It was night in Pridelands, and the moon was still shining on it. However, that would not be for long: dawn was already near. After only a few minutes, the sun was clearly showing on the horizon and a voice in the wind was calling all Pridelanders to an important meeting.

Several animals came to the call: birds, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, monkeys, elephants, antelopes, rhinos, etc. They all gathered around their destination: The Pride Rock. The atmosphere was full of joy and excitement, all of they waiting for something important.

(Meanwhile, at the top...)

"Well ... this is strange" Dan thought at the same time he felt Kiara's rough tongue go over the rest of his cub body, "Is this really necessary?"

"Well, you must look presentable" Kiara said stopping for a moment. Hearing that phrase, Dan felt like it was his mother speaking to him.

"Well, if it's necessary ..."

He didn't finish the sentence, as Kiara ran his tongue over his head again.

"Rafiki is coming" Simba said looking towards the crowd that gathered around the Pride Rock.

Rafiki was walking in a space that the rest of the animals had left, probably out of respect. Once he reached the base of the rock, the baboon began to climb it and managed to reach the lions. Dan could see that Rafiki had some kind of fruit.

"Are you ready Dan?" Rafiki asked.

"I think so ..." he replied looking at the fruit, "What is ...?"

Again, he did not finish speaking. He just said that he was ready, the baboon broke the fruit. Inside was a thick, somewhat reddish substance that looked like paint. Then, Rafiki scooped up some of that paint with his hand and rubbed it on Dan's forehead.

"Now come," said the baboon, grasping it with both hands.

Despite not being a newborn cub, it seemed that Rafiki had enough strength to carry even an adult lion. Dan gave no sign of looking so heavy. Slowly, Rafiki carried him to the top of the rock and then lifted him into the air in full view of all the animals gathered there.

"Woah…" Dan thought as he looked at the large crowd that lay below, "It's amazing"

When he was barely lifted into the air, all the animals screamed according to their respective sound. However, it was not a rough or wild sound, rather they sounded like shouts of happiness and joy, resounding in a harmonious whole, almost as if they were singing. Then, as Dan looked at them in great fascination, they bowed in reverence.

Dan felt really… weird: were they really bowing down to him? Was he really him like some kind of royal member now? Just thinking about it, he didn't know whether to feel proud, smug, or nervous.

(A few hours later, at the top of the Pride Rock ...)

The ceremony was long over, but to Dan it felt like it had only been a minute ago. The feeling of vertigo that he had suffered was nothing compared to the feeling that now, he was like some kind of lion prince. If that was a dream, it was the best he had ever had.

But there he was: lying like a cat on the same top where he had been presented, admiring all Pridelands while it was still daylight. To say that his life was impressive was truly an understatement.

But, at the same time, Dan had quite a few doubts if it was a good idea to be part of the family, as he was originally just a transformed human child. He kept thinking: Why did that lion, Mufasa, choose him?

"Is something wrong Dan?" asked Simba's voice behind him. Dan turned to see the lion walking towards him.

"Well, I don't know ..." Dan said in a low voice.

"Well, I suppose for a newborn cub the presentation does not concern him so much" said Simba, "But for you, it sure was a strange experience, wasn't it?"

"Yes… it's just… it's the idea of belonging to this family. I am not ... of your lineage"

"It doesn't matter whether or not you are. If my father trusted that you should be here, I trust that you will achieve it"

Dan looked at Simba in great dismay. Seriously, the king was willing to trust him: an ex-human, from out of Pridelands, with no royal lineage or blood, to be part of his royal family?

"Tell me what you think," said Simba.

"I just… I don't know if I can do it, I'm scared" Dan said, "And I don't want to kill an animal and eat it later. That reminds me… how, if you are the king, can you eat and protect the rest of the animals that live in Pridelands?"

"Hum…" Simba said as if that question filled him with memories, "My father taught me that… You will see that when we die, our bodies feed the grass. And then, the herbivores eat the grass. In that way, we are all connected. That is the cycle of life"

"The cycle of life ..." Dan repeated in his mind.

And then he remembered: every night before he went to sleep, his father taught him something about how animals followed a constant course that was repeated in each new life, in each new beginning, in each new cycle ...

"Come join me," Simba said, heading for the path that leads down to the Pride Rock.

They both went out into Pridelands. Dan was more confident after the lesson he had just received, now he felt more excited to explore and see what he had missed since he arrived. A few meters away from the Pride Rock, Dan could see various animals: antelope, zebra, giraffe, etc. Simba looked at Dan with happiness, it seems that he was enjoying everything he saw.

As they walked, a blue macaw came flying in and perched on a rock in front of Simba and Dan.

"Good morning, Majesty" said Zazú, "I come to present my report for today"

"Good morning Mr. Macaw" Dan said, "Nice feathers"

"Oh. Wow "said Zazú feeling respected," I think the first time that someone flatter me like this"

"Dan, I don't think you had to know each other better" said Simba, pointing to the bird, "He is Zazu, the butler of the royal family"

"Nice to meet you, Dan" said Zazu.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Zazu," Dan said.

"Wow, you are quite polite, but you don't need that much formality. After all, you are now a member of the royal family. And please, I beg you not to get into trouble from such a young age" said Zazú glancing at Simba "Many cubs tend to get into trouble due to their antics"

"Problems?"

"Uh ... let's leave that to talk later" Simba interrupted, "Now Zazu, what is your report?"

"Well, you will see, your majesty: I have checked all Pridelands again and there were no problems, the lion guard is patrolling the border with Outlands at the moment" began Zazú, "On the other hand, an elephant has a slight pain in the tusk, the flamingos are they are taking a bath in the oasis like the hippos, and the birds ... "

"It's quite a bit to take in ..." Simba thought and then looked at Dan.

At that moment, a memory came to Simba:

"Dan, do you like to play?" Simba told him, while Zazu continued speaking.

Dan was also getting a little bored while he listened to the bird, but the mere mention of the word 'play' had restored his spirits. Besides, he hadn't heard that word for years.

"Okay. But, what do we play? " Dan said.

"With Zazu" Simba said softly, as he stealthily led Dan as Zazu continued speaking. They got behind the bird, who didn't notice any of his movements, "Don't be afraid, you won't eat him, you're just going to scare it a little bit. Now stay crouched ... "

"Okay, crouch ..." Dan repeated as he tried to get low enough, without touching the grass.

"Study the wind, the shadows ..."

Dan felt the wind rush as he approached the chattering bird.

"And wait for the perfect moment to attack…"

As he waited, Dan felt a little strange: as if his blood was running faster, as if a wild state of him was waking up ...

"... the bees have built a new honeycomb in ..." continued the bird. However, he was unable to continue. At that precise moment, Dan lunged at Zazu with a roar like a lion cub. The bird screamed in fright.

Dan and Zazu fell to the grass. The cub was laughing at the joke made, but it seemed that Zazu did not like that kind of joke.

"Again!" said the macaw, "If I already said it was too good to be true! I wouldn't be surprised if he's like a second Simba"

"Hahaha" Simba laughed, while Dan came back to him, "You are definitely a lion"

"Thank you, I did not expect to do so well" said Dan, "I think I'm better than I expected"

"Well ... let's save the rest of the lessons for another day, I have to attend to certain matters. Don't worry, it will be soon"

"Okay ... thank you very much" Dan laughed.

"Ok" Simba turned to Zazu, "Zazu, take Dan back to the Pride Rock. I will meet with Vitani's guard, I need to talk to them "

"Right away sir" said Zazú, "Come little one, time to return"

Dan said a smiling goodbye to Simba and then walked with the macaw back to the rock.