The Doubt
Alone in the clearing, the lion hears his parents' voices urging him to distrust humans. But for the first time, he dares to question what he has always believed, and from this doubt, the courage to act is born.
The young lion stayed in the clearing for a long time, his muzzle turned to the sky. The moon was so full and bright it seemed to watch every one of his thoughts. The wind moved the tall grass and seemed to whisper: “Don’t run away anymore… don’t run away anymore…”
But inside, the lion still heard his parents’ voices, carved like stone: — Don’t trust humans. They are the danger. —
Those words had guided him all his young life. And now, as he thought of Amara, her crying, her face marked by tears, his heart shouted something different: — She is not the danger. She is a child. She is innocent. She is fragile. And I left her alone. —
The lion stood up and, for the first time, felt the courage to question what he had been taught. “Maybe… even the words of a father and mother are not always the truth. Maybe true courage is deciding for yourself.”
That realization made him tremble. He had never dared to think differently from his parents. Yet, that night, he understood that growing up also meant this: choosing who you want to be, even when the world tells you otherwise.
He began to walk through the forest, determined. But he knew one thing: he couldn’t do it alone. The men were strong, stronger than him, and above all clever. He had to be cleverer than them.
As he pondered, he heard three soft meows. He turned and saw, under a large baobab tree, three cats with shiny fur and eyes that sparkled in the night like gems.
They were Merlin, Morgana, and Arthur. Three siblings who lived in the forest, known by all the animals for their intelligence and cunning.
— What troubles you, young lion? — asked Merlin, the eldest, with a calm and wise voice. — Why are your eyes full of storm? — added Morgana, as sinuous and mysterious as the night itself. And finally Arthur, the liveliest of the three, jumped onto a branch and said: — Tell me it’s an adventure!
The lion lowered his gaze, then raised it again with determination. — There is a girl in danger. She was taken by men and locked away. I promised to save her… and I ran away. But I don’t want to run anymore. I need your help.
The three cats exchanged a knowing look. Then Morgana nodded slowly. — Men are greedy and distracted. We can trick them. We’ll act as bait: we’ll show ourselves and lead them far away. While they chase us, you go to the girl and free her.
The lion’s eyes shone with gratitude. — Would you really do that? — — Of course — meowed Merlin with a subtle smile. — You don’t abandon those in need. — And — added Arthur, doing a somersault in the grass — it’ll be fun to fool them!
The young lion felt a wave of new strength. He was no longer alone. The fear hadn’t disappeared, but now it was no longer an obstacle: it had become the fire that pushed him to act.
That night, under the moon that lit up the forest, a plan of courage was born. A plan that would change everything.
