– "The Whispers of the Past"

Tiifu ran right behind Kiara, while Zuri tried to keep up with the two, panting.

Tiifu: — "Kiara, wait! Where are we going now? You're getting obsessed with this Kopa guy…"

Kiara (without stopping): — "He existed, Tiifu. And no one wants to talk about him. Rafiki is hiding something… and I'm going to find out what."

Zuri (mumbling): — "Why can't we just play like all the other lionesses?"

But Tiifu, despite complaining, felt the same shiver down Kiara's spine. Ever since they heard that name for the first time, there was something strange. Something familiar.

As they crossed a small ravine between the rocks, Kiara suddenly stopped. Her eyes fixed on a tree with its bark partially peeled off… there was a mark. Small, faded… but it looked like a child's paw print.

Kiara (whispering): — "Have I… been here before?"

Tiifu approached, curious, but then saw her friend's gaze lost, distant. As if she were seeing something… that was no longer there.

[Kiara's flashback (vague and fragmented)]

Confused images appear in the young princess's mind:

– A young lion, with a light brown mane… – He runs alongside Timon and Pumbaa, smiling…* – He climbs up on a rock and lets out an awkward roar, laughing soon after… – A soft voice, very similar to Nala's, calls: “Kopa, come back here!” – And then… a dark shadow, yellow eyes… a muffled roar… silence.

Kiara (whispering to herself): — "Kopa…"

[Encounter with Pimpi, the Hyrax]

Shortly after, the three of them spot a small creature with brown fur and big eyes — a hyrax — piling berries into a makeshift basket made of leaves. He was wearing an old shell necklace and whistling a nostalgic tune.

Tiifu (smiling): — "Hey, you! What's your name?"

Pimpi (turning around in surprise): — "Aah! Me? I'm… Pimpi. Who are you?"

Kiara (direct): — "You met a lion named Kopa, didn't you?"

Pimpi froze. His eyes widened for a moment, but he quickly hid it.

Pimpi (laughing nervously): — "Kopa? Oh, no… you must be thinking about… Kopaali! Yes, yes! He was in the Lion Guard, many years ago…"

Kiara (firmly): — "No. Kopa. A cub. Brownish mane. He was Simba's son."

Pimpi (swallowing hard): — "Ah… that name… that name is like the wind of a season that has already passed…"

Tiifu (pressing): — "So you met him! Tell us what happened to him!"

Pimpi (lowering her voice): — "I… I was just a little friend, nothing important… but Kopa was special. Such a strong heart… He was like the morning sun. He shone even in the mist of shadows."

The three lionesses fall silent, listening attentively. Then, Pimpi closes his eyes, puts his hand on his chest and murmurs something in his native language:

Pimpi (whispering): — "Mwoto uliyepotea, lakini bado waangaza..." ("Fire lost, but still shines...").

Zuri (confused): — "What does that mean?"

Pimpi (with sad eyes): — "It means that... not all flames are extinguished. Some live on in the hearts of those who remember."

Kiara (coming closer): — "Is he alive?"

Pimpi: — "I... can't say. No one can. After what happened... after Zira..."

He looks around, as if afraid he's being watched.

Pimpi (even more quietly): — "There's a reason why no one talks about Kopa. It's forbidden."

Tiifu (wide-eyed): — "But why?"

Pimpi (standing up): — "Because the past… sometimes… needs to sleep. And if you're smart, you'll let that name sleep too."

He starts to walk away, but before disappearing into the bushes, he turns around one last time.

Pimpi: — "But if the north wind blows… maybe, just maybe… the memories will come back."

Kiara, Tiifu and Zuri are silent for a long time. Kopa's name now seemed heavier… more real.

Tiifu (with a lump in her throat): — "I have a feeling… that this story isn't over yet."

🦁 Note for Players: You can play Tiifu, a character from the scene, or an original character.