"I'm starving, how about you, Suvo?" Niru asked.

"Yeah, that walk really wiped me out," Suvo sighed exhausted.

"I wish we had some of those fruits from that one tree now," Siva panted.

"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 at hearing the voice 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 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," she said nodding at Suvo and Siva.

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.

"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.

"What's that?" Siva asked.

"You mean what's that?" Suvo corrected her.

"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 exclaimed, jumping up and down.

Niru started in the direction of the tall grass. "Come on guys let's go!" Niru said and then took off sprinting through the grass. Siva and Suvo followed, pouncing and jumping over each other once they were in the grass until 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 leapt forward and bounded fiercely towards the tree, their claws resisting against the ground each time they landed. All coveting to touch the tree first, they bounded headfirst into it instead of extending a paw to touch it or grab onto the tree. First Suvo, then Niru and 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 stated dumbstruck.

"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, hehe," Siva comforted.

"Yeah, I guess we were too excited," Suvo admitted, nudging his friend in the shoulder.

Niru smiled at both of them. "Thanks guys."

Suvo and Siva smiled back and replied in unison "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 around at 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, his mom and dad, and below it he saw his painting. Off to 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 admired 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 the middle.

Reekyo giggled. "Don't be scared of us cubs, we won't hurt you."

Niru, still unsure and surprised asked, "Who are you?"

Rafiki hopped in front of the huddled trio and asked, " The question is whooo are you three?"

Niru stood up and stepped forward bravely. " I'm Niru, future ruler of the Pridelands."

Suvo moved up next to him on one side and Siva on the other side.

"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 lion kings and queens," Reekyo answered proud of the wisdom her uncle had passed onto her.

"Wow!" the trio gasped and looked at one another, 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! 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 chuckled at hearing it 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, trying to contain their growing hunger.

"If we could have some fruit from your umm tree, that would be nice, please," Niru asked politely.

Suvo and Siva joined in "Yes, if it's ok with you," they too 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 the fruit of dis tree anytime."

"Wow! 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, 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.