After awhile, Niru grew from an infant into a playful, brave young cub. Vitani's two cubs, Siva and Suvo, grew too. Niru had played with them ever since they were infants, and they had grown to be the best of friends.

One day, the three of them came racing out of the cave and pounced on each other. They all giggled and growled playfully at each other. Niru managed to squeeze out from the pile to shake off, and stand up.

"Ok guys, ready to go climb to the top of Pride Rock and see the kingdom?" he asked excitedly, but not too loudly.

"Yeah!" Siva and Suvo exclaimed and jumped up.

Niru shushed them, not wanting to wake up his parents or Vitani.

"Let's follow the leader. Niru, lead the way!" Siva smiled happily.

"Wait, we didn't all decide who should be the leader," Suvo objected.

"Well, I thought since Niru is the future king, err leader of the pride, well, he should be first to climb up to the top," Siva explained.

"Guys, we're all going up there together, and the ledges aren't wide enough for the three of us to walk up side by side, and you wouldn't want to fall from up there," Niru said, pointing to the ledges.

"Can we just forget who goes first and hurry and get a start before our parents wake up?" Siva whispered.

"Right. OK, c'mon let's go guys!" Suvo whispered nudging Niru and his sister.

Niru scampered to the first ledge, with Suvo and Siva close behind. He ascended up the first step, and then pointed to a smooth pathway leading to the top. They trotted all the way up, digging their little claws in to the hard, dry soil of the final step of the pathway. The cubs leaped forward one by one onto the harder, darker patch of rock that was the platform of the pinnacle of Pride Rock. They plopped down to rest for a few minutes.

"We made it!" Siva exclaimed happily, but tired.

"Wow, this is amazing! Niru, you were right about the view, look!" Suvo pointed to the sunrise. The trio sat together and watched as the warm, transparent sunrays streaked across the savanna and shone on everything around them, including them.

"Wow look, there's the water hole! It looks so different from way up here! This is beautiful!" Siva said gasped, in amazement.

"I know isn't it?" Niru nodded to her and turned back to his future kingdom.

"Hey look. There's that neat looking tree where those yummy fruits grow on!" Suvo pointed to Rafiki's tree.

" Want to go check it out later?"

"Yeah, let's explore it after breakfast," Siva suggested.

"Good idea, Siva. I need to get to know about every place in the Pridelands if I'm gonna rule it someday," Niru agreed.

"Good point, Niru," Suvo nodded.

The trio turned around and slowly started back down the path, still wanting to seize cursory glances at the sunrise and everything it had touched by now.