It was a cold night in the Pride Lands. Samba, the young lion cub, let out a huge, bitter sneeze from the chill. He went outside to find his father Mufasa asleep on Pride Rock. He went over to him and whispered, "Dad? Dad?"

The lion opened one groggy eye.

"Can I sleep with you tonight? I'm cold."

"Of course, son," said Mufasa.

His father lifted his arm so Simba could make himself comfortable.

Simba snuggled into his dad's soft warm mane, his most favourite pillow. He would always sleep on his mane whether, frightened or smiled.

"Have you learned your roar yet?"

Simba let out a scratchy hiss.

"Very good," said Mufasa. "You're really getting there."

"Remember when you taught me first time?"

"What a memory that was," sighed Mufasa.

FLASHBACK OF TODAY

He watched as his father roared with all his might to scare away all the hyenas. Simba stared in amazement.

"Can you teach me how to roar?"

Mufasa chuckled and said, "Of course. First, puff out your chest."

Simba did so.

"Take a deep breath."

Simba did so.

"And now let it out with all your might!"

Simba let out, not a roar, but a squeak.

"What?"

"If you keep practising," said Mufasa. "You're still young, so you will just need to build your roar up."

While they walked through the lands, Mufasa noticed Simba trying to pounce on some crickets.

"Are you trying to pounce, son?"

"Yeah," said Simba. He tried again but to no luck.

Mufasa noticed a few inches away was the hornbill Zazu.

"Poor Zazu is currently a victim," he said.

He gave Simba precise instructions, stay low to the ground, make no sound, but then, just as he looked at Zazu and to Simba again -

"Simba? Where are you?"

Before he knew it, he was taken to the ground, his son standing on his chest.

"Fooled ya'!"

Mufasa laughed out loud. "You sure did!"

But Mufasa had an evil gleam about him. He grabbed his soon and started to tickle him.

"DAD! STO-O-O-P! HAHAHA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"Every act of fooling the king has a consequence, young man!" laughed Mufasa as he tickled his cub mercilessly.

Simba tried to break free but he could only persuade his father to let go when he his tail to tickle his face, and then he began to tickles his side making Mufasa roll over and he grabbed his cub and tickled his belly with his nose. Again and again they tickled each other until they lie on the ground panting and out of breath.

They raced each other to a huge watering hole; no hippos, no crocodiles or any other animal was there so it was all theirs.

Simba jumped in first and hit the cool water with a splash.

"Come on, Dad!" he called. "The water is great!"

Mufasa crouched and made a huge jump down to the water.

"LOOK OUT BELOOW!" he cried and the impact of his plash created an episode of waves for the cub much to his enjoyment. Mufasa rose up from the surface, his cheeks bloated with water. Simba knew immediately that he would spray him.

"What's that on your tail?"

Mufasa looked down at his tail in the water but in the curiosity swallowed the water in his mouth, making Simba laugh splashing his paws about.

"Very funny," said his father, patting his chest from the strain of the got out of the pool and shook themselves and Mufasa found a spot and lay on his back to let the sun dry him off.

Simba hopped onto his belly and rested his face into his mane. It took some time for the mane to dry, and when it did, Simba felt very snug.

This was the best mane he had ever known, so soft and had a hard time trying to leave it whenever he had to wake up.

PRESENT

"This is the best mane I've ever felt, Dad," commented Simba admiring it resting his head against it.

"You think?"

"I know. And when I grow up, I hope to have a mane as comfortable and snug as yours."

"Well I think your own cubs would appreciate it - though you may get a little hot in it. You know, I remember when you were just a baby I was protecting you from the thunderstorm. I was roaring at it to keep it away from you and you tired to roar yourself. Though just a squeak, I saw so much potential in you. You know, Simba? You really are the best son any father could wish for. I don't often tell you that. Father always said he was proud of me and I always wondered what it was like for me to be a father, and when you were born, the question was answered. Everything the light touches is our kingdom but everything my shadows touches is yours."

"You're the best Dad I ever had."

Mufasa rubbed his son's head with his great paw.

"Good night, son."

"Good night, Dad," yawned Simba.

Mufasa gave him a gentle lick as he snuggled comfortably into his mane and closed his eyes for the night, warm and protected.