Chapter One

A/N: I OWN NOTHING!

Shout out to my beta GraceoftheFlower.

Taka ran ahead of Mufasa, laughing as his brother struggled to catch up to him. While his older brother may have been stronger, he was faster.

"Taka, you know you're not supposed to go too far from the den," Mufassa said as he panted.

"Sorry Muffy," Taka said with a small grin. "It's just so great to be ungrounded!"

Mufasa shook his head at his younger brother. "Grow up," he huffed but was happy to hear his old nickname.

"I'm surprised Dad let you out of his sight," Taka said, the grin slipping off his face. Ever since Una had said that the only reason Ahadi kept Taka around was because he needed a second heir incase anything happened to Mufasa, Taka hated being around his brother.

"What's wrong Taka?" Mufasa asked, noticing the change in his brother's mood.

"Nothing," Taka huffed. "Why don't you go lick Sarabi or something?"

"GAH!" Mufasa made a face. "She's my best friend!"

"And your future mate," Taka smirked.

Mufasa pounced on his brother, causing the both of them to roll down the hill they were on.

"Pinned ya!" Taka grinned as they landed.

"Only because we rolled down a hill!"

"Making up excuses, are we future king?"

A sudden light made both cubs gasp, and Mufasa jumped in front of his brother.

"It's a…I don't know what this is?" Mufassa said after inspecting it.

"Then can you get your butt out of my face?" Taka huffed. "Hey, there's a small thing right here! It's got your picture on it Mufasa!"

Mufasa looked over and shook enough. "That lion's older than me," he said.

"Let's go show it to Mom!" Taka said. "You can tug that bigger thing and I'll take the smaller thing."

"Why me?"

"You're the future king, and I'm just the second born," Taka said smugly. Mufasa growled but huffed. He took the odd thing into his mouth and began to drag it. Taka took the small thing into his mouth and walked with a purpose.

"Mother?" Taka called into the den.

"Taka?" Uru said with a smile. Her second cub had been quieter than normal and it made her sad. "What's wrong?"

"We found something," Taka explained. Ahadi also came out of the den.

"Where's Mufasa?" Ahadi asked. Just then Mufassa came, panting, into the den.

"Thanks for waiting, brother," Mufasa growled.

"No problem," Taka grinned.

"What is that, son?" Ahadi asked Mufasa.

"We don't know," Mufasa said, swiping Taka over the head with his paw.

"There's a note," Uru said, preventing Taka from retaliating.

Dear Uru, Ahadi, Mufasa, Taka, Sarabi and Sarafina,

"Wait, Sarabi?" Mufasa perked up. "Where?"

"I smell love," Taka smirked.

"Shut it," Mufasa growled. Just then, two balls of fur bounded into the cave.

"We were told by Rafiki to come here," Sarabi explained. Then she gasped when she saw the King and Queen.

"No bowing is necessary," Uru said with a small smile. "Shall we continue?"

We, the Great Kings/Queens of the Past (More like the Future) Shut it Daddy! We've decided that things have happened that shouldn't happen. So, watch and learn!

K, S, K

"What does that mean?" Sarabi asked.

"It means that the Great Kings have given us a gift," Ahadi said. "We get to learn the future."

The box turned on and all the lions jumped.

{Open, black screen}

{Start nature sound effects}

{Cue Castle screen}

{Fade to black}

{Cue lion roar in the background, calling the animals to gather to Pride Rock for the Ceremony.}

{Sunrise on African grassland (lightly treed), in time with opening chant to The Circle of Life}

MS: Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba

Sarabi and Mufasa both jumped as the sound was at full volume. Taka and Sarafina smirked.

BS: Sithi uhhmm ingonyama

{Various shots of animals raising their heads at the sunrise: rhinos, antelope, a cheetah, meerkats, storks...}

MS: Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba

BS: Sithi uhm ingonyama

Ingonyama

MS: Siyo Nqoba

BS: Ingonyama

Ingonyama nengw' enamabala

{repeats 5}

Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (Sitha ngqwa!)

Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (Eshe!)

{repeats 1}

"That's the Pride Lands!" Uru exclaimed. "What will happen to our home?"

"I hope nothing too serious," Ahadi said with a frown.

{The Circle of Life ground forms in the BS's and holds its pattern for eight bars. It is a non-chordal BS part. The progressions are in the medium ranges of the strings. Various pans and camera views of African animals, all moving. Coinciding with the FS pickup in the eighth bar, we first view the giraffes, panning to a long shot of all the animals in their procession}

[The Circle of life text]

FS: From the day we arrive on the planet

And, blinking, step into the sun

There's more to see than can ever be seen

More to do than can ever be done

{Camera is panning and jumping to elephants, zebras, ants, birds, storks, etc... }

FS: There's far too much to take in here

More to find than can ever be found

But the sun rolling high

Through the sapphire sky

Keeps great and small on the endless round

{When the "The Circle of Life" is mentioned the long- distance pan centers on Pride Rock where all the animals are gathering. Mufasa is on Pride Rock. Long camera arc to Mufasa and Zazu.}

FS: It's the Circle of Life

And it moves us all

{Zazu bows to Mufasa, who smiles and nods at him}

Mufasa felt his jaw drop. So that's what he would look like—so strong and regal. Wait, why was Zazu bowing to him? He wasn't the king!

"All lions must become the grass some day," Ahadi said gently as he saw his son's confusion.

Taka gasped as he too realized what must have happened for Mufasa to become King.

FS: Through despair and hope

Through faith and love

{ Appearance of Rafiki, the mandrill. He passes between ranks of animals, who bow to him; he then climbs Pride Rock to where Mufasa is standing.}

FS: Till we find our place

On the path unwinding

{ Rafiki and Mufasa embrace.}

FS: In the Circle

The Circle of Life

{Decrescendo in BS. FS drops out. Pan Flute takes simple lead.}

{Mufasa leads Rafiki over to Sarabi, who is holding Simba}

"AWW!" Sarafina cooed but Sarabi gasped.

"That's…me?"

"I guess so," Mufasa nodded, trying not to look at her.

"Where am I?" Taka asked, concerned. Why would he miss his nephew or niece's presentation?

"I'm sure nothing happened," Uru soothed her son.

{ Rafiki puts the juice and sand he collects on Simba's brow- a ceremonial crown. He then picks Simba up and ascends to the point of Pride Rock. Mufasa and Sarabi follow. With a crescendo in the music and a restatement of the refrain, Rafiki holds Simba up for the crowd to view.}

FS: It's The Circle of Life

{The crowd starts howling, stamping, etc... }

FS: And it moves us all

Through despair and hope

Through faith and love

"I hope Rafiki doesn't drop him," Sarabi frowned.

"Just like he almost dropped Taka," Mufasa smirked.

"It was raining!" Taka huffed.

"That's what Mother told you!"

"If you are both done acting like six month olds," Ahadi huffed.

{The clouds part and a sunbeam highlights Rafiki and Simba on Pride Rock.}

FS: Till we find our place

{The crowd bows down, one by one.}

FS: On the path unwinding

{Camera slowly zooms out to a striking panoramic view of the Presentation.}

FS: In the Circle

The Circle of Life

{Bass drum hit (fff) and immediate switch to black screen with title "The Lion King" in blood-red caps.}

All the cubs jumped as the sound thudded loudly.

"Well that's one way to gain their attention," Uru chuckled.

{Cue mouse sounds}

{Visual fade into mouse in cave}

{Mouse comes out and starts preening in the light. Begins sniffing. Becomes frightened. Suddenly a large lion paw swoops down and catches him.}

"Poor mouse," Sarafina frowned.

{Cue the Scar theme (dissonant, slow, reed theme). Fade in slowly and up full during speech}

"Is this a bad guy?" Taka asked.

{Camera switch to Scar holding the squeaking and struggling mouse in his paw. He talks to it while playing with it}

"Who's that?" Mufasa asked.

Scar: Life's not fair, is it? You see I - well, I... shall never be King.

"Of course not, creepy lion," Mufasa huffed. "After me is my future cub and then my brother!"

Taka smiled at his brother.

{exhale lightly} And you... shall never see the light of another day. {closed-mouth laughter. Starts to place the mouse on his extended tongue} ... Adieu... {quiet laugh}

Zazu: {Interrupting} Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?

"I hope so," Uru looked at her two boys. "I've told you both several times."

"It's cruel to tease your food," both boys recited.

Scar: {Light sigh. The mouse is under his paw.} What do you want?

Zazu: I'm here to announce that King Mufasa is on his way. {bows} ...So you'd better have a good excuse for missing the ceremony this morning.

"Why would you want to miss it?" Sarafina asked. "It looked beautiful!"

{The mouse runs away from Scar}

Scar: Oh now look, Zazu; you've made me lose my lunch.

Zazu: Hah! You'll lose more than that when the King gets through with you. He's as mad as a hippo with a hernia.

Scar: Oooh... I quiver with FEAR.

{On "FEAR" Scar crouches down and is baring his teeth at Zazu.}

Zazu: {Very concerned} Now Scar, don't look at me that way... HELP!

"Poor Zazu," Taka said. "That lion really must be evil, to try to eat Zazu like that."

"You do it every day," Mufasa reminded his brother.

"Zazu said I could," Taka defended his actions. "After all, there's nothing to do in the cave!"

{Scar quickly pounces on the bird, catching him in his mouth.}

Mufasa: {Almost immediately and off-camera} Scar! ...

Scar: {Mouth full} Mm-hmm?

Mufasa: Drop him.

Zazu: {Speaking from Scar's mouth}

All the cubs chuckled at the idea of a lion with a beak poking out of his mouth.

Impeccable timing, your majesty.

{Scar spits the bird out, covered with saliva}

Zazu: {Slimed} Eyyccch.

"Yuck!" Sarabi made a face.

Scar: {Sarcastically overjoyed} Why! If it isn't my big brother

"THAT'S ME?" Taka gasped, shocked.

"It can't be," Mufasa shook his head. "You don't have a scar for one."

"But he said that you were his big brother," Taka pointed out. He was disappointed. He had hoped to become big and strong when he was older—not that weedy thing!

"I guess we'll find out," Ahadi said, hoping that the jealous lion really wasn't his Taka.

descending from on high to mingle with the commoners.

Mufasa: Sarabi and I didn't see you at the presentation of Simba.

"Maybe you were sick?" Sarafina said, trying to cheer up her friend.

Scar: {Faking astonishment} That was today? Oh, I feel simply awful.

{He turns and start scraping his claws on the rock wall. Zazu cringes at the sound.}

All the cubs cringed as well.

"Really Taka?" Mufasa shook his head to clear his hearing.

Scar: {Admiring his claws} ...Must have slipped my mind.

"Why would it?" Taka asked, disappointed with himself.

Zazu: Yes, well, as slippery as your mind is, as the king's brother, you should have been first in line!

I should have, Taka thought as he looked down at his paws.

{Scar clicks his teeth at Zazu, who has flown near his face. Zazu takes cover behind Mufasa's foreleg. Scar bends down to speak to him.}

Scar: Well, I was first in line... until the little hairball was born.

"You were a little hairball as well," Mufasa told his brother, trying to get him to stop looking at his paws.

Mufasa: {Lowering his head and meeting Scar eye to eye} That "hairball" is my son... and your future king.

Scar: Ohh, I shall practice my curtsy.

{Scar turns away and starts to exit}

Mufasa: {Warning} Don't turn your back on me, Scar.

"Boys," Uru warned.

"Mother, it's the future," Mufasa said. "We can't do anything about it."

Scar: {Looking back} Oh, no, Mufasa. Perhaps you shouldn't turn your back on me.

Mufasa: {Roars and literally jumps in front of Scar, baring his teeth for the first time} Is that a challenge?

"I wouldn't win if it was," Taka said in a soft voice. "Everyone knows that Mufasa's the stronger one."

Scar: Temper, temper. I wouldn't dream of challenging you.

Zazu: Pity! Why not?

Scar: {Looking at Zazu} Well, as far as brains go, I got the lion's share. But, when it comes to brute strength {looking at Mufasa} ...I'm afraid I'm at the shallow end of the gene pool.

{Exit Scar}

Zazu: {Deep sigh} There's one in every family, sire... Two in mine, actually. {perches on Mufasa's shoulder} And they always manage to ruin special occasions.

"Really?" Ahadi looked curious. "Maybe I'll do something for him."

Mufasa: What am I going to do with him?

Zazu: He'd make a very handsome throw rug.

"Aww! I thought Zazu liked me," Taka huffed.

Mufasa: {Chiding} Zazu!

Thanks brother, Taka thought with a smile.

Zazu: And just think! Whenever he gets dirty, you could take him out and BEAT him.

{They exit, chuckling. Pan out into open savannah.}

[Painting Scene]

{Rise in music- "This Land" track- with theme stated in African flute, it broadens eventually with chorus and full orchestra. We see a rainstorm gently crossing the savannah. Multiplane camera approach to Rafiki's baobab tree. Camera switch to inside the tree. Rafiki is doing hand paintings on the wall. We see he is completing a lion cub.}

Rafiki: {Mutters to himself, in which the word "Simba" can be heard} Hmmm... Ah heh heh heh heh heh... {completing the ceremonial crown in the painting} Simba.

{Horns and brass close theme in a stately manner with a decrescendo. Fade to black keeping the painting of the cub as a crossover to the fade in of Pride Rock in early morning}

"Is that Simba?" Taka asked, excited to hear about his future nephew.

"I guess so," Sarabi smiled, thinking about her future son.