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The morning sun glows in the magnificent Tree Of Life. A mandrill, known to everyone as Makini, Queen Rani's royal mjuzi, walks through the forest after helping an injured animal.

This young mandrill has gray hair, lightening on the belly, and dark brown hair on her legs and arms, extending to her hands. Her neck contains a brown fur collar and her hair is a little dark brown. Her hands, feet and snout are pink and her face is formed by the same gray of her body, with two blue outlines below her eyes. A large magenta streak extends from her nose to her forehead, until close to her eyebrows. Her eyes are olive green.

While making her way back to the Tree Of Life, Makini begins recalling some events from the past few years. A lot has happened since Makini arrived with her friends at the Tree Of Life. Kion and his friends returned to the Pride Lands and found that Vitani, a former enemy, was now a friend and had formed her own Lion Guard. With the Pride Lands protected, Kion and his friends returned to the Tree Of Life to join the Night Pride. Of course, from time to time, they go back to the Pride Lands to visit their families and friends.

Makini's happy to be Queen Rani's royal mjuzi. They're good friends and it's an honor to be in such a wonderful and magical place. Makini learned a lot about the Tree Of Life and its powers, since she got there with the Guard.

Sometimes she thinks of her former teacher Rafiki, King Simba's royal mjuzi. Makini learned a lot from him and she was destined to be Rafiki's successor. But destiny is uncertain and she ended up becoming mjuzi at the Tree Of Life. According to what Kion told her, Rafiki was happy for her and he accepted her decision well. He said that despite his age, he still has a lot of energy and he believes that soon he will find a new apprentice.

Makini smiles, remembering the day she arrived in the Pride Lands, full of enthusiasm. A few more steps ahead, Makini meets the tigress Varya with her boyfriend, a friendly tiger who came to live here a few weeks ago. He helps Varya with the children and seems to like her very much. Makini smiles when she sees the couple in love. Something that has also happened in the last years: all her friends from the former Lion Guard have a mate.

Obviously, Kion joined Queen Rani and he's now King of the Tree Of Life, as well as her mate. Bunga and Binga elevated their relationship beyond the challenges of the honey badgers. They're now mates. Azaad decided to live in the Tree Of Life and it wasn't long before he and Fuli also became mates. Although they had took longer than their friends, Ono and Beshte also ended up finding their mates. Ono met a blind white egret and he helped her with her blindness. The friendship between them grew with the support that Ono gave her and they both ended up falling in love, becoming mates. Beshte's case was more complicated. He met a hippo younger than him. She came to the Tree Of Life to flee her pod, where she was always mistreated. Some members of her pod tried to enter the Tree Of Life, but the Night Pride eventually expelled them. Then, Beshte and the female hippo fell in love and became mates. Even Anga fell in love with an orange and white feathered martial eagle. The keenest of sight also deserves to have a mate.

When thinking about these couples, Makini recalls the last conversation he had with Rafiki, when he went to visit her a few months ago:

"So, Makini? Do you have a mate too?" Asked Rafiki with a cheeky smile on his face.

"N-No, Rafiki." She replied with shame. "I don't have time for that things. I have a lot of work now that as Queen Rani's royal mjuzi."

"You haven't found a mate yet, but soon you will find."

"What do you mean, Rafiki?!" She asked confused.

"Oh, I had a vision."

"A vision?!"

"Yes. Yes. The spirits showed me that you will find someone you don't like and soon you both will be mates."

"But Rafiki. That's impossible!" Makini didn't believe the old mandrill's words. "How can I fall in love with someone I don't like?"

"Rani didn't like Kion, did she?"

This statement left Makini paralyzed to think.

"Oh, young Makini. Love is complicated. Hahaha."

Makini shakes his head, wanting to erase that memory. "No, Makini. Forget it. It's impossible for such a thing to happen." The young mandrill continues her journey, thinking about what she will paint when she reaches the tree. She walks while singing: "It's the wisdom. Wisdom. Wisdom on the walls. It's the wisdom. Wisdom. Wisdom on the walls." She wants to take advantage of the absence of the king and queen to paint quietly.

However, the young mandrill is interrupted by a male voice: "What a beautiful voice." Makini turns around, trying to find out where that voice came from, but she doesn't see anyone. "Up here, dolly." She looks up and sees a male mandrill, hanging from the branch of a tree. The male jumps in front of the female, standing up to show his structure. He appears to be a little older than Makini, but he has the physique of a young and strong mandrill, being slightly taller than her. His fur is brownish gray, lightening a little on the chest and darkening on the arms and legs. His hair is brown, just like the fur collar around his neck. the fur on his face is the same color as his body, with the same blue outlines that Makini has under her eyes. However, his low that extends from the nose to the forehead, between his eyebrows, is light red.

"W-Who are you?!" Makini asks, feeling a little intimidated by the stranger's physical structure.

"My name is Nogazi. And what's your name, dear?"

"I... I'm Makini."

"Makini. Wow. I love it. Tell me, Makini. What is a hot girl like you doing here alone?" Nogazi shows a provocative smile, while placing a hand on her left shoulder.

"I... I..." Makini's amazed and, at the same time, scared by the mandrill's attitude. Gaining courage to face him, she removes his hand from her shoulder and takes uses her staff, threatening him and asking firmly: "Get away from me. I'm the royal mjuzi of Rani, the queen of the Tree Of Life."

"Hey. Easy, girl." Nogazi uses his hands to push Makini's staff away.

"What do you want? How did you get through Ullu?" Makini's afraid that Nogazi is a troublemaker.

"Oh. Are you talking about that owl? Don't worry. I kept her entertained with some mice. Hehe."

"Oh. Ok." The mjzui's relieved to know that he hasn't hurt anyone.

"So." Nogazi approaches Makini with a seductive walk, realizing that she's now calmer. "You're a royal mjuzi. Interesting." Makini steps back, wanting to get away from the male, but ends up hitting his back against a tree trunk. "How does it feel to be a royal mjuzi?" Nogazi takes the opportunity to get as close to her as possible. He rests his hands on the trunk, placing Makini's flushed head between them. "It's funny? It seems to be... exhausting." Right now, Nogazi has his head almost against hers.

"I... Uh... Well..." Makini's quite embarrassed by the male's proximity. Her body seems to have warmed up and her cheeks are on fire. "No... It's not as bad as it looks." She responds. "It actually turns out to be quite rewarding."

"I guess it is. You seem to be very happy as a mjuzi. Besides, I've never seen anyone so charming, attractive, lovely..." Nogazi gets closer to Makini, showing his seductive smile, while looking into her beautiful shiny eyes.

"I..." Makini's unresponsive, watching the male's beautiful blueberry eyes in front of her. Their bodies are almost touching and Nogazi has his mouth almost touching hers. Mkini feels sweat starting to slide down her forehead. No. I can't be feeling this. Suddenly, Makini lowers her head and passes under Nogazi's hands, leaving him surprised by her attitude.

"What's up?!" Nogazi turns to face the female, now with an upset face.

"You need to go now. You invaded the Tree Of Life!"

"Hey. Easy, doll. I and the kids I don't want to hurt anyone."

"You and the... kids?!" Makini's confused. What is he talking about?!

"Boys! You can show up!"

After Nogazi screams, a big group of teenage mandrills appears in the tree jumping from branch to branch and making happy noises. The group divides to play. Some slat and shout around Makini and Nogazi, while others play in the branches of the tree. Makini watches them confused and concerned, while Nogazi laughs at the games of the hyperactive mandrills.

"But... But... What's this?!"

"They're cute. Don't you think, sweetie?"

"Nogazi! What are they doing here?!"

"These little ones are my troop and we travel a lot to find a place like this, where we can relax and have a good time."

"What?!" Makini's incredulous.

"We're going to live here for a while, so you better get used to the idea and... to me." Nogazi winks at her.

"No!" Makini's upset. "You can't come here and do what you want and when you want! This is a safe haven for sick and endangered animals! And it isn't you who decide whether you can live here or not!"

"Oh, don't worry, sweetie. The kids and I will only be here for a week. Also, look at them. They just wanna play."

Makini looks back at the group. The mandrills are jumping randomly between tree branches, making a lot of noise. "Shuari!" She tries to calm the teenagers, but without success. Then she decides to shout: "SHUARI!" Upon hearing the mjuzi's scream, all the mandrills stop looking at her. "Asante. Now, please, get off that tree, okay?" The mandrills look at each other, before jumping from the tree, continuing their "party". "Oh no." Makini lowers her head, dismayed and worried, when she sees the madrills running towards the Tree Of Life.

Nogazi puts a hand on Makini's left shoulder, comforting her. "I'll be right back, baby." Then he starts running after the younger ones.

"Where are you going?!" Makini asks, confused.

"I'll make sure they don't screw up anything! I'll be right back, beauty!" Nogazi gives Makini a blow kiss, making her blush again.

The royal mjuzi feels that maybe Nogazi isn't that bad, but she has to stop that hyperactive group from doing something stupid. "It's better call the Guard." The mandrill hurries to run in another direction.

As had been agreed a few years ago, the Night Pride defends the Tree Of Life at night and the Royal Guard defends it at day. (The former Lion Guard changed their name after Kion's coronation.) Both groups are talking at their usual morning meeting, before the Night Pride goes resting and the Royal Guard go on patrol.

"Did moles do damage again?" Asks Kion. He's now an adult lion with a big red mane that reminds him of his father.

"Don't worry about that, Kion." Rani answers. "The Night Guard has already resolved the matter. The moles have now a new home, away from any animal. They can make the holes they want." Rani's now an adult lioness with an elegant and majestic body.

Rani's brother Baliyo lets out a big yawn. "What if we went sleeping, little sister?" Baliyo has grown a lot and he's now taller than his sister.

"Good idea. See you later, my king." Rani leans her head against Kion's mane, purring.

"See you later, my queen." Kion leans his head agaisnt Rani's, also purring.

Suddenly, the romantic moment is interrupted by a worried mandrill: "Queen Rani! King Kion!"

"Makini?!"

Makini arrives there, gasping tiredly: "I need... your help."

"Calm down, Makini." Asks Kion. "What happened?"

"Mandrills... intruders. They went... to the Tree Of Life!"

"What?!" Rani's amazed. "Ullu didn't say anything to us."

"It's a long story."

"Night Guard. Royal Guard. We have to stop them fast." Says Kion.

"Makini. Show us the way." Asks Rani.

"This way!" Without wasting time, Makini runs, guiding her friends who run after her.

"With strength and respect, together we protect!"

"There goes my rest." Baliyo comments sleepily.

Anga uses her keen eyesight and detects some movements in a tall tree, not far from the Tree Of Life. "I see something."

"Very well, Anga." Says Kion. "Show us the way."

"Anga lenga!" Anga accelerates and the others accelerate behind her.

When they arrive there, they see several mandrills hanging from the branches of the tree, while eating some fruits. Among them, a taller madrill seems to be talking. The Guards hide behind bushes listening the conversation, as does Makini, who seems more interested in listening than her friends.

"Well. At least they didn't enter the Tree Of Life." Bunga comments.

"Quiet, Bunga. They can hear you." Warns Ono.

On the tree, Nogazi scolds the youngest mandrills: "You should only get what you need. Nothing more."

"But there's a lot of food around here!" A mandrill complains and Nogazi hits him on his head with a small stick. "Ouch! What was that for?"

"There are many animals here that need eating and some of them may need more than we do. And greed is a very ugly thing."

"Hey! That's mine!" A female voice is heard screaming.

"What was that?!" Nogazi looks over there.

"It looks Astuto." Rani recognizes the voice. They remain hidden, watching what's happening.

Astuto, the fox with gray-blue fur, lighter fur on her belly and darker on her paws, is trying to hold the fruit she has picked up, while a mandrill tries to remove the fruit from her hands. "Drop it! That's for my family!" The mandrill manages to take the fruit from the fox, who gets angry: "Grrr! Give it to me!" Astuto tries to bite the cheeky mandrill, who moves away and makes a grimace.

At that moment, Nogazi lands in front of the mandrill and hits his head with the stick. "Ouch!"

"Danganya." (Danganaya means "cheat" in Swahili.)"You shouldn't steal. That's wrong and very bad. If you do that again, you won't eat for dinner." Danganya lowers his head with regret. Nogazi returns the fruit to the fox: "Here it is, my lady. Sorry about what happened. He's just a kid."

"Oh. Don't worry about it. What matters the most is that he learned his lesson."

"Of course. I'm sure he won't steal again."

"Now I need to go back to my family. Thank you for your help."

"You're welcome. I'm happy to help. " Nogazi smiles, watching the fox leave. Then he looks back at Danganya with a disappointed face: "I'm very disappointed with you. Go. To the tree. Now." Danganya obeys without protest and Nogazi goes after him.

Behind the bushes, everyone is amazed by Nogazi's behavior.

"Hevi kabisa." Kion is amazed.

"Wow. I wasn't expecting that." Surak comments.

"Un-Bunga-lievable."

"After all, it looks like this mandrill respects the circle of life." Kion says.

"Yeah." Makini happily agrees. "He really has a lot of honor. And he's so cute."

Everyone looks at her, amazed by the comment.

"Makini has a crush. Makini has a crush." Bunga hums.

"No, I'm not! Bunga! Stop it!" Makini scolds the honey badger, but she can't hide her pink face.

"I'll pretend to believe."

"Guys. What if we were to greet them?"

Everyone leaves the bushes, including Baliyo who was sleeping and had to be woken up by Nirmala.

"Hello!" Kion catches the eye of the mandrills.

"Oh. Hi. Who are you?!" Nogazi asks.

"We are the Night Pride and the Royal Guard. Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"Oh. Well. My name is Nogazi and this is my troop. We don't wanna cause any problems."

"So what do you want?" Rani asks in an authoritative tone.

"We only want to stay here for a week. Don't worry. We don't eat tood much." He notices Makini and smiles at her: "Oh. Hi, dolly. How you going?"

Makini lowers her head, trying to hide her flushed face and Bunga laughs at her reaction.

"You invaded these lands without authorization." Rani's upset, making Nogazi sad.

"But once you respect the circle of life and you defended Astuto, we'll give you an opportunity to leave without any fuss." Kion's words cheers Nogazi.

"As you wish. We'll leave. But..." Nogazi smiles at the animals below and then makes a hand signal to the other mandrills. You have to catch us first." The mandrills run and jump from tree to tree.

"What?!" The Guards are amazed at their attitude.

"Hapana."

"We need to catch them!" Says Kion.

They all run to try reaching the mandrills.

"Have fun, guys." Nogazi follows the other mandrills, jumping from tree to tree, through lianas.

Below, Kion explains: "They seem to be just playing, but we need to make sure they don't cause any trouble or hurt anyone."

"Got it. Zuka zama!" Bunga climbs a tree trying to get some mandrills. He manages to shoot two down, causing them to land on Fuli's back.

"Hwezi!" The cheetah accelerates to catch the falling animals.

"Anga lenga!" Anga flies through the trees and grabs two mandrels with her claws and drops them on Surak's back.

Ono pecks at the head of a mandrill, causing him to distract himself and slip off the tree. "Watch out, Kion!"

"I'm coming, Ono!" Kion manages to catch the mandrill that lands on his back.

Anga, Bunga and Ono are throwing the mandrills onto their friends' backs.

Kion, Fuli, Beshte, Rani, Surak, Nirmala and Baliyo have their backs busy with the mandrills, but they still have to catch the leader Nogazi.

"Nogazi's escaping!" Tells Makini.

"I'll take care of him. Anga len...!" Anga is interrupted. Nogazi throws a fruit at her and the juice of the fruit reaches her eyes. "I can't see!"

"Makini." Rani suggests. The mjuzi's the only one free to catch the runaway mandrill.

"Understood, Your Highness."

Makini accelerates her steps trying to reach the mandrill. Nogazi realizes that and shouts: "You can't you resist me, doll?" Makini's upset by the comment. Distracted, Nogazi falls from the last tree. Seeing that there are no more trees ahead, the mandrill decides to continue running ahead. "If you like me that much, then follow me!" He teases her again.

"Stop it!" Makini's revolt is enough for her to get closer to him. Finally, Makini's about reaching him and reaches out her hand, grabbing him by the hair. "I got you." The moment she pulls Nogazi's hair, Makini falls to the floor and realizes that what she has in her hand is a brown toupee. "What?!" She's confused and looks forward, seeing that Nogazi is practically bald.

Nogazi stops, feeling the wind over his head. He puts his hands on his head and realizes he's missing his toupee. "No!" Looking back, he sees Makini with his toupee in her hand. "Oh no." Frightened and ashamed, Nogazi starts to retreat.

"Nogazi! Wait!" Makini starts to approach him, but he continues retreating. Suddenly Nogazi slips on a rock, losing his balance. "Watch out!" Makini screams, worried. As he slides down, Nogazi's right leg bends and he feels something pop inside it, letting him out a huge painful cry. Sliding backwards, the mandrill falls into River Of Patience. "Nogazi!" Makini runs to see if he's okay. With his leg broken, Nogazi's unable to swim. Then, a trunk appears and he clings to the trunk, so as not to drown.

"Nogazi! I'm on my way!" Makini jumps into the river, swimming up to him. She clings to the trunk, placing herself beside Nogazi.

"You shouldn't have come."

"And let you drown? I don't think so." They smile to each other. Makini starts to move his feet in the water, swimming and pushing the trunk to the other shore. Once there, she pulls Nogazi and lays him on the sand.

"Makini! Nogazi!"

Everyone else, the Guards and the mandrills, reach the other shore.

"I'm going to get them." Anga, now with her eyes clean, flies over the river to bring the two mandrills in her claws.

Hanging in the claws of the martial eagle, Nogazi thanks: "Thank you, Makini."

"Do you know what they say in the Pride Lands?"

"What?"

"Hakuna matata."

After all that agitation and with his leg broken, Nogazi needs to rest and ends up falling asleep on Beshte's back. Makini ask his friends to take him to the Tree Of Life, where she could take can of his leg.

When they reach the Tree Of Life, Kion and Rani help Makini to lay Nogazi on a flat rock, being careful not to hurt him. Once lying down, everyone around him analyzes his practically bald head. Makini's still holding his toupee while examining his hairstyle. Nogazi's not completely bald. His brown hair extends from one ear to another around his head, just leaving the top of his head bald, from the forehead to its back, above the nape.

The cave is very quiet. Even the mandrills are quiet, probably because they're worried about their leader. Finally, a certain honey badger decides to break the silence: "A bald mandrill. Now here's something you don't see every day." Bunga comments.

"Bunga. Some males became bald when they grow up. It's common knowledge."

"That's true, Ono." Beshte adds. "My father started losing his hair when he was about my age. Soon, I'll be totally bald like him."

"Really?!" Bunga jumps onto his friend's back and messes with his hair. "You're right, Big B. You already have your first bald spot."

Nogazi begins to wake up, slowly opening his eyes. Seeing how everyone is looking at him with a strange face, the madrill raises his hands, rubbing his head. Realizing that he's without his toupee, Nogazi struggles to hide his baldness. "Don't look at me!" He cries, afflicted.

"Here, Nogazi." Makini hands the toupee over to her new friend.

"Thanks, Makini." He puts the toupee back on his head, covering his baldness. The toupee's so realistic that it's normal for no one to know his secret. Well. Now they know.

"Nogazi. Let me examine your leg." Makini places her hands cautiously on his injured leg. Her soft hands rub his hair like a relaxing massage. Nogazi feels a little shiver at the touch of her hands. When Makini touches his shin, Nogazi lets out a slight cry of pain. "As I suspected. You've broke your leg. You better stay here at the Tree until you're healed."

"What?! But I... Ouch!" Nogazi tries to get up, but the pain in his leg doesn't allow it.

"Nogazi. Listen to Makini." Says Nirmala, with a reassuring smile. "She knows what she's doing."

"Fine. If Makini's going to take care of me, I can't refuse it." Nogazi sits back on the rock, relaxed.

"Thank you, Nirmala." Makini thanks the lioness, who just replies with a smile.

"Well... It looks like they're going to live here after all." Baliyo comments.

Hearing this, Kion decides talking: "Nogazi. You and your troop were very reckless. However, once your leg is broken, you can stay at the Tree Of Life. But only until you're healed. After that, you have to leave the Tree Of Life. We don't want more troubles."

"You have my word, Kion. I mean: your majesty."

"Great. But there are rules that you have to respect, if you want this to work."

"Rules?!"

"You have to promise us that you won't act that way again." Explains Rani. "The Tree Of Life is full of sick animals and your games are dangerous and you can hurt someone. In fact, it already hurt you."

"You're right, Your Highness. Not happen again."

"And you have to promise us that you will respect the circle of life and you only get what you need. Nothing more." Kion adds.

"I know. That's what I've been teaching my troop. By the way, who's gonna take care of them?"

"Did anyone call me?" Bunga jumps in front of Kion and Rani, who look at him with a confused look. "So? You know I love children. Have you forgotten how everybody knows me?"

"Problematic? Irresponsible? Stinky?" Fuli jokes.

"Babysitter Bunga!" Bunga points to himself, bragging.

After thinking for a while, the king and the queen respond together: "Okay."

"Zuka zama!" Bunga leaps for joy and calls the younger mandrills. "Follow me, mandrills. Babysitter Bunga will teach you how to have fun without hurting anyone." The mandrills celebrate and follow Bunga out of the cave.

Baliyo yawns. "Can we go to sleep?"

"Makini. Take care of Nogazi. We really need to rest." Rani says, also giving a yawn.

"And we have to go on patrol." Says Kion, looking at his friends of the former Lion Guard.

"Don't worry about us. We'll be fine. " Makini says goodbye to his friends and watches them leave the Tree Of Life. Then she turns to Nogazi, who's lying on the rock: "Now let's take care of you."

Makini rubs many plants and fruits in her bowl, creating a mix of flavors, together with a colored dust that she has kept in the gourds of her staff, forming a product with a reddish orange color. She puts the product in her hands and begins massaging Nogazi's leg, rubbing the product on his shin. Then the royal mjuzi takes some leaves and places them on his leg. "Don't move." She fetches a large and thick stick and places it on the back of Nogazi's leg. With one hand, she raises his leg and, with the other, the female pushes the stick underneath, until the border of the stick is well positioned on the tip of his foot. "Wait just a little longer." Makini fetches a liana and ties the stick to his leg, holding the healing leaves there too. "Done. Oh, wait." Makini fetches another stick, about the size of her staff, and hands it to Nogazi. "Try it."

Nogazi slowly uses the stick to hold himself upright. With the support of the stick, Nogazi walks slowly around the rock. "Very well, Nogazi." Makini applauds, seeing how well he's reacting to the injury.

Nogazi stops in front of Makini: "Wow. You're incredible, you know? Well done, my beautiful doll." Makini blushes at the comment and uses her staff to hit him on the head. "Ouch. I think I deserved that." They both laugh lightly when Nogazi sits back on the rock, resting.

For a few seconds, the two are silent, just looking at each other with a crooked smile and bright eyes. Makini watches her new friend, and when she looks at his hair again, she remembers something and gets serious again: "Nogazi. What happened to your hair?"

Nogazi sighs slightly, deciding telling the truth to the royal mjuzi. "I wasn't always like this." He starts telling, while removing his toupee, showing Makini his bald head. "I always had a very elegant hair and I was loved by everyone. I was considered the most charming mandrill in my troop and all the females struggled to get my attention. Then, one day, my hair started falling out and it wasn't long before I was... well... like this. Then, the females started ignoring me. My charm has disappeared, as well as my popularity. Now no one female likes me. All females who know this secret of mine ignore me and walk away from me ashamed of my appearance." Makini listens his story sadly. "That's why I created this toupee with my real hair. So that no one else finds out I'm bald. So, I think I owe you an apology. I'm not that confident and charming male that I made you believe I was. I disappointed you." He lowers his head, ashamed.

Makini uses her hands to lift his head and make him look at her. "Nogazi. I'm not disappointed." She smiles at him. "I don't think you're ugly. I think the baldness looks good on you. Furthermore, what counts is not how you are on the outside, but how you are on the inside."

"Wow." Nogazi smiles again. "What a beautiful thing to say." They both look at each other, blushing.

Time passes and Makini helps Nogazi walking in his new condition, holding him under his shoulder. It doesn't take long for Nogazi to get used walking with his leg tied and using his cane. Makini and Nogazi become closer. They talk to each other a lot and they often go to play in a lake. From time to time, Nogazi teases Makini, making her angry and happy at the same time.

One day, Rani and Kion watch the two mandrills strolling hand in hand and smiling at each other, completely flushed. The king and the queen smile at each other, believing that Makini has finally found the love of her life.

While Nogazi continues recovering, Bunga plays with the other mandrills, jumping from the waterfall, climbing trees, running... Sometimes, Makini takes Nogazi to visit his troop and everyone is very happy with the meeting. Whenever Nogazi visits someone, he wears his toupee. The only animal he doesn't mind seeing is baldness is his close friend Makini.

One day, Makini took Nogazi to the top of a hill to watch the sunset. The reddish orange light shines above the magnificent landscape of the pride. "Wow. Makini. This is so beautiful."

"I knew you would like it."

Both are silent for a while, until they decide speaking at the same time: "I have something to tell you." They laugh because they spoke at the same time.

"You first." Asks Nogazi.

"No, no. You first, Nogazi."

"Ok. Makini. I know our first meeting wasn't exactly perfect, but... What I mean is that, since I saw you in that forest, I feel that you... that we..." Nogazi's embarrassed, something not usual in him.

"Come on, Nogazi. What are you trying to tell me?"

"Makini. Your smile makes my body start shaking." She blushes. "And, your beautiful eyes warm my chest. I... Makini. What I'm trying to say is that... I love you."

Right now, the two are flushed, but it isn't noticeable because of the sunset light.

"Nogazi. I... I love you too."

"Are you serious?!" He's surprised by her revelation.

"Yes. Yes, I am. You know? I thought you were an irritating and cocky mandrill. But, after I know you better, I realized that you're funny, loving... What you say you feel for me, I feel the same way. My whole body trembles and warms with your presence."

"I had no idea."

For a few seconds, they just look at each other with a shy smile. Slowly, they bring their heads closer together, beginning to feel each other's breath. The two mandrills close their eyes and, finally, their lips touch and the couple share a passionate kiss, while hugging each other with love. Their tongues cross within their mouths, as they continue kissing passionately, illuminated by the magnificent light of the sunset. Finally, Makini and Nogazi separate from the kiss and look at each other, letting out a shy laugh. They're now officially boyfriend and girlfriend.

Two days later, the Night Pride, the Royal Guard, their boyfriends and Nogazi's troop gather to watch Nogazi's final treatment. He's no longer in pain and walks almost normally, but his leg hasn't yet returned to normal. The magic of the Tree Of Life is still missing so he can walk as before, without any support.

Nogazi's lying on the flat rock and Queen Rani's sitting next to him. Rani learned a lot from his grandmother, the Queen Janna. But after his grandmother's death, Rani had to learn more about the healing powers of the Tree Of Life. It was Makini who helped her to unravel these mysteries, through the many paintings created by the ancient royal mjuzis.

Rani concentrates herself and closes her eyes, placing one paw on the tree and another on Nogazi's leg. A flourishing light appears and passes through the queen's body like a powerful energy, crossing her paws, until it reaches the injured mandrel's leg. After the process is complete, Rani lies down tired and Kion goes to her to support her. "Rani!"

"I'm fine, sweetheart." Rani comforts Kion. The two lions caress each other and purr with love.

"How do you feel, Nogazi?" Makini asks.

Nogazi gets up without the support of the cane and walks without limping: "I'm fine! I don't feel anything at all!"

"Yeah! Cool! Zuka Zama! Well done! Poa!" Everyone celebrates the recovery of the mandrill.

"Very well, Nogazi. Let's get this out." Makini asks Nogazi to sit down and he obeys. Makini carefully removes the stake that held Nogazi's leg, as well as the leaves that stabilized the pain.

With his leg free again, Nogazi gets up and stretches his leg to relax. "It feels so good to be back to normal." Then he turns to Makini with a passionate smile: "Now I can do this." Nogazi kneels in front of the female mandrill, grabbing one of her hands.

"Nogazi. What are you doing?" Makini's embarrassed. All of her friends already know about their relationship, but she doesn't like these public displays of love very much.

"Makini. You're the most extraordinary mandrill I've ever met. You're beautiful, friendly, funny and brave. Not to mention that you were my hero." Makini feels her body warm. Her face is completely red. "So, I want to ask you, in front of all our friends... Do you want to be my mate?"

Makini's speechless, but not her friends. They're encouraging her: "Accept, Makini! Accept!"

"Yes." She gives in. "Yes, yes. A thousand times yes." Makini hugs Nogazi and they share a passionate kiss. Everyone around you celebrates their love.

After the kiss, Nogazi explains to Makini: "I'm glad you accepted, doll. But... I need to know if you are willing to take a trip with me."

"A trip?!"

"To make everything official, we need doing the ritual at my home. Are you willing to go with me?"

"I don't know. I..." Makini's confused.

"Go on, Makini." Rani speaks behind her.

"But... Queen Rani. What about the Tree Of Life?"

"Don't worry, Makini." Nirmala walks towards them. "I'll help Rani while you're gone."

Makini looks at the two lionesses in admiration. "Oh, my friends!" She runs to hug them "Thank you. Thank you very, very much."

"Does that mean you're coming with me?" Nogazi asks.

"Of course, silly." Makini kisses Nogazi again.

"So, we leave tomorrow, as soon as the sun rises." Says the male, after separating from the kiss.

"I can't wait, my love."

The next day, Makini, Nogazi and their troop leave the Tree Of Life. All his friends stand in the passage watching the mandrills going away. Everyone says goodbye with a smile, as they know they will soon be together again.

The trip is long and they have a lot to walk, but Makini doesn't mind, as she's in the company of her beloved. Sometimes it's hard to control the troop, but Makini and Nogazi work together and manage to calm the most hyperactive mandrills.

At night, Makini and Nogazi sleep with their heads against each other, feeling their bodies heating up between them.

After two days, they finally reach the Tropical Lands, Nogazi and his troop's home. Makini is amazed by the landscape. It's a huge tropical forest, full of creatures and plants of many colors and shapes. She can see that some mandrills are using trees as their house, while others use small caves. But what most catches the mjuzi's attention is the appearance of the females of the troop. Most female mandrills are bald and have constricted pupils and the irises in their eyes appear to be smaller than usual with perfectly delineated lashes. She also notices that the females are wearing earrings, large rings around their necks and several bracelets on their arms. They also have lipstick on their lips.

The troop stops in front of a small cave, located under a hill. "Makini. I want you to meet someone." She looks at him curious. "Mom! Dad!" He calls.

Two older mandrills come out of the cave, admired: "Nogazi?!" The male is similar to Nogazi, only having his fur darker than him. The female has a lighter fur, such as her nose. "You're back!" They embrace Nogazi.

"We missed you so much, my son."

"I missed you too, mom."

After the hug, Nogazi's parents look at Makini, trying figuring out who she is. Makini smiles at them, trying to please them. "Who is she, son?!" Asks his father.

"Mom. Dad. I present you Makini, my girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?!" They look at her again, this time in awe.

"Hello." Makini greets them with a smile, but she's scared inside.

"Welcome to the family, Makini!" Nogazi's parents give Makini a big hug.

"Th-Thank you." She responds with some difficulty in breathing because of the embrace.

"Makini's a very special mandrill." Nogazi tells his parents, making Makini blush. "She's a royal mjuzi and works at the Tree Of Life. Besides, I had an accident and it was she who healed me."

"Really?!" Nogazi's parents look at Makini, touched by what they hear.

"Well. It wasn't quite like that." Makini explains. "It was Queen Rani who healed him with the powers of the Tree Of Life."

"But you took care of me." Nogazi intervenes. "You were always by my side when I had my leg broken."

"Oh, it was nothing."

"No, Makini. You helped our son." Says his mother. "How can we reward you?"

"Please. You don't have to do that."

"In fact, there is one thing you can do." Nogazi suggests: "Do you give us your blessing to do our mating ritual?"

"No." Answers his father. After seeing the couple bow their heads sadly, he laughs: "I was kidding. Of course we give you our blessing."

After celebrating, Nogazi asks: "Makini. Do you know your parents?"

"What?!" She's confused. What does that have to do with the ritual?! "Oh. Yes. They're wonderful parents. They took good care of me when I was young. Sometimes they still visit me at the Tree Of Life."

"Parents often watch their children's ritual. Do you think your parents can come to the Tropical Lands to watch our ritual?"

"Oh. Well..." Makini's a little embarrassed for involving her parents in this, but she ends up accepting it. "Ok. But how do we tell them?"

"We sent a message." Explains Nogazi's father. "Ujembe!" He calls.(Ujembe means message in Swahili.)

"Did anyone call me?" A toucan flies over them.

"Down here!"

Ujembe arrives close to the mandrills.

"Ujembe. We need to ask you a favor."

"Of course! What is it?"

"We need you to invite Makini's parents to her ritual with our son Nogazi."

"Very well! Kuruka mbali!" The toucan takes flight again. (Kuraka mbali means "fly away".) After five seconds, he returns: "Where do they live?"

"They live in the Pride Lands." Answers Makini.

"I think I know the way there. Kuruka mbali!" And there he goes.

For a few days, Makini lives in the cave with Nogazi and his parents. She meets some mandrills and makes new friends, especially with females, as she has never lived with many female mandrills.

Finally, Fikiri and Kitendo arrive at the Tropical Lands. "Makini!"

"Mom! Dad!" Makini runs to hug her parents.

"We're so happy to see you again."

"Mom, dad. I want to present you to my boyfriend, Nogazi."

"Hello."

"So it was you who won our daughter's heart." Kitendo comments.

"In fact, it was she who won me over." Makini blushes at Nogazi's words.

Both families greet each other happily.

At the twilight, the couple's in the cave, preparing to perform the ritual. Nogazi explains to his beloved: "Makini. Before we go any further, I want to explain you how the ritual works. You'll have to shave your hair, eyebrows and eyelashes, using an eyeliner. Then, you'll have to drink a potion that will change your vision forever, getting the same capacity as the other females. Next, you'll have to wear earrings, rings on the neck, bracelets on your arms and lipstick. Finally, you'll have to submit completely to me. Males must be very dominant, while females must be completely submissive. This is our tradition."

Makini's thoughtful for a few seconds. It's a difficult situation. However: "I accept, Nogazi. I love you very much and I don't mind changing my appearance or submitting to you. I just wanna be with you. I want to be happy with you, in any way."

"You're incredible, babe." Nogazi gives Makini a passionate kiss.

"Are you ready?" Nogazi's father asks, making them break the kiss, after arriving there with his mate and Makini's parents.

"Yes." The couple responds at the same time.

"Makini. We already know how the ritual works." Fikiri explains.

"Oh. So... you don't mind that I...?"

"Makini." Kitendo interrupts. "You know your mother and I are very proud of you. We love you very much and we'll always love you, no matter who you are with or what you do."

"We just want you to be happy." Fikiri concludes.

"Thanks." Makini runs to hug her parents, shedding tears of joy. "I love you too."

After leaving their cave, the two families go to a smaller cave, located on the other side of the forest. Once there, an old gray-haired mandrill, called Maarifa*(means knowledge)*, guides them into his cave, where he had already lit a small fire. Everyone stands around the fire, watching the shaman shave Makini's head with a small sharp stone.

Makini watches her hair fall to the floor, while feeling the careful movements of the stone on her head. After Maarifa finishes the job, Makini feels a fresh breeze reaching her baldness. The mjuzi rubs her baldness with her hands. At first, she feels strange, but she ends up enjoying the feel of her hands rubbing her now smooth head.

Then, the shaman uses the stone to shave Makini's eyebrows. Makini thinks: Shuari. She closes her eyes, crosses her legs and puts her hands together, trying to relax so she doesn't feel any pain. After running out of eyebrows, it's time to remove her lashes. One by one, cautiously, Maarifa plucks her eyelashes. Makini moans a little in pain and tries not to scream, concentrating on her meditation. After that, the shaman takes a small thin stick and rubs its end in a bowl with a black ink. Maarifa uses the small stick as an eyeliner to paint Makini in the area of her cuted eyelashes.

After having her eyelashes plucked, Makini drinks a potion, created by Maarifa. This potion has a strong and strange taste and the liquid seems to go up in her head. Once again, she lets out an almost inaudible moan when the potion takes effect and makes her pupils contract and permanently reduces her irises. The shaman takes gold rings, probably created through tree branches and painted with one of his mixtures. He puts three rings around the mjuzi's neck. Then he takes smaller rings and puts them in her arms. Two rings remain, the smaller ones. These rings are not completely closed. They have two sharp tips. Maarifa uses these rings to place them on Makini's ears. When the beaks touch Makini's ears, she trembles and moans a little, as soon as the rings open a hole in each of her ears, coming together to form earrings. Finally, Maarifa takes a red product from one of his bowls and rubs her lips with that product, painting them.

The first part of the ritual is completed. Makini gets up and looks at the crystal wall, getting to see her reflection. She's shocked by her new look. "I... This is... I'm..." Her expression changes from shocked to happy. "I'm beautiful! Look at all these rings! And my face! So beautiful!"

Nogazi goes to her. "You're beautiful anyway, dolly." They both share a passionate kiss.

"Oh. Come on. Leave that for the rest of the ceremony." Says the shaman Maarifa.

Shortly after, Makini and Nogazi's parents happily attend their children's ceremony. The shaman made his speech: "We are gathered here today to witness the union of Nogazi and Makini in the sacred ritual of the mandrills. Love must be strong in good and bad times and must be celebrated tonight. Spirits of the past mandrills, listen the calling of Nogazi and Makini so they can unite as one tonight. Sikiza!"(means listen)

Nogazi vows: "I, Nogazi, promise to be with you in good and bad times. I'll be a dominant male and make you the most submissive female in the world. I'll be your love and you will be mine, until the world ends."

Then it's Makini's turn: "I, Makini, promise being by your side in good and bad times. I'll be a submissive female and I'll give myself completely to you. I will receive your love and give you everything I can and I have, until the world ends."

A light breeze crosses the cave and the shaman says: "The spirits are on your side. Nogazi. Makini. Your love has been blessed. Now you can kiss. Again." He whispers in the last sentence.

Nogazi and Makini exchange a passionate look, before sharing another kiss.

"I love you, Kini." Nogazi speaks, after the kiss.

"And I love you, Gazi."

After the ceremony, the parents congratulate their children.

"We're very proud of you, my son." Nogazi's mother says.

"Makini seems to be a good mandrill." Comments his father. "I'm sure she will make you very happy."

"She already makes me happy, dad."

"Aawwww!!!" Nogazi's parents give him a tight hug.

"You like my new look?" Makini asks her parents.

"You could even shave all the fur off your body and we would still love you." Kitendo replies.

"Your look isn't so important, Makini." Fikiri gives her daughter one of her many good advices. "What counts is what you have inside." She puts her hand on her daughter's chest, more precisely in the heart area.

"Are you happy?" Asks Makini's father.

"Of course I am! I love Nogazi! He's the love of my life."

"So we're also happy." Says her mother. "Because your happiness is what makes us happiest."

"I love you." Makini embraces her parents.

"We love you too."

The parents of Makin and Nogazi go home, while the couple goes to another side. Nogazi guides Makini through the forest, walking hand in hand. They arrive at a place full of bushes and stop behind tall bushes.

"Did I ever told you how much I love you, darling?"

Makini laughs and enjoys: "I don't think so."

"Then I'll say it now. Makini. I love you."

"I love you, too, handsome."

Without wasting more time, the couple begins kissing. Their tongues start dancing inside their mouths, sharing each other's saliva. "Mmmmm." They continue like this for a while, until they're forced to separate from the kiss to catch some air.

They look at each other with a passionate smile and Nogazi says: "It's time to give yourself to me, babe. Show me what you have down there."

Makini smiles with some shyness, realizing what the male wants. Then, the mjuzi turns and lowers, lifting her bottom, showing her pussy and ass to her husband. Nogazi moves closer to her and lowers himself, placing his head next to her ass. The male starts smelling her pussy. "Mmmmmm." Makini feels his breath hitting her pussy and lets out a little sigh.

After a few seconds smelling it, Nogazi sticks out his tongue and starts rubbing her asshole. Makini feels Nogazi's tongue running lightly in her ass and moans a little, as soon as he sticks his tongue inside her ass. Nogazi appreciates the sensation of his tongue rubbing the walls of his lover's ass. This makes his body feel an intense pleasure and his penis start leaving its sheath.

After wetting the inside of Makini's ass, Nogazi goes down a bit and starts rubbing his tongue at the entrance to her pussy. "Oh." Makini lets out a slight groan at the sensation. Nogazi rubs around the entrance several times, until he decides entering and his tongue starts touching the mjuzi's soft walls. "Oh!" This time, she moans a little louder. Makini's pussy starts to fill with Nogazi's hot saliva. He rubs his tongue all around, wanting to make the walls totally clean and slippery.

Finally, Nogazi backs off, leaving the female's ass and pussy completely wet with his saliva. He looks down and realizes that his dick is fully erect. "Are you ready?!"

Makini looks back and sees Nogazi holding his dick firmly. Then, she realizes what he meant. "Yes. Yes, my love. I wanna be yours. Make me moan out loud."

Nogazi positions his cock at the entrance to her pussy and, carefully, he shoves it inside, going as deep as he can. "Ah!" Makini moans as she feels his dick pierce her pussy. After feeling that he can't go any deeper, Nogazi slowly starts moving his body back and forth. "Mmmmm." Makini remains on her knees, feeling the clash of the male body in hers.

"Oh, doll." Nogazi lets out a slight moan as he holds Makini's hips in his hands and pushes his cock into her pussy.

"Ah." Makini loves to feel his cock rubbing against her damp walls.

After several blows, Makini asks: "More, Gazi! More! Fuck me hard! Make me scream!"

As a dominant male, Nogazi accelerates his movements and increases his strength. His body hits hers hard with each push and his penis slips more quickly on the mjuzi's soft walls. "Ah! Ah! Ah!" Makini moans louder with each charge of the male.

"Oh! Fuck!" Nogazi also groans. "You're so hot!"

"Ah! Fuck me! Ah!"

Nogazi feels his penis start swelling inside her. "Oh! I will...!"

"Fill me up! Fill me, Gazi! I'm yours!"

Finally, Nogazi takes one last hit, sinking his cock as deep as possible into her pussy. Inside, his cock explodes and releases several squirts of cum. "Oooooooh!"

"Aaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!" Makini screams out loud when she feels her pussy getting filled with cum.

"Oh!" Nogazi slowly takes his cock out of her. A large amount of cum is dripping from inside her pussy and his dick.

"Ah!" She sighs. "This... was good."

"Not over yet." Says the male, again holding his cock with one hand.

"Uh?!" Makini looks back, realizing that he's preparing something.

Nogazi makes a handjob, trying to lift his tired cock again. His persistence is sufficient and, after some time, he manages to lift his wet cock again. "Ah." He sighs. Then, without further ado, Nogazi positions his cock at the entrance to her ass.

Makini realizes what he wants to do. "Oh, Gazi. Fuck my ass. I'm all yours." Then Nogazi shoves his cock into her tight hole, brushing the walls of her ass. "Aaaaaahh!!!" She screams at the piercing pain. Once his cock is inside, she submissively asks: "Yes, Gazi. Fuck my ass. Make me moan like I never did."

Finally, Nogazi moves his body back and forth, holding the female's hips, while his cock rubs inside of her ass. "Oh yeah." He sighs. "You're my whore."

Makini moans more this time. "Ah! Ah! Gazi! Ah! Fuck!" Makini's totally committed to the pleasure and desires of her lover.

After a few minutes, Nogazi increases the speed of his movements. "Oh, Kini. How good. Oh!"

"Ah! Yes! Fuck me! Ah!" Nogazi's cock swells again. This time, Makini feels him squeezing her asshole. "Ah! Fuck!"

Nogazi takes one last blow, sinking his penis as far as he can get inside her ass. "Oh!" Again, his penis explodes a lot of cum, this time filling her asshole. "Ooooooohhh!!!"

"Aaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!" Makini lets out one last cry, before Nogazi pulls his cock out of her.

Makini falls on the floor, tired, with her ass and pussy full of cum. Nogazi lies down beside her. "Wow. It was great." She comments between sighs.

"It was the best night of my life." Nogazi smiles at her, before explaining. "Now you can't clean yourself. It's part of the ritual for the female to leave her ass and pussy with the male's cum, also spreading his scent. It's another way for females to show they're submissive to their mates."

"It doesn't matter. I like your smell. Besides, you know I'll do anything for you, baldy." She lets out a light laugh at the name she calls him.

"I love you, my doll."

"I love you too, my prince charming."

The two share a passionate kiss, before falling asleep in each other's arms.

MONTHS LATER

Makini leaves gets out of the Tree Of Life, having completed her daily tasks as a royal mjuzi. She walks while thinking about the latest events.

After their mating ritual, Makini and Nogazi spent a few weeks in the Tropical Lands, sharing several romantic and fun moments. Nogazi agreed to move in with Makini at the Tree Of Life and left his troop under the responsibility of a trusted friend.

Now they live together in a small cave at the Tree Of Life and Nogazi stopped wearing his toupee. In fact, he even got a new haircut, giving him a nice hairline. And, of course, they visit their parents from time to time, just as they come to visit them as well.

Since they returned to the Tree Of Life, Makini and Nogazi mate every day. Every day she submits to him, letting him fuck her pussy and asshole hard. Sometimes, he forces her to suck his cock and swallow his cum. Every day they mate in different places: in a cave, behind a bush, on the branch of a tree, in the desert lands, in the cold lands... Makini loves obeying her mate and, as promised, she never washes herself and walks with her ass and pussy dripping. Only Nogazi can wash her from time to time.

Makini remains with the same appearance that she built at the ceremony, but that didn't change her friendship with the Night Guard, the Royal Guard and many other animals from the Tree Of Life. In fact, their behavior and look, along with Nogazi, gave some couples an incentive to do their own rituals.

Ono and his blind mate, for example. Now they tend to pluck each other's head and tail feathers whenever they mate. Other couples of egrets also started to do that. Even some egrets started doing that only because they find it fashionable. As part of their ritual, Ono and his mate also often wag their pink tails, showing their cloacas.

Beshte also adopted a ritual with his mate, after he went completely bald, like his father Basi. Beshte and his mate usually mate every day and she has to be submissive to him. Once, Beshte spread his poop on her body and rubbed it everywhere, until she was completely covered in shit. For a week, many animals moved away from her because of the smell, but she didn't care, as she had to do that to mark Beshte's smell on her body.

Makini arrives at the cave and stops at its entrance. Before entering, Makini looks at the starry sky, as if looking at some spirit. Then, she lets out a little cheerful sigh and enter the cave.

"Dolly!" Nogazi runs smiling towards Makini.

"Watch out!" She's concerned when he throws himself at her. The two fall on the floor and he gives her a passionate kiss. Afterwards, Nogazi starts kissing her neck, but she uses her hands to push him off her. "Not now, Gazi!"

"What?! What's wrong?!" He gets up with her.

"I..." She rubs her belly. "I'm pregnant."

"I'm going to be father?!" He's amazed. Makini just nods to confirm. "I'm going to be father!" He jumps on her again, falling with her again.

"Watch out!" She screams again.

"This calls for a celebration." He kisses her neck again. This time she lets him do it and lets out a slight moan.

It doesn't take long for Nogazi to place his erect cock inside her pussy, making her moan a little loud. "Ah!" He lies on top of her while he fucks her for several minutes. "Ah! Gazi! Ah! Ah!" She moans more and more as he increases his speed.

At the end, when he's about to shoot his cum, Nogazi quickly pulls his cock out of her and spreads the cum on her belly. "Oh!" Then, the male licks the belly of the pregnant mandrill, gently rubbing its fur, making her let out light moans.

With the process over, he lies down beside her. "You'll be the best mother in the world."

"And you'll the best father a son can have." They embrace each other with love and fall asleep.

SOME MORE MONTHS LATER

Makini's lying on a leafy rock and Nogazi's massaging her. His hands carefully rub her body. She relaxes, feeling the comfortable movements of his hands in her soft fur. Nogazi carefully rubs her swollen belly, not wanting to hurt the baby that's about to born.

"Ah!" She screams. Yes. This is the time. She feels a huge twinge in her belly. The baby wants leaving it. "Gazi! It's now!"

"Now?!" He's distressed.

"Yes! Ah!" She groans with pain.

"Relax, my doll! Take a deep breath!"

"Ah!" Makini does as he asks, while he holds her hands to comfort her.

"Take it easy, doll. I'm here."

"Ah!" She feels a huge pressure between her belly and her pussy. It's the baby who's about to leave.

"It's almost!"

"Gazi! Aaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!" Finally, her pussy opens and a small sticky mandrill comes out. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!" Nogazi yells, feeling Makini squeeze his hands tightly.

Nogazi takes the baby and takes him to his beloved's lap: "It's a boy."

"Heri." Says Makini, after catching her breath.

"What?!"

"His name. I like Heri."

"It's perfect."

(Heri means blessed in Swahili.)

The couple snuggles up with their newborn son, when a bright light appears inside the cave. Nogazi and Makini look on with curiosity when Mufasa's spirit appears on the cave wall.

"Who's this guy?!" Nogazi asks suspiciously.

"King Mufasa?!" Makini's amazed.

"Greetings, Makini."

"Your Majesty. What are you doing here?!"

"I've came here to bring you good news about your son."

"Heri?! What does he have?!"

"Heri was chosen to be Rafiki's successor as the royal mjuzi of the Pride Lands."

"Really?!" The parents are happy with the news.

"Your son will have a bright future."

"Asante, Mufasa. Thank you." Makini thanks, before Mufasa's spirit disappears.

"Wow. I can't believe I'm going to be a mjuzi's father. " Nogazi comments.

"Well. You're already a mjuzi's mate." She laughs.

"So I really am the luckiest mandrill in the world." The two return to snuggle with their son.

SOME YEARS LATER

Makini's in the cave playing with her children. "I'm going to catch you." After Heri, she and Nogazi had five more children.

Nogazi's also playing with them. "You can't escape me." He's now totally bald.

"Help!" Their children scream, fleeing from parents who try to catch them.

Heri now lives in the Pride Lands, where Rafiki trains him to be the next royal mjuzi. On the other hand, Hatima, the youngest daughter of Makini and Nogazi, was chosen to be Makini's successor as the royal mjuzi of the Tree Of Life. (Hatima means fate.)

Eventually, Makini's friends also had children. Sometimes, Makini likes to take one of her children to play with the king and queen's cubs on the Tree Of Life.

One day, Heri appears at the Tree Of Life, carrying his bakora staff. Heri tells her parents: "The Pride Lands are magnificent. Queen Kiara and King Kovu are great rulers and Vitani's Lion Guard are doing an excellent job protecting the Pride Lands."

"That's very good, son." Makini's happy. "So what about you? How are you doing with Rafiki? I see you already have your bakora staff. Don't miss it. I had to look for a lot of staffs when I was your age because I was always losing them."

"It's okay, mom. Rafiki is a great teacher. I already learned how to make many remedies and I even helped Imara when she was hurt helping the rest of the Guard protecting the Pride of a herd of angry rhinos. Now I'm learning to communicate with the spirits."

"My son is very talented." Nogazi boasts. "Like his father."

"Should be it." Makini laughs at his comment.

"We're very proud of you, Heri." Nogazi and Makini hug their son.

That afternoon, the family takes advantage of the warm weather to take a stroll through the lands. The six brothers walk in front of their parents, always laughing and playing. Behind them, Makini and Nogazi walk hand in hand, watching their children happily.

"You know, Gazi? When Rafiki told me that I was going to fall in love one day, I didn't want to believe him. But, now that I'm with you, I believe that love is a wonderful thing and we'll be very happy together." Makini leans her bald head on his boyfriend's also bald head.

"That's not quite true."

"Uh?!"

"We're already happy."

"You're right." She fixes her eyes on her children again. "We're a very happy family and that will never change."

MWISHO (THE END)