"Hey Mtoto, betcha can't keep up!" Ruka sped ahead towards the acacia tree they had marked as the finish line. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and a gentle breeze was blowing. There were in a large field covered in green grass lined with a few trees as the side. It had been two moons since they first met Mtoto, and they had seen him almost every day now.
"I betcha I can!" Mtoto cheered.
Kubwa's paws pounded on the grass as he ran to keep up with Ruka. He was only a few tail-lengths behind him. I might win! I might win!
But sure enough, Ruka got to the acacia first. Haraka was waiting. Kubwa arrived just a moment after. Mtoto trailed behind.
"Ruka wins!" Haraka chirped.
"Yay! I win again!" Ruka cheered.
"You win, Ruka. You win," Mtoto sighed, out of breath.
"When I'm old enough to fly, I'll be even faster," Haraka chirped. Not long ago, she had begun to molt her fluffy chick feathers and trading them for sleeker feathers that she could fly with.
"How do you know you're not old enough now? C'mon Haraka, fly!" Kubwa encouraged.
"Are you sure?" The peregrine falcon's voice was tinted with uncertainty.
"You won't know until you try," Kubwa told her.
"Okay..." She began flapping her wings as fast as she could, but to no avail. After a minute, she stopped, sighed, and a look of disappointment spread across her face.
"It takes practice," Mtoto told her. "Just try again until you get it."
"Okay…" She began flapping again. With each wingbeat her wings flapped faster.
As she flapped, everyone cheered: "Go Haraka! Go Haraka! Fly, fly, fly!"
She flapped on and on. "It's not working. I'm not old enough to fly," she told them, still flapping her wings faster and faster as if the hope she would be lifted off the ground was still flickering inside her.
"Keep trying!" Kubwa urged. "You can do it!"
And she flapped on and on. It took a while, but Kubwa along with everyone else was amazed when they all saw Haraka momentarily lift a few inches off the ground before falling back down.
She gasped in amazement. "I can fly!"
Kubwa and Ruka rushed toward her and they all shared a hug. "Never doubted you," Kubwa told her. Haraka's smile got even wider.
"Good job Haraka," Mtoto praised.
"Thank you!" Haraka's grin got even wider. "I never would've tried if you guys hadn't told me I could."
"Next time, try no matter what anyone says. You can do anything," Kubwa told her. Ruka and Mtoto nodded.
"I definitely will," Haraka chirped.
Kubwa was so proud of his friend. She finally flew! He knew she had been waiting for this moment ever since… well, ever. And it was finally here!
"Hey Kubwa, it's been hours; when do you think your parents will come back for you?" Mtoto suddenly asked.
Kubwa shrugged. "I dunno. They're probably giving Mufa another royal lesson or something."
"It's been two whole moons since we met Mtoto and we've seen him like every day now," Ruka sighed exasperatedly. "It's like your parents went to another universe."
Kubwa chuckled. "My parents told me Mufa's gotta be ready to be king when the time comes."
"How ready could he possibly be?" Ruka asked.
"Hey, the sun's starting to set. I'd better take you guys back to Pride Rock. Maybe your parents are waiting there." Mtoto led the way and Kubwa and the others followed.
Kubwa looked at the sunset as he walked. The sky was painted with yellows, oranges, reds, blues, purples, and pinks. It was beautiful. "Hey Mtoto, why does the sun make those colors when it sets?" he asked.
Mtoto shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe ask Rafiki if he's there when you get back to Pride Rock."
They continued walking. Kubwa saw a yellow butterfly fly out of the grass right before they stepped on it. He turned his head, his gaze following the butterfly as it flew higher and higher into the air. Then he saw two martial eagles rush past with sticks in their beaks, likely to build a nest. He looked to his side and saw gazelles trotting past, frolicking. He looked to his other side and saw a family of hyraxes lazing nearby a small den. The Pridelands was teeming with life of all kinds.
He looked in front of him once more. Before he knew it, they arrived at Pride Rock.
Kovu and Kiara walked out of the main den area, a surprised look taking over their faces once they saw them. "Kubwa, Ruka, Haraka, I'm so sorry! Me and Kiara were busy giving Mufa royal lessons and then we had to walk across the Pridelands to settle a dispute between the elephants and the giraffes. Thanks for bringing them back to Pride Rock, Mtoto," Kovu said.
Mtoto dipped his head in respect and walked off. "See you guys later."
Kiara walked back into Pride Rock.
"Hey you guys, wanna go play hide and seek in the Lair?" Ruka asked.
"Yeah!" Kubwa and Haraka agreed in unison.
"I'll be seeker first," Kubwa said.
"Count to twenty-five," Ruka told him.
Kubwa turned around, sat down, and closed his eyes. "One, two, three, four…"
"Kubwa, time for bed!" He heard Kiara call. The sun had just set. Since Mufa, Kubwa, and Imani were still young cubs, they had an early bedtime compared to the other lions.
Kubwa opened his eyes and looked at her. "Aww, Mom. Five more minutes please. Me and Ruka and Haraka are playing hide and seek in the Lion Guard Lair!"
Kiara walked down the rocks and up to Kubwa. She stared into the Lion Guard Lair, a look in her eyes that Kubwa couldn't read. The Lair was mostly dark by this time, except for a small hole in the roof that let moonlight shine in.
She walked inside. "Follow me." Her voice seemed hollow.
Kubwa obeyed. He walked slowly after her into the Lion Guard Lair, his interest piqued at his mother's strangeness.
"You see this?" She motioned with her head to a painting on the wall.
Kubwa couldn't completely make out what it was in the darkness at the exact moment, but he knew just by memory that it was Kiara's brother, Kion, with his Lion Guard. The Lion Guard was a team that protected the Pridelands and defended the Circle of Life. The role of leader was passed on for generation after generation of second born royal lions. And Kubwa was the second born of the litter this time. "It's Kion and Bunga and Fuli and Beshte and Ono," Kubwa replied. "The old Lion Guard."
"Yes. You already know someday you'll follow in his paw prints and become leader of the Lion Guard as well, right?"
Kubwa knew this already. He nodded. He noticed an emotion in Kiara's eyes that he could not read. He saw her gaze move to the painting of Kion getting bitten by a very venomous cobra. Kubwa knew this story. The venom inside him couldn't be healed in the Pridelands and he had to go on a long journey to find the place that could heal him. It had a happy ending: Kion got better and even found true love in a lioness that lived at the special healing place called Rani. But to be with her, it meant he had to leave the Pridelands permanently. So he, along with all his friends, did.
Kiara's gaze then moved to a more recent painting. It illustrated Vitani and her Lion Guard falling. Vitani was Kubwa's aunt who he had never met. According to Kiara, Vitani had completed her journey through the Circle of Life right before Kubwa and his littermates were born. Kiara looked back at Kubwa. "You'll be just like Kion someday, protecting the Pridelands and defending the Circle of Life."
"But I don't really like the Circle of Life," Kubwa told her honestly. "It's sad that we have to kill things to stay alive."
Kiara's expression changed in the blink of an eye. "Kubwa, that's the Circle of Life you just talked bad about!"
The tone of her voice shocked Kubwa. He ducked his head. "I'm sorry Mom. I just… it doesn't feel right."
Kiara took a breath as if trying to calm down. "Look, I was like you when I was your age. I didn't really care for the Circle of Life all too much either. But as you grow up you'll learn to respect it." The tone of her voice was calmer now. She took in another breath. "Five more minutes, okay?" She exited the Lair and walked back to Pride Rock's main den area.
"Kubwa, we heard all that."
Kubwa jumped out of surprise. Ruka and Haraka were standing behind him. He forgot they were both still in the Lair, hiding since they were previously playing hide and seek.
"I understand how you feel about the Circle of Life. I feel a little guilty every time my parents bring me a mouse," Haraka told him.
"So you're not mad?"
"Hey, you feel what you feel, right?" Ruka shrugged.
Now that Kiara was gone, Kubwa figured she was just overreacting. I thought she'd understand I feel bad.
They all walked out of the Lair. They saw Kovu was still sitting there. "Ruka, Haraka, I'll walk you back home. Your parents are probably waiting," he offered.
"Thanks," Haraka thanked. Kovu walked away from Pride Rock, Ruka and Haraka following. "Bye Kubwa!"
"Bye!" Ruka called.
"Bye guys!" Kubwa walked up the rocks and into Pride Rock. He saw his mother laying next to Mufa and Imani in the family's usual sleeping place in the den. Sarabi was with them too. Kubwa walked over to them and curled up beside them. Eventually Kiara, Mufa, and Imani all fell asleep. But Kubwa couldn't. He let out a tired groan.
"Something's troubling you." Kubwa lifted his head to see his great grandmother looking at him, her gold eyes twinkling with concern. "What's the matter?"
"It's just… I don't wanna lead the Lion Guard like my mom and dad want me to. I don't wanna fight and work and be in danger all the time." Kubwa rested his head back down in his paws again.
"Well, you might not have to be," Sarabi suggested.
Kubwa lifted his head and looked back at her, his curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?"
"Just follow your dreams. No matter what. Don't let anything get in the way of that, okay?"
"Okay." It was good advice, but Kubwa was a little confused. How was he supposed to do that? His destiny was already chosen for him. His dream however was to live out his days in peace and happiness and fun with all his friends. He smiled as he thought of it. "I'll find a way. I know I will." He lowered his head back down into his paws and waited for sleep to find him.
