Simba's day has completely turned upside down. First, he was reunited with Nala, an amazing lioness who he was best friends with when he was just a cub. But when she urged him to come back to Pride Rock to save their family from the evil reign of Scar and his hyenas, Simba refused due to the guilt he felt for the murder of his father. Angered, the two lions went their separate ways.
Now, the young lion was following an old, crazy, and wise mandrill named Rafiki through a dense jungle. He annoyed Simba to be bone until Rafiki said that he knew that Simba is Mufasa's son. Simba couldn't believe his ears that Rafiki recognized him. What surprised him, even more, was that the mandrill told him that his father is still alive.
"Halt!" Rafiki suddenly stood before him with his hand right in front of Simba's face. He managed to stop just in time.
Rafiki quickly hushed Simba to be quiet from here on out. He took a few steps ahead and pushed some high grass aside. "Come over here, my king," he motioned with his stick at Simba to come closer.
Hesitantly, Simba stepped out of the jungle and made his way to Rafiki. He noticed that they arrived at a beautiful pond. The water was so clear that he could see the reflection from all the kings of the past watching over him in the great night sky.
Walking down the slope onto an edge above the pond, Simba looked down at the water only to see his reflection. He sighed in disappointment. He had hoped to see his father again and that he would be able to apologize to him over and over for the accident that he had caused on that terrible day years ago.
"That's not my father, it's just my reflection," he finally said.
Rafiki stood now next to him and comfortably placed his hand on Simba's mane. "No… look again. Closer this time," as he pointed back to the pond.
With a frowned look, Simba looked one more time over the water. Suddenly small ripples started forming around his reflection. Simba looked closer at the water as his reflection changed into someone else: Mufasa.
"Look! He lives on...inside you." Rafiki clarified his meaning.
Simba was surprised after hearing those wise words from the old mandrill. But what surprised him the most when he heard a familiar voice calling him.
"Simba."
The young lion widened his eyes. "Father?" A little breeze went through his mane as he looked up at the source of the voice.
Dark-blue clouds were starting to cover the night sky. Inside those clouds was a gigantic lion-silhouette walking straight towards Simba. The lion stopped before him and soon the face of Mufasa became visible.
"Simba, it seems that you have forgotten about me," the spirit of Mufasa spoke.
"What? No, father! I could never forget you. Why would I?"
The Majestic lion kindly smiled down at his son. "But you have forgotten who you really are. And so, in a way you have forgotten about me, my son." His spirit started to shine brighter in the dark. "Look inside your heart Simba. You're so much more then what you're already are. You have to take your place in the circle of life, again."
"Father, even if I go back none of the lionesses would stand by my side," Simba lowered his head in shame. "You died because of me. No one would want a murderer as a king. Not even Nala or my mother."
His father's spirit kindly shook his head at him and smiled. "You didn't kill me, son. It was Scar and his hyenas who lured us into a trap."
Confused, Simba looked back up. "I don't understand, father."
"He wanted the throne for himself. But he couldn't do it alone and needed aid from the hyenas," Mufasa explained. "He lured you to the gorge while the hyenas started to make the wildebeests go insane. Then, he came to warn me that you were in danger. Once I saved you from the wildebeest's horde I climbed myself out of the gorge only for my brother to throw me off the cliff. He blamed you for it instead and send the hyenas after you to kill you as well. So no one could stand in his way to ascend the throne."
His mouth agape, Simba was perplexed at this sudden new realization. He was innocent! The death of his brave father was all his uncle's idea. Scar… his uncle, the betrayer, the murderer…. Simba growled of how his own uncle had manipulated him on that day.
"Now that you know the truth, Simba, you know what you have to do. But don't stoop down to your uncle's level. You're a better lion then him," Mufasa reminded him
Simba looked at his father with a determined look. "I will not let you down father, I promise."
"That's my boy," The spirit of his father chuckled for a moment. "Don't forget who you are, Simba. You are my son and the true King of the Pride Lands."
Simba firmly nodded at his father as his spirit was slowly starting to disappear with the dark-blue clouds.
"Don't forget….
"W-wait father! Don't leave me, please!" He tried to follow the clouds to the top of a small hill but it was in vain as the voice of Mufasa faded away.
"Don't forget...don't forget…. don't forget….
Simba sadly sat down as all the clouds had disappeared along with his father. Shortly Rafiki joined him again while holding his stick.
"What was that all? Ho ho, the weather, that doesn't happen often. Very fascinating it was."
"It was," Simba agreed. "It's a nice change, everything is coming full circle now."
"Ah, when you start to understand the bigger picture then change can be a good thing," Rafiki commented and stroked his white beard a bit.
"Easier said than done. I know the truth now but can I really go back after everything that has happened in the past?" Simba wondered though he wants to go home but will he be able to defeat Scar and all his hyenas?
"WHACK!"
Out of nowhere, Rafiki hits Simba with his stick on the head.
"Ouch!" The lion rubbed his head to ease the pain. "Jeez! Was that really necessary?"
"It doesn't matter now. It's over!" Rafiki joked with him.
"Yeah, only my head still hurts," Simba commented and looked at his paw to see if there was any blood on it.
"Ah yes, that is a part of the Circle of Life. Mistakes happen to everyone and some of them can hurt more than others. But you can either keep running from your mistakes or learn from them." Rafiki explained and took another swing with his stick at Simba's head. This time Simba ducked just in time. "Ha! Do you see? You learned from it. That's an experience in life if you want to become a better king."
"I guess I never really thought of it that way, thanks."
The old mandril smiled at him as he leaned on his stick. "So, your majesty what are you going to do now?"
Simba smirked at him. "It's time that I go back home. But, first, I'll take your stick away!" Before Rafiki could stop him, Simba grabbed the stick with his mouth and threw it away.
Nearly panicking, Rafiki ran after his precious object while the new King made a run for it with a huge grin on his face. "Consider that payback for hitting me on the head," he thought.
