First of all, thank you guys so much for 10,000 reads! It really means so much to me that all of you guys care enough about my mediocre writing that was mostly made fun of as a little kid to reach this milestone. Second of all, I'd like to give credit to SilverGate48 for his help on this chapter, and probably the rest of the story. He's really been a big help that I never knew I needed until him. Lastly, as most of you know if you have read the last chapter, Dylan unexpectedly met his father, Kopa, who he had thought left him all those years ago. But how did he even end up in the Watu world to begin with? Think of these next few chapters as his background and origin story before we get back to what's happening with his son. Enjoy!

-DBROWN13

Simba just stared at his mate in disbelief as to what she had just told him, his eyes as wide as the spaces between expectations and reality. His heart was beating at a million miles an hour, his breathing becoming more labored, and even his mane started to become a little wet from the sweat he was producing as he began inhaling and exhaling more rapidly before he stopped and continued to just stare awkwardly at Nala as they both sat at the top of Pride Rock as the sun began to set, all sorts of beautiful changes happening to the environment that Simba could see reflect in her eyes.

"S-Simba, did you hear me?"

The lion king just began stuttering while his eyes started to become cross and he began to lose the ability to focus.

"I. I said I'm pregnant."

That one little phrase just made him lose it. Nala? Pregnant? It was so much for him to take in. "Are you okay?" "Um...yeah. I-I-I'm fine. I just think I need to be somewhere right now." "But, Simba." It was too late. He had already walked away from her with his thoughts running in circles like a toy train. I mean he knew that she was starting to put on a little bit of weight, but he knew better than to ask a lady-better yet his mate-about how much she was starting to weigh. But back to the more important subject of the matter: the pregnancy. He had never even thought about becoming a father. That always usually made him think about his father, and how much it hurt about how he's gone and how it's affected him.

What if he wasn't cut out to be a dad? What if he just ends up breaking his cub's heart as his father did him, though not intentionally.

He sighed as he walked through the fields of the Flood Plains as the doubts of him failing his future son or daughter kept on corrupting his mind like it was some sort of computer virus that one just can't seem to get rid of, no matter how much technology and effort you put into it.

Simba finally reached the peak of a tall grassy hill as he sat down with his thoughts. He was finally starting to get control of his breathing. What am I going to do he thought while he just continuously stared up into the night sky as if he was going to get some answers from it. And gazing at the stars made him remember a moment he had shared with his father in the past when he was still just a young cub. He told his son that the Great Kings of the Past looked down on him from up there, and how they, including his father, will always be there to guide him whenever he felt lost or alone.

He knew it was a long shot, but what did he have to lose anyway? He looked up into the sky once more and closed his eyes with a tear dripping from one of them. "Father, I am lost. Something big has come up that I know you wouldn't believe if you were even here. Turns out, that I'm going to be a father. I-It's freaky. Believe me, I am so so happy about it but...raising a child is the biggest responsibility I've ever had to do, and I'm the KING. I guess I'm just worried that I'll end up hurting them like how I was when you left me. This was...this was dumb," he said as he began to walk away back towards Pride Rock until he heard a Darth Vader-like voice coming from behind him. He jerked his body back to see his father! Except not physically. Mufasa was shown in the clouds with dulled color. He was a well-built lion, with orange fur and a creamy peach muzzle and underbelly. His mane was thick and dark red, the same color is present on the tuft at the end of his tail. His eyes were dark brown, and his nose was pink. He had a square jaw, small eyes, and thin eyebrows. "I never left you," he spoke to his son, "and I never will." Simba began to get a bit emotional at the sight of his father. He hadn't seen him for a while ever since he convinced his son to return home and take his place in the circle of life as the one true king.

"Dad, I-I-I don't know what to do," he said in a cracking voice. "Son, do not put so much pressure on yourself. You will not be alone in this amazing journey you and Nala are about to embark on. Becoming a father is the best thing that would ever happen to you. I speak from personal experience. And hurt is something you shouldn't worry about. You are an amazing son and you will be an amazing dad. But remember, anyone can be a father but it takes someone special to be a dad."

"I'll remember that. Thank you, father." "Anytime, son. I love you." "I love you, too."

And like that, Mufasa nodded his head and slowly began to disappear from the sky, but deep down Simba knew that he would never disappear from his heart, where he held a very special place. With a swipe of his paw and a recap on what he had been told by his father, he returned back to Pride Rock to own up to his responsibilities as a dad. Nala was waiting for him at the entrance to their den somehow knowing that her mate would be returning after fleeing to take some time on his own. "Nala, look. I am so sorry that I just took off without-," he started in exhaustion before the Queen began saying something as well. "You don't have to explain yourself, Simba. I shouldn't have brought it upon such short notice. I just thought that you'd be happy and-," she said before her mate interrupted her as she did him.

"I am happy. Like beyond happy. I was just a little scared of hurting the kid or something until someone showed me that I just have to make the most of it and not focus on the negative parts of it." "Simba, you would never hurt someone. You're so kind and smart and loyal and caring. And a tad bit mischievous. Just like the cub that I grew up with. If that isn't father material, then I don't know what is." Simba smiled and then went to nuzzle his mate. Even though lions don't commonly purr, it's a fucking cartoon so just bear with me. After a while, Simba lost all thoughts and doubts he had previously had and just embraced the joyfulness of future fatherhood as he began laughing in excitement and looking down at Nala's growing stomach. "Don't you worry, little one. Soon, you are going to meet your mommy and daddy. We can't wait to meet you," he said in a baby-like manner to the developing baby from the outside. His head rose back up to face his mate's beautiful glowing eyes. "Don't worry, Nala. You won't be going through this alone. We are going to have this baby. You...and me. Together. As we were always meant to."

The next few months were spent very delicately yet enjoyable. The King and Queen got to tell all of their closest friends about the baby over time and received even more support than they were expecting to get. Timon and Pumbaa especially. They kept on bringing special grubs over to the pregnant lioness called Utamu even though they knew that she did not like grubs like her mate once did. It's the thought that counts though.

Simba and Nala went to Rafiki every once in a while just to check up on the baby and see how it was doing. One visit with him was where the Great Lions of the Past told him that the baby was going to be a boy. And then the day that they were all waiting for finally arrived: the delivery.

While Nala was in labor inside of their den with Rafiki and the other lionesses, Simba was impatiently pacing and waiting outside with Timon and Pumbaa as his support group. "How long has it been you guys?" "Uh, Simba it's only been a couple of minutes since you last asked." "I'm sorry. It's just that we've been waiting for this day to come for so long and now that it's here," he began to say before the meerkat put one finger against the worrying lion's lips and shushed him.

"Simba, calm down. Just take deep breaths and calm down." "I don't think I can. I can't! What if," he shouted before Timon pressed his finger against his lips even harder. "SIMBA!" He inhaled and exhaled calmly before he finally stopped losing his mind just for a little while. "Thanks, you guys. I don't know what I'd do without you." "Well, you'd still be lying in the hot sun about to be eaten by vultures for one." Simba smiled and giggled at his best friends and bent down to hug them. "Your Majesty," a voice from behind them said. They all turned to see that it was Rafiki standing at the den's entrance gesturing for them to come in, indicating the cub had been born. Simba gulped and slowly began to walk inside the cave alongside Timon and Pumbaa, down an aisle of lionesses lined up with smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes until they came upon Nala laying down on a rock that resembled the edge of Pride Rock itself. And she wasn't alone. Inside her motherly arms, was a healthy, adorable, and newborn baby cub. Simba gasped, trying to hold back tears as he lowered his head to see the cub asleep inside his mother's arms.

"Say hi to your son, Simba." "You. You are the jolliest, angelic creature that I have ever seen. Welcome to the circle of life," He paused and stared at the ceiling for inspiration, "Kopa."

The young cub prospered very well over the next couple of years. He learned about the circle of life and how he needed to respect it, how to talk to new animals and how to make friends, but most importantly, he began training for his role as the future king very early at about the same age as his father. Simba even reenacted where he and Mufasa sat atop Pride Rock as the sun rose and he gave Kopa the very same information that his father had previously given him one morning.

"It is a big responsibility, son. One day all of the duties that I possess as King, will be passed down to you. And that will happen with your kids one day, and then theirs and so on and so forth." "Wow. Then in that case, now I just can't wait to be king."

Simba attempted to try to teach his son how to hunt properly, but all that got him was a kick to the face by some pretty pissed off antelope. Their lives were perfect and complete now that Kopa had finally been born. Until that one fateful day.

"SON WHAT WERE YOU THINKING," Simba scolded/shouted at his son after they returned to Pride Rock at sunset after he had caught Kopa trying to sneak into the Outlands. Kopa was still very young so he didn't know any better, but Simba loved him with all that he was and couldn't risk losing him. "Dad, I. I'm sorry." "Don't Kopa. Just don't. Do you have any idea what you are putting at risk by doing something so reckless!? The entire reputation of this kingdom ruined because of a cub doesn't even have what it takes?!"

Simba paused himself in silence realizing what he had just said. But in his defense, it was out of anger and love. Kopa was curling himself in fear while he cried in quiet at what his father had just said.

"K-K-Kopa. Listen to me. That was a mistake." "Oh, is that what you think I am? A MISTAKE," he yelled as he shot up from his scaredy-cat position and stood tall against his father still with a little bit of teary eyes. "No! You were a miracle sent by the Great Lions of the Past." "Really? Because you told me that when two lions love each other they," he began to counterargue with his father before he yelled his son's name in revolt. "Not relevant right now, Kopa." "Is that what I am. Not relevant?" "Kopa! You can't just turn what I say against me and make it all about me."

"Well, guess what, Dad? It is about you. This whole thing is all about you. You didn't even stop to consider the feelings that a certain little boy has before you said that I don't have what it takes to rule the Pride Lands. And you know what, Dad? I sometimes wish that you were not even my father," he yelled into Simba's face before running away from Pride Rock and into the tall grass where he couldn't be seen anymore due to the lack of sunlight, it being nighttime and all.

Simba's tears stained the rock he was standing on as he went into his den knowing that his son would return because of him being afraid of the dark. But boy was he wrong.

Kopa trotted through a nearby meadow, absolutely sobbing his eyes out because of his father's words.

The hurt in his heart was something that he had never felt before. And never wanted to. It was as if his whole world was just flipped upside down. He didn't even know how he felt about his father anymore; just that he had hurt him. Which was always Simba's fear from the beginning.

"I just want to get out of here!" He eventually stopped to take a breath before something strange happened. He heard his name being called out by a mysterious voice. "Kopa. Kopa," the voice whispered. Of course he followed it. And it led him to an area now known as Hakuna Matata Falls.

To Be Continued in Chapter 15...