Chapter 4: Ahadi's request

(A couple of hours later...)

Dan was feeling a little sad that his new friends were leaving, but at that moment, he felt something soft run over his furry body. From his previous experiences, he knew that it was the soft pad of an adult lion...were they his adoptive parents? No, this one felt different, but at the same time there was a feeling of something familiar...

"Are you awake?" asked that familiar voice. For a moment, Dan didn't believe it, but he stood up and found Mufasa's spirit just as he had seen it before: like a spirit of little stars.

"Mufasa?" he asked, standing up. Then, he realized that he was on top of Pride Rock, had he sleepwalked there?

"You're not fully awake: this is a place in your mind where we can talk," the lion explained, "So... you've made a couple of forest friends, haven't you?"

"Okay, yes. Is it… is it something bad?"

"Bad? Quite the opposite, my big-hearted lion cub!" he exclaimed, with a laugh, "The union of the kingdoms of the Pride lands and the Great Forest is something that has already happened before... you have been dreaming, haven't you? What did you see in your last dream?"

"A lion with a slightly dark mane, talking to a... with an adult deer," Dan responded, trying to remember the dream well.

"The adult deer was the great-grandfather of your friends, Geno and Gurri," Mufasa explained, to the cub's astonishment, "While the lion was my father: Ahadi."

"Your father?!"

Mufasa nodded his head.

"That's right…" he replied, "And he wants to ask you a favor…"

Mufasa's spirit vanished and, suddenly, a wind behind him was felt. Turning to see where it came from, he looked up in amazement, seeing the same lion from his dream, as a spirit in the sky.

"So, you are Dan..." Ahadi told him, "My son and grandson made a wise choice..."

"Are you Ahadi?" Dan asked, very shocked.

"I have to ask you a favor. Once, like you, I was lucky enough to meet the future prince of the forest, becoming great friends. But fearing that the hyenas of that time would travel to the forest to harm them, I decided to hide the existence of that kingdom. Today, the Great Forest needs the help of our kingdom, or rather... our future king..."

"Me?" Dan asked, too amazed, "But I'm nothing special... and I don't have the roar anymore."

"The roar of the ancestors does not define who you are, but the truth that lies in your heart. You have the heart of a lion, but you also know how humans think and act, that is why your help is vital..."

"Well..."

"Likewise, a spirit that resides in the forest and that your new friends can hear, can give you the necessary help"

"Do you mean the forest's spirit?"

"Is it a real spirit? You will find the answer when you reach the heart of the forest..."

"Dan?" Shany's voice asked, "Wake up sleepyhead."

Dan opened his eyes and woke up with a yawn, seeing that he had returned to reality (if you could say it was reality), Shany was next to him, already awake and with everyone else at his side. of the. From the entrance of the cave, birdsong could be heard and the light of dawn filtered through.

"Wow, that's the first time you haven't gotten up early," Shany added, "Are you feeling okay?

Dan doubted whether he should tell them what he had seen and heard during his dream. But, when he dared to speak, Nala came through the entrance.

"Good morning everyone," he greeted them, "I hope you all had a good night together. Geno and Gurri, I know you can eat plants, but with the others... go up to the cave for a moment so you can eat something. Then, go down to say goodbye to your friends"

While they still didn't want to abandon their fawn friends before leaving, they couldn't be around because they were going to 'eat' and many of you reading this know why. In any case, this group of cubs, with a thoughtful Dan, obeyed Nala and, after having eaten and regained energy, they came back down just in time to see the two fawns next to Simba and Nala.

"What's wrong, Dan?" Kovu asked him, seeing Dan still thoughtful, "I know you wouldn't want to be separated from your friends... but aren't you going to say goodbye to them?"

Simba also noticed this and approached his adopted grandson.

"What is it that intrigues you, Dan?" he asked.

Dan sighed and, turning to Kovu, asked:

"Dad, can I accompany my grandfather Simba to the forest?"

There was a moment of great doubt on everyone's part, because it was something they had never expected. Kovu was not entirely in agreement, as was Kiara. Then when he thought Simba would refuse too...

"If you want, Kiara..." he told his daughter, "He can accompany us, and I will take care of him."

"Well... it's okay, dad" she replied. Then, she turned to the cub, "Dan, obey Grandpa and don't stay away from him"

"Yes, mom," Dan nodded.

"So, are you going with Geno and Gurri?" Shany asked, discouraged.

"I'm sorry Shany, but I'll explain it to you when I get back: I promise to come back," her friend responded.

She, almost without thinking, told him as she gently hit him with her paw.

"Just try not to get in trouble, okay?" she told him smiling. Dan laughed.

"I alone won't be able to get into trouble"

After he also said goodbye to little Koda (who hugged him so firmly that it was difficult to get him out), Akira and Jabari. Dan joined Geno and Gurri, along with Nala and Simba, and they began their journey to the mountain that would take them to the Great Forest.

(Meanwhile, in a forest burrow...)

An adult doe dozed worriedly inside the leaf-filled burrow: she had not found her children the day before and she was worried that they had not made it.

"Faline!" a voice said. When she removed the vines that covered the entrance, she found an old owl.

"Mr. Owl," Faline replied, "Have you found them?"

Unfortunately for her, the owl shook his head.

"No, I'm sorry, and we didn't find Bambi either," replied Owl, "Everything has been confusing after we escaped from the men, the prince bought time, but many of us have separated and there are quite a few lost children."

Faline just closed her eyes as she prayed: "Please let them all be well."