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"Simba, Kion and Rani and the grandchildren are almost here!"
Simba barely awoke from the nap upon the call of his mate.
"Give me five minutes." Simba requested.
"Oh, Simba." Nala said, warmly, keeping back laughing. "Their triplets wore you down real good playing around."
Simba turned his head aside away from her.
"Five minutes." Simba requested.
Nala licked the side of his face.
"You'll get it, my king." Nala said, amused.
Simba remained there for a few minutes catching a snooze.
Being absolutely drained of energy was a hefty price to pay. What if something happened to Kovu and Nala and the cubs didn't have anything to work with after his passing? Parting some advice for them as a great kind enjoying the starting embers of his daughter's reign and Vitani's and Kopa's well done protection of the pride land. He considered it a favor, a duty, for his daughter and son-in-law.
The grandkids found grubs appalling. Not every dietary perks were for everyone, Simba knew. But saying it was better than when hard days hit the pride lands.
Where had the years gone since then? When he had all the energy in the entire world to spare? A big reason why he had to abdicate the throne allowing Kiara and Kovu to emerge from Pride Rock to the tip side by side showing themselves off to the pride lands. United.
Time was all being slow and kind to him all the same experiencing the circle of life properly. What his father was robbed off seeing him in person arise to the throne alongside Sarabi and his uncle Scar. A visual that had all the bitterness and sorrow than anything could imagine. It weighed in weeping trees that swayed from side to side against the wind, it weighed in heavy clouds, it weighed in immense heartache, all in a a visual that never happened. All of it dashed by a uncle who had been gunning for the throne for a very long time that couldn't be avoided.
His time was drawing to a close in the great pride lands. Simba could sense it and smell it in the air. The air was different, smelling it. He didn't know how else to describe it. There was a change in the air. It couldn't be touched. Simba didn't know when he would be leaving the pride rock and going home with Nala but he knew that he would know on his last days. Something comforting in the great circle of life.
His face was coated in scars from prior fights defending the pride lands. His ears were heavily tattered. His mane dulled more than it had been in the years that had transpired revealing a old lion, but he looked so young. Never mind his teeth that were becoming increasingly worn down which made it hard to eat. Without having been raised by Timon and Pumbaa, Simba would otherwise be starving by now.
What Kiara and Kovu got only summoned envy and then relief.
To watch a loved one slowly fading away.
The solace taken in that he could remember his father at his best in his prime instead of the glow receding away replaced by a dulled old lion that became smaller over time.
Simba got up to his feet then shook his mane and looked up facing the brightly glowing golden light from the entrance of the cavern.
His jaw fell slightly at the figure whose shadow strayed further into the cavern.
"Father?"
Simba called out taking a few steps forward, his lips lifting, his eyebrows lifting at the prospect of his father opting to come pick him up personally to join the great kings in the night sky
The lion stepped forward further getting closer to Simba revealing the facial scars, some differences in the face to Mufasa when it came to the face but similar enough, the forehead paint, made his identity far more clear.
"What did you say, father?" Kion asked, concerned.
His voice was deep -- similar to his grandfather's-- and rich causing Simba to stand there for a long moment. Jarring. Being called father by a lion very similar to Mufasa. Being called father by Mufasa was surreal. And then it was heavy reminders that this was a entirely different lion scarred by Scar. Or more else, Taka, a name that hung over the pride land for years. More than Askari.
He looked like a very great king in contrast to Simba who looked like a normal pride lion thrust into ruling the pride lands making mistakes along the way.
Simba's eyes became filled in paternal affection.
"You look a lot like your grandfather." Simba noted, softly, watching Kopa join Kion's side.
The differences were incredible between the brothers, one resembled Mufasa, the other resembled a mix of Simba and Nala, both of them had scars on their faces. Their smiles were all different making their unique facial features stand out and the pride in their eyes were all the same.
"We're going hunting for antelope, like to join?" Kopa offered.
Their manes were different, Kopa had Simba's mane but the hair bangs were numerous more than Simba's and the mane was darker.
"On a diet." Simba said.
Kopa turned around facing the outside.
"He said, no, Kovu!" Kopa announced.
Kopa left the cavern as Kion laughed then faced the old great king.
"Can't fault him for wanting meat on your bones." Kion mused, then turned back in his direction and his features softened gazing on the older lion.. "Kiara told me that you're not hunting as often as you should."
Simba lowered his head then walked around the cavern as he sighed then faced Kion.
"It's hard to run these days, lunge even, my teeth can't dig into a zebra as they used to," then he turned back toward Kion then hung his head. "it's like play fighting." The older lion had a long drawn out sigh. "Sometimes in my old age, I wish Zira was successful; old age is worse."
Kion joined Simba's side then nuzzled him.
"Does Kiara know?" Kion asked.
Simba looked aside for a thoughtful moment.
"She is deep in denial about it." Simba said.
Kion backed off then sat on his back legs.
"She does know." Kion observed.
Simba sat down, sighing.
"It's been happening often enough for her to notice." Simba admitted, reflecting over the down ward spiral of his health. "It started out slowly, over time, to stop eating meat, I haven't eaten meat in..."
"...How long?" Kion asked, leaning his head forward.
Simba closed his eyes, tightly, then looked up.
"Let's just say a very long time between the two of us." Simba said. "Nala, she's, she's, she's..."
"She's doing really well compared to you." Kion said it out loud.
Simba closed his eyes, sighing heavily, then lifted his head up.
"Only because she has been following my lead." Simba said.
Kion's jaw slightly fell at the commentary from the great king.
"You've been ordering her to eat." Kion said, gaping.
"A member of the pride lands must obey a great king's orders, Kion." Simba said, turning away, walking away, taking another sigh.
Kion looked toward the large slab where he once slept as a cub alongside his sister, his father, and mother. Higher and elevated above all the lionesses but, now, he wasn't. Regardless of that fact, Nala held him above every lion's head in the highest regard and treated him as if he were still king. He still had a part in the great circle of life that needed closing. And he was headed right that way, Kion could see, and he wasn't going to be alone after leaving the pride lands unlike last time.
"Using it as the last bit of power for my daughter and the pride lands. The kids deserve to have their grandparents in their lives much longer than Uru and Ahadi." His head bobbed up thinking about it. "No, wait, Ahadi died in the gorge according to your grandmother."
Simba looked out the entrance of the cavern as a stray realization hit him.
"Exactly... the ... same... way... as..."
Simba didn't quite finish the thought.
"As what, father?"
If his father showed compassion from the great beyond and forgiveness then he could to for the dead. For they were blinded by matters that were unfinished. Flawed. And love them all the same for their flaws.
"It's a family thing, the gorge, where I nearly died that one time, no twice, yes, it was twice." Simba's head lifted recalling the traumatic points in his life where he was threatened. "Scar got rid of your grandfather and grandfather."
"Father, that was a sink hole." Kion said, turning his head aside, his eyebrows pressed together then lifting one in concern.
Simba walked on toward the entrance of the cavern then turned his head toward Kion.
"It was and it still applies." Simba said. "Kion..." He paused for a moment then looked at him. "You've talked to your grandfather a lot and you barely realize for yourself that you look a lot like him."
"A brain fart, father." Kion said.
Simba's tail flickered from side to side looking at his son in a moment of warmth. His pride, his jewel, his joy. He was the one who Simba got to be part of his childhood longer than Kopa. A gift handed to him by Scar who had broken the pride in more ways than one and gave him scars himself where it mattered and then made up for it, seemingly, making them stronger, uniting them, teaching lessons the hard way to Simba instead of the nice and gentle way by Mufasa.
Simba got to see him leave on his terms with the lion guard and embark on getting a throne that wasn't his goal as a cub. Kion got to say goodbye to Simba. Simba didn't have that opportunity with his father.
Reinforcing the thought that had entered his mind.
"I am very proud of you, Kion." Simba said.
Simba walked out of the cavern then Kion sighed and followed behind him, slowly.