CHAPTER 2 – The Early Days
For the most part, I had a happy cubhood. I spent my days much as Simba does now, playing with my friends, and yes, I will admit, even causing the occasional mischief. I was the eldest out of my brother Taka and myself. But during the earliest part of my youth, we were inseparable. We'd spend our days playing games of tag all throughout the Savannah, and when the tagger would catch the runner, wrestling games would ensue.
It must have been a sight to see, our two different fur colors tumbling along the ground. You see, my fur was, and still is, of a brownish gold color. I took after my father in that respect. Taka, on the other paw, had a reddish fur, like my mother. Ahadi, my father, was the king of the Pride Lands. He was a brave and strong lion, and he was a wise leader. My mother was Zuri. Her mother had been killed by a rampaging rhino when she was a cub, and Ahadi's parents took her in and raised her. As Ahadi and Zuri grew up together, friendship turned to love, and after Ahadi succeeded his father as king, the two were wed. My brother and I entered the scene not too long after that.
The seasons came and went, and as Taka and I grew day by day, our games became more serious. I remember one time when we were wrestling, Taka was so into the game that he forgot that we were, in fact playing. As we tumbled down a small hill side, Taka dug his claws into my back until he drew blood.
"Taka!" I
snapped, angry at what he had done.
"What was that for?"
"Sorry," he answered, but I caught a tone to his voice that I hadn't noticed before. He sounded almost mocking. Then he turned tail and sauntered away, tail twitching as he flicked away a few flies that were buzzing in the air.
More time passed, and my mane began to grow in. The golden tuft of fur on top of my head grew to be dark brown in color, and grew longer to make a line down the back of my head. Taka's mane, on the other hand, was coming in more slowly, and the small patch of it that had grown was a rich black color. I was beginning to roar more powerfully – Taka had not yet done so.
My father began to spend more time with me, and my games with my younger brother grew less and further between. Taka and I drifted further apart – he all but alienated me when he saw me. Dad was preparing me for my role as the future king of the land. Every day he would teach me something new, or review particularly difficult concepts from the day before.
"We all connected in the great Circle of Life," he would often say as we'd walk through the land. Then he'd usually comment on how a particular animal contributed their part to it.
None of these lessons were totally new to me. My father had been telling me the same things all my life. But now I finally understood what he was doing. He was helping me to have a deep respect and understanding for the Circle of Life, and all the animals that I would one day lord over. And so, day by day, dad would impart his wisdom unto me.