Night had fallen in the Sahara and all was quiet on that part of the earth. But up in the stars, two of the youngest Great Kings of the Past were having a heated discussion about the most useful form of loyalty they each had bestowed upon their pride before they had died. It all started with Kemyi and Nyoru, arguably two of the most arguable young kings on that side of the sky.
"... Before I left my Pride, I taught them that personal sacrifice was the most sincere display of loyalty. A martyr is revered even after he has passed!" explained Kemyi.
"Nonsense", debated Nyoru. "The most sincere form of loyalty is leadership. Ask any king! A great leader is responsible for the success of his Pride."
Kemyi rolled his eyes in disapproval. "Lets just see about that!"
So Kemyi and Nyoru went off in search of an arbitrator to prove one of them right.
"Aha!" exclaimed Kemyi. "Lets ask Ernie, he'll know."
Ernie was a popular arbitrator in the stars. He was mostly consulted for the purpose of breaking up arguments by declaring one of the arguers wrong and ending the feud. When Kemyi and Nyoru had found him they had found him sleeping and neither was hesitant to wake him with a quick push to the stomach. The lion opened his eyes one at a time and yawned, squinting at the two young kings.
"Hey Ernie, glad you're awake. We got a little argument for you to help us settle" explained Nyoru, oblivious to Ernie's exhaustion. "See, we were just discussing what the best kind of loyalty is to your pride. I say it's leadership, Kemyi over here says it's sacrifice. Just tell the poor misinformed lion that he's wrong so we can end this."
Kemyi just sighed and looked at Nyoru with pity. Ernie was quite upset with the interruption and was in no mood to deal with the two.
"When are you two gonna learn? You argue and argue constantly over who's this and who's that. Why don't you two nimrods go ask Aryei? He'll tell you that you're both wrong. It's teamwork."
Nyoru and Kemyi glared at Ernie, insulted and surprised at his unusual bad mood.
"Teamwork?!?" Cried the two young kings.
"Of course. What's a Pride without every lioness working together to provide for the family?" Ernie insisted.
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" Yelled Nyoru.
"Oh yeah right, and leaderships isn't? Maybe if you weren't so busy with your tail between your legs all the time Nyoru, you'd actually realize how pompous that sounds!"
"Yeah, well you're a moron!" Cried Nyoru.
"You're both idiots!" Yelled Ernie.
This went on for quite sometime until Aryei and Mufasa came by and heard all the commotion. The two smiled when they noticed it was Nyoru and kemyi at it again. Mufasa stepped forward just as Kemyi had sat on Nyoru yelling at him to say 'uncle'. Ernie took five steps back and leaped onto Kemyi pulling at his mane
"Get...off...me...tubby!" Yelled Nyoru.
"Say it, say uncle!"
Mufasa then interrupted with a stern "Ahem" freezing the three entirely. Mufasa arched an eyebrow and stared at them with a sold pitiful look breaking up the wrestling match.
"Uh...hi Mufasa." Kemyi laughed with shame as he jumped off Nyoru who then came quickly to his feet.
Mufasa breaking his stare, "So Kemyi, at it again, hmmm?"
"Heh-heh, you know how it is Mufasa. We're all kings up here but it doesn't make us all right." Nyoru glanced at Kemyi then at Ernie.
"Now what's going on here guys?" Inquired Mufasa.
"Well, explained Nyoru. "It all started when Kemyi and I said that the most sincere form of loyalty was personal sacrifice, I said it was leadership. We thought Ernie could help us out but he was in such a bad mood he only contributed to the fight by saying it was teamwork and then..."
"Uh huh, now I understand that you are all relatively young kings and are apparently prone to handling disagreements with a wrestling match, but did it ever occur to you three that maybe all of you are right?"
The three young kings looked at each other pensively and lightened their expressions. Aryei, who had been standing a ways back stepped forward and added more light to the situation.
Mufasa's got a point. My Pride succeeded with all three of those qualities. If you all were older I'm sure you'd see that they are all quite useful and these petty fights are not."
Embarrassed, the three young kings were left speechless. With that said, Mufasa and Aryei turned and began walking away feeling successful. It was then Ernie crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue at Kemyi who appalled, cried, "your mama!!
Aryei turned around in a huff. "What'd you say about my mama?"
"Huh? Cried Kemyi. "Oh no, not you Aryei!! I was talking to --"
Those were the only words Kemyi got out before Aryei lunged at him, wrestling him to the ground. Mufasa sighed and shook his head. Smiling, he turned around and walked out into the night.