Human in the Pridelands: chapter 4

Over a span of about ten years, Sumi adjusted to jungle life rather nicely. She was a lot like a real lion cub, aside from her flesh and hair. Her hair was now in pigtails tied together with animal bones and she wore longer rags as her body became more developed. She was best friends with Simba, Nala, and even a rather spoiled cub named Tama sometimes. Sumi was noticed to be human by the others, but they treated her equally as Mumo and Baba had always wanted. Sumi often hunted with a sharp rock she carved to be like a knife in order to hunt and defend for herself as she remembered she had oposable thumbs.

If you ignored her flesh and hair, Sumi was like another lion cub in the Pridelands. Sumi was hopping after an African bull frog as Mufasa and Simba walked on by having a tour of the jungle.

"Hi Simba!" Sumi greeted with a warm smile.

"Hey Sumi!" Simba greeted back. He walked over toward her. "Dad's giving me a tour of Pride Rock. When I get big I get to rule it all."

"That's really awesome, Simba." Sumi tried to pounce on the frog and laughed wildly.

"Your best friend will become your new king," Mufasa pointed out. "Remember Simba, you must respect all creatures from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope."

"But Mufasa, don't you guys eat the antelope?" Sumi asked, out of the blue.

"Yes, we do," Mufasa told her. "But here's the thing. When we die, our bodies become the grass, then antelopes eat the grass."

"What happens to me when I die?" Sumi sounded panicked suddenly.

"Don't worry, Sumi, you'll go down in history as the human of the pridelands." Mufasa smiled at the human. "We are all connected in the great Circle of Life."

"Good morning, Sire!" Zazu flew over.

"Good morning, Zazu." Mufasa welcomed him.

"Checking in on the morning report." Zazu bowed respectfully.

"Fire away." Mufasa allowed him.

Sumi and Simba got distracted once they saw a grasshopper. As Zazu went on with his report, the two tried to pounce and attack their prey for practice. Sumi had her blade in her teeth as she followed Simba on the attack. Mufasa then noticed them.

"Kids, what are you doing?" Mufasa asked.

"Pouncing." Simba replied as he opened his paws and the grasshopper wasn't there.

"Mom and Dad said I should practice." Sumi added.

"Now, now, now," Mufasa looked down at them both. "Let an old pro show you how it's done. Stay low to the ground."

"Low to the ground," the cubs copied.

"I told the elephants to forget it, but they can't!" Zazu rambled on.

"Zazu, would you turn around?" Mufasa requested.

"Yes Sire," Zazu turned around as he went on with his report. He then heard the lions and human talking. "What's going on back there?"

"A pouncing lesson," Mufasa replied.

"Oh, very good, pouncing." Zazu turned around satisfied with the answer, then panicked. "POUNCING!? Oh, no, sire, you can't be serious!"

Mufasa spun a circle with his paw to make Zazu turn around, much to his humilation. Mufasa whispered more to the cubs as Zazu felt he knew what was coming.

"What are you telling them, Mufasa?" Zazu asked and noticed he was alone. "Mufasa? Simba? Sumi?"

Zazu turned back and was pounced viciously by Sumi and Simba as he was flat on his back on the grassland. Mufasa laughed at the turn out.

"That's very good, you two!" Mufasa laughed. "Sumi, you've adjusted well, I'd swear you were a lion in a human's body!"

Sumi and Simba went back to Mufasa as Zazu got an incoming message from the Pridelands.

"Now, this time-" Mufasa put his paw around Sumi.

"Sire!" Zazu squawked. "Hyenas! In the Pridelands!"

"Zazu, take Sumi and Simba home." Mufasa lept away.

"Aw, Dad, can't we-" Simba was cut off.

"No, son." Mufasa ran off with that to take care of business.

"I never get to go anywhere." Simba left in a huff.

"Oh young master, one day you will be king and then you can chase those slobbery, mangy, stupid poachers from dawn til dusk!" Zazu said as he flew over the children.

"Can I come over?" Sumi asked. "Mom and Dad said it's okay while they go grocery hunting."

"It's alright with me, Sumi." Zazu smiled.

"You wanna meet my Uncle Scar?" Simba asked.

"I've heard a lot about him from my parents," Sumi replied. "Ah, what the heck? I like meeting new people...erm...lions..."

"Let's go then!" Simba raced Sumi to Pride Rock.