Meanwhile at the baobab tree, Bambi was staring into the open too. He couldn't sleep.

"What are we looking at?" asked a voice from behind.

Bambi didn't need to look to know it was Rafiki. "Nothing, really."

"May I join?"

Bambi shrugged and Rafiki took it as an invitation. For a short while, they sat in silence.

"You are tense," said the baboon.

"I... don't know if I'd say that. I just have a lot on my mind."

"Like?"

"Like... Rafiki, do you really think this will work?" Rafiki didn't respond. "I mean, if I'm going to stay a lion then I should be out there, proving myself."

"How?"

"Well." Bambi hesitated. "Scar said I have to bring my prey back to the den."

"And you'll prove yourself by doing what he says?"

"He is king. He has to know something, right?"

"I know him," said Rafiki bluntly, "Very strong, very powerful that lion. There are things to learn from that. But he knows not of honor and respect. He thinks it is something he alone can grant and that is simply not true."

"Respect," muttered Bambi, thoughtfully.

"I know you are new to this. Going from prey to predator cannot be easy."

There was a pause. "What would you do?" asked Bambi at last.

"It does not matter what I would do. However, I would want to learn. The question, now, is what do you want from your experience?" Bambi didn't know how to answer so said nothing. "Okay, let us try this," ventured Rafiki, "What do you want right now?"

That was a much easier question. "I want Scar off my back," said Bambi.

"There you go. And you will achieve this by 'proving yourself'?" The realization hit Bambi hard. "I will not tell you what to do, Bambi," finished Rafiki, "but you do not need to turn into him. Now get some rest, you will need it."

With that, the baboon left the lion alone. His last words confused him. Did he know that he was going to see Nala tomorrow? As if he needed more on his mind.

***

Simba stood at the gateway. "Okay. I'm going to do this." He was anxious to get it over with, yet he wasn't moving. "Its just a quick visit. A quick visit can't hurt." His legs wouldn't move. "Just... come on!"

Using all of his will power, he slowly lifted his leg and took a single step into the oasis. The light shifted as if the sun had set a little.

Simba felt better and took a much more confident step forward. But as he did, an image of himself flashed in front of him. He recoiled in shock.

"What?" He brushed it off as nothing and took another step forward. "It's okay, this is good," he said, trying to convince himself. It got darker and darker.

Another image flashed. This time it was a group of lions. "Nothing to worry about." His steps became shaky.

Both images flashed with the lions slowly coming towards his image. It was like an out-of-body experience. "I don't need to see anyone." He struggled to keep a straight face. "And even if I did..." He remembered the lynx. As he did, one lion in particular flashed her gaze at him and he froze just past the gateway. Night had fallen completely and the oasis before him turned pitch black engulfing the images before anything could happen. His anxiety took over; something was out there, looking for prey. Looking for him. He couldn't do it; he turned and fled back into the forest.

As he ran, the wind whistled around him. He could've sworn it was trying to say something but its words were indistinguishable.

Simba ran through the forest, dodging trees. He kept looking back, to see if he was being followed. Though he couldn't see anything, he knew he was so he kept running. But something was off. His legs felt like they were working differently, he could feel the dirt between his... toes? And his tail was swishing about, as if longer. Was he a lion again?

The trees began to thin out until there was nothing but open space. Then everything happened at once. Simba checked to see if he was still being chased when his legs gave out from beneath him and he fell forward into a body of water that wasn't there before. He looked back just in time to see his reflection. He was still a deer.

The water was deeper than it looked; deep enough to completely submerge him. Despite this, he wasn't wet and he could still breath.

Simba landed upright in what could be described as a shapeless room. He looked up and saw a silhouetted lion in front of him. Despite its domineering presence, Simba felt no fear.

"What?" he asked. The lion just stared at him. "Get away from me!" demanded Simba.

"Such hostility," said the lion sagely, "It's not like you."

"I just don't want you to see me like this, okay?"

"Why?"

Simba stood firm. "Why? Why?!" He advanced on the lion. "How about because I'm a deer? I'm only prey now!"

"So you're just going to leave everything behind?"

"I have no choice!" finished Simba with clenched eyes, "Look at me, how could I possibly be your son?!"

Mufasa smiled wickedly, stepping into the light. As he did so, he took the form of Scar.

"You can't." He lunged at Simba with an open maw and...

"DAD!" Simba woke with a scream. Birds flew from their perches. Simba just sat there breathing heavily. He was safe. So long as he never went back, he was safe. The thought alone was unbearable.