Chapters:
Chapter 1:
Chapter 2:
Chapter 3:
Chapter 4:
Chapter 5:
Chapter 1: The Circle of Life
Spoiler: show
Zanta leapt up as the first rays of sun peeked into the lions' den. She scurried over to where, Hasani, her best friend was sleeping. "Hey, it's morning! Get up!" Her voice was hushed.
Hasani grumbled, but rose. They tiptoed around the sleeping lions and lionesses that blocked their escape, then stood at the gaping hole in the forefront of the den that served as an entrance and exit.
Zanta stared at the lands that lay beyond the waterhole, longing to explore them. As she started to step out into the rosy morning sunlight, a dark brown paw swept her back into the dark recesses of the den.
Zanta turned and looked up into the stern face of her mother, Khadijah. As Khadijah inspected her slowly with lime green eyes, Zanta shifted uneasily and glared coldly at Hasani who was attempting to slip back to his mother.
"Did you have plans today that I was not informed of?" Zanta winced at her mother's soft voice. She grinned guiltily. Her mother stood, her head held erect, displaying her obvious grace and the fact that she was royalty, then lead Zanta out to the tip of Pride Rock.
She sighed then paced in front of Zanta. Her soft was soft, yet lightly reproachful,"As the future queen you are not entitled to the freedom that others in this pride and elsewhere exhibit as your subjects. Your people need you, Zanta, you cannot forsake them for your own petty pleasure."
She sat, her gaze overlooking Pride Rock's domain as Zanta hung her head guiltily, holding that position for several moments before looking at Zanta, her green eyes meeting Zantas ice-blue ones.
"You are much younger than most that hear about the circle of life, but I believe it is time for you to be taught about it. The circle of life is the way we live, we have no choice in that matter. As lions, we are born, we grow up, we mate, we have children of our own, then, eventually, we pass into the void. As queen, it is especially important for us to choose a strong, worthy mate, as your kingdom needs such a king. Also, it is just as important to teach your next heir the things I will teach you today. Come."
Zanta followed her mother as she led her away from Pride Rock and the waterhole; farther away from the den than she had ever been. Her mother smiled slightly as she watched a small bird fly by, accompanied by her three hatchlings. "As a queen you must learn how to hold yourself with ease, show your power with grace, and distaste and disgust with poise and firmness."
Zanta frowned,"But Mom? How-"
Khadijah silenced her with a paw,"My daughter, there are many things to learn, but this one most of all: trust your heart above all other things. It will influence your decisions both personal and public alike. Each decision you make has many aftereffects, so choose wisely. Now, you must remember the circle of life affects much more than just ourselves. We eat the gazelle while we live, but when we die our bodies become the grass that the gazelle eat-we are intertwined. We each depend on the other for survival."
Zanta sighed, there was so much-she could never remember it all, but, did she even want to? Her mother glanced down at one of the small paw prints that Zanta had made, then pressed her own paw down by it,"Even when your father and I are no longer with you in person, we will always be with you. Your father will go to sleep with the kings if old in the heavens, and I will sleep forever in your heart. Never block your past or your family, terrible happenings ensue, remember the story of Simba."
Zanta nodded dumbly, then hid her head as a tear slipped out of the corner of one of her ice blue eyes and fell onto one of her dark brown paws. Khadijah nuzzled her,"Come, it is almost time for the counsel to begin."
Hasani grumbled, but rose. They tiptoed around the sleeping lions and lionesses that blocked their escape, then stood at the gaping hole in the forefront of the den that served as an entrance and exit.
Zanta stared at the lands that lay beyond the waterhole, longing to explore them. As she started to step out into the rosy morning sunlight, a dark brown paw swept her back into the dark recesses of the den.
Zanta turned and looked up into the stern face of her mother, Khadijah. As Khadijah inspected her slowly with lime green eyes, Zanta shifted uneasily and glared coldly at Hasani who was attempting to slip back to his mother.
"Did you have plans today that I was not informed of?" Zanta winced at her mother's soft voice. She grinned guiltily. Her mother stood, her head held erect, displaying her obvious grace and the fact that she was royalty, then lead Zanta out to the tip of Pride Rock.
She sighed then paced in front of Zanta. Her soft was soft, yet lightly reproachful,"As the future queen you are not entitled to the freedom that others in this pride and elsewhere exhibit as your subjects. Your people need you, Zanta, you cannot forsake them for your own petty pleasure."
She sat, her gaze overlooking Pride Rock's domain as Zanta hung her head guiltily, holding that position for several moments before looking at Zanta, her green eyes meeting Zantas ice-blue ones.
"You are much younger than most that hear about the circle of life, but I believe it is time for you to be taught about it. The circle of life is the way we live, we have no choice in that matter. As lions, we are born, we grow up, we mate, we have children of our own, then, eventually, we pass into the void. As queen, it is especially important for us to choose a strong, worthy mate, as your kingdom needs such a king. Also, it is just as important to teach your next heir the things I will teach you today. Come."
Zanta followed her mother as she led her away from Pride Rock and the waterhole; farther away from the den than she had ever been. Her mother smiled slightly as she watched a small bird fly by, accompanied by her three hatchlings. "As a queen you must learn how to hold yourself with ease, show your power with grace, and distaste and disgust with poise and firmness."
Zanta frowned,"But Mom? How-"
Khadijah silenced her with a paw,"My daughter, there are many things to learn, but this one most of all: trust your heart above all other things. It will influence your decisions both personal and public alike. Each decision you make has many aftereffects, so choose wisely. Now, you must remember the circle of life affects much more than just ourselves. We eat the gazelle while we live, but when we die our bodies become the grass that the gazelle eat-we are intertwined. We each depend on the other for survival."
Zanta sighed, there was so much-she could never remember it all, but, did she even want to? Her mother glanced down at one of the small paw prints that Zanta had made, then pressed her own paw down by it,"Even when your father and I are no longer with you in person, we will always be with you. Your father will go to sleep with the kings if old in the heavens, and I will sleep forever in your heart. Never block your past or your family, terrible happenings ensue, remember the story of Simba."
Zanta nodded dumbly, then hid her head as a tear slipped out of the corner of one of her ice blue eyes and fell onto one of her dark brown paws. Khadijah nuzzled her,"Come, it is almost time for the counsel to begin."
