun began to end it's journey across the sky while spreading its light across every plant and animal. "If you look upon everything the light touches every plant, green or bare, and every creature, great or small, are all apart of the Great Circle of Life." Kiara explained.

"Every living creature has its place and a purpose in life. From the shortest parrie dog to the tallest giraffe. We are one."

Kiara looked down at the confused cub, "We are brothers to all creatures. In the Great Circle we remain truly, brothers all the same."

Serafina stared at her mother, puzzled. She didn't understand what her mother's words of wisdom meant. "I don't understand."

The young queen only smiled. Serafina didn't understand now, but as she grew older she would. She gently licked the top of the cub's head, "You will, my little one. You will."

Mother and daughter lay in the shade of the tree, watching as the sun end it's journey. Sitting in silence, Serafina thought about what her mother had said. Her mother had said that the lions could never be one with the humans because they weren't the same. But all the other animals were different and yet they were brothers to them. How could they be one with other animals and not with the humans? Serafina felt her heart sink, she felt so confused.

Gazing into the darkening sky, the face of Rajah came to her thoughts. The young girl wasn't at all the way her mother and father had described. She had been kind and gentle. In her heart, Serafina hoped that she would see the girl again.