A whole month had passed and I somehow was still surviving with the lioness. I realized that the lioness hadn't any cubs but I knew she should have because she was lactating. So, logic suggests that she had lost her cubs and her maternal instincts kicked in when she found me, a newborn baby. I lay on my back practicing to use my limbs as she watched over me with curiosity. 'What are you doing cub? Should you be this active after only just one month?'

I giggle as she tickled my side with her tongue. I wished I could have a bath. The only thing I had gotten in the past month was a lick down from my lioness mother and it was pretty gross and uncomfortable if you asked me. She used every chance she got to lick me too. Sighing I reached for her tits hoping she would get the message and let me feed in peace. No luck there as she just continued to lick me as she purred me to sleep.

Not long after I had forgotten how strange it was for a lioness to raise a human baby. I had lost all wariness though I was still not in the safest place in the world and had grown accustomed to living with the beast. 4 months had passed and I had taught myself to crawl with the memories of my past life. For some reason, my lioness mother hadn't named me yet. I had wondered why until today.

The day started, as usual, I was fed and bathed but then she was suddenly wrapping me into the blanket she had found me in. Though it was extremely dirty and covered in her fur and scent. I struggled and she huffed as I started crawling away. "Be obedient, cub."

I squealed as she grabbed me in her mighty jaws and set me back into the blanket. This time I waited out of curiosity. When I was finally wrapped up and secured she carried me in the blanket away from the cave. 'Where are we going?' It took a while of none stop traveling until we came across another cave bigger than the last one and I was set down. "Stay still, little one."

I was confused. My first thought was that I was going to be an offering to some jungle king. Oh, but it could as well have been true because something was suddenly over me sniffing me all over. "This is a human cub. Where did you get it Amarah?"

A lion way larger than my lioness mother stood looking confused at me. I was surprised at myself for not feeling fear. Maybe it was because of my time with the lioness? The lioness spoke next and I felt excitement bubble up as I gurgled at the big 'cat' that kept sniffing me. "A human had abandoned it, Gazu. I had just lost my cubs when I came upon the crying babe not a day old and it was left to starve to death in the forest."

A wind blew in my face as the Lion sighed exasperatedly. "Humans are meant to be with humans, Amarah."

I would've argued with him on that point. In the first place, it was humans who had left me there to die and I was saved by a lion of all things. I snorted and kicked at the blankets feeling irritated that the lioness was ignoring me. I ignored the surprised look I got from the male lion, turned myself over, and crept my way to the lioness. I was hungry. There was a short laugh as I grabbed the tit in my hand and fed myself.

"Well, isn't this one particular?" I felt a bit of annoyance as they laughed at my display but ignored it.

"He is only four months and is more developed than other human babies his age. If anything, I think this is what humans would call a 'genius'. I wouldn't be too surprised if he spoke right now." The day I got a name was the day I would attempt to speak, I decided. I was suddenly pushed down from where I was holding on to the tit by the lion's snout.

"Welcome, little cub. I hope to see you survive long enough to gain a name." I cried with frustration. 'Can't you see I'm feeding over here?! Tch!' As if reading my mind, he licked my naked belly and laughed again at my annoyed look. I sighed, 'The years to come are going to be extremely annoying I just know it.'

I was a year old now and according to my lioness mother, it was time for me to be named. I had already mastered the art of walking, at least I thought I did. My mother chuckled every time I stumbled. My father, Lion King Gazu, loved to play fight with me saying it was his way of showing me how to hunt. I had stuck to my promise of never talking until I was named and today was the day. I sat on my mother's belly sleepily looking up at my father.

"You shall be named Ariel (Ah-ri-el)"

"Baba!" I felt my mother stiffen and a look of surprise appear on my father's face. Then they were both smiling. Well, as well as a lion can smile. So far I hadn't met any of my kind. I didn't know exactly where we were nor what country. For sure I wasn't in my old world. For one, animals could speak our language and two I wasn't so sure a human baby drinking lioness milk was such a good thing. If anything, my stomach is probably made of steel now. 'Just kidding.'

I had been learning how to hunt from the minute I could walk. Not that my human teeth and arms could do any damage but my father had told me that when I grew older he would teach me how to utilize my chakra... 'Chakra... Oh, you have got to be kidding me!' I was positively terrified and excited at the same time to be in the world of Naruto.

What terrified me the most was the fact that I didn't know what era I was born in and that for all I knew there could be a war waging right at this moment. It wasn't very hard for my lion and lioness parents to notice my distress. They just chuck it up to me being a human. I couldn't keep the thoughts of the future out of my head. I was worried that I would somehow find myself dead again in this psychotic world.

"Alright, Ariel. It is time to unlock your chakra. Taking it slowly. You have already learned to meditate. So, the rest should be easy." I sat on the grass near our cave, eyes closed and all my concentration on trying to grasp my chakra. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. For one it felt like a lot though it wasn't very restless. I gripped what felt like a still ocean and the world suddenly felt like a different place. Everything around me, I was seeing in a new light.

"Wow! Papa, the trees are alive!" I got a chuckled growl in return. My mother sat in the cave smiling proudly. I had never noticed before but she had what looked like a scratch mark on her back. Her belly was getting bigger, the sign of pregnancy. I was delighted when I was told of the news. I was going to be a big brother.

"As usual, you always seem to amaze me. Now for the first lesson..." I followed my father excited to train my new chakra.

It has been three years since I've been with Amarah and Gazu. They had made sure I was never hurt by the different animals that always came to visit me. I felt like I was a part of the jungle wildlife. I hadn't spoken to a human yet and I don't think I was looking forward to it. It was decided that for my education, my parents would bring me to a nearby village to learn the ways of the human world. Can't say I'm too excited.

"Focus Ariel!" I flinched and bowed.

"Sowwy Papa." It seems I had been caught up in my thoughts.

"Now take the leaf and stick it to your forehead." I did exactly as I was told.

3 months passed in a blink of an eye. I was up early every day to train my chakra control as well as develop my senses. It wasn't too hard but at the same time, it wasn't all that easy. My chakra was just too much and too still to control but I hadn't given up not once these past few months. I think my father was even impressed but I couldn't tell with those fangs he possessed. Mother had left the den, to give birth I had assumed. I didn't understand the reason she had to leave but I guess that was just something a human, like myself, would never understand.

I hadn't had a chance to look at my appearance but from what I could see, I had red hair down to my chin and I could feel my teeth were as sharp as fangs. I'm pretty sure my body was adapting to my eating habits. I was eating raw meat. 'Disgusting, I know. But whatever dad says goes.' Sure, it hurt at first but I had grown a resistance to any bacteria thanks to the chakra dad had me focus in my stomach.

My fingers had sharp claw-like nails. I wouldn't be too surprised if I looked a little feral. When dad went hunting I would follow him and I would be given a leg or two to devour. It was either eat it or starve. Harsh, I know but no one said wildlife would be a paradise.

Today we had caught an antelope. I was given my piece to eat as my father tore it into the stomach of the animal. I was already desensitized to the killing of animals. I gulped down the last of my meal and patted my filled tummy. "Papa?"

"Yes, Ariel?" He stood licking the blood off his paws as he looked curiously at me.

"Are there any others like me around?" I swore his eyes widen a tiny bit before he gave a huff and turned to lick my face clean of the antelope's blood.

"I should hope not." I gave a confused look to which he chuckled. "What do you think would happen if humans were to come across a lion raising a human cub?"

I frowned. "Oh"

He gave a mock hurt look going so far as to rest one of his paws near his chest. "Do you not want to stay with this old Lion King anymore. Cubs are so rowdy these days."

I gave a loud giggle as he pretended to faint in shock. "It's not that, papa!"

"Then, what is it cub?" He guided me to his back where I sat and he took off towards a river nearby.

"It's just I've never seen a human before." I quickly went to sit in the water to wash off the rest of the blood and to quench my first.

"Humans aren't always nice to their kind, Ariel. It's better if you stayed away from them. For they didn't think twice when they abandoned you." I nodded. Truthfully even in my last life, there weren't a lot of people who had cared for my existence. So, in this life, I decided that while I would not be the one to seek them out, I would not actively avoid them either.

"Yes, papa." I yawned and he decided it was time for my nap.