Chapter 12: The heart of the forest
The two cubs and the two fawns were stunned, because that voice seemed to have come out of nowhere and to be around that environment at the same time.
"Where did that voice come from?" Shany asked, "Is this magic?"
"Well... a place like this can only be magic," said Gurri, "But we didn't know it existed, did you, brother?"
"No, Dad never talked about this place," Geno answered, "And that voice, I have a feeling that..."
"That comes from the tree?" Dan asked before his friend finished.
"Yeah...how did you know?"
"I don't know why, but I also had the same feeling"
"Maybe we should go and see it more closely..." Shany proposed, jumping onto one of the stones that served as a bridge.
"I agree," Gurri supported, jumping onto one of the stones as well, "Are you guys coming?"
Dan and Geno looked at each other and, also full of curiosity, followed the girls, jumping from stone to stone, until they reached the small island where the big tree was located. After walking around, the two fawns did not find anything strange around them.
"There is no one..." Gurri said, "Was it our imagination?"
"Imagination can be incredibly powerful, young fawn," said that mysterious voice again, "It is said that seeing is believing, but the most surprising things are those we cannot see."
"Look!" Shany exclaimed, pointing up.
This little excursion became even more amazing: the tree had a face! Aside from that, the two branches that grew from its sides and seemed to return to the same central trunk looked like two arms while the small protuberance in the center looked like a nose. Finally, the ferns growing under his face gave the impression of a large beard.
"It's... it's..." Shany asked, a little scared, like Gurri.
But, on the contrary, Geno was fascinated by seeing this, while Dan, sensing the good intentions of that enormous being, took a step forward.
"Who are you?" he asked, "Are you, a talking tree?"
The big tree began to laugh.
"I could say yes and no," he told them, still laughing, "Don't be afraid, I won't do you any harm. My name is Arbor, and for millennia I have been considered the spirit of the forest and others know me as the sage of the forest. In one nice to see all of you: Dan, Geno, Shany and Gurri"
"Do you know us?" Shany asked, stunned, "Wow, he's really wise."
"The roots and the earth allow me to know everything that stands on it. Of course, I cannot know everything, for example, my other brothers would surely know more than me"
"Other brothers?" Gurri asked, moved by curiosity, "Are there others like you?"
"There are very few of us these days..." Arbor explained, in a more melancholic tone (since he was talking about family), "But yes, we exist among the other trees of the world: some of us are cherry trees; others, acacias; others, elders... once, there was a great wise who was a willow"
"So, what happened to them?" Geno asked.
"As you have already seen, my little friend, no life is eternal and, in this world, sooner or later, under the hottest sun or the coldest snow we can become extinct. However, there are those who make us disappear faster than the pious time would..."
"Humans..." Dan realized, lowering his head.
Shany, who knew he was sorry for it, put a paw on his side and said:
"You're not like other humans, Dan."
"Your friend is as wise as a tree, young prince," Dan encouraged him, "It is true that humans cut us down, that they hurt us and kill us; but let's not be confused: if they could see us and hear us, they would understand their grave mistake before let the last tree in the world fall"
"So, they can't see or hear you?" Geno asked.
"No, they can't. Like I said, they are blind and only when the last tree falls will they finally open their eyes, only to wish they could close them again and not be condemned to see and live in a world without us. However, that It's not in everyone..." he looked at Dan, "Well, you, my little friend, have the ability to reach the hearts of many, even the one in the forest."
"Excuse me, Mr. Arbor, but I don't understand you."
"As you may have noticed, each of you has seen a vision of remorse within your heart," Arbor explained, "But, when you managed to accept your losses and happiness, and share them as if you were brothers, the two guide butterflies I sent realized who were really good at heart, empathetic towards others and with a great sense of friendship."
Dan and Geno looked at each other knowing that it really is like that.
"As for you girls," Arbor told them, "Your convictions to help your loved ones also make you good-hearted. It is no coincidence that the four of you are here today: this has happened before."
"Has it happened before?" Geno asked.
Arbor pointed to the lake and, almost jumping with fright, they saw an adult deer standing on the water. This one also seemed like a ghost or, rather, a spirit. Obviously, this surprised everyone except Dan, since he was almost used to it by now. However...
"Grandfather?" the two fawn brothers asked, incredulous.
For a minute, Geno had the desire to go and hug him, but he had barely taken a step to enter the water as well, causing him to almost sink. Fortunately, Dan put a paw on it to keep it from moving forward.
"It is a ghost?" asked Shany, who could see it too.
"Actually, we are spirits," someone else responded: an adult doe had appeared next to Geno's grandfather, "I'm glad to finally see you, Geno... Gurri..."
"G-Grandma?" Gurri asked and, unconsciously, she also wanted to get closer.
"Be careful, don't take a step," her grandmother warned her, approaching the young ones, "This lake only reflects our souls: our moment in the cycle of life is already over..."
Upon hearing that, the two fawns were disappointed, as many would be disappointed if they saw a loved one who had passed away again, but could only talk to his spirit.
"But that doesn't mean we can't see each other and talk to each other," their grandfather's spirit told them.
And, obviously, this warmed the spirit of the two fawns.
"There is someone else who wants to talk to you..." the deer told them. Then, he turned to Dan and Shany, "Especially with you lion cubs."
"Who?" Dan asked.
"Finally, we meet again" a third voice told them.
Dan then gave a small cry of surprise: in front of them, Ahadi, Mufasa's father and the one who had called him to that particular place, had also appeared.
"Ahadi!" Dan exclaimed.
"Do you know him, Dan?" Shany asked.
"Yes... it's King Ahadi, he called me in a dream..."
"Oh..." said the cub, turning towards the spirit of the ancient king and bowing slightly, "It is an honor to meet you, King Ahadi."
"You do not need to call me king or bow down, young cub," Ahadi told her, "I am no longer alive, nor am I a king. But I see that you are a fearless and kind-hearted girl, just like my wife, Uru, was"
Then, he turned to Dan.
"Me, like Dan, met the great prince of the forest in my time and we became good friends," he continued, "Then, when humans altered the cycle of life, he had to return home. I was a prince then… but my friendship was much more valuable than my royal duty. So, I decided to accompany him to his homeland."
"So, this has happened before?"
"Yes, but if you think everything will end the same, Dan, it won't: Nothing happens the same way twice. However, there are many similarities. For example, Uru also followed me without me knowing... like your friend ..."
Hearing that, Dan and Ahadi looked at Shany, who had blushed a little.
"It may be fate that the King of the Pride Lands and the Great Prince of the Forest meet and unite in the face of the threat to the great cycle of life. This time, in the face of the threat of the destruction of the forest, the four of you have come together. And, we want to give you a gift that will help you..."
Before they explained what the gift was, Simba and Bambi arrived at the place, looking for the kids. That scene was shocking for Simba, but even more so for Bambi, because with tears in his eyes, he had met his parents.
"Dad... Mom..." he whispered.
"Hello Bambi, you've grown a lot..." her mother told him.