"I'm starving, how about you, Suvo?" Niru asked.
"Yeah, that walk really wiped me out," Suvo said exhausted.
"I wish we had some of those fruits from that one tree now," said Siva.
"Hey let's go ask if we can get some," Niru suggested. He bounded toward the cave.
"Get some what?" A voice from the mouth of the cave asked.
Niru gasped and skidded right into Kiara's leg. "OOP!" he grunted. "Morning mom!" Niru smiled, embarrassed that his mom had overheard their secret conversation.
"Queen Kiara, may we go get some fruit for breakfast from those trees over there?" Siva asked padding up next to Niru and pointing to the distant grove.
"Yes, can we go, please?" Suvo joined his sister and Niru.
Kiara smiled, letting them have the right amount of freedom. "It's fine with me, as long as your mother says you two can go."
Just then Vitani padded out of the cave. "There you two are, I was wondering where you were." She padded over to where Kiara and the cubs were standing.
"Mom, can we go get some fruit from the trees over there for breakfast, please?" Suvo asked this time.
"Well-" she began to reply but was suddenly interrupted.
"Queen Kiara said we could," Siva added excitedly.
"If it's all right with you Vitani. I'm sure they'll be ok by Rafiki's tree," Kiara assured her friend.
"Rafiki's tree?" Niru's eyes brightened curiously.
"Who's that?" Siva asked.
"You mean what's that?" Suvo asked glancing excitedly from his sister to Kiara.
"Well, you'll have to find out for yourselves," Kiara smiled and winked at her.
"So can we go, mom, please?" Suvo begged.
Vitani smiled "Alright, just-
"Yeah!" Suvo and Siva jumped up and down.
Niru ran ahead of them. "Come on guys let's go!"
Siva and Suvo followed, pouncing and jumping over each other once they were in the grass. Then they caught up with Niru.
"Come on, the tree is right over there. I'll race you guys to it!" Niru challenged.
"All right!" Siva yelled happily.
"You're on!" Suvo said stepping up next to him.
"I'll count. Ready, set, GO!" yelled Niru.
They all leaped forward and bounded fiercely toward the tree, their claws resisting the ground each time they sprang up into the air. They all wanted to touch the tree first, but instead they bounded right into it. First Suvo, then Niru and then Siva all very closely tied. The three of them grunted, got up and shook off to make sure they were ok.
"Ouch, we should've stopped before we got to the tree," Suvo groaned rubbing his head.
"Yeah really, I feel stupid for a future king," Niru said, disappointed at his clumsy move.
"Aww, Niru you're not stupid. We were all just too excited to win and forgot to stop," Siva comforted.
"Yeah, I guess we were too excited," Suvo admitted, nudging his friend in the shoulder.
Niru smiled at both his best friends. "Thanks guys."
Suvo and Siva smiled back and replied at the same time "No problem. That's what friends are for."
"Well anyway, let's get the fruits!" Niru sprang to his paws, padded over to the tree, and started to climb it.
"Yeah all right!" Suvo followed.
"I'm starved!" Siva climbed up after them.
Once they were all inside the tree, they stopped abruptly, and began gazing at all the gourds, fruit, and paintings on the branches.
"Whoa!" Niru said amazed. The trio began walking around the tree and looking at everything.
"Look at all this neat stuff!" Siva observed.
"Wow, what a cool place to live," said Suvo imagining them having their own secret tree like this.
Niru walked over to the center of the old, aged tree that held Rafiki's paintings of the royal family. He quickly spotted the paintings of his grandparents, Simba and Nala, his mom and dad, and below it he saw his painting. On each side of his painting was a cub.
He gasped quietly. "Wow. Siva, Suvo! Come over here and look!" he exclaimed.
They quickly padded over to him. "What is it?" they both asked.
"Look, there are paintings of us on here!" he pointed to them.
"Hey someone painted us! Look there's me!" Siva said admiring her painting.
"Wow, how did they do that?" Suvo asked.
"You mean who did that?" Niru wondered.
Just then Rafiki and Reekyo dropped down from the treetop next to them.
"Uncle Rafiki did them!" Reekyo said excitedly.
The cubs yelled, caught off guard, and jumped back. They all huddled together for a minute, with Niru in front of them.
Reekyo giggled "Don't be scared of us, cubs, we won't hurt you."
Niru, still unsure and surprised gulped and warily asked, "Who are you?"
Rafiki hopped in front of the huddled trio and asked, " The question is whooo are you three?"
Niru stood up bravely. " I'm Niru, future ruler of the Pridelands!"
Suvo moved up next to him on one side and Siva on the other side. (Their formation resembling Rafiki's drawings.) "I'm Suvo, one of Niru's best friends."
"And I'm Siva, Niru's other best friend."
Rafiki chuckled and patted their heads, pleased with their answers. "I'm glad you know who you are, hehe."
"Yeah, that's the key to becoming a good king, and good lions," Reekyo explained happily.
"That's good to know," Siva smiled and they all nodded to each other.
Niru remembered the paintings. "Did you paint these, umm."
"I am Rafiki," he bowed politely to Niru and smiled. "And yes, I did paint these. " He pointed at the paintings.
Niru brightened. "Is that me?" he asked anxiously.
"Yeah, is that me over here?" Siva and Suvo jumped over and each pointed to their painting.
"Yes they are, and here are all the generations of lions that have been king and queen," Reekyo answered, proud to share the wisdom her uncle had passed onto her.
"Wow!" all three of them gasped and looked at each other, smiling excitedly.
"Yes, you see young ones, it's all about the Circle of Life," Rafiki added.
" The Circle of Life?" Siva asked curiously.
"Don't you remember, Siva? I told you my mom said the Circle of Life can never be broken, so it never ends," Niru reminded her.
"Oh yeah! I remember that. Sorry," Siva apologized quickly, feeling embarrassed.
"It's all right," Niru said.
Siva's stomach growled a bit, and she remembered she was hungry.
Rafiki heard, chuckled, and asked, "Are you cubs hungry? Would you like to stay for some breakfast? Reekyo and I were just about to have some ourselves."
The three cubs looked to the two baboons, and smiled politely, not wanting to be rude. "If we could have some fruit from your umm tree, that would be nice, please," Niru asked politely, trying to stifle his hunger for a moment.
Suvo and Siva joined in. "Yes, if it's ok with you," they smiled politely.
"Wow, such polite young cubs!" Reekyo grinned excitedly.
"Have as much as you like-oh well if it's ok with Uncle Rafiki," she smiled to him and asked.
Rafiki smiled. "Of course. You cubs are welcome to da fruit of dis tree anytime."
"Sweet! Thanks Rafiki. Thanks Reekyo," they all replied, as Rafiki handed them each a fresh morning gourd with juice inside, and a heavy fruit. They all started eating eagerly, but still savoring the sweet, juicy fruit and gourd juice. After they finished, they licked their paws and muzzles clean.
"Mmm! That's the best breakfast I've ever had." Siva smiled and licked her chops.
"Yeah that was good," Suvo agreed, having had his fill.
"That was a great meal! Thanks again Rafiki and Reekyo," Niru smiled and nodded to them.
"Of course," Rafiki chuckled.
"Well, what should we do now?" asked Suvo. Just after Suvo asked, Siva and Niru heard a noise in the grass.
"Did you guys hear that?" Siva asked.
Niru and Suvo both nodded. "Come on, let's go find out what it is!" Niru said jumping down from Rafiki's tree.
"Bye Rafiki, Reekyo! Thanks again!" he said in a whisper. Siva and Suvo both thanked them again, and hopped down from the old tree.
"Yeah, that walk really wiped me out," Suvo said exhausted.
"I wish we had some of those fruits from that one tree now," said Siva.
"Hey let's go ask if we can get some," Niru suggested. He bounded toward the cave.
"Get some what?" A voice from the mouth of the cave asked.
Niru gasped and skidded right into Kiara's leg. "OOP!" he grunted. "Morning mom!" Niru smiled, embarrassed that his mom had overheard their secret conversation.
"Queen Kiara, may we go get some fruit for breakfast from those trees over there?" Siva asked padding up next to Niru and pointing to the distant grove.
"Yes, can we go, please?" Suvo joined his sister and Niru.
Kiara smiled, letting them have the right amount of freedom. "It's fine with me, as long as your mother says you two can go."
Just then Vitani padded out of the cave. "There you two are, I was wondering where you were." She padded over to where Kiara and the cubs were standing.
"Mom, can we go get some fruit from the trees over there for breakfast, please?" Suvo asked this time.
"Well-" she began to reply but was suddenly interrupted.
"Queen Kiara said we could," Siva added excitedly.
"If it's all right with you Vitani. I'm sure they'll be ok by Rafiki's tree," Kiara assured her friend.
"Rafiki's tree?" Niru's eyes brightened curiously.
"Who's that?" Siva asked.
"You mean what's that?" Suvo asked glancing excitedly from his sister to Kiara.
"Well, you'll have to find out for yourselves," Kiara smiled and winked at her.
"So can we go, mom, please?" Suvo begged.
Vitani smiled "Alright, just-
"Yeah!" Suvo and Siva jumped up and down.
Niru ran ahead of them. "Come on guys let's go!"
Siva and Suvo followed, pouncing and jumping over each other once they were in the grass. Then they caught up with Niru.
"Come on, the tree is right over there. I'll race you guys to it!" Niru challenged.
"All right!" Siva yelled happily.
"You're on!" Suvo said stepping up next to him.
"I'll count. Ready, set, GO!" yelled Niru.
They all leaped forward and bounded fiercely toward the tree, their claws resisting the ground each time they sprang up into the air. They all wanted to touch the tree first, but instead they bounded right into it. First Suvo, then Niru and then Siva all very closely tied. The three of them grunted, got up and shook off to make sure they were ok.
"Ouch, we should've stopped before we got to the tree," Suvo groaned rubbing his head.
"Yeah really, I feel stupid for a future king," Niru said, disappointed at his clumsy move.
"Aww, Niru you're not stupid. We were all just too excited to win and forgot to stop," Siva comforted.
"Yeah, I guess we were too excited," Suvo admitted, nudging his friend in the shoulder.
Niru smiled at both his best friends. "Thanks guys."
Suvo and Siva smiled back and replied at the same time "No problem. That's what friends are for."
"Well anyway, let's get the fruits!" Niru sprang to his paws, padded over to the tree, and started to climb it.
"Yeah all right!" Suvo followed.
"I'm starved!" Siva climbed up after them.
Once they were all inside the tree, they stopped abruptly, and began gazing at all the gourds, fruit, and paintings on the branches.
"Whoa!" Niru said amazed. The trio began walking around the tree and looking at everything.
"Look at all this neat stuff!" Siva observed.
"Wow, what a cool place to live," said Suvo imagining them having their own secret tree like this.
Niru walked over to the center of the old, aged tree that held Rafiki's paintings of the royal family. He quickly spotted the paintings of his grandparents, Simba and Nala, his mom and dad, and below it he saw his painting. On each side of his painting was a cub.
He gasped quietly. "Wow. Siva, Suvo! Come over here and look!" he exclaimed.
They quickly padded over to him. "What is it?" they both asked.
"Look, there are paintings of us on here!" he pointed to them.
"Hey someone painted us! Look there's me!" Siva said admiring her painting.
"Wow, how did they do that?" Suvo asked.
"You mean who did that?" Niru wondered.
Just then Rafiki and Reekyo dropped down from the treetop next to them.
"Uncle Rafiki did them!" Reekyo said excitedly.
The cubs yelled, caught off guard, and jumped back. They all huddled together for a minute, with Niru in front of them.
Reekyo giggled "Don't be scared of us, cubs, we won't hurt you."
Niru, still unsure and surprised gulped and warily asked, "Who are you?"
Rafiki hopped in front of the huddled trio and asked, " The question is whooo are you three?"
Niru stood up bravely. " I'm Niru, future ruler of the Pridelands!"
Suvo moved up next to him on one side and Siva on the other side. (Their formation resembling Rafiki's drawings.) "I'm Suvo, one of Niru's best friends."
"And I'm Siva, Niru's other best friend."
Rafiki chuckled and patted their heads, pleased with their answers. "I'm glad you know who you are, hehe."
"Yeah, that's the key to becoming a good king, and good lions," Reekyo explained happily.
"That's good to know," Siva smiled and they all nodded to each other.
Niru remembered the paintings. "Did you paint these, umm."
"I am Rafiki," he bowed politely to Niru and smiled. "And yes, I did paint these. " He pointed at the paintings.
Niru brightened. "Is that me?" he asked anxiously.
"Yeah, is that me over here?" Siva and Suvo jumped over and each pointed to their painting.
"Yes they are, and here are all the generations of lions that have been king and queen," Reekyo answered, proud to share the wisdom her uncle had passed onto her.
"Wow!" all three of them gasped and looked at each other, smiling excitedly.
"Yes, you see young ones, it's all about the Circle of Life," Rafiki added.
" The Circle of Life?" Siva asked curiously.
"Don't you remember, Siva? I told you my mom said the Circle of Life can never be broken, so it never ends," Niru reminded her.
"Oh yeah! I remember that. Sorry," Siva apologized quickly, feeling embarrassed.
"It's all right," Niru said.
Siva's stomach growled a bit, and she remembered she was hungry.
Rafiki heard, chuckled, and asked, "Are you cubs hungry? Would you like to stay for some breakfast? Reekyo and I were just about to have some ourselves."
The three cubs looked to the two baboons, and smiled politely, not wanting to be rude. "If we could have some fruit from your umm tree, that would be nice, please," Niru asked politely, trying to stifle his hunger for a moment.
Suvo and Siva joined in. "Yes, if it's ok with you," they smiled politely.
"Wow, such polite young cubs!" Reekyo grinned excitedly.
"Have as much as you like-oh well if it's ok with Uncle Rafiki," she smiled to him and asked.
Rafiki smiled. "Of course. You cubs are welcome to da fruit of dis tree anytime."
"Sweet! Thanks Rafiki. Thanks Reekyo," they all replied, as Rafiki handed them each a fresh morning gourd with juice inside, and a heavy fruit. They all started eating eagerly, but still savoring the sweet, juicy fruit and gourd juice. After they finished, they licked their paws and muzzles clean.
"Mmm! That's the best breakfast I've ever had." Siva smiled and licked her chops.
"Yeah that was good," Suvo agreed, having had his fill.
"That was a great meal! Thanks again Rafiki and Reekyo," Niru smiled and nodded to them.
"Of course," Rafiki chuckled.
"Well, what should we do now?" asked Suvo. Just after Suvo asked, Siva and Niru heard a noise in the grass.
"Did you guys hear that?" Siva asked.
Niru and Suvo both nodded. "Come on, let's go find out what it is!" Niru said jumping down from Rafiki's tree.
"Bye Rafiki, Reekyo! Thanks again!" he said in a whisper. Siva and Suvo both thanked them again, and hopped down from the old tree.
