Chapter 6: The Circle of Life/Scar/Future LeadersNants ingonyama bagithi Baba Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba
Sithi uhm ingonyama
Ingonyama
Sithi uhm ingonyama
Ingonyama
Siyo nqoba
Ingonyama
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (Se to kwa)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (Asana)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (Se to kwa)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (Asana)
Giraffes, zebras, cape buffalos, elephants, hippos, rhinos, cheetahs, wildebeests, monkeys, antelopes, flamingos, cranes, and many other types of birds flew and traveled through mountains, the sky, the waterfall, the water hole, and hills to come to Pride Rock to see their future king and a supposed future human leader among them.
From the day we arrive on the planet
And blinking, step into the sun
There's more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high
Through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless roundAs all of the animals gathered towards Pride Rock, Zazu came flying towards Mufasa as the mighty lion stood on the edge of the gigantic rock. The small hornbill landed at the king's feet and gave a bow, with Mufasa giving him a nod and smile in return. The lion king soon turned their attention towards a familiar old mandrill as the buffalos below the rock cleared a path for him and bowed to him in respect.
It's the Circle of Life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
The old mandrill nodded to them and walked past them, using the bakora staff as a walking cane. He then climbed up Pride Rock, and once he reached the top, he and the lion king happily embraced each other. Mufasa then turned his attention towards Sarabi and Shani and walked into the lions den to join them.
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the Circle
The Circle of Life
The pride of lionesses watched as Mufasa lovingly nuzzled Sarabi. The lion queen then gave a loving lick to the newborn Simba, with the tiny cub looking up as his parents looked down at him with warm smiles and Shani gently petted his head with her finger.
The young African woman noticed the old mandrill come into the lion's den and she said with surprise,
"Hey! It's you again!"
The old mandrill happily smiled at her and said with a small greeting, "Jambo, Shani."
Mufasa said, introducing him, "Shani, this is Rafiki. He is the shaman and Royal Mjuzi of the Pridelands."
Shani said with a smirk and raised brow, "Yes, we've met before...Long ago in my youth."
Rafiki added proudly, "And look how much you've grown since then."
Shani nodded with a smile, and soon asked with curiosity, "Rafiki, if I am to be the future leader of the humans...Then how come I'm the only human standing in the Pridelands?"
Rafiki answered, "The rest of the human tribe will return to the Pridelands one day, but only when you are truly ready to rule among them."
Mufasa explained to Shani, "And until that time comes, you will be living under my guidance and protection as you will learn about the true meaning of the Circle of Life and how to be a true leader amongst the humans as well as accepting the ways that both humans and animals live. But most of all, you will be like a protector to Simba and he will look up to you just the same. Do you understand?"
Shani answered, "Yes, I understand. I am truly honored, Mufasa and I promise I won't let you, Simba, or the rest of the pride down."
Mufasa replied with a smile, "Thank you, Shani."
Shani nodded in agreement and with that, Rafiki began the blessing of the future king and the future leader of the humans. He waved the Bakora staff in front of the young woman as she bowed her head in respect, and waved it in front of Simba as the newborn cub tried to swat at it with a tiny claw. Next, Rafiki cracked a fruit open in half and spread the juice across both Simba and Shani's foreheads. Rafiki then scooped up some dirt and he sprinkled some onto Shani and Simba's head, causing the young woman to close her eyes and scrunch up her nose to keep from getting dirt in them, and causing the newborn cub to sneeze.
Mufasa and Sarabi both smiled down at their cub affectionately as Rafiki took Simba from his mother's paws and looked to Shani, saying,
"Come, Shani."
With that, Shani stood up and joined Rafiki, walking with him towards the edge of Pride Rock as the old mandrill carried little Simba. Once they came towards the edge, Shani stepped forward first, causing all of the animals to look up at her with curiosity and surprise. But as soon as Rafiki stood alongside her, he lifted up the newborn cub and the young woman held out her arms, showing that she came to all of them in peace.
Seeing the newborn cub and how the young woman meant no harm to them, all of the animals cheered. From the elephants, to the antelope, to the monkeys, the zebras, every single animal that stood before Pride Rock cheered for their future king and the young woman that would unite humans and animals in equality.
It's the Circle of Life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and loveThe bright sunlight shined down on the three and King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi soon came to join them as the Pridelands had just welcomed their future king and the one that would someday unite all of the humans and animals as a leader.
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the Circle
The Circle of Life*******************
After the presentations have come to an end, below Pride Rock, a mouse scurried from out of a small hole and around of the cave, cleaning it's face. As it was about to run off, suddenly, a giant dark, tan lion's paw, bearing sharp claws came out of nowhere and slammed down onto the tiny mouse. Picking up the mouse by it's tail and hanging it upside down, the lion revealed itself to be a dark lion with a black mane and green eyes, following a scar on his left eye. A brother to Mufasa, the lion was known as Scar.
Scar brought the little mouse close to his face and said rather glumly, "Life's not fair, is it? You see I...Well I, shall never be king. Huh!"
The tiny mouse crawled on top of the dark lion's paws, trying to escape. But Scar managed to catch it and said with a taunting chuckle as he was about to devour the poor little creature,
"And you...Shall never see the light of another day! Adieu."
But before he could eat the tiny mouse, Zazu came in and said to him, "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?"
The dark lion groaned and asked while placing a paw down on the small mouse, "What do you want?"
Zazu announced, "I'm here to announce that King Mufasa is on his way, so you'd better have a good excuse for missing the ceremony this morning."
With the dark lion distracted, the tiny mouse slipped out of his grasp and scurried back into the small hole that it came from. Dismayed, Scar looked back at Zazu and said in a pitiful tone,
"Oh now look, Zazu. You made me lose my lunch."
Zazu scoffed and said, "Ha! You'll lose more than that when the king gets through with you. He's as mad as a hippo with a hernia."
Scar looked down at him and snarled, "Ooh! I quiver with FEAR!"
Zazu started backing away from him and said rather nervously as Scar was slowly lurking towards him,
"Now, Scar! Don't look at me that way!"
And the poor bird started flying away as he cried out, "HELP!"
But unfortunately, Scar had caught him in his mouth and was about to devour him. However, before that could happen, both Mufasa and Shani had shown up and called out to his brother, standing on a taller rock,
"Scar!"
Scar turned to him and replied while Zazu was still in his mouth, "Mmmm-hmm-hmm?"
Mufasa simply ordered to him, "Drop him."
Zazu poked his beak out through scars mouth and said, "Impeccable timing, your majesty."
And with that, Scar spit the bird out, leaving a disgusted Zazu covered in saliva.
Turning to his older brother, Scar said to Mufasa in a rather sarcastic tone, "Why, if it isn't my big brother descending from high to mingle with the commoners."
Mufasa said to Scar with a glare as Shani started climbing down the rock and started walking into the cave to join them,
"Sarabi and I didn't see you at the presentation of Simba and Shani."
Scar said with a mock surprise and guilt, "That was today? Oh, I feel simply awful!"
And he started scratching on the walls, leaving a loud screeching noise and causing Zazu to cringe. He then turned back to the trio as he began to say,
"It must've slipped my mind-"
That was until both he and Shani came into eye contact. Looking into the green and scarred eyes of the dark lion, Shani immediately received a flashback of the day she lost her home and her family to not only a big fire, but a murderous lion. With that one memory coming back to her, she looked back at the dark lion with fear, realizing it was the very same lion that cost her everything.
Coming back to reality, all Shani could muster out in a very stunned yet quiet tone, "You."
With concern, both Mufasa and Zazu looked up at the young woman and the lion king asked, "Shani?"
The dark lion looked back at her with surprise yet rage in his eyes to see the young human standing before him, alive and nearly full grown. However, to keep from letting his darkest secret get out and causing a scene, Scar turned his full attention to her and said with mock kindness while circling around her,
"Oh, so this is the new human that everyone is talking about? Why I must say Mufasa, you sure know how to pick them. Say, where did you pick this one? Out of the filthy dying hole where all humans belong?!"
Shani asked him with a small glare, "So you think all humans are bad?"
Scar sneered, "Oh Shaniyah, I don't think...I know. Just ask the man that gave me this scar in the first place!"
Shani gasped in shock and offence to see that the lion would try to take a stab at her father, someone who meant dearly to her as a child.
Seeing how offended and shocked the young woman was, Mufasa said firmly as he stood protectively alongside Shani,
"Scar, Shani is a member of our pride. And this kind of behavior does not excuse you from missing her and Simba's presentation."
Zazu added as he flew up into Scar's face, "And as slippery as your mind is, as the king's brother, you should've been first in line!"
Scar snapped his teeth at him, causing the poor hornbill to hide behind Mufasa's leg, with the dark lion sneering,
"Oh, I was first in line. Until the little hairball was born and this filthy human showed up!"
Mufasa said, "That hairball is my son, and your future king. And as I've already told you, this filthy human is a member of our pride. She is what will unite humans and animals in equality. You will show her the proper respect and regard her as future leader of the humans."
Scar responded to his brother in a sarcastic way, feigning a curtsy, "Oh, I shall practice my curtsy."
Mufasa growled as Scar started walking away from him, "Don't turn your back on me, Scar!"
Scar looked back at him and said as he continued to walk away, "Oh no, Mufasa. Perhapsyou shouldn't turn your back on me."
Outraged, Mufasa roared and charged towards Scar, causing Shani to gasp in alarm.
Mufasa snarled at Scar threateningly as he bared his teeth at him, "IS THAT A CHALLENGE?!"
Scar rolled his eyes as he said to the angered king, "Temper, temper. I wouldn't dream of challenging you."
Zazu asked, joining Mufasa's side, "Pity! Why not?"
Scar answered, "Well, as far as brains go, I got the lion's share. But when it comes to brute strength...I'm afraid I am at the shallow end of the gene pool."
And with that, Scar walked away from the small cave, leaving his brother, the hornbill, and the young woman alone. Once he was gone, Mufasa looked back at Shani who was still standing in the cave and asked,
"Shani, are you alright? You seemed really tense when you came in to join us."
Shani answered while she walked out of the cave to join them, "Yes Mufasa, I'm alright. I-I was just feeling a little light headed, that's all."
Mufasa said as he sat down and looked out into the open, "I'm sorry for the way my brother behaved towards you. I do love him, though I admit he can be rather difficult to deal with sometimes."
Zazu said with a sigh, "There's one in every family, sire. Two in mine actually, and they always manage to ruin special occasions."
Mufasa sighed and said, "What am I going to do with him?"
Zazu said with a grin, "He'd make a very handsome throw rug."
Mufasa said while Shani gave a smirk, "Zazu!"
Zazu added, "And just think! Whenever he gets dirty, you can take him out and beat him!"
Both Mufasa and Shani chuckled as they started walking back to Pride Rock.
*******************
That night, there was a huge rainstorm that spread throughout the Pridelands. Shani, the lions, and all of the other animals that resided in the Pridelands were all in their respective shelters and fast asleep. However, there was one certain mandrill that remained awake. Inside of a baobab tree, Rafiki was painting a lion cub and a human girl. Bringing his attention to the lion cub, he held up an open fruit and wiped some of the paste onto the cub's head, saying with a chuckle,
"Simba."
He then turned his attention back to the painting of a human girl, and began painting the hair with darker paste from a different fruit. After that, he took the same paste that he used on the cub's forehead, he wiped some of it on the heart of the human girl, saying,
"Shani, the leader of the humans and equal to all, in the Pridelands."
