***AUTHOR'S NOTE*** This seems rather apropos considering today's date, so I thought I'd resend it; those who have already seen it I hope will indulge me in this. D.A.M. ************************* Well, here I am. Funny...I never thought I'd see this place again. Looking around, I can see so many things here...this very cavern where I was born. The stones are worn a bit smoother now, of course. And that old rock where I used to perch has fallen down now. Pride Rock has changed a bit over the years...it's gotten a bit older, and the changes outside are a bit more obvious than the ones inside. Like me, I guess. I look at things around here, and it's strange...it's almost like a sort of double vision...the images of my childhood superimposed over what I see now. It's strange, and a bit sad...remember that rock I mentioned? The one I used to sit on? Dad used to fuss at me about it, but I never did listen, even when I fell off that one time and cut my shoulder. I still have the scar from that, but it's a tiny thing...the memory of him wiping away my tears and licking the scratch until it felt better is a lot more stronger. Good old Zazu. There's a few feathers missing, and a few more worry lines around his eyes, but he's still here, of course. Doubtless I put a few of those lines there myself, with the pouncing lessons we had. He always complained about it, of course, and threatened me with endless tirades...but he never did go through with any of those threats. After I'd pounced him, he'd always fly up on Dad's shoulder and we'd walk together, looking at things and talking. And what was funny was he'd always manage to find some excuse to head off somewhere and leave the two of us alone for awhile. The sun's coming up now...still the same as I remember it; there's this sunbeam that comes in first thing in the morning, and hits one of the rocks inside here...see it there? No, the one next to it. The one that kind of leans over. It makes this funny shadow like a lion, and I used to play with that shadow...growling at it, and daring it to challenge me. Stupid shadow lion, I am the prince of Pride Rock! Take that! And that! I'd play with it until the sun moved enough and the shadow changed and vanished. I used to win a lot of shadow fights. The sun feels real good at this time of day...I could lay here for hours. I probably will too. We're all a bit tired from last night, and I can still feel all the places where Scar landed a blow. My uncle was a lot stronger than I thought he was, which is sort of odd...I never remember seeing him and Dad practice fighting. I used to though, all the time...Dad would crouch down to my level and bat at me with his forepaws, and I'd try to get in close to his face. It usually took awhile, but when I finally made it close enough, I'd latch on to his muzzle and lick his nose until he surrendered. I used to win a lot of those fights, too. Mom would just sit back and laugh at us...she was always like that. I almost didn't recognize her last night, until I got close enough to touch...all my memories of her are of her smiling. It was almost like another lioness had taken her skin and put it on...except it never did quite fit. She looks a lot better this morning...she's still asleep of course, but I can see her face from here, where the sun is just touching her muzzle. She's smiling again...maybe she's dreaming about Dad. I like to think so. And here's Nala. Still sleepy, but her head's nestled up in my shoulder, and she's looking at me through slitted eyes...that little grin's on her muzzle again. I can't help but smile back at her. Go back to sleep, you...it's still early. There you go. I owe Nala so much. She never was one to give up, and I thank the stars for that...I might never have come back here had it not been for her persistence. We had a few bad words, the other night, but words are sort of like fruit, I think...sometimes they're bitter at first, but give them enough time and they ripen up. Man, that sun feels good. It's almost all the way up now, and the shadows in here are fading some. I've got a pretty good view at the moment...if you lean to one side, you can see out the cavern entrance to the sky. It's all red, now, but the moon's still up, and I can still see a star...early morning stars are hard to see, but you can find them if you look hard enough. It's neat, the way they sit up there and shine, even when the sun's coming up...sometimes it makes me wonder about the old legend that says the stars come out at night to watch over us in the darkness. I like to think that they're up there all the time, and they just watch from a distance, like Zazu did when he left Dad and I alone those times. Well, there it goes...that star's fading out too...see it? It's been up all night...maybe it needs a nap or something. I guess I might take one too...I'm still pretty tired. I don't know what's going to happen next...I don't know much about ruling, yet, and there's so much to do...I don't want to mess it up. But I think I have a good idea, now...being king seems to be mostly finding the right words to say at the right time. And not hurting anybody with them while you're at it. I think I can do that. I love you Dad...sleep well. Dedicated to Robert Burdell Morris. Wherever you are, God keep you well and safe. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ David A. Morris damorris@wilmington.net Saint: First Church of Simba TLKiaWoL FCOS Temple Inquisitor IRC: Ahadi TLKMuck:Scar The Prides Muck: Simba Mabatu Serengeti Nights: Simba "Remember who you are..." Busa Simba iyo! Uli-buse le lizwe ngo thando. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.lionking.org/~tgk/elsa.htm "We are one, you and I, we are like the earth and sky One family under the sun All the wisdom to lead, all the courage you will need You will find when you see we are one." --from "The Lion King: Simba's Pride"