The Lion King

Prologue - Circle of Life

Prologue

A moment. A voice. A whisper. A roar that changed the world.

The cry was deep, full, and meaningful, a sound so consumed with power that not a pair of listening ears could ignore it. Time went on and with it, the voice, carrying, carrying, carrying on the wind. It was in that precarious moment that the air was pierced, the peace shattered, and the bound of the world broken. It was in that moment that a great act came into play, an act which would set the stage for all acts to follow. It was in that moment that a mighty king was born.

As the roar played out across the land, the sun broke the horizon, and light consumed the savanna. It spread like a giant blanket across the expanse of the plains, flooding the sky in brilliant rays of yellow, orange, and red.

As the light spread and the roar permeated the savanna, a rhino raised its old head. Eyes bleary with sleep focused on the sky, yet they saw through the blue somehow, through to the meaning behind the day. Antelope looked to the sky as well, and they too saw beyond the blue. In an almost impossible act, the meerkats halted their guarding and playing and working just long enough to survey what was to come of their great land. And a cheetah, the grandest of them all, proud and strong, put aside his vanity in an attempt to take in the new sun that had come to pass. Indeed this day was different.

Slowly, gradually, in a rhythm of unexplainable beauty, the animals began to awaken. Wings were spread, and birds took to the air. Elephants tromped knowingly past the distant mountains. Springbok, with their dainty hooves and slender legs, pranced playfully through the mists still clinging to early dawn. And the sun, in all its beauty, rose higher.

In the same unexplainable rhythm, a single herd began to form on the land below. Predator walked beside prey with no yearning to kill, and prey walked beside predator with no fear. This was a day of peace, a day of rejoicing, and all were connected in an unbreakable bond.

The herd moved steadily through the savanna, and in the midst of it all, a giraffe and her baby crested a hill. Sunlight spilled across the grass, and the smaller animal, blinking, stepped into the sun. Down below, the herd moved rhythmically across the savanna, their shrill cries reaching her ears, even across so wide a distance. Out of the corner of her eye, the baby saw her mother take off down the hill, and, in a flurry, she raced to follow, her legs tripping over themselves in their haste to keep up.

Across the plains, past the giraffes and the other gathered animals, dappled sunlight reflected off the water of a calm river. In an instant, the glassy pool was shattered, and a herd of zebras splashed playfully through, their loud voices braying to one another as they climbed out onto the opposite bank. As the rest of the herd crossed the water, their pace quickened, for they could now sense the close proximity of the destiny awaiting their land. Sun shining down, wind sweeping past, the herd crested the hill. There, across the savanna, silhouetted against the sapphire sky, stood Pride Rock.

Foot after paw after talon fell into the damp earth as the herd surged forward. Their steps were quick and eager, yet as they walked, a shadow passed over them, the quickest and eagerest of them all. A majestic red-billed hornbill, with wings the color of the sky and eyes as deep as the raging river, swooped down over the herd, his wide wings reflecting the pale light of the birthing day. Up ahead but getting closer each moment, a massive figure stood atop the peak of Pride Rock. His head was held high, shoulders rolled back regally, and he stared thoughtfully into the distance, as if pondering the outcome of this most exalted day.

As the bird reached the tip of Pride Rock, he alighted squarely in front of the figure, who looked down at him as he landed. Spreading his wings wide, the hornbill bowed low to the ground, the tips of his feathers nearly brushing the warm rock. After a moment, he looked up and met the giant amber eyes of the great cat. The lion gazed down at him for a moment, contemplating, before his face broke into a warm smile.