Our Future lies within You. [DG & Songo]

[DGFone]

Taka looked away embarrassed when Sarafina helped him up. "I, uh... well, thanks." he told her. Then Kamaria called for him. "I'll see you tomorrow!" he told Sarafina as he ran to Mufasa and Kamaria. She then brought them back to their parents. Mufasa and Taka ran up to them.

Ahadi gave each of his sons a loving nuzzle before he left. "I'm sorry sons, but I have to go and study some more. Hopefully, we will have more time to spend with each other soon." He told them before leaving sorrowfully.

Taka looked up at Uru. "What does dad mean by that?" He asked.


Mohatu made his way up to Priderock. He felt relieved to have finished solving the various disputes that called for his attention. They left him satisfied, but also tired. As he was walking, he saw Ahadi approach him. "How did your day go, Ahadi? Enjoyed your time with the family?" he asked.

Ahadi nodded. "Yes, thank you for today. I really appreciated it." he said. "But it was interrupted half way through," he added.

Mohatu asked him to explain. Ahadi then told him about Mya and Sarafina. Mohatu nodded. "I am glad to know that they have agreed to stay with us. The outside areas are indeed dangerous for them." He said. "Also Ahadi," he started saying.

Ahadi's stomach fell at that. Mohatu used that tone when he made a grievous error in his studies. "Yes?" he asked.

Mohatu smiled. He purposely used the tone to play a prank on Ahadi. "Congratulations, Ahadi. Today you have proven to me that you are not afraid to take the initiative, make the right choice, and you have proven to me that you are capable of being a true king." he said.

Ahadi let out a breath of relief. "Thank you," he muttered. Mohatu then asked him to be introduced to the new members. Ahadi nodded. "Sure, just follow me."

Ahadi turned and lead Mohatu to Mya's den. When he got there, he called out to make sure that she and Sarafina were inside. He slowly went inside. "Mya, Sarafina, I would like to introduce you to king Mohatu." Mohatu stepped forwards so that they can see them.

[Songo]

Uru frowned with Mufasa and Taka as Ahadi had to head back out to the Pride lands and finish his lessons. She pulled Taka close and licked his cheek, her paw holding him as she bathed him. Her other paw quickly scooped him up and she continued bathing him, "My you boys get so dirty." she mumbled to Taka and Mufasa.

Mufasa laughed as Taka got the bath first and he felt Kamaria's paw scoop him up. "Noo..grandma! I like being dirty." he protested. He tried to squeeze out of her grip but she held him tightly. A smirk across her muzzle as she bathed the prince, "Nonsense Princes aren't dirty Mufasa. They are well groomed and presentable. You should've seen your father when he first met Uru, he was a scruffy knotty lion." she said chuckling softly.

Uru let Taka go as she finished her bath and she smiled, "Your father really did look like a mountain lion." she said joining in the laugh with Kamaria. "Come on boys, lets go watch the sun set on the Pridelands." she said ushering them up to the top of the rock formation. She helped the cub reach the top and she laid to her belly as she gazed out on the setting sun, "This is your Kingdom boys..." she whispered pulling Mufasa and Taka close.

Mufasa awed at the sky, "Whoa....All of this.." he said questioning Uru outloud.

"Yes Mufasa, all of it...Everything the light touches." Uru replied with a smirk.


Mya stood to her paws and bowed before Mohatu, "Hello King. I'm Mya and this is Sarafina..Thank you both for letting me and Fina stay here." she said softly. She nudged Sarafina with her paw and her green eyes glared down at her stubborn cub.

Sarafina yawned slightly and looked up at Mohatu, "Mom..these lions keep getting bigger and bigger." she said in awe. She bowed her head like her mother and smiled up at Mohatu, "I met Taka and Mufasa, there fun to play with." she said with a smile.

[DGFone]

Taka watched in awe as the sun set over the horizon. The intense brightness made his eyes hurt, and he had to set a paw over them just to be able to see. But the view... it was majestic. There was no other way to describe it.

And it will all be theirs, one day. Or was it only for Mufasa? "What about me?" Taka asked Uru. "What will happen to me, mom?"


Mohatu laughed at Sarafina's comment. "Well, I can tell you that I am the biggest lion here, so there isn't anyone else you will see to compare sizes with." he said. "I am glad that you accepted to stay with us," Mohatu told Mya. "The surrounding lands are no place for a young cub to grow up in. And I hear that you, Sarafina, has already met Mufasa and Taka." Sarafina nodded in agreement excitedly. Mohatu smiled. "Ahadi here gave me an excellent idea. Would you mind sharing it?" He asked Ahadi.

Ahadi, who fully expected Mohatu to do all the talking, blinked in surprise. "Oh, well, yeah, sure. Well, Uru and I thought that if we have a day where everyone spend a day together, to get to know each other better. There is another cub in our pride, a girl, named Sarabi. I am sure that together, all of you will be able to get along fairly well." He explained. "What do you think?"

[Songo]

Mufasa sat beside Taka, "You'll be my helper brother, like my rightpaw." he said with a smile. Mufasa's brown eyes awed at the sunset and he looked at his mother and brother. "I miss dad..." he muttered.

Uru licked both her cub's cheeks and sighed, "Me too Mufasa." she said softly. Her honey colored eyes gazed down at Taka, "Taka my handsome boy, you'll be a advisor to the King. You'll be handling alot of Mufasa's business and thats a very very important job." she said with a grin.

Sarafina looked up at Mohatu, "Thats good to know! Another girl cub! GREAT! That'll even the odds." she said with a smirk. She cuddled into her mother's paws and yawned sleepily. She noticed the sun was setting and that it was almost time for bed, "A play date would be great..." she whispered falling into a sleep.

Mya nuzzled Sarafina and looked to Mohatu and Ahadi, "Thank you both. Your genorosity is overwhelming and Sarafina absolutely loves it here." she whispered with a smile. She bowed her head in respect, "I'll meet you at the watering hole in the morning for the play date." she added. "Goodnight and thank you, for saving our lives." she praised to them.

[DGFone]

Taka thought about it. He would be Mufasa's helper. He will be respected, but in the end, his word will always matter less than Mufasa's. "Wait, though," he started saying. "Is there any chance that I will be king?" he asked, hopeful. "Because, won't all the animals simply listen to Mufasa all the time instead?" He didn't want to sound envious of Mufasa, but he didn't see the reasoning behind having a helper. Zuzu was already one. Why need a second?

Taka lay on the rock, pondering it, and waiting for the answer.


Mohatu smiled and nodded. "We will tell you when that day will be." he said. He nodded a fair-well to Mya and Sarafina, and lead Ahadi back outside. "I imagine we will find the time for that soon," he told the future king. "Besides, I think that we can slow down the pace of the lessons. Soon, you will be ready to take my place." He waited a while for Ahadi to capture the full meaning.

Ahadi blinked. "Are you sure? You... you think that I am ready?" He asked, bewildered. Mohatu nodded. "Wow, I gee... I never..." he lost his ability to speak then.

Mohatu laughed. "You are not ready yet. You will be soon, but not yet. And you can show me your gratitude by running to your family."

Ahadi nodded gratefully and ran off. He spotted his family resting on the tip of Priderock, watching the sunset end. "Hey guys!" he called out to grab their attention.

[Songo]

Uru looked down at Taka and frowned, "Well yes they would listen to Mufasa. But as being the King's brother you are allowed to give you opinion.." she said softly. She stepped towards Taka on the rock, "Taka...I know its not fair...I'm sorry there cant be two Kings. The only way you could be King is if Mufasa is killed or if he steps down...or if you challenge him." she said the words barely making it out of her muzzle. She noticed Ahadi and smiled, she padded and nuzzled his furry, "Taka is wondering...if theres any chance he could become King." she muttered to Ahadi.

"DAD!" Mufasa shouted and ran to his father's legs. He hugged them lovingly and looked up at his father, "Mom took us to watch the sunset and it was so beautiful. One day, this will all be mine." he said with a big grin. "Right?"

Uru stepped back from the two and made her way back over to Taka, "Listen dear, Mufasa loves you very much. You will always have a place here...its your home" she added.

[DGFone]

Ahadi nuzzled Uru, but was startled by Taka's question. "Well, Taka, there is a way that doesn't involve having to challenging your brother or waiting for him to die." he said, ignoring the hurt look from Uru.

Thinking about it, Ahadi sighed. "If you so wish to, when you are older, I won't stop you from leaving our pride if you will wish to. You can always become a king of another pride. That's what happened with me." he said. "I met your mother, and by marriage, because she is Mohatu's daughter, I am the future king." Ahadi smiled. "There are ways of becoming a king that don't involve killing someone." he finished, hoping that Taka will understand.


Taka listened to Ahadi and nodded. "Alright dad." he said. "I don't want to hurt Mufasa." he said. Despite still feeling out of control of his life at this moment, Taka did not want to hurt Mufasa. His brother always took care of him, and it won't be right to hurt him in turn.


Ahadi was glad that Taka gave him that answer. "That's my boy," he whispered softly. He decided that it was time to change the subject. "So what do you guys think of Sarafina?" he asked.

[Songo]

Mufasa looked up at his dad, "Shes fun! she plays rough too.." he said with a smile. Mufasa's brown eyes turned to Taka, "But she likes Taka dad..I can tell! he said with a giggle.

"Mufasa.." Uru said with a smirk. "Stop teasing your brother..." she said pulling Mufasa close to her and snuggling him up with a few licks.

"Mommm....lemme goo...grr..." he grumbled as he squeezed from her grasp. "I'm not teasing...she does like him I can tell." he smirked. Mufasa looked up at Ahadi, "So if mom picked you, do I get to pick my Queen?" he asked curiously.

Uru nuzzled Ahadi's mane and smirked, "Your father and I stumbled upon eachother and as it happened we were both looking for something. We found it in each other.." she said licking Ahadi's cheek lovingly and giving a soft purr. Uru looked to Ahadi, "Well future King, how will we decide you sons mates? I hated all the ones my father picked out for me." she said with a giggle.

[DGFone]

Ahadi was amused by Mufasa's attempts to get free from Uru's grip. But the question she gave him was rather tough. But he decided on the only way he believed in. "If you want, we can try and arrange a betrothal. They sometimes work out." He said. Uru gave him a death glare, so he cleared his throat to signal that he wasn't finished. "But your mother and I met in a different way," he explained to Taka and Mufasa. "So I don't see a reason why I should forbid you from following your own wishes and search out a mate on your own." He said.

Taka meanwhile ignored Mufasa's teasing. A small mile formed on his muzzle when his brother was grabbed by Uru. And when Ahadi explained his plan, Taka looked up, curious. "How did you find mom?" he asked Ahadi.

Ahadi frowned. "I don't know, Taka. We just... met." he tried to explain. "Call it fate. Or luck... anything you want. But we met one day, and it... grew from there." In the back of his mind, Ahadi recalled that leopard who told him to follow the star. To think that he thought of the leopard as some crazy fool then... Ahadi smiled at the memory.

[Songo]

Uru nodded, "I think we can compromise. Pick a few and have them decide themselves when the times right." she said with a smile. "Your father saved my life twice..." she added nuzzling Ahadi's mane. "He is truely my Hero." she said looking to her sons. She licked Taka's cheek and pulled him off the rock inbetween Ahadi and Mufasa. "My family, I love you all dearly." she said her honey colored eyes gazing at the best thing to happen to her.

Mufasa nuzzled his mom's leg, "Love you too mom." he whispered back between a yawn. He hugged Taka slightly and let go before letting another yawn slip form his muzzle.

Uru noticed the cubs getting sleepy, "Come on boys, bedtime. All of you." she said raising her eyebrow at Ahadi. She grabbed Mufasa by the scruff and headed down Pride rock to their den. She set Mufasa down softly and watched Ahadi set Taka down, she smiled, "Goodnight my loves." she whispered.

Mufasa curled up close to Taka, "Night mom." he whispered back before falling asleep.

Uru padded outside of the den with Ahadi, she licked his cheek. "I love you." she said sweetly.