I.

"I'm sorry," The old primate, her once black fur layered with orange now grayed, said.

Simba didn't say anything even as his grown daughter tried to comfort him. He turned to walk back to the cavern as Kiara gave her thanks to the trio who had trekked all of these miles to deliver the terrible news to the old lion. His daughter suddenly came to his side but stayed back a bit as she escorted him along. Simba had his head in a world of thought when he felt something nagging at him; Kiara questioned him as he started going back to the edge of Pride Rock, but he didn't pay mind to her as he stared up into the skies above.

It was twilight as the stars had appeared unbidden in the now indigo-turning firmament as Simba made his way slowly to the pointed peak which ensured a painful drop of at least a good twenty-or-so story. He continued to ignore her absentmindedly as he finally came to his destination, his eyes averted a bit and then, with a heavy heart, looking up once again.

"Father," Kiara said unsurely.

"Come look." Simba encouraged.

The lioness came up beside her father again and the two spent the next few minutes doing something they hadn't done since she was a cub – star-gazing. They both felt a sensation of enjoyment wash over them, going over the familiar patterns as they did. But eventually Kiara turned to look at him in puzzlement, and he finally met her eyes with great sorrow.

"Daddy…"

"Do you see that new formation, Kiara?" Simba spoke to her calmly.

"New formation…?" her voice trailed as she reassessed the sky, coming up short. "No."

"Look again." The lion indicated upward with his paw. "Right next to the jackrabbit."

"Oh," She grimaced, "I thought it was a baby rabbit."

"It's been a while." He replied solemnly.

The two were quietly joined by a new pair.

"Well, I'll be." Timon said with a hoarse chuckle, leaning on his stick like a cane.

"It sure is a sight for sore eyes to see the little fella again." Pumbaa commented as well.

"It sure is." Simba agreed with a smile down at his best friends.

They smiled back and even Kiara managed one in spite of herself. The four, soon joined by the new king, Nala and a pair of dark and golden-brown cubs kept their eyes trained to the darkening sky in their own realm of appreciation. Simba felt tears caress his eyes as a lion – next to a familiar primate figure – gleamed studded silver in a vast eternal canvass.

The end.